Semi-weekly herald., 1907-10-10
School Levy Discussed

AT inc boafd oil trade meeting last
night a number OF the heaviest tax
payers of the city We're present for
the purpose of discussing the ques-
tion OF decreasing the tax levy for the
eusing year.
j. w. Wingate, president of the
school board was present, and pre-
sented his estimate of the amount to
be raised for school district No. o.
which he stated was $4,000, s2S. 900
Of which must be raised by special tax
levy Of 10 mills To this will be add.
ed l mill for bond redemption and
mill for interest fund. or a total OF
!: mills, AS against II mills special
levy last year This amount must be
raised for the proper maintenance OF
the Schools" said Mr.. Wingate. He
stated that he probably owned as much
unproductive property as one one
in the school district and his personal
desire was to reduce the taxes. but
he would not consent to a reduction at
the expense OF the schools They must
be maintained at the present high
standard by all means. Some new and
important branches had been added
for the benefit of the pupils, and he
did not want curtailment of these.
Mr.. Parshall, deputy county treas
nrer presented figures in support OF
his contention that an mill levy on
the present valuation would raise the
necessary amount and have a surplus
a; the end of the year. There are
no outstanding warrants at present
End there is an asset OF $4,000 uncol
iected taxes on the treasurers books |
% per cent of which Will be col
lected before the year is out. An s |
mill special levy will bring approx |
mately s23000: there will be about |
ST 900 from the general fund and 95 |
per cent OF the $4,000 to be collected
.-s5 s5,700-will bring the total mp to
s34.700, or more than Mr.. Wingate's
estimate" said Mr.. Parshall.
Mr.. Wingate replied that even
should the So, 900 of uncolected taxes
be collected this year there would be
n like amount uncollectible next yeai
and there would be a deficiency of that
amount next year,
Mr.. Parshal said the uncollected
taxes were an available asset and
could be drawn upon.
Mrs. Pulford. county superintendent.
rNned her remarks to the question
6t raising the general levy and de
creasing the special She said it
would he of great benefit to small and
sparsely settled districts. and there
would be but little difference in the
total tax. Say. for instance, the gen
eral levy was raised mills and the
special levy reduced mills it would |
help the outside districts. because the
general levy is pro rated among the
districts according to the number OF
pupils.
Secretary Leisenberg of the school
board said that arrangement would |
mean loss OF Sl,fuo 10 scHooi uhStii''
No. Q.
b. w. Ritter, who was member oi
the board for ten years, said he could |
not understand why the cost was so |
much greater now than few years
ago. In some of the years when he |
was on the board the average daily
Attendance was greater than at the
present time. yet the cost Of maintain |
ing the school was nearly double what
II was then.
Chairman Charlton of the board OF
< county commissioners and Chairman
Z Casey of the finance committee of the
city county were called upon for re
marks.
o. +. Boyle said his understanding
of the object of the meeting was to
secure a reduction of the tax levy
Reducing one levy and increasing an
other a like amount would make no
reduction. Messrs White. Graden and
Sloan also spoke on the question, and
none OF tnen aSTttu WIN WI N'ht'''N
ON his estimate.
Last year the levy was II mills and
from that some $4,000 of indebted
ness had been paid. Now there is
no Indebtedness to pay and one and
all could not understand why 1t was
necessary to have the 10 mill levy
Mr.. Wingate asked Mr. Casey II the
city's revenue had not been reduced
and what was the cause. Mr.. Casey
replied that IL had. Police court rev
enues were not much more than 10 per
cent of what they formerly were
which of course, made 1t necessary for
~Snn increased taxation.
The question was pretty thorough
Il discussed and ended in motion
that the president of the board ap-
E,nt committee OF three to confer
the school board, the board oil
county commissioners and the city
council and attempt to arrive at some