The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1922-02-16

While the school tax shows the big
ssst jump. these figures indicate that
city, county and state taxes are re-
sponsible for more tlssn , third Of the
increase in the local taxes.
The financial records -of the district
show that the big jump in the school
taX3 rate was due almost entirely to
tb6 large amount Of warrants out
setnding at the end a last scAAel, ,year,
which BY. legislative. enactment ~
came valid claim against the district
and were sddsd to the regular levy
for this years maintsraace.
Part Of these outstanding warrants
had been issued in connection with the
building operations Of the new school,
and were to have been taken up out Of
the second bond issue had il not been
cancelled by the opinion Of the attor-
ney general, instead Of being paid by
direct taxation as 10 now the csbe.
The. rest were issued for running ex-
penses Of last year, which were nsar-
ly $40 10000 over the income Of the
district, due to the cutting down of
the levy made by the board when the
tax commissioner checked it over.
On last July l, the beginning Of
this school fiscal year, the clenk's
books show that there were 3A. 1851
in unpaid warrants outstanding. Of
these $l2,l53.3S were charGeable to
the construction Of the new school, and
the remainder, I'll, ,933.53, had been
issued for running expenses Of last
year. There was cash in the treas
ury, exclusive Of sinking funds, to the
amount Of $2,392.78, 20 that the &C.
tual deficit in operating expenses for
last year was 39,540.75, and the total
deficit, including the building war
rants, $2l,9o4.13.
The board levied $3o, 10000 for this
year, thinking this amount would be
necessary to care for the running ex-
penses. This levy was cut some by
tax officials, a. exceeding the maxi
mum allowed by law, but added to it
were fixed interest and sinking fund
charges and the approximately $22,-
10000 Of outstanding warrants, which
brought the rate up to the 44.8 mills
mark.
Thus the payment Of the current
taxes will not only practically meet
the expenses Of this year and pay in
terest and sinking fund charges. but
also clean up the outstanding warrants
and put! the district on q cash basis
once more, which will automatically
reduce the levy for next year.
That. the increase in school taxes
is not caused by any extravaganza in
the administration Of the school is
shown even more strikingly by q COM
parison of the actual running ex-
penses Of the school last year n, com
pared to this year. Last years fig
ures are taken from the clerks report
to the state Of last June 80. This
years figures were compiled by Mr..
Ferber on the basis Of the actual ex-
penses for the five months Of school
completed, and a careful estimate. Of
the. expenses to the end Of the year.
The biggest item in the school budget
il, that Of salaries, and this is deter
mined BY contracts, 70 the only guess
work in this, estimate ID in the matter
Of incidentals; which form such
small percentage of the total expense
that the. final figures sho1Jd not bs
more thin q few hundred dollars, ct
most, different from the estimate.
Last yeaE it cost to run the school.
exclusive ,,of interest ch1nkes on .in-
Tdsbtsdness; @2o, ,1el.11. The estinate
for this year is 90, ,26000. 10 have
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