Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-10-25
Proposed Measure Would
Hamper Learning and Work
Hardship on Teachers by
Lowering Their Pay,
DEFEAT AT POLLS IS
GAIN FOR NEW MEXICO
If Amendment Carries It Will
Limit Revenues Of Districts
and Stop School improve
ment for Years,
.lsrse,Al eo.rss,ososnes 70 aorNlne .ou.r..l

'tsrecIAL coRrtspohozNcg 70 MORNING JOURNAL
Santa Fe, Oct 24,-~In the fast
growing interest in the amendment
for statewide prohibition, to be voted
OH November 6. New Mexico people
have lost sight of another proposed
amendment to the Constitution, to
be voted upon at the same time, the
adoption or rejection of which will
determine to large extent the flu
ture progress and efficiency of the
states whole public school system.
| This is the proposed TAX Amend
ment," by which the existing law OF
1915. limiting increases in tax levies
in any one year to 5 per cent would
be written into and made a part OF
the constitutisi of the state. Ac-
cording to the view held by the de-
partment of education, and by lead
ing educators throughout the state
adoption of this amendment means
that educational progress In New Mex
leo, IL not absolutely checked will be
seriously retarded for years to come
The welfare of the states whole
school system, and the very existence
of an effective rural school plant and
organization, they assert, demand the
emphatic defeat of the proposed
amendment.
State Commission last Appeal.
The proposed TAX Amendment
follows:
SECTION /. Taxes levied upon tam
gible property shall be In proportion
to the value thereof, and taxes shall
be equal and uniform upon all sub
jects of taxation of the same class.
mo county city, town, village or
school district shall in any yea: make
tax levies which will in the aggregate
produce an amount more than 0 per
cent in excess of the amount pro-
duced by tax levies therein during
the year preceding. except as herein
after provided.
"In case the amount desired TO be
produced by tax levies is more than
per cent greater than the amount
produced in the year preceding. such
fact shall be set forth in tho form tf
n special request and filed with the
state tax commission. In case the
state tax commission approves such
proposed insrensc It shall spaef'ai'S
authorize the sane; If 1t disdpproVe'
II shall so state with Its reasons
therefor and it's decision shall Ge
final"
The above provisions already con-
stitnte n state law, enacted in 1872
ana under which for the past two
wears the state tax commission mas
been called upon 20 pass upon d
great many appeals from schooi af :
tr,ets for permission to exceed the
ner cent increase limit, for abso-
ip,ew necessary improvements IN
tseir schools. Th, operation OF the
,ow according 10 the educational au-
tror,ties of the state. has proven &c
disastrous to school progress, ana
eanec,a,ly for the rural schools In the
naorer districts, that a statewide SEN
t,ment will demand it's repeal, or ma
tar;aI amendment by the next legisia-
ture, ,,,r
wr;ands of the proposed "TaS
Amendment tney say 80
condition as likely to occur. ana pro.
nossd this constitutional amendment
SO that the law would be written into
the state constitution, where It has
NO business, as pure legislation. but
would thus be made many times lore
a,ff,cuIt of amendment or repeal
once in the constitution. the educa-
t;onal authorities show, repeal or
amendment become virtually imp7s-
sible.
II Is shown at the department. OF
education that in spite Of heroic ei-
fcrts to better the situation the sa'.
ar,es Of New Mexico rural school
teachers still remain the lowest In
,ha United states. A school havins
teacher with a third grade certi-
s,cate has a total Of $50 month
of This $40 a month must go 'for
heat repairs and other fixed cnarses.
The The teacher gets $50 a month. e
n the same way the second grale
scbool has SIS q month, .cf which
M teacher gets $50, while the first