Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-05-11
A Statewide Local School Tax.

Georgias pronounced need of more schools and
longer school terms its need of more teachers and
better salaries for them, its need of free text
books and thoroughgoing enforcement of the
compulsory school attendance law all point to one
stubbornly practical question-where is the money
coming from?
We cannot expect an increase in the leglsla-
tive appropriation for common school purposes,
certainly not in many years to come. The state
already provides two and quarter mills direct
tax for common schools out of the five mills al
lowed for taxation, besides something like half
million dollars in permanent funds. In actual
amount of state appropriations for schools only
ten states give than Georgia, and in percent
age of state funds to local funds, Georgia stands
third Evidently. then, it would be neither rea-
sonable or just to demand more from the state
treasury until the local school funds are nearer
what they ought to be.
1t is 10 the individual county and district that
we must look for the money needed to provide
more and better schools. For the United States
as a whole approximately IS per cent of the COM
mon school fund is raised through local tax, but
for Georgia less than 40 per cent is thus raised
Only forty-three Georgia counties have a
countrywide local tax for the maintenance OF
schools Many counties continue to draw from
the state treasury in school funds more than they
pay into the treasury for all purposes. We are
running counter to the policy of almost every other
state in the union and counter to the Judgment
of our own educational leaders. DR.. Joseph )
Stewart we'll observes that elsewhere the response
bility of the school is placed primarily upon the
local area where the administration exists, to be
supplemented by the state funds" but in the great
majority of Georgia counties it is just the reverse
Il
tricts:
The other states say the local area
: SHALL levy school tax. Georgia says the
local area MAY, if one-fourth of the qualified
voters petition and two-thirds vote for it in
the election. Most of the other states local
tax is compulsory; Georgia puts hindrance in
the way of its it's adoption. The other states say
that schools are just much local matter
as courthouses, roads, almshouses and jails.
Georgia says the schools are, first, state
affair. but may be supplemented by local funds,
if You can get a two-thrds favorable vote.
We have reversed the usual custom, and
have demonstrated the folly of plan
North Dakota spends nine dollars and sixty
two cents per capita for the support of common
schools as compared with only dollar and nine
ty-eight cents per capita spent by Georgia, and
numbers of states far less rich in resources than
raising more Tor SCHOOLS simply because
every community within their borders shoulders
its rightful share of responsibility If all the Geor
gia counties did their duty in this respect our
school fund will be ample to establish excellent
schools throughout the state and to extend the
average school term to seven or nine months where
il is now only one hundred and forty days; we
could pay the teachers we'll and promptly; we
could build up a system under which there would
be desk for every child and a child at every
desk.
The more progressive counties voluntarily
adopting the local plan and in every county the
more thoughtful people favor it. But why wait
years longer for the plan to be adopted county
at a time Why not follow the example of virtually
all the rest OF the nation and make the levying
of local taxes for schools state law? We be-
lieve that a constitutional amendment to this eff
feet would be ratified by the people if its wisdom
and justice duly explained. Superintendent
Britain speaks advisedly when he says:
"AlI other laws which could be passed for.
the benefit of education far less important
than this single measure"
This measure is fundamentally important be
cause il touches the fundamental need of ade-
auate system of school finance Not until the
money is provided can make school sys-
tenn what we wish it; and not until the local tax
is made statewide will the money be forthcoming.