Arizona republican., 1913-06-18
WHY CENTRAL BLOCK
 SHOULD BE SOLD
Ire Problem Involved is Very
 Simple One

Tc the Editor of The Republican.
 Sir: Although I am not a tax payer in Phoenix, it has fallen to my lot in past years to note the prac- tiCal management in other states of the real estate assets of the public Nc hoOls What experience has taught others, We might well profit by, and if there is anything the older states have learned in this direction it is that the potency of q real estate asset ir serving the school system never should be diminished in any conner ciaI transaction. It follows, of course, that if q given transaction has the T. suit of maintaining the existing potency. or of increasing it, there can be no objection to it. As q mat ter of fact, the problem of the Central School block, which seems to be worrying a great number of people should be no problem at all, if we take up the paramount interest and dispose of it before taking up issues of less importance. and which have no claim to priority in the proceed ngs.
 The school district owns block in the heart of the city which is worth $250. .0Oo. A new school building is demanded immediately. IL is not nc- cessary, or even desirable, that the new school be located on the Central block. But We must have the new school facilities immediately, and the school district should be given the fall value of the Central site in real estate and cash without delay. In tLis case the real estate asset can properly involve nothing more than a suitable location for permanent | school building, and if this location can be obtained and t building erect el for $25O,OO it is plain enough that ] the potency of the Central block for 1 school purposes is in n" way dim mishrd by the sale of the property. 1 The Central school wants land amt a building If it should remain where il is and put up q new building there. what benefit would it derive from future increase in the value of the iiock2 There is no more potency in that particular block for school pur- roses than there would be in Il more suitable location oi similar or larger area. As Mr. RcdeWiH points out. the sale of the Central block for $230,oo" would enable the school district tC purchase another block. or even two blocks in q more desirable location, and erect d building thereon When this is done, every just interest of the school district is served, and while il is the very first thing that should be done, and tn the exclusion of every other consideration. nothing mor.. could reasonably be demanded
 It is not what the Central block yiU be worth fifty years from now hut what 1t is or ever will D. worth for actual school uses. that
 
 be worth one dollar more for such uses than another location would be iu q better neighborhood.
 In my opinion the civic center question is mere side issue. II should not come up at all at this time to confuse the paramount Gues- tiou US it bears upon the schoo' problem If the city and county arr able to buy tie Central block for s25o. .o00 cash, or it's equivalent, and i the taxpayers are willing to make the purchase to carry out the idea of civic center. there could be n reasonable objection from the schoo district But it seems that with two full blocks already in possession O the county and city on Washington street, there exists sharp disagree ment among the taxpayers, Whicf might easily have the effect of de lay-ng q settlement of the pressing school problem. The civic center idea is important but it can wait q little while. The question to be voted on should be simply whether the Central block shall be sold fo. &250.O00. without specifying the pur chaser. Leave that to the schoo trustees. in ease of an affirmative decision GEO. II. ALLEN.