The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1914-03-30
BLUNOER MAKES
BAD EXTRAYAGANCE
GOVERNOR HAINES POINTS OUT
WAY TO SAVE MONEY IN
SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
Chief Executive in Communication to
County Superintendent, Pleads
for System and Economy.


terms Of two conflicting provisions i
the statutes school districts are pei
mitted to levy a special school Ia
of five mills or Is mills, whicheye
suits their fancy.
1t has also been called to H., al
tention of the governor that unde
the working of the old harhazar
way of doing things one county i
the state raised fully $4,000 NOR
than there was any need for. This
in the opinion of the governor, lead
to extravaganza if nothing worse. H
points out a remedy for all this i
the following communication
The Governors Plan.
To all County superintendent
Of Schools:
My attention has been called to
a seeming conflict in the statutes
of this state having to do with
the raising of money for special
school purposes.
Chapter SO of Session Laws
1918, Page 1868, sub-he;J (c)
provides that an annual meeting
of electors of the school dist lets
shall be held on the third Mon
day in April, and that at this
meeting a special tax OF not to
exceed five mills on each dollar
of taxable property may be voted
for the ensuing year. Sub-head
(c) Section 7, Chapter lis
found on Page 439. Session Laws
1918, referring to this same meet
ing of electors of the school dis
tricts provides that a special
school tax of not to exceed 10
mills on the dollar may be le ,e
for school purposes, but provides
further that the amount to be
raised shall be determined by
vote on the proposal to raise
specified amount of money for
specified purposes rather than to
vote upon the levy which shall
actually be made.
Get at the Facts.
In view of this seeming con-
fiict in the statutes l suggest that
a great saving of taxes can be
effected during the coming year
without detriment to the schools
if the following plan can be fol-
lowed throughout the state. [
desire that each county superin-
tendent of schools in the state
shall Immediately on the receipt
of this letter supply the school
trustees of each district in his
or her county with the following
information:
(O An itimized statement of
the district expenditures during
the previous year insofar as this
can be determined.
(b) The number of scholars
in the district.
(c) The amount of money in
the treasury OF the credit of the
district for the coming year.
Cd The estimated amount to
be received from the state appor-
tionment
In addition to furnishing this
I desire each county
superintendent to request the
school trustees of their respec-
tive districts to estimate care
'ully the amount of money which
must be raised by school taxa
ion for school purposes and that
n the electors meeting to be held
IN the third Monday in April the
vote be taken in each district OH
he question of raising by special
axation this additional sum
which their trustees may estimate
o be required.
Let the Voters Know.
I desire further that in each
ase the voters be actually sup
lied with the above suggested
stimate of the situation so that
hey may be thoroughly advised
s to the needs of the further
mount which they are to be
sked to vote in the form of spec
II taxes. If it can be avoided | {
hould like no school district in |
ne state to attempt tc fix the {
ctual levy by vote at the S
,hool meeting referred to. !,
UGH attempts have in the past
esulted in raising much more
loney than necessary in many
ases because of the fact that at t
lie time of the Meeting the val f
alton of the district is not t
nown and it is easy to make a d
,rious mistake in the computa- il
on of the necessary levy. All b
lis can be attended to later for r
lch district by the board OF G
,unty commissioners at the time n
ey determine the levies for tax a
ion purposes in their respective
'unties. N
l sincerely trust that each p
unity superintendent in the IL
ate will cooperate heartily in
is matter 1t is question of