The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-03-29
SCHOOL BOARD
RECOMMENDED
FOR TAX CUTS
Citizens in Open Meeting Here
Speak Approval of Pro-
posed Reductions
TAXATION DISCUSSED
Various Aspects Are Related
in Discussion Held Under
Local Tax Body

Action of the Bismarck sch ooi
board IN cutting its budget for next
year approximately $4,000. or about
20 percent, was commended last
night at meeting in the Associa-
tion of Commerce rooms called un-
der thetauspices of the local men,
bers of the Capitol Tax Studying
Commission. After being assured
that the standards OF the schools
would not be impaired, those present
in the small gathering which, how
'evcr, included some large taxpayers
generally approved the action,
Chairman j. l.. Bell voicing the APP
parent sentiment that the board
should be commended.
George Register. member of the
school board. explained the meth ods
by which the board cut the budget
about $4,000, members working with
superintendent H. O. Saxvik. He re-
viewed the cuts previously outlined
in the schools and explained also
the board 5 attitude toward the do
mestic science, manual training and
commercial departments which have
been under fire from some sources.
Limiting Expense
Mr. Register explained that in the
second of these courses the expense
now is virtually limited to the teach =
er; that under policy of the board
the students in these courses will
be charged $3.50 for each semester
for each pupil in them, so that most
OF the expense to the taxpayers at
large will be limited to teachers sal
aries.
He explained also thatthe board was
confronted by the problem of either
building a new high school or cut
ting down the attendance. BY dou-
bling the nonresident tuition the
number in the school, it is expected
will be cut down to the capacity of
the high school. Otherwise, new
high school must be built.
superintendent Saxvik, speaking
briefly, said that the action of the
school board did not mean that it
sought to limit school facilities. The
board, he said, had fine spirit to-
ward the schools and favored high
standard, as was evidenced by its
decision not to cut teachers salaries
so that Bismarck could continue to
have high class corps of instruct
ors. He did not recommend the
cuts, he said, but said he felt that
if the burden of taxation was too
great for the citizens, as undoubted-
ly it had become, the action taken
to economiZe was the best THAT could
be taken. He said that no economy
could be effected without sacrifice,
but that he was glad to see the
school board lead in the movement.
The reduced budget will include
expense of running the new Roose-
welt, school. The board and Supt.
SaXvik also reduced expenses over
the previous year.
Chairman Bell remarked that the
school board of Fargo had cut it's
budget $4,000.
School Men For Economy
K. j. Taylor, member of the state
educational finance commission, said
that the matter of tax reduction
was, he believed, largely local
problem, and he praised the idea of
citizens gathering in meeting such
as that being held to consider tax
problems.
He said that all educators should
cooperate in the matter, and declared
that "a few school men in the state
who complained of efforts to reduce
taxes were doing harm to education.
These include some city superin-
tendents, he said. He did not favor
the horizontal reduction proposed in
the Gunderson bill, but said he be-
lieved the late j. G. Gunderson had
the right idea, that taxation must be
reduced.
A. c. Berg, state school inspector,
present to hear the discussion, said
that economy ought to be favored by
school men, and added that as
member of the school board in Town
Continued on page 3