The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-06-09
LOCAL SCHOOL TAX
IS STRONGLY URGED
Campaign Managers Issue Stir
ring Address TO Voters.
TAX CLEARLY DISCUSSED
E. X. Campbell and Henry 3. Gray
Point Out the Urgent Necessity
for the Proposed
School Tax.
TAX CLEARLY DISCUSSED


paign committee of one hundred, e. X.
i Campbell and Henry B. Gray, managers
of the campaign for local taxation for
the public schools of Jefferson county
have addressed an open letter to the
voters of the county, which thoroughly
explains the issue, and urges upon the
voters to go to the polls ON June 20, the
date of the special election and cast their
ballots in favor of local taxation.
The address begins by calling attention
to the petition signed by over six hundred
freeholders calling upon the board of rev.
enue to hold an election to determine
whether a special levy of 10 cents or int
500 worth of taxable property shall be
made to continue for the period of ten
years, the purpose of which shall be the
support of the public schools of the
county.
The address will be scattered broadcast
over Jefferson county by the campaign
committee. Excerpts from the address
follow:
We deem it unnecessary to discuss the
general question of education. No one,
at this time, questions 1t benefits and
necessity. Everyone admits it is some
thing to be desired, and that 1t is essen
tial to our best development. Nor do we
deem it necessary to adduee argument or
facts to prove the value of the public
school system. Some there be who decry
public schools but they are few in num-
Der, and the fact that our state consti-
buttons for many years have required the
Legislature to establish and maintain a
public school system in the state, and
all the states in the union have similarly
established public school systems in their
borders is practical and conclusive
recognition of their value Importance and
essentially in democratic government
Assuming, therefore, that the value of
public schools is a recognized and fixed
fact in our country, we come more direct
ly to the question involved in the special
election and the reasons why the people
should vote the tax
This County Should Lead.
Jefferson county is the largest. most
populous, most enterprising, and with
pardonable pride, we may say is the best
county in Alabama 1t is proper, there
fore, that it should lead off in the move-
|
by building up its own schools, not only
gain the benefits that will accrue there
from. but thus set an example that its
sister counties may follow to their own
upbuilding and advancement.
very large part of the taxes levied
and collected in this county go to other
portions of the state and local taxation
]
be levied and entirely spent upon cur
own schools. Jefferson is willing to pay
and does pay her proportion of state lax
J alton. Some, indeed, think she pays
more than her proportion, but having
paid it, we think it not unreasonable that
| she should adopt local taxation for her
own schools, so that they may get the
support they need without over burden
ing her people with taxation. The pro-
posed special tax will realize about fifty
thousand dollars, which is equivalent TO
one dollar per child, there being accord
ing to the latest enumeration 1878 chill
dren of school age in the county.
The Advantages.
To illustrate the advantage which this
local tax gives over the general system,
it is only necessary to state that out of
s145,OOo collected in Jefferson county Cor
state school purposes there Is returned
to this county about s65,000 while $4,000
or more is spent in other portions of
the state. And to illustrate further: II
it be desired to raise $4,000 by the pres
ent plan to be spent in Jefferson county
the county would have to be taxed to at
least $4,000, of which $50 900 would leave
| the county. SO that to collect $4,000 for
our schools, we would have to pay 500.
900 additional for outside schools On the
| contrary, If we adopt the local taxation
proposed, we levy and collect $4,000, and
| the whole of it is to be applied to our
own schools. We thus get all the BEN
fit and save very large expense
More Money Needed.
Our schools need more money and this
| is true not only of the country schools
but also of the schools in some of our
municipalities. The law authorizing the
special election on this subject expressly
requires that the money collected shall be
used in extending the terms of the public
SCHOOLS III the several SCHOOL
and whereas our country schools now
have an average term of less than five
months, the special tax will enable them
to extend the terms to some seven or eight
| months And another provision of law
of Importance in this connection is that
not more than per sent of school funds
can be applied otherwise than In paying
the teachers in the schools So that there
are few officials to be compensated, or
who may have any claim on the funds.
l The tax assessor will assess. the collec-
tor will collect, the county superintend-
ent of education will dsburse the funds,
| and the schools must have the benefit.
| Nor can the funds be used In increasing
| salaries, the law declaring, as above
lstated that the money collected from the
special tax shall be used In extending the
school terms Longer school terms must
ultimately develop better teachers AMI
better teachers will mean, of course, bet
ter and more thorough instruction
The funds apportioned to Jefferson
county schools from state. county and
poll taxes amount to 81. 93 for each child
| within the school age. How small is this
| amount in county as prosperous and
rich in mineral resources as is ours. The
proposed tax will increase this stipend to
50 93 per capita.
Two Methods.
! There are two methods of raising the
| money necessary to maintain our public
| schools upon reasonable basis of eff
cheney One Is by increasing the values
of taxable property, the other is by in
| creasing the rate. The first method. as