The Delta independent., 1919-12-19
FACTS ON SCHOOL DISTRICT
FINANCES GIVEN TO PUBLIC

election for District No. 1, it may be
of interest to have some facts in re-
gard to taxes and school finances
made plain.
The assessed valuation of School
District No. for 1919 is 5000, ,655.
The district levy for all school pur-
poses Gncluding sinking fund to re-
tire bonds and interesD is 11.33 mills,
as compared with 11.O4 mills last year.
Present outstanding bonds total $685.
900. These are being retired at the
rate of $1,000 per annum and in ten
years will all be paid off
The proposed bond issue of 100000
if authorized will run at 5 " per cent
producing an annual interest charge
of $4,000 for ten years when the bonds
become optional and must be retired
at the rate of $4,000 per annurn be-
ginning with the eleventh year.
| Assuming that our valuation does
mot increase any during the next ten
years but ermains stationery, this
would mean that during the first ten
years but remains stationary, this
interest would be 1.09 bills additional
or s1O9 per year on each $1,000 of as
sessed valuation. Beginning the elev-
enth year to retire the bonds will call
for principal and interest in the sun
of SIS 500 or $500 on each thousand of
assessed valuation; the interest fea-
lures then gradually receding as the
bonds are paid off to $3.50 interest
the twentieth year.
! AS matter of fact, however. this is
ran overstatement of the burden be-
cause the present levy for sinking
fund and interest l22 mills) will dis
appear as the present bonds are re-
/ tired until at the beginning of the elev-
enth year We will not have this burden
to carry, thus reducing the interest
and sinking fund the eleventh year
by s6,112. leaving a net difference be.
tween amount raised and the neces-
sary amount at that time s9,3SS or
s1S5 per thousand of assessed valua-
ton above the present tax in the elev-
enth year (Which will be the maximum
year,.
The assessed valuation OF the dis,
trict has steadily increased from year
to year in the past and doubtless will
continue to do SO in the future II
such be the case the foregoing figures
will be materially reduced, but the
foregoing statement is designed tc
show the burden in its heaviest poss
ible aspect.
| Other Features
! First. 1t is said our taxes are al
ready high. They are the highest in
our history. So they are elsewhere
So is everything else and taxes natur
ally reflect conditions.
At that. however. we are better of
in that respect than the towns or
either side of us The 1919 total mil
levy for all purposes-state, county
schools and town-are as follows:
For Delta, 3055 mills; for Montrose
327SS mills and for Grand junction
3169 mills (and Grand Junction is nov
submitting a school bond issue o
SS5, ,000).
Second. 1t is suggested by som,
that no new site is needed and the
} new building should be put on The
present school block. Nearly on,
thousand children now attend tn,
buildings on this block and the play
space Is 81
ed that any organized play is imposs
ible. Furthermore, it is UNIVERSAL!
regarded as better that high schoo
pupils should be segregated from thu
smaller children in the grades. Al
to the amount specified for the pur
chase of site, the law requires tina
the propositions as TO building. sit
and furniture be separately vote'
upon. and the division made is merel,
an approximation, tentatively fixed
For the building. site and furniture th'
the present idea of the Board is tha
site can be purchased for consider
ably less than the $4,000.
Third. II is stated by some objec
tors that If the country school house
now closed were opened up ther,
would be sufficient room. There ar
two such school houses now CLOSED
and the children brought to town il
wagons. Together there atteude,
these schools less than fifty pupils
They are now brought in at PRACTICAL,
the same expense it would entail L
run these schools. and in town the.
have the advantages of manual train
ing and domestic science which the,
could not get in the country.
But further, and this is the complete
answer to this criticism, the Board @
Education is asking for new Higl
School building, and If all the build