The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-05-15


The repeated personal s'taess
upon Mrs. Anne Stewart ana Bis
Edgar Blair Of tho Tax Reduction
Council. for tho position each mas
taken on tho subject OF reduction
OF salaries OF scattic's school tsaeh.
ers. have certainly sprung our OF
IAN abundance OF Ignorance" OF the
subject under discussion.
The writer has bean sssocissea
with Mrs. stewart and Mrs hlair
In the Tax deduction Council WORK
for tho paat year and feels hafe IN
stating that both these members OF
the council arc thoroly oonvefsant
with the whole school situation.
Mira Blair probably knows more
about tho financial end Of ths school
board than any member OF INC
toard. She has made n most CT
hAustivs survey 81 the finances OF
the school district. having worked
on several Of the investigating com
mittacs OF the Tax Reduction coun'
Gil in their campaign (which has
been productive Of such splendid re-
suits that Heattis's tar rate 10 now
es mills instead % ~ last year. ana
that every candidate who was elect
sa In the recent city. port and
school elections pledged himself ana
herself 90 make every possible es.
fort 70 further reduce taxes by
eliminating graft and ertrsvaxnnosl
Mrs. Blair has children In tho Seat
tie schools. and has been an officer
Of tho PIT. A.. and n taxpayer
who has suffered heavily fruFn the
increased rate. 90 aha 10 qualified
70 approach ths subject OF teachers
salaries from several points Of view.
Mrs. Stewart was q teacher for
several years has several grown
children who have been educated In
Seattle schools and the university.
IL q taxpayer. ana has taken . lead
ting part IN all the findings Of the
various committees Of Investigation
during the past ye&r. ~ shs has
bean . member Of NE executive
board Of the council since its efGsnt
Earon over . rear ago The vrffsr
known Of no two people In the city
who are more sxpsrt In eiscuss;ng
The subject Of reduction Of salaries
Of Seattle teachers than Mira etsw-
art ana Mira niair.
In opposition 20 tns rvfuesson
which Seattle tAxpaysrp demand.
what have the opponsnts 10 offer!
Personal abuse. sentimental appeal
for tho poor undsrpald. over
worksd tsacher.- and gross mis-
staicmsnt Of facts. Not one Of thess
poln. 10 well taksn--absss IL not
argument and proves nothing but
the weakness OF the position Of the
person winx Il: teachers are Meth
or poor. ungerpaid nor oycrworked.
al an Investigation will dlsclose: aud
bluff. threan and political activity
viii not pay the bills OF school dis
trict No. 1.
what are some OF the fs1ss sbou,
tho financial statue Of The school
District
The Seattle district has ts.1ss. 900
outstanding bonds. this Ia more than
30 per cent Of the value Of tho en-.
tire school property mot allowing
for any depreciation whatsvsrl.
The district must pay over tats..
900 each year for The next five
years. In lump sumz and serial
bonds.
We must pay 100000 svery year
In interest on these bonds
Thlrtyeir per cont OF an the
taxes collected In the city OF sesttis
are spent for our schoos. and 30 per
cent Of these tnxes are spent In
salaries.
There has 10 be paid out Of the
funds eyailable. over tsa5.ooo an.
nually for bond and interest 40
count. before considering the school
expenses tmaintsnancs and saiaries)
or new buildings
The amount expended for each
pupil In siis. which Is 81 per cent
higher than the average OF 225
cities OF 1000 or more people. in
the United States
The tar levy IN 1851 was as
mills. and In 1912 IN 1873. an In.
crease OF more than $50 per cent In
five years. In money that means
that our school cost, increased from
t2.3s3.o0o I'm 1851 20 ts.eos.74o.4s
in io2i.22. And 20 per cent OF this
amount In salaries.
Are Seattle teachers underpsidf
Tho average yearly salary is higher
than in any other city In the
United States. The minimum salary
paid 20 grade teachers In $1,000 per
He found Lucinda seated on a
chsiso.lonEus In her boudoir, run
niuo thru her Warnings mail nv