The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-26

MAY co THROUGH.
School Bill Looked on With
Favor I'm Legislature.
Realize That Change Is Neces-
sary I'm Cities.
HAVE BEEN REPORTED.
Permits Board of Education to
Increase Leyies.
All Cities of First Glass Favor
the Measure.
HAVE BEEN REPORTED.

chances are tnaL the HlelllpCAS u De
branches of the legislature will take
favorable action on the measure, Whlch
really originated with the board OF 81
ucation of Topeka, and which Will per-
nit boards of education of cities OF the
first class to levy tax of 20 mills eacn
year for general school purposes.
Within the last couple of days the
cities of the first class committees OF
both houses have reported favorably on
bills which seek to accomplish this END
The bill was introduced in the house by
Mr. Wheeler and in the senate by SEN
ator Martin of Bourbon. AS the SEN
ate cities committee reported the Dill II
suggested an amendment proNloiis
that in cities having population OF
over $4,000 the levy for general schooi
purposes be limited to II mills AT the
present time this would affect no city
in the state but Kansas City, Kan. But
it will not be long now before Topeka
will be reaching the $4,000 mark in pop
ulation and the members of the locai
board of education believe that II
would be just as well, as long as a gen
eral law on the subject is to be passed,
that it's provisions SO far as the levy Is
concerned should be uniform MI
house cities committee without any
change and it is probable that this Is
the way the bill will be passed by the
Iegisla ture.
Not a board of education in any cit.
of the first class is opposed to the meas
ure the provisions of which do not all
DIV to Wichita. The board of educa-
ton of that city has special educa-
tional law to work under which permits
it to levy a tax of Is mills for genera
school purposes and the board there Is
satisfied with that proposition and does
not want the law it is operating under
changed But the board of education
of Wichita is not opposed to the meas
ure being passed because it VIII aforo
a much needed relief to the conditions
which maintain in the management OF
the schools in the other cities.
About the only appsoition, or rather
argument against the measure-for nc
well formed opposition has developed
which Is made is by few or the Iegls-
lators from the cities affected ana is TO
the effect that If the measure becomes
a law the board OF education Will take
advantage of the proposition at the first
opportunity and at every opportunity
thereafter and 1evyla tax of 20 mills Tor
general school purposes ana that u
might lead to extravaganza in the con-
duct of the schools.
AS matter of fact. and this argu-
men1 is made by those who are friend
r -
" to the measure. the members OF the
boards of educations in all the hrst
Gags cities and In fact in all the cites
of Kansas are among the most con-
e,4rvaiive men in the communities and
have as much interest in keeping the
lax levy down as any of the other c1t1-
zens. They would without doubt ex-
ercise unusual care in raising no more
money than was needed for the rum
ming of the schools. Some years IT
might be necessary to go the limit,
particularly during the first few years,
so that the schools may be put on
proper basis, but after that the limit
levy will not be needed and when 1t
- not needed the boards of education
will not make it.
There is no question but that many
OF the first class cities in the state, not
only Topeka but others well, act
ualiy need legislation as suggested so
that the boards of education may raise
all the money needed for the schools
and this legislation should be general
At the last session of the legislature
five special laws were passed Tor as
MANY cities concerning the levy that
could be made for general school pur-
poses And in the nine cities of the
first class there are now seven d1f-
ferent methods in operation for the
Lowing of this general school tax.
Perhaps the strongest argument for
the bill is the fact that under existing
laws cities of the second class are per-
nitted to lew a tax of 20 mills Tor
general school purposes AND the
proposed measure will benefit some of
the smaller cities of the first class,
some of the new ones. more than II
will the larger cities.
Taks Parsons for instance. When
it was city of, the SECOND CLASS no.
lor,. ago, it levied 20 mills for general
school purposes, and its schools are
being run on that basis now. But as
a city of the first class, unless this bill
Parsons will have to make
lew for general school purposes at
the rate Of 10 mills, and under these
conditions the schools of that city
could not be run for longer than five
If the measure is passed one good
thing that the board of education OF
topeka will be permitted to do will be
to raise the salaries of the teachers IN
the graded schools, which raise aImost
every person in the city mas recognized
as having been due these teachers Aor
a long time.
In Connection with this general propo-
sition of tax 1evies- for school purposes
it is pointed out that a special pm TOT
Wichita is meeting with faVora pie con-
sideration in the legislature which per-
nits a special bond issue for the estap-
lishment of a new high school there.
This bill goes further and permits the
levying of a special tax for the main
tenance of this high school,
High schools as 2 rule are the most
expensive institutions in city schooI
system. This Is especially true OF the
Topeka high school with its thousand
pupils and SO teachers. And if Topeka
had the privilege of levying a special
tax for the maintenance of its high
school, the board of education OF TINS
civ would have money to burn under
existing conditions.
Final action on the proposed meas,
ure permitting this 20 mill levy, Will
be taken by both branches OF
the legislature during early days OF
next week.