The Greeley tribune., 1912-08-01
A STUDY OF SCHOOL TAyl7io1
AS APPLIED TO win \ /


I. Colorado has one OF the best
systems for the support. supervis-
ion and general management OF its
city schools that exists in the Unit
ed States. It 10 unfortunate for the
development OF the state that the
same assertion cannot be made rela-
tive to its system OF support. super
vision and general management of
its rural and small town schools. In
this paper 1t 10 assumed that the
reader 10 familiar with the differ
ences In the two systems which
bring about efficiency in the city
schools and inefficiency in the rural
and small town systems, II indeed
We may claim to designate the plan
upon which we manage the latter as
system at all. The largest factor
in any school system is the support
which 1t receives from the public
which 1t serves. 1t Is the purpose of
thk paper to point out some OF the
defects In our present plan of taxa
tien in Weld county. These same
defects exist in every county of the
state. as anyone will discover who
takes the trouble to go into the
figures.
2. In the year 1911 we collected
for school purposes in Weld county
OF this amount we
received from the state $21,472.3S.
From all other sources, which in
cludes monies from the sale OF
bonds. from tuitions, etc.. etc, We
received $63,523.4S. We therefore
received $91.4R.35 plus s62,523.4S
or $S3.995.s3, for which we did not
tax ourselves in that year. The en-
tire amount We received for school
purposes. $303,495.47. less the
amount we did not raise by taxation,
$S3.995.S3, gives $2l9. 9.463.6i, the
amount that must be raised by tax
alton for school purposes. The en-
tire valuation of Weld county for
1911 is $19.s57.590. To raise s2l9.-
416.64 by special taxation on all
the property OF the county would
require general levy OF eleven
mills. Under the district system Of
taxation We have milage levy for
school purposes varyi ing from one TO
twenty mills. AS consequence we
have we'll paid and we'll prepared
teachers. good baildings, we'll fur
nished libraries and adequate
equipment for an efficient school in
some districts and poorly paid and
mgs, no libraries or other equip
in other districts. Some OF our chill
are not getting a square deal in the
matter OF school advantages in
Weld county.
3. 1t seems to me that to advo-
cate a strictly county general tax
for school purposes might not be
fair to all concerned. Cities of Weld
county are carrying heavy bonded
indebtedness. To advocate a gen.
eral tax on the country districts to
carry this debt would not be fair
Consequently. in this study l have
made . comparison between the
three cities Of Weld county. Greeley.
Eaton and Windsor. and the coun-
ry and small town districts outside
Of these cities.
I. The three cities above named
raised by special and general tax
alton for school purposes $S4,736.S6
They together have an assessed val
uation OF $4.928.15O. This requires
an average levy In these three cities
of l7A mills ON the dollar. 1t will
be recalled that q levy of IL mills
ON the valuation Of the property
Of the entire county would then
b sufficient to run all the
schools OF the county, including
these three cities, a. they are now
run. Greeley has = special school
tax OF 20 mills; Eaton q special
school tax Of 8 mills and Windsor a
special school tax Of II mills. In
the country and small town districts
outside Of the three cities above
nqmed. there was collected for all
school purposes BY special and gen
eral taxation the sum of $134,746.-
- IN 1911. In that year the prop
eFty v0lue In the districts outside
the thrGs cities was @14,929,440.
1t would require . levy OF mills
on thib property to realize the
e134.74e.73 which WAS raised that
year. Compare the levy of 17A
mills made By the three cities with
the . mills made by the country
and smAller town districts OF Weld
county. The city districts taxed
themselves almoG twice as much
for school purposes ~ the country
distuicts.
s. Tho three cities Of Weld
county have q total Of - teachers.
They paid them . total Of $6l.764.-
II in 1911. or An average yearly
salary Of e781.S4. This is an aver
age monthly salary for 9 months
OF 1858, or an average monthly
salary for ! 2 months OF $65.15. The
country and small town districts of
Weld county have a total of 231
teachers. They paid them totai
Of $114.719.20 in 1911. This was
an average salary of $496.62 Tor
the year. This makes an average
monthly salary for s11 months (the
average time such SCHOOLS were in
SESSION. Of $5s.42. or an average
monthly salary for 12 months of
$41.38.
8. It 10 interesting to compare
the hEures.17A mills, the average
school levy In three cities Of Weld