The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1922-10-21
measure, popularity known as the
"30-10 plan"

Such a situation is not conducive to
the best interests of either the in
dividual or the state. By reason of
this insistent demand for retrench-
ment, it is not possible that many
will fail to examine carefully the
merits of the "3O-1O." Moreover, it
is VIGOROUSLY difficult to get an un-
biased view of this measure through
the daily press.
Many districts in Stevens county,
indeed the majority of the local dis
tricts, are compelled to vote special
tax in addition to the 10 mill tax
which the law authorizes the board
to levy to maintain school. The
assessed valuation of the average
district in Stevens county is low, for
the farm lands in many instances are
new and undeveloped. Surely the
people who are toiling hard in or
der to develop the farms and win
a home for themselves are entitled to
have at least fair educational advan-
tages for their children. Convincing
proof of the value placed upon edu-
cation may be found in the fact that
special levies are voted year after
year for educational purposes.
A more equitable and just plan
would make the special levy unneces-
sary. The taxation burdens should
be lightened for those who are bear
ing heavy loads. The mere incident
of one mans residence should not
compel him to pay five, ten, twenty
or more times as much local school
taxes as the man who happens to
live in a wealthy district. Today
wealthy districts are opposing the
"30-1O plan" because they would have
to pay to the state school fund more
than they would receive back; poor
districts, that is those with low
assessed valuations, should earnestly
support the measure because justice
to themselves as taxpayers and to
their children, upon whom the preser-
vation and welfare of the state de-
pends, requires it.
The glaring inequalities of the
present system must be apparent to
sall. Nearly everyone has observed
some time or other the extravagances
of wealthy districts with a low tax
levy, while at the same time they
have seen other districts with 20
mill levy and very poor school facil-
tiles. al poor rural districts have
$1,O42,936 assessed valuation to edu-
cate 4O6 children, Al rich rural dis
tricts have S29,908,279 assessed val
uation to educate 401 children. The
"3O-1O" bill would help equalize the
educational opportunities for all OF
the children of the state; it would
help equalize the tax burden
Opponents of the bill continually
harp that taxation would be IN
creased $3,750,000. The facts of the
case are that the money is now
raised just the same. In many poor
districts by local levies are 20 mills
for their share, while some rich dis
tricts escape with only 12 of one
mill. Under Initiative as, that same
$3,750,000, borne on the state as
unit, would cost every district rich
and poor alike, 3 mills. 1t is right
and just that all wealth should bear
its fair share in the support of tax
alton. 1t is simply matter of JUS
tice that rich districts pay more.
while poor districts should pay less.
Three years ago, the law was
changed from a "10-10" basis to the
"2O-1O" basis. At the time the 30
10" was in effect taxpayers in the
Colyille district were paying "a mills
for school maintenance. Today they
are paying a local levy of 16 mills
instead of the "a mills. During the
first year of the "20-10" Washington
collected $62 per census child as COM
pared with $66 the previous year
a decrease of $4 per census child.
This makes a decrease Of over S902,-
900 in school taxes in one year in
the state of Washington. This is
convincing evidence that the people
determine the amount spent for our
schools Independent of the system OF
support. 1t is foolish to say that the
money would be wasted, or that the
schools do not need more money. 1t
is sensible to expect the state to give
to all of the children of the state as
nearly equal educational opportunities
as possible, and at the same time re-
move the existing excessive tax bur-
dens in many districts.
The assessed valuation per child IN
the state as whole is $5,1O6; the
assessed valuation per census child
in Stevens county is approximately
the same as it was in the Colvilie
district-$1, $50.
"A vote for this measure will up
- Ex.Ns