Milford chronicle., 1921-02-18
80 2-nnn-O0O

The above is estimated revenue from
the taxing plan worked out by Luz
ther H. Gulick, tax expert of New
York, and James H. Hughes and ROD
ert G. Houston, attorneys for the
raising of 100000 annually without
dipping into the general State funds
each year to operate the free public
schools of Delaware. The tax scheme
has been approved by the commit
tees on education of the two houses OF
the State Legislature and it will now
be incorporated into the new school
bill for consideration.
All these schemes with the excep-
tion of the three per cent. tax on net
incomes of business done by corpora
tions in the State were included in
the original draft of the new bill sub
mitted to the Joint educational COM
mittee by the citizens committee. 1t
will be necessary, however, 1or
large appropriation to be made from
the general fund to operate the
schools this year as the taxing proVls-
ions could not be put in operation IN
time to raise funds this year. IL is
possible that efforts will be made TO
change some of these taxing provls-
ions when the bill gets before the
House and Senate and. especially the
plan to tax every citizen man and Wo-
man SIS annually for school purposes
Numerous changes have been made
in the bill as originally drafted by ire
citizens committee by the legislative
committee on education which spent
about two weeks going over the draft.
The method of naming the State Board
and the number of members OF that
board is one feature that has been
changed by the joint committee. The
bill as it now stands provides for a
board of but five members, four to be
elected one in each county and one IN
Wilmington and the fifth member to
be appointed by the Governor.
Changes in the School Law
The general provision of the bill
as it now stands and which is being
printed for distribution to give every
one interested an opportunity to study
it before finally acted on by the Leg
islature are materially different IN
MANY important matters to both the
present law and the original draft
made by the citizens committee. Il
County boards will be elected as at
present, but no provisions is made IN
the bill making it mandatory to en-
gage attendance officers and super
visors, but it is understood the Coun-
ty Board would have authority to make
such appointments if it were decided
best to do so.
The transportation features of the
present bill are also eliminated and
the only way under the present draft
that transportation can be provided
for the children is by vote OF the
people of the district affected. Cuma-
lative voting is also eliminated in all
provisions and direct plan of one vote
for each person entitled to vote sub
stituted.
All anticipated expenses for the /
school year following their election
are to be included in budget, item
lied in detail, which is made up by |
the County Board, submitted to the
State Board, and must be approved by
the Legislature.
All employees are hired for no long
er term than school year, and there
is a penalty for exceeding the budget
as approved by the Legislature or for
spending funds for other than that
for which they are specifically appro-
priated.
No Bond Issue Without Referendum
Eight-grade schools in all rural
districts, with no consolidation allow
ed unless County Board recommends
same, then County Board submits
question of consolidation to the peo-
pie in each district affected and must
get a majority vote of approval before
is allowed. No bond is
sue without normal referendum.
The act creates a standard for {
and superintendents, but al
lows the substitution ofeXperience for
college degree; makes county super
ntendents the supervisors of the
schools instead of a business manag-
er, as under the present law; don't
allow special districts which have
created enormous debts to go back in
% the county and take their debt
1ack into the county, unless SUBMIT
ID to and approved by the people of \
he county. Local districts control I
but said teachers must have l
proper qualifications and be hired on c
inform wage scale.