The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-01-30
SCHOOL TAX WILL
Be SEVEN MILLS
Interesting Meeting Last Night Of
Taxpayers and School Board.
EFFORT TO REDUCE EXPENSES
gui Schools for the Increasing Popula-
ton Deemed Necessity and Debts
Good Thing 10 Avoid.

An exciting and interesting school
meeting was heid by the taxpayers oi
this district in the shivelY school house
last night. The main question before
the meeting was the levy Of the school
tax for this year. After the reading
OF the detailed report Of the school
board by Clerk Ferguson. which recon.
mended the levy OF a seven mill tax
Mr. II. c. Thompson moved the adop.
tIon Of the report and received sec
ond 10 his motion. Mr. ~. ]. Kinney
moved an amendment TO reduce the
tax to FIVE instead Of seven mills The
discussion then became general Mr.
Kinney thought that the city. county
and school taxes were too high, and
expenses should be reduced. Mr. Young
was for schools first and last. and for
keeping them up to the average. Mr..
Dealy thought that as the report show
ed a deficit enough taxes should be
debts Mr. weloh was thoroughly In
favor OF a good school system, but
thought the times were such now that
expenses should be decreased. He IA
vored a seven mill tax II found ne
csssary. Mayor Taylor made an inter
esting talk and reviewed the entire sit
uation Of city, county and school taxes.
He made a plea for prudence and de-
creased expenses. and said that mere
village could not AFFORD to pose as a
high grade city. But II 1t took seven
mills he favored levying that amount
rather than going in debt Mr.. G. c.
Fulton. who seconded Mr.. Thompson's
motion. believed In economy, but did
not believe in cutting down the school
service. Mr.. b. vanDusen made some
pertinent remarks. as did II. G. Van
Dusen. Judge J. II. d. Gray. Mr.. De
ment and others. Mr.. Thompson stated
that the teachers had increased from
twenty three 10 twenty-elght. and the
number OF pupils had very largely in
creased, and that the deficit OF last
year was as mGinly due to the sliding Of
the Court street school. an unlocked
for calamity
Following Is the report of the board
for the year:
To the Taxpayers OF School District No.
l. Clatsop County, Oregon
Ladies and Gentlemen: Your board
respectfully submits its report for the
year ls96-s7. together with its estimate
for conducting the schools for the en-
suing year.
While We have endeavored to conduct
the schools in as economical a manner
as possible. our indebtedness has in
creased nearly $1,000, which has been
caused principally from interest on the
indebtedness fi'om last year and i'm
provements and repairs on the Mcclure
school building. Owing to the unfortu-
nate location OF the Mcclure school
building, being situated on moving
ground, 1t has been a great and neces-
sary expense TO keep II in repair; also
the sanitary conditions were such at
this school that there was danger OF
causing a great amount of sickness
among the children, to avoid which the
board placed in improved water closets.
at an expense of several hundred dol
lars besides the improvement of Grand
avenue caused an expense of $494.s7 in
bulkheading the block.
The building OF the John Day school
was another expense and also very
necessary one. there ching thirty-seven
scholars in that part of the district.
and the former building was old and
entirely worthless.
You Will notice that our estimates
for last year amounted to $27,454. and
the estimated receipts $26, $50. floating
Indebtedness being sl6,25S.25: that the
actual amount spent has been $27, ,S66,41.
actual receipts $25,474.S4. and the pres
ent Indebtedness s17.2S1.12, exclusive of
puiluS tMiu otTeSl improvements.
Last year the valuation of the prop
erty in the district was 81, SOC 800, upon
which a levy of FIVE mills was made,
estimating receipts of $12,534.SO, and
upon which we received $11,S2197, a
shortage of $712.SS. The total valuation
in the county for last year, $S.7OS, 400,
and the county school tax thereon was
$lS557.97, of which we received Sl1,-
SS1.S2.
The total valuation of the property
IN the county for this year is SS.SS2. .7O1.
upon which the county school tax will
be Sl6,66S.5O; estimating the same pro-
portion as last year we would receive
the sum of $lO,1SO, or 81. $50 short of the
amount received last year; from the
state we received S2,32155.
The following is the boards estimate
for the year lS97-9S: Teachers salaries,
SlS.7s5; janitors' salaries, s1,71O; water,
1895; rent. $275; clerks salary, $3.50; bond
interest, $3.50; interest on floating debt
$500; supplies, 5000; wood, $500; improve
ments and repairs. s., 900: incidental ex-
penses, 5000; total. S.499.
Estimated income-Cash on hand,
January /, 1897, 1881; from county school
tax, $4,000: from state, $500: from de-
Continued on Fourth Page)