Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1922-04-14
| IL / [ ! SCH|OOI
! !. ! !. ISSPEl nj
suPT. BERGQulsT PUTS scHoo.
5.35 FINANCES UNDERSTANDING
ss LY BEFORE PUBLIC. Il

There is SO much misunderstanding
OF the way our schools are financed
and SO much transformation propa.
gated as to the manner of expend-
ing school funds that a repetition of
some of the plain facts in the case at
this time should be welcomed by
every citizen who wishes to form Just
judgments. }3G! r., - - @-.<s
I First of all let it be understood that
the Consolidated School Dist. No. 3 as
a legal entity has no connection what
soever with the city government and
the state laws very wisely kept these
two governments distinct for very OBJ
vious reasons, one of which is to re-
move school affairs. as far as pos
sible, from petty politics..
Furthermore even the geographical
boundary lines Of the school district
do not coincide with those of the city
but extend beyond the city and in
clude possibly three or four hundred
population not counted within the city
limits.
In the following exposition of facts
the writer also wishes to proceed upon
the understanding that no comparison
OF costs as between city and school
district is made with the intention of
casting reflection upon the city Of
f1cers or with a view of passing the
buck to somebody else, because tho
very nature of the functions exer-
cised by the two governments are diff
ferent. Our city officers as we'll as
our school district officers are solid,
respected citizens of our community
and are giving generously of their
time and thought to conduct the af-
fairs of their Offices in an honest and
progressive manner Thoughtless
and empty insinuations should be
stamped upon as vile vipers. It is al
ways easier to tell the fellow at the
wheel exactly how it should be done.
Even Lenine and Trotsky are now be-
coming more sane and conservative.
The city tax rate this year is 361
and the school tax rate is 1873 and
this showing for Little Falls is one to
be commended rather than con-
demned. Compare the school rates
of Alexandria (44.92), Austin (4l),
Bull (42.D, Bemidji $3.50, Albert
Lea (42), Thief River Falls (51.D,
OsaklS, MOnteVldeO and numerous
others. The city rates in the great
majority of cities of the size of ours
are also in excess of Little Falls
To those not in intimate touch with
the details of local government the
question, ''Why should it cost more to
run the schools than the city govern
ment?" is a natural one and deserves
an unbiased and courteous answer.
Let us first take up the item of pay
roll, which in most school systems is
from rs to 80 per cent of the total
budget. Our local schools employ 62
individuals from nine to twelve
months out of the year with an an
nual pay roll of approximately $780,
600. The city has only about ind1-
viduals paid regular monthly salary
and only II others paid small sums,
such as the 800 per year to alder
men, and then irregular payments to
street crews and volunteer firemen,
the total annual pay roll budget per-
haps not exceeding $4,000.
Then why not cut down the num-
Der of school employees or their sal
aries? If the average citizen could
have an inkling of the efforts the