Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-03-11

large values on property in our STATE
that are not subject to local taxation
for schools, roads and all that sort OF
thing; we also have another large
class Of property that does not come
in and use their portion Of the school
money. and that is the large number
OF summer residents in the. State OF
Maine, people who have come into our
towns, especially the towns along the
coast of Maine, who have gone into
different portions Of our State devel-
oping palatial summer homes, men Of
ability who own these homes, men Of
ability who come to help support the
towns where they are situated. When
that fund was distributed they claim
ed that should not go into the schools,
that some did not want it, and they
allowed it to be constitutional, and it
was the only way they could get at
THAI property, and for that reason it
was made a school fund at that time
it is a school fund at the present cine,
and it must be maintained as school
fund. AS a school fund the question
no just place in the distribution of
this fund; it must be distributed and
used for common school purposes.
Now. we find in discussing this mat
ter that there are lot Of things which
enter into 1t. In our hearing which
was held in the Senate chamber, and
which was a public hearing, we had
representatives from many Of the
larger places where these large ac-
curnulations Of property exist protest.
ing against any change whereby tine
valuation method Of distribution
should be stricken out Those Of you
who were present at that hearing
know how fiat fell that argument The
question resolves itself in about this
way: the State Of Maine has a fund
which is created for certain purposes,
under the present method Of distribu-
ton, and you all know the facts and
figures which have been placed before
the members of this Legislature, and
from that We all know that certain
places receive very large amount OF
that money, even more than they can
use for all Of their common school
purposes; we know Of many other
towns which draw large amounts of
money from that town and which will
raise something locally to support their
schools. The rate of the amount rails
ed locally for the support of schools
in these large wealthy places runs in
the fractions Of a mill. from 40 to
40 or $40 Of mill; while in the
country towns it runs from three to
seven or eight mills.sIn my own town,
for instance, it is four mills and a
fraction.
Now the question is in this case can
this fund created by the State for the
schooling of the children of the State
shall it be placed where the value on
property lies, where the summer peo-
pie come and maintain their palatial
residences from all sections of the
country, where they come and spend
their money literally and send no
children to the schools-shall that
money raised for our children go back
to those towls where those people
make their temporary home, or shall
it go into the common schools of the
State of Maine where the boys and
girls of our State must receive their
educationo
II seemSto me there can be but one
answer to that question. 1t seems by
the repor of the committee that ten
out of the sixteen counties would gain
by this proposed change. One out of
the six that loses would lose a very
small amount, -risAt- AROUND one hun
dred dollars as l remember it; it can
not be the fact that all would be losers.
as has been explained, in a great many
n n bot lNN e.
we know by actual figures that many
thousands of dollars Of this school
money will change places; it will go
from the places Of accumulated wealth,
from these large manufacturing CEN
tiers where they employ a large num-
Der of people OF school age in those
factorieS,-it will so from these towns
and cities where they have large pri
vate schools and it will be put into the
country. Yes. l will say into the
country, and I am part of the
country. and while my town from pc
culiar conditions under the present
method according to the figures would
lose slightly by the change, on gen
eral principles that money should go
where the children are; it is our duty
to educate the children of the State
of Maine. And without going into the
actual figures which are available and
which are accurate and which will
show that over half of the towns of
the State of Maine will gain by the
change in distribution, l think it is
patent to this legislature that while
this method may not be absolutely
right it is hard to get any hard and
fast rule of distribution but what will
effect some sections perhaps unfairly
We shall have under our equalization
fund, under either method. to take care
of extreme cases; but / think it is
patent to the members of this House
that the change in>the distribution. will
be more nearly just, more nearly fair
and more nearly in accordance with
the spirit Of the times to educate the
children who are called the best pro-
duct of the State of Maine, and let us
put this money of the State where ii
will do good to the children Of the
State.
Mr.. HILL: Mr.. Speaker, I consid-
er all the tables from that report for
eign to the subject entirely. 1t is a
question Of scholars and distribution.
I think. Our country towns are all
growing smaller in population and
valuation. I will cite a few towns in
Penobscot County in as good a part
Of the county as there is. The town