The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-08-04
Where State
Money Goes


Control has ended the long-drawn out fight over
the establishment of the University of Gaines
Vile, and there is now prospect of cessation
of hostilites and a calm in educational matters at
least until the assembling of the Legislature 90
1907. That the people of Lake City will then at
tempt to reopen the question, is foregone con-
clusion That the people Of Florida in general RI,
gard the incident as closed, is also an admitted
fact Lake City stands practically alone in op
position to the Buchanan law
Now that the agitation over the location of the
=; University has received quietus, it might ne
well to enlighten the people of Florida as to the
amount the State is paying for education.
We are not prepared to say that the State Is
paying too much for its excellent system of pub
lie schools, but will give compilation of figures
that represent the cost Of the system under the
present laws
When the Florida taxpayer pays the tax of II
mills levied for general revenue, he vainly ina
gines he is contributing that amount to the CELL
eral expense OF the State In reality he Is paying
a school tax.
The Legislature of 1906 was exceedngl liberal
with appropriations for schools A careful study
OF the Comptroller's report for the year 1906 re.
veals the fact that more than half of the total dis
bursements from the general revenue fund for
that year was for educational purposes, and that
the appropriations for schools alone, absorbed
more than the ia mill levy.
The Legislature Of 1905 authorized the levy of
tax OF II mills for general revenue, to meet the
unusual and extraordinary appropriations made
upon that fund. The taxable valuation of the
State is $1S1 ,436593, which produced $197,154.4S
for general revenue. From other sources, includ-
ing general and special license taxes, proceeds
from the sale of tax certificates and fertilizer
stamps, ETC., the general revenue fund for tho
year 1905 was increased to S97,732.S6,
The disbursements from this fund for the year
S%nA - nan a.. Il n
more than half of the disbursements, went to the
schools. When people pay the IL mill levy for
general revenue they imagine they are paying 1t
Tor the support OF the State government, when rs
matter OF fact, more than this amount Is
absorbed by the enormous appropriations for edu-
cational purposes, and If 1t were not for other
sources of income, the levy for general revenue
would fall short of the appropriations for schools
to be paid out of 1t.
The appropriations made by the Legislature .f
1905 for educational purposes were follows:
State aid for attendance at public schools,
Cnapter o5Sl. ............:.......:...$ 5O'OoO
Uniform system of public schools, Chap
Ter 0Soz. Observation-Disclosures. bU,UUU
State aid to certain public schools, Chap
49, Ter o5oS. Observation-Disclosures. I5,OUO
Teachers Summer Training Schools,
Onapter 5SS5 ...::....:::......:........ 2'eoo
Buchanan bill, Chapter 1884, for educa'
tional institutions. .................. $4,000
$2O2,5oO
In addition to the above amounts, the schools
received the following:
One mill State school tax .$118,O41 90
Interest Seminary Fund. ........... 992. %
Interest on State School Fund. ...... 33,412 40
Va Government appropriations:
experiment Station Fund. ........... 10000
Experiment Station Incidental Fund. 1,341 "A
Agricultural College Fund .... 1899 50
Morrill, Fund white ........... 1880 90
Morrill, Fund, colored. ......... 1880. 90
$197,757. AZ
Adding appropriations from general
revenue fund of. .$202, 500 90
GVes total OF ....................$ 4OO,zot: 80
For educational purposes as against an entire
disbursement of S769869.12.
Thus 1t will be seen that In addition to the
$lS7,757. AZ applied to the support OF the schools
from the one mill school tax, interest on State
school and Seminary funds and the United
states government appropriations, the entire
levy of II mills tax on the entire taxable valua'
ton Of $131, 436,593 is not sufficient to pay tho
Legislative annr0nriatinna Of 1902 400 for eduCa.