Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-06-11
That Special Tax.


The taxpayers and fair-minded
people of Olympia school district
should not forget that an important
election takes place tomorrow. Two
directors and clerk are to be elected
and the proposition of special tax-levy
for free school books will be voted on
at the polls.
The same question is presented in
the tax-proposition that has confront
ed us ever since individual enterprise
became the precursor of personal pow
erty. 1t is but another weight added
to the shoulders already bent with
care, another turn of the screws upon
limbs that are already crushed by the
most diabolical piece of machinery
ever devised for squeezing sustenance
for horde of taxeaters under the form
of free government.
Many of our people have lost hope
of redemption of the property, unless
a miracle supervencs to save them;
Others are on the verge of despair, and
need but this feather to turn the
beam in decision to struggle on or
give up the fight against such odds.
Let us resolve not to add one dollar
to the public debt until we can see
glimmer of hope, of deliverence in the
future. Let us be just before we are
generous.
Taxpayer" has so well summarized
the objections to a special tax in COM
munication to the Olympian that we
transfer it nearly entire to our col
umns. His argument is based upon
careful inspection of figures:
find this school district has eleven
grades and that we now have S44
scholars and that the cost of the books
under the terms of the contract by the
State will be about $1.S5 to the pupil,
or total of 81 ,561.37. / also find
that the bond and warrant indebted
ness is about $4,000 and that the
accrued interest on the outstanding
warrants amounting to $4,000. Add
these two items to the annual interest
charge upon this Indebtedness, SIS ,40O,
and we have u debt, including the
annual interest charge, of $4,000,
which is nearly six per cent. while the
average Indebtedness Of the school dis
tricts of the State is about two per
cent of the assessed valuation of the
property of the respective districts.
Is not this something startling, even
to the non-taxpayer? If there is not
halt called is there not great danger of
arriving at that point where we can
have no schools? Is there not danger
of killing the goose that lays the
golden egg?
Let up us pause and think one
moment. The school district, city,
county and state Indebtedness against
the property of this district is 33a per
cent. of the assessed valuation. /
think it is generally conceded by all
taxpayers excepting the county as
SCISSOR, that the valuation of the
property of this district is at least one
hundred per cent. higher than it
should be; that it is assessed at double
its "money value" If this is true,
the debt upon our property is not 33ss
per cent. but 66S per cent.
ask in all candor are such condi-
tions as these likely to induce inn
migration and capital? In the face
and eyes of these startling facts is it
prudent, is it wise to, plunge this dis
trict into an additional debt of ST.
SCI. 81 for free text books? If our city
and county debt was not so enormous,
we might consider it. Leaving out
the question of merit, it, of necessity,
with us, becomes question of ability
to pay. I know there are those who
talk learnedly about the economy of
the free text book system, that no
more money will so out of the district
in the one case than in the other.
Even if this is true, which do not be-
lieve, for have never known public
property to be as we'll taken care of as
private property, it makes this diff.
ference. The money that goes out OF
the district for books is paid by the
people who want the books, and not by
the property of the district which Is
already taxed to death.
Without reference, however, to the
merits or dement's of the purchase OF
free text books, are We in a condition
at this time to incur this additional
liability. Can we do it and remain