Semi-weekly herald., 1907-10-10
to take the place of Mr.. Armstrong
who resigned to take more lucrative
position.

aid office this morning and state,
that yesterdays article in regard t,
school levy was misleading in tina
his main arguments for the levy wer,
not stated. nor the comparisons witt
other districts. Also the statement
apparently coming from The Herald
that out of the IL mill levy of las
year $4,000 Indebtedness had beer
paid in addition to running the school
Mr. Wingate said--taking his figure.
from official data:
June 30th, 1908, there was an out
standing warrant Indebtedness of 1872.
$50 in round numbers; on the 30th OF
1 June. 1907, there was a warrant in.
debtedness of $4,000 in round mum.
bers. This last mentioned indebted.
ness has been paid out OF taxes col
iected since that time To say that
out of the IL mill levy AN indebted
ness of $4,000 had been paid the
past year besides the running ex-
penses of the school, is ridiculous on
the face, considering the fact that the
| school expenses of the year were 800.
| 1860, whereas the II mill levy only
netted S29.260. and with the s6.Oil
received from the general fund the
| total receipts were only a trife over
$4,000 In making my statement at
Monday nights meeting | called at.
tention to the fact that improvements
were necessary; that the running ex.
penses had been materially increased
over former years owing to increased
salaries paid teachers: the adding OF
the commercial and manual training
departments all costing money and 20.
ing to place Durango In the front
rank. The adding OF these two de.
partments and the Increase in salaries.
made necessary by increase all over
The country, makes quite an item in
matter of expense.
Il also showed that the levy was no
higher than last year-in fact. l mill
less for general purposes. Last year
there was sufficient money In the
treasurer's hand to pay the interest on
bonds and no levy was made for this
purpose. This year the district is com.
PEELED to make a / mill levy for inter.
est The isvy Iast .eaI INNS
for general purposes with / mill for |
redemption of bonds. This year the |
'evy for general purposes was reduced
to 10 mills with l mill levy for re-
demption of bonds and 1 mill for in
terest.
1T should be plain to every one
that the $4,000 uncollected taxes runs
from year to year and cannot be ap-
piled to the current years expenses.
II the school district was to retire |
from business and liquidate then 1t
could wait for these uncollected taxes, |
but it is useless to take this asset in
sued warrants against it and have
them outstanding for some length OF
time AS the matter now stands war.
rants will have to be issued for sew
era months and carried until taxes
are paid in January and February.
Again. called attention to Du-
rango's favorable position in regard
to the school levy. The school levy
last year at Fort Collins was 20 mills
A fn, iaI L.
ing the levy just double that Of Du
range; Grand Junction levy was 90
mills and that of Canon City 10. 1t
was held these instances should not be
taken into consideration as there
might he extraordinary circumstances.
Even If this should he so. Durango
would still be low in comparison, but
we have not heard of any calamity
the above towns have met with caus
ing such big levy except the general
desire to keep up the efficiency OF
the schools.
Personally it would be to my ad.
vantage to have as small levy as
possible. but am not for cutting
down the efficiency OF the schools. II
| the city is confronted with necessity
| for cutting down expenses 1t can put
off grading street a year and no
| damage result But If you put on the
education of child year that year
| IS lost Durango cannot afford to have
| 1t go out that her schools are going
| backward because of the desire TO
| save a mill or two in the school levy.
| As long as | am connected with the
schools ] am for keeping up the high
standard and | have figures to prove
that am right regarding the revenues
to be derived from the present levy
and the 30th of June. 1908. will prove
/ am correct.
Again. in asking Mr.. Casey regard
ing the citys revenue my desire was
simply to show that when curtail'
ment OF receipts appear in one de
partment 1t is necessary to raise the
money some other way. and Mr. Casey
admitted this. The total loss OF rev