The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-11-07
This Expense Boosts Taxes In
City Of Topeka.
At That, the Rate Is Lower
Than Other Cities.
WHY NOT 4 COMMISSION?
Plan Urged for Control OF
School Expenditures.
Facts and Figures Concerning
Topeka Taxes.

Topeka Taxes.
Topeka has the lowest city tax rate
Of any Of the ten leading cities in the
state. Many persons have made
statements to the effect that Topeka
lbs the highest city tax of any city
In the state. This information comes
from official sources. Population fig
ures were taken from the secretary
of the state board of agriculture and
signed statements taken from the city
and county officials as to assessed
valuations. school and city tax levies
and bonded Indebtedness OF the
thirty-two largest cities in the state.
A comparison of these reports shows
that Topeka has the lowest city tax
levy Of any Of the ten largest cities.
OF the ten largest cities in the state
Of Kansas, only one has a lower COM
bined school and city tax rate than
the city of Topeka. But Of these ten
leading cities, only one levies a more
excessive rate of taxation for school
purposes than does Topeka. AL
though school government is more
expensive in Topeka than in any OF
the other leading cities of the state,
with one exception. yet her tax rate
for city government is so much lower
that when the two rates are combined
the tax levies for school purposes
and the tax levies for city government
-andsTopeka is compared on this ba-
sis with other cities it Is found that
only one other city in the state has a
combined tax rate as low.
With Topeka having next to the
highest school tax and the lowest city
tax Of the ten foremost cities In the
state the question naturally arlses'
'swhat is the matter with the city
board Of education?"
The school board controls the spend
ing Of considerably more money raised
by taxation in Topeka than does the
citv commission. At the present time
Topeka taxpayt IS are paying seven
mills on the dollar for school pur-
poses and only six and seventy-rfVe
one-hundredths mills for city purposes.
Pittsburg is the only city In the ten
paying a higher school tax than does
Topeka.
Topeka's city government makes an
excellent showing when compared with
other cities. But the same can not De
said of the financial management OF
Topeka's schools. Perhaps the commits
sion plan of government may offer an
explanation. With the exception OF
one year, there has been decrease in
the cost Of city government each year
over the preceding year since the adop-
ton of the commission plan in prefer
ence to the old council system. The
school board is still conducted in much
the same way as was the city under the
old council plan.
There are six members of the school
board. No one of them receives any
COMPENSATION for his or her services
Four of them are very busy men. one
is prosecuting attorney OF shawnee
county where he has made an excellent
record by giving his entire time and
- Txrv<< y1rrci
ness men and busy business men at
that. The fourth draws a large salary
for dividing his time and skill between
two Of the largest corporations OF the
country. and he earns the large salary
he receives by attending strictly to
business. Another is a busy profess
siOnal man. The sixth member OF the
board is a woman. All are conscientious
persons doing the best they can under
the circumstances.
But just as was the case under the
old council form of city government.
responsibility to make ends meet
to get dollars worth of value for
every dollar of the peoples money
which the board spends-rests upon
no one. And members Of the board
have stated that they will not be able
to make ends meet this year-that in
spite of the high levy there will be a
deficit at the end of the year.
The members of the school board
may not be to blame for this. It's the
system. The city of Topeka is at
tempting to get som ething for nothing
from them. They are expected to give
their time and best efforts to the city
and receive no remuneration. AS is
usually the case where one expects
something for nothing it has cost
dearly.
Would it not be better to have the
city's business of educating persons
conducted on a plan similar to the
way the other affairs of the city are
managed. and similar to the way in
which all business corporations of any
magnitude transact business-by pay
ing adequate salaries. demanding at
tention to business. and definitely fix
ing responsibility?
Under the present system no indi-
vidual member of the school board is
responsible for sums spent for any
particular purpose. There is no one
to whom taxpayer may ask Ques-
tions with a feeling that he is entitled
to satisfactory answer, for there is
no individual member Of the board
upon whom the obligation rests to an
swer specific questions. The average
citizen may have q very fair idea how
the city commission is spending the
city's money. If he does not know. a
few minutes of inquiry at the city hall
will give him the Information he seeks.
But who knows how to go about it to
learn what the school board may be
doing, or upon whom can he place re-
sponsibility after a thing is done?
In opposition to q plan to have a
board OF commissioners paid to give
their entire attention to the manage
ment of school affairs, 1t may be ar
gued that the superintendent of
schools now takes the place Of such