Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-09-28
Tax Limit MOI Exceeded by The Board
Of Education.
REILLY TO NEWS CORRESPONDENTS
support aud Maintenance one Thing.
sinking fuud hnd Interest
Another.

Issue Of the 2sfd lust. over the nom de
plume 0; "a non," sni the second on
the 25ih signed "lietnard."
Both writers deal with the school
taN question and both are apparently
u the opinion tina, al excessive u go
Illegal levy la, bsvu made Got the
preseat year. "Anln" frankly states
hn desires TO do little "Te.psc,iul,
pertinent growllns," aud then pre-
ce,ds 10 deal wisn the general tax
lcvits Tor 1895. lilo correctly
states that the levy for school
purposes IL SIX mile, quotes
pAu-buts part onIy-of the Terfl-
tofial statute on that subject, "ihat
iheiAx TOT the supp,Tt anu mainten.
ance " such Hsnools stall not exceed
In any Oue year four mills on the
dollar" ana thea Asks, "rhereinro IN
not tho rix mills tax direct violNuon
OF this law2 what sense IL lueIe
la the Legislature limiting tho
tax TO four mills ~ the school board
eau Vt pleasure Increase II 10 six?" To
the fret query answer omphstlcally
Ia tho negative. This four mills IL
used Tor the specific purpose sol iuslE
In tue law, "suppoft ana maiaten-
aucr.D Hut the hoard hss other im-
p0Tiaut AMI heavy obli cations 10 Vi ..
charge In addition u supporting aud
maintaining tho schools, and
the law points cut ths way
In which II can aud must be-
done. IL 10 incumbent that a separate
annual levy shall be made 10 pay In
tefest on bonds was provide for n slnk-
ing fund with which 10 ultimately fc-
deem the 1926, 900 issues now out
standing. The law Uu the question IL
found In Section l29. chapter XIX, page
liz, Session Laws 1884 aad reads Ne
follows
Tho board Of education shall, on or be-
fore the first day Of March OF each year,
prepare a statement and estimate OF tho
amount necessary tor the support and
maintenance OF tho schools under its
charge, for tho school year commencing
on the nrHt day Of July next thereafter,
also the amount necessary to pay the in
ierest accruing during such year. or not
included In any prior cs Innate, on bond.
issued by said board. and the amount OF
sinking fund necessary TO DO collected
during such year. for tho payment and
| redemption Of said bond; pro-
| yided, that tho tax tor the support and
maintenance Of such schools shall not
exceed In any one year four mill. on the
dollar upon all taxable property OF said
city.
In response to the second question,
as 10 what sense there IL in the Legis-
laluto limiting the tax TO four mills II
| tho board can nt pleasure Increase IL TO
six II may be stated the board has not
or cannot at it, pleasure DO anything
OF the kind. "Anon" was evidently
| not aware OF the fact thot there are in
reality two distinct ievies ~ Indicated
ABOVE. And even tho matter OF levy
Ing IL not loft with this board. AL 10
can do under the law, ~ TO perform
the A plata, simple duty OF ceid-
lying 10 the assessor tho amount neces.
saTy Tor maintenance and repaire and
the payment Of interest and making
sinking iuud credit.
That official must be guided by
the law In the matter OF making these
lovies. Tho board's incation to
him was absolutely within legal
b und', being carefully prepared Dv
Its attorneys, William, Van Cot &
SutherlaHu-wIth due regard for any
contingency that might arise.
Asto the complaint about Salt lake
property owners being required TO Jay
a total school tax Of eleven mills, 10
should to borne In mind that very
large Proportion OF n, under n ToiIi-
tofial law that 10 very unjust, gees 70
schools outside the city. No explanation
on this pDini, perhaps, viii maze the
matter clearer tran the following ex-
or fem President Doolys annual
report;
The territorial end county school
taxes pAiu by the city Tor 1884 were
tO.wI,;
Territorial tax @ misl s2 2,
County tax ,s mhlil,... .''''. ...-.. MS a
Totai"..."............. .Sl;e,9'o 8
Tho board received from tho Terri 60. =,
rue BOARD received from Inc county. SSiii 5,
Total-..,,",.',.'.''.'.. ...'.........s 's'al9 =
Loss to san Lake City.-.......s is,i5i 70
Which is equivalent TO about As per cent
OF tho territorial school and county
school taxes, OF 10 express IL differently,
tho board OF education Of this city ro-
ceived about % poe cent Of tho territorial
school aud county school loyles.
heartily endorse "Bernafo'"
views whe, elm he states that the board
\ tnOulN govern Tvs eApphNhuso' " as
legal income and, II that be insufficient
10 accommodate actual needs, u IA not
the bJard's hvit and II cannot BIO Justly
oeusuTed. pm also OF the opinion
that my Comment on "Anon'b" COM
municatiun nre sufficiently plain Tor
; both gentlemen TO sec thai tho board
mas NOT exceeded It's jurisdiction.
IL has big question with
which to deal. To successfully
Keep tho school system In operation
Tadulres the employment Of $50
teachers whose salsries have been re-
,iueed until thsy are lower than thote
u any similar western city, thirty
anit0fs ami considerable number u
other pgTslia Tbs census RETURNS
show = school population OF 1880,
more than one ouTth OF the ci,yis M
hSbitanls. Theso must be provided
with lIre text books, apparatus, fuel
aud shelter for ton months In the year
anu the most rigid economy has been
ne tssaTy ia every department 10
accommodate them aud even now the
acquiring OF sufficient suitable school
room outside OF the regular buildings Ia
problem that 10 giving the board
much trouble
One OF IFS MEMRRRs.