Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-03-12


re state fer The benefit of the conpler
sloo,s
In the Distribution Of the funds thus
/ obtained the census method was con-
unued and there Is no record that there
existed any disposition on the part OF
the legislature or Of the people 10
caange % any other J
State school fund legislation contin-
uso without any important change or
amendment from lS1s until 1857, per
iod OF tiirty-tlye years. Teen NAT mill
vas added 10 the general state tax Tor
the support o. common schools.
The acts OF the legislature OF 1909 with
reference TO state TAX or Wild lands
are fresai il the memory of the members
OF THIS Senate. You viii recall that
. there had been Z controversy, waSed
| with some feryor. on the matter OF a
f. Tild land tax. TIE people rad become
persuaded that large properties were es-
gaping their share Of the burden Of sup
port cf the activities and government OF
the state. Everyone apparently was
anxious 10 find way 10 tax these prop
the courts that special tax laid upon
I
! As result OF the Deliberations of the
I legislature at that time the state COM
mon school fund was created by the as
sessment OF second tax Of one ana a
, half mills on az the property OF the
state.
| / would caN your attention especially
to the fact that this Second mill and Z
naif was not levied in response TO any
demand for a larger state educational
fund. No reconsr1e r,dation for larger
state fund for education had been made,
no one so far as know, advocated be-
! fore any legislative committee and on
one in either branch O. the legislature
/ spoke for the measure az primarily an
educational one. II was from the frs
and to The end a proposition which had
as it's purpose the levy OF a proper tax
on the wild lands for the benefit Of all
! the people.
This, I take il, was the reason for
I introducing new feature Of school
fund distribution. This was the valu-
alton basis and it was connected in
| this new measure with the census plan
| in plain and straightforward recogli-
| ton Of the equity and rights Of these
! towns and cities that would otherwise
7 be required TO suffer from the new Law
rather than enjoy any OF the benefits
! Of it.
These circumstances IF the enact
! ment of the school fund act of 1909
] cannot for myself forget because be-
| ueve that the members who then com
! mitted their constituencies 10 the new
act did 50 relying on the good faith
| Of the State TO preserve at all times
| their just rights.
! But this history Of State scnco
| funds as written in the statutes is no;
/ complete. There have been, as Sena
! tors know, several efforts 70 brins
/ about a change in the method OF dig.
! tribution of State school funds. The
| first Of these was in 1911 when bill
/ to provide for q distribution of al
I funds on the census plan was pre-
| sented. This bill had a considerable
| backing because it was based on the
| historic plan of the school census frs
| introduced as l have said in 1928 ant
I! continuously in operation since then
| The study that was made OF the prob
| able effects of this new bill showed
/ ccnclusive1y that far from removing
any existing injustices it would oni!
| increase them and create new ones
Men who supported this measure or
it's introduction themselves saw ths
| unequal results that would follow it
enactment and later withdrew theil
| support from it.
| The legislature Of that year. ilow-
| ever. noting The difficulties of man,
| Of the smaller and poorer" towns en-
acted the School Equalization Fund
| law. 1t is evident that confusion wa:
| in the minds Of many of the member:
| Of the legislature of 1911 even as il
| exists among members Of this legis.
| lature as to this basis Of distributing
| school funds. That legislature created
! q commission, a commission that in
! Guided members who represented ev-
| cry phase Of thought on this question
| That commission continued through {
| period Of two years, it held many hear
| ings in all parts of the State, it re
| viewed the whole situation from ths
| beginning and it made to the Iesisla
| ture Of 1918 a careful report Showing
! in detail the effects of all the proposed
methods Of distributing school funds.
| That report Of the legislative com.
| mittee was printed and was in ths
| hands Of the members of the leslsla'
| ture TWO years ago. 1t has beer
! brought to the notice Of members Of
| this legislature. You have read 1t anc
| are familiar with its contents. / shall
! not speak Of the report in detail, but
/ must point out that this representa-
| tive committee including men whoss
| fairness of mind cannot be questioned
| were unable to agree on any plar
| which all would admit would prove q
| more satisfactory method than tht
one then and now in practice.
| If that is the case then I submit
that it is fair evidence that the peo-
pie of the State generally who have
not had an opportunity to study this
subject at close hand are themselves
in honest doubt as to what change, if
i-any, ought to be made. That, MI.
President, is my first reason for ask
ing that this Senate. accept and en-
dorse the majority report of the COM
mittee on education. / submit that
while there is so small an understand
| ing Of the operation Of the present
method and so much less a consensus
| of opinion relative to any proposed
plan we are not justified in enactinG
legislation which radically changes