The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1913-06-30

the tax payer. The legislator has
made himself favorite with his
constituency by voting for every popu'
lar appropriation and nothing suffers
but the states credit. When the
crisis arrives, no one can put his
hand upon the one who caused it. He
has yielded to the insistence of those
who have pressed upon him the ne
cessity for each appropriation, and
has escaped the condemnation and
misconstruction of an unpleasant re-
fusal This situation is unfair to the
legislator and to the state.
The Remedies Suggested.
In suggesting the remedies for
these conditions, it is necessary to
consider one marked injustice now
placed upon one class of our public
servants. The teachers of our state
are not paid until nearly a year af-
ter their services are performed. The
governor and TIE state house officers
are paid at appropriate season. the
legislator may draw his pay the first
day of the session. OF all the puohc
servants, the teachers, upon whose
fidelity and efficiency depend the
future of the children, who do more
to shape their destiny than any In
fiuence save the parents, must walt
nearly a year for their compensation
or be required to suffer the heavy
discount of the money lender l re-
spectfully submit that this is wrong.
Up to the 18th day of June, 1913,
not one dollar had been paid on the
$2,550,900 appropriated to pubic
schools.
believe that if you propose to the
people a constitutional amendment
providing for an extra assessment OF
one mill for one year, and half mill
for the succeeding year, in order that
the teachers may be paid with great
err promptitude and in order that
the deficit in the treasury may be re-
lieved, such proposition will meet
popular approval. That is the brave
and fair way to solve the problem In
dealing justly with the treasury, ana
with the teachers, upon whom the tu-
ture of the children of this state de-
ponds more than all the buildings
that may house them Or the money
that may be given them.
To the taxpayers who may demur
submit that if the constitutional
amendments limiting appropriations
be adopted in accordance with my
Recommendation the l IL mills extra
taxes to be divided between two
years, will be the most economical
and the wisest investment he can
make. If they be not approved the
state may expect heavy increase OF
the deficit until sheer necessity Will
require a burdensome tax levy or
drastic taxing law, resulting not only
in a drain upon the people, but In
injury to the reputation, enterprise
and development of the state.
Should the legislature deem 1t wise
to the submit an extra levy of one
mill for only one year, the sum rails
ed would approximate $862,OOO and
would be of great aid in expeditlng
the payment of teachers, although ii
would not permit their monthly pay
ment in view of the present dedcit
in the treasury.
Pensions and Schools.
The appropriation for pensions 1o'
1913 amounts to $1,1S0,0OO This is
practically the largest sum ever grant
ed to aid these to whom we are all
debters. The justice of their claims
their heroism, their sacrifice, and
their valor, constitute the proud herit
age of us all. With each succeeding
year their number is diminishing, and
each year this sum may be expected
to decrease.
The direct appropriation for public
schools for 1913 is $1,962,251, which
is supplemented by the special funds
provided by the constitution. In the
report of the comptroller general you
will observe that excepting pubic
schools and pensions, one-third OF one
mill ad valorem tax added to the 9TH
err revenues of the state would sup
port every other state institution, IN
Guiding the entire civil establish
ment and the state sanatorium, which
alone annually demands nearly $6OO'-
900.
You will observe by the comptroll'
err generals report that tax OF IL
mills, supplemented by the constltu-
tional appropriations to education
will raise the amount allowed to the
public schools for 1913, being the lar
gest amount ever granted for the
purpose. A direct tax of 2 IL mills
will provide pensions allowed for
1913, being likewise practically the
largest sum ever appropriated.
I recommend that You propose con-
stitutional amendments which shall
provide that the appropriation for
schools shall not exceed IL mills IN
addition to the constitutional appro'
priation: and shall not exceed 1 IL
mills, or exceed s1,18O,000, annually
for pensions.
In the event these amendments are
ratified, you will have submitted TO
the people a practical plan of preserv-
ing the states credit. You will have
applied to the states affairs the same
plan now in force under the constl'
tuition in reference to counties, when
are required to specify the purposes
for which levy is made. The dlmlnu-
ton of the pension fund may be ex-
pected, because of the rapid dimlnu-
ton of the pensioners.
AS the wealth of the state Increases
the 2 IL mills for schools will pro-
! duce a larger sum, and if local taxa
ton, which has been suggested by
educational authorities as wise so
luton of the educational question:
should cover a larger territory, the
amount could be diminished If 1t be
deemed proper in future years. Thus
flexible system wuld have been
adopted.