The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1920-07-02

yOu. tuC IIbtOiy VI Out ItCtUt ShIhTy
adjustments, ! wish to say am find.
Ing ne fault with tho teachers nor
am censuring them In any respect.
We were facing condition that pre-.
walls all over the country, as You
we'll know. Teachers salaries were
out Of line with conditions, and the
conditions had to be met. think
this, however-that, with the adop.
tion of our recent schedule we have
reached the limit Of salaries as II
applies to Mt Vernon, and that we
should insist on the schools being
operated on this basis until the time
comes when the cost of living may
be reduced to such an extent that a
lowering of salaries might be consid.
cred. Although teachers salaries
for many, years to come will nm.
'doubtedly be on a relatively higher
level than before the war.
"Now let us consider for moment
the matter of financing our schools.
This is a real, interesting subject.
The cost of operating the schools
now as compared with the cost be-
fore the war is really staggering, but
! will not tire YOU with any compar-
ative figures. The situation we have
to face, is the present cost. and
thanks to n recent law passed by the
state Legislature, the money can be
provided If the citizens desire that
it should be so.
Without going into minute de.
tails of the law as to the main
sources of revenue for the public
schools of Ohio, part Of which prob
ably no one in the state understands,
much less myself, will say that 9.S
mills is the possible levy for all city
schools. This 9S mills is made up
as follows:
"First, state tax of 1.8 mill for tu-
ition only, apportioned by the state
to each county on the basis of school
enumeration. / understand this 1.8
mill would produce for Mt. Vernon
approximately $4,000.
Second state tax of 1 mill for tut.
tion only, to be retained in each
county.
Third, local tax of mills for all
purposes.
Fourth, additional local tax of 9
mills by vote of the. electors, ire
spective of all limitations.
Fifth, an additional / mill levied
by boards of education for tuition
purposes.
This makes total of 9.8 mills
which is ro ducable as follows: +
"The 3 mills statute tax may be
reduced to 90 mills by the budget
board in city school districts. This
makes a minimum of mills.
"In addition to this, we have the
tuition collected for attendance o
nonresident pupils.
| S;cI understand there is to be a re
valuation of property this fall, which
is expected to raise the grand dupli
cate somewhat, but on the basis O
our present valuation mills would
produce $100,629. Our tuition fun(
from nonresident pupils is approxi
mately $1,000. This makes total o
$107, 900 in round numbers, which W,
can secure providing the elector,
vote us the 8 mill levy In addition
to this, the law provides that thu
electors can vote to set aside a sink
ing fund outside the limitations O
the Smith one per cent law, to- TAX,
care of bonds and interest. Please
keep this in mind, as we will come t
it again.
"The salaries for the coming yea
under the new schedule will amour
to approximately $4,000. This dc
Quoted from 100000 will leave $40
900 for the contingent fund, whicl
will not be enough if portion mus
be used for the retirement of bond
and the. payment of interest, whicl
this year will amount to $10,240, an,
if we are obliged to heat the build
ings next winter with coal, which a
the present cost of So or $3.50 pc
ton at the mine for run of mine
would amount to probably $4,000
and in addition to this we have tn
: supplies for all the departments
which will amount to at least $25OO.
"As stated above, the sinking fun
requires this year $1O,240 Thi.
however, does not provide for settin
aside any amount to take care of tn
bond issue of December 1, 1911
amounting to $4,000, all of which
due December 1, 1880.
Zone of the worst things we hav
had to contend with is the inad
quate heating facilities during col
weather at the Third and Fifth war
: buildings and the high school. TIL
number of days that school was nj
in session, due to this cause. ha
: been entirely too many, 1t is a gre,
waste. The board has this matte