American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1914-03-26
BLUNDER MAKES
EXTRAVACANCE
GOVERNOR HAINRs POINTS OUT
WAY TO SAVE MONEY IN SCHOOL
DISTRICTS LOOSE WORK OF
S0LONS
Chief Executives Pleads With School
Officers for System and Economy
and Asks County superintendent
to Supply Information to Boards OF
Trustees.


Another bad blunder of the last
legislature has been called to the at
tention of Governor Haines. BY the
terms OF two conflicting provisions in
the statutes school districts are per-
mitted to levy a special school tax
OF five mills or Is mills, whichever
suits their fancy.
It has also been called to the at
tention of the governor that under
the working of the old haphazard
way of doing things one county in
the state raised fully $4,000 more
than there was any need for. This
in the opinion of the governor. leads
to extravaganza if nothing worse He
points ont a remedy for all this in
the following communication:
The Governors Plan.
ITO all County Superintendents 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 SS of Session Laws 1913,
Page 1868, sub-head (c) provides that
an annual meeting of electors of the
school districts shall be held on the
third Monday inApril, and that at this
meeting a special tax of not to ex-
ceed five mills on each dollar oftax
able property may be voted for the en-
suing year Sub-head I'D Section z,
Chapter lis, found on Page 439, Ses-
sion Laws 1913, referring to this same
meeting of electors of the school dis
tricts provides that a special school
tax of not to exceed 10 mills on the
dollar may be levied for school pur-
poses, but provides further that the
amount to be raised shall be determ-
ined by vote on the proposal to
raise a specified amount of money
for specified purposes rather than to
vote upon the levy which shall actual
ly be made.
Get at the Facts.
In view of this seeming conflict in
the statutes I suggest that a great
saving of taxes can be effected during
the coming yearwithout detriment to
the schools if the following plan can
be followed throughout the state. I
desire that each county superintend-
! ent of schools in the state shall i'm
mediately on the receipt of this letter
supply the school trustees of each
district in his or her county with the
following information:
(a) An itemized statement of the
3 district expenditures during the pre-
vious year insofar as this can be de-
termined
Oh The number of scholars in the
district
(c) The amount of money in the
treasury to the credit of the district
for the coming year.
(d) The estimS ed amount to be
received from the state apportion-
H ment.
In addition to furnishing this infor-
nation desire each county sup
N erintendent to request the school trus'
tees of their respective districts tC
estimate carefully the amount o
money which must be raised by spec
ial taxation for school purposes an6
that in the electors meeting to be helt
AIS on the third Monday in April the voi'
M be taken in each district on the lnes
tion of raising by special taxation th''
u I'll. l,nrte rrTE ra1fa
may estimate to be required.
Let the Voters Know.
l desire further that in each cas-
the voters be actually supplied Will
the above suggested estimate o. tn
situation so that they may b.
thoroughly advised as to the needs o
the further amount which they are q
be asked to vote in the form Of spec
ial taxes. II 1t can be avoided
x Should like no school district In III
state to attempt TO fix the actual le-
IS bv a vote at the school meeting re
$ferred to. Such adsrpts have in tn
past resulted in raisirS much NOR
nx money than necessary IN many case
'xs+1t' 'VV-uSe OF tne laci lfNt at tttN t"'
pf the meeting the valuation OF tn
81 stistrict is not known and It IS easy {
'nake a serious mis,a.Se in the com
<putation Of the necessary levy. A
lthis can he attended to later fo~ cac
district by the board of county con
fmissioners at the time they de'errnn
the levies for taxation purposes
their respective counties.
I sincerely trust that each count
Superintendent In the state will &C