The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-04-21
Bond Issue and 3-Mill Tax for School Purposes Are
 Pointed Out to Voters
ELECTION ON MAY 6
 IMPORTANT TO CITY
City Commission and Board of Edu- cation Stress Important Points in Coming Issue Affecting
 Boys and Girls

The board of education and the city commission yesterday issued statement to the voters of Birmingham anent the coming election on May 6, in which they asked the voters to seriously consider two points in casting their ballots to author ize the issuance of s1,o000o0 in bonds for nigh school purposes, and to authorize the levy of special tax of mills for school purposes.
 The statement follows:
 TO VOTERS OF BIRMINGHAM
 sOn behalf of thousands of ambitious boys and girls in the city of Birmingham we ask you to vote on May for two propositions:
 q. To authorize the issue of bonds to the amount of sloo00OO for high school purposes, and
 "2. To authorize the levy of a special tax of mills for school purposes.
 "The loss of the Central High school as the result of incendiary fire makes it imperative to erect new building at the earliest possible moment, and it is proposed to use the proceeds of the s1,- 100000 bond issue for this purpose, and
  ern division of the city. It is estimated that a new Central High school build ing will cost about S750000, and that the eastern high school will cost about s25O,- COG. The western section of the city is now well provided with a splendid high school at Ensley, and the equipment of this school will be enlarged when the new school tax is levied.
 CONFIDENT OF SUPPORT
 I've do not believe that it is neces- sary to emphasize the supreme import ance of providing high school facilities for the boys and girls of Birmingham, and we submit this bond issue for the approval of the people, confident that they will give it their loyal and enthus- iastic support However, as showing how important a high school here is consid- cred, we point to the fact that when this matter was presented to the capi- tai issue committed of the federal re- serve board at Atlanta, it met with the unanimous approval of this committee, the members feeling that this is time when the greatest possible emphasis should be placed upon the adequate vo- cational training of the young to the end that they may attain the highest degree of efficiency.
 YThe levy of the three-mill school tax will not increase the taxes of the people of Birmingham, inasmuch as the sink ing fund tax of five mills heretofore levied has been reduced to two mills for the future, resolution to this ef- feet having been adopted by the city commission, and now being a matter of public record.
 NO ADDITIONAL BURDEN
 '.In view of the fact that this tax does not impose any additional burden upon the people, we feel that it should re- ceive their unanimous support. It is intended to use the revenue derived from this tax to provide for the retirement of the high school bonds at the rate or s5o0oo per year; to pay the interest on these bonds, amounting to $oO,000 per year and to provide additional means for the operation of the public school system of the city. Should the tax fail, if would be a physical impossibility to restore the high school or to care for the constantly increasing number of pu- pills who are coming into all the schools of the city.
 ..The time is short, and we most ear nestly request that you, as friend or the public school system in Birmingham and interested in the growth and de- velopment of our city, constitute your self a committee of one to work for the success of the bond issue and the three mill tax.
 This is a patriotic duty. The failure of one or both of these measures Will