The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-19
. STAND BY Guns
School Board Will Not Cut Tax
Levy.
Vice President Nicholson De-
clines to Call Meeting.
BY MIR. WHITTEMORE
WHITTEMORE
Superintendent of Schools 1 s
sues Statement.
Explains What Has Been Done
With the Money.

There is evidently a small chance
that the board of education will re-
consider it's action to reduce its first
schedule of a tax levy from 6 mills to
a lower figure. Though a majority of
the members of the board of educa-
tion who are in the city favor such a
readjustment of the schedule that
will result in only raising the same
amount of revenue as was raised in
1907 1t looks very much as If they
would be out Unanswered by those
who oppose it when they count the
strength of the members out of To-
peka.
C. C. Nicholson, vice president of
the board of education. who acts as
chairman of the board in the absence
Of T. F. Carver, president, from the
city. stated that he would not call a
special meeting Of the board to con-
slider the tax levy.
Mr.. Nicholson did not find it urgent
to call such meeting. he stated. and
intimated that it would be to small
purpose even if it was called which in
dicates that Mr.. Nicholson believes
that the board will do nothing to cut
its levy of six mills to some lower
figure. True it is that the increase
amounts to but $4,000 more, but the
feeling prevails among the tax payers
that even so small an increase should
not be made. The belief is general
that the extensive building operations
followed out by the board of education
have been nothing short of ex-
travagant and that an attempt has
been made to build with too much
haste, but of course that is now a
thing of the past. Economy has al
ways characterized the board of
education" said Mr.. Nicholson. "And
the present board of education is
economical"
L. D. Whittemore. superintendent of
schools, has prepared the following:
the clerk Of the board of education
and the superintendent Of schools,
1907-190S:
"In connection with the discussion
of city finances the following items
will be of interest, taken from the
board of education and the superin-
tendent of schools for the year 1907
1908.
Bonds
Bonds outstanding June 80.
1907 ........s522,7s1.oo
Paid in 1907 .......... 10000
Bonds outstanding June 80,
Annual interest on bonds 22,9074o
:. "a considerable amount of the
bonds issued by the board of educa-
ton is held by the state school fund
commission and the city receives its
share of the interest paid on bonds.
which returns in the form of
dividends paid by the state.
1.-THE bonds last issued were voted
by the city for the purpose of erect
ing the Quincy and Mckinley build
ings in North Topeka, the Lafayette
building on the East Side. the addi-
ton to the Potwin building, the erec-
ton and equipment of the manual
training building for the high school,
and for providing rooms and equip
ment for manual training in several of
the ward schools. Unless the city
should have an unexpected growth in
population within the next few years,
no additional bonds will be needed for
new buildings.
1.-The payment of interest on bonds
is contemplated in their issue, and
the law provides for a special tax levy
for this purpose. In 1905, however,
with a view of keeping down the tax
levy, the board allowed a consider
able amount of interest to remain I'M
paid, which made it necessary to levy
" mills for interest in 1906. This
was reduced to mills in 1907. The
| interest levy for 1908 is 5-10 of a
mill and the amount raised will be
S22,172.24, decrease of S2,784.1S
| over the preceding year. After paying
all interest for the year 1907 there is
balance in the interest and sink
ing fund of $5,350.27.
Building Fund.
''In 1905 there were outstanding
warrants on the building fund to the
amount of $50.25S.74. In 1907 this
deficit had been changed to a balance
of S7,2S2.SS, and at the end of the ifs
cal year June 80, 1908, the balance on
hand in the building fund was $21,-
| 906.23. This has been allowed to
accumulate in anticipation of the con-
struction of the Central Park school,
and the building fund levy of $40 of
a mill proposed for 1908 will provide
funds for the payment of the cost of
| this new building on it's completion.
| In the near future the city will be well
provided with substantial and mod
| ern school buildings which will serve
their purpose for many years to come,
without excessive taxation and with
out the issue of additional bonds.
General Expenses.
"The principal item in the general
expenditures for the support of the
! schools is the salary budget. Prior to
the year just past the salaries paid in
the public schools of Topeka were so
| low that teachers could barely pay
| their necessary living expenses. For
| the purpose of making it possible to
advance the salaries of teachers, the
legislature was asked at the last reg
ular session to change the law so as
| to permit cities of the first class to
make the same tax levy for the sup
port of the schools as cities of the sec
ond class, 20 mills for all purposes ex-
cept the payment of interest and
bonds. Acting under the provisions
of this law the board of education