The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-02-14
Measure Finally Recommend.
cd For Passage-Dill Re-
quiring That Interest and
Sinking Fund Accounts For
North Dakota Bonds BE
Kept Separate Also Recon-
mcndcd

Enactment Of standard law re-
garding the transportation Of chill
dren attending schools in rural dis
tricts was recommended by the house
committee of the whole Saturday
after n sharp argument in which rep
resentativcs Of both political parties
took both sides of the question.
AS recommended, the bill provides
sliding scale beginning at five
cents day for transporting chill
dren living within two miles Of
school and increasing at the rate Of
three cents for each quartcr-mile un-
til a maximum of so cents is reached.
The rates are made applicable to
families regardless Of the number
of children which may be attending
school. A separate provision Of the
law permits school boards, on de-
mand Of the voters, to arrange trans
portation for all the children in the
district.
Mrs. Craig Favors Bill
| Favoring passage of the bill, Mrs.
Minnie u. Craig, Benson county,
1 pointed out that enormous sums are
being spent for school transportation
and contendcd that it would save
school boards considerable trouble to
have definite scale. In some dis
tricts, she said, drivers Of school
busses get more than the teachers.
George Aljets, Wells county. said
he does not think the legislature has
/ any right to tell district school
boards what they should pay. This
bill is a bunch of bunk" he said
and cOntended that school boards
would have as much trouble under
it's terms as they do now. 1t would
be impossible in some districts to
hire anyone to transport the chill
dren because the scale provided in
the bill is too low, he said.
L. l.. Twichell, Cass county, major
| ity floor leader, pointed out that
school boards would be unable to
pay anything for transportation were
it not for legislative authorization
and that the legislature has the
power to change the law as it sees
fit. .
The bill was sponsored by the
School Directors association, he said
and is designed to relieve schoo
boards Of pressure which often is
brought to bear in setting schOO
Transportation rates. mo one shoulC
be paid u premium to take his chill
dren to school, Twichell said, ant
averred that the proposed bill cover!
the subject better than any law h,
has ever seen affecting the same
matter.
| F.. +. Johnson, Foster county, con
tended that the bill would penaliz,
persons living farther than six mile!
from school and said that in som.
eases in his district it is necessary
to transport children II miles.
Another Bill Brings Debate
The house engaged in a heart!
fight over the bill which would re
quirc interest and sinking fund &C
counts for North Dakota bonds t
be kept separate. The purpose O.
the measure, Gordon Cox, Burleigl
county, said, is to make sure tina
the bond retirement fund will b.
solvent at all times.
The bill requires the state boart
Of equalization to make tax lev!
to nav bond interest If, in the judg
mcnt of the state Industrial commits
sion, it appears necessary.
The bond retirement fund is sol
vent now, Cox said, but alleged tina
after the July interest payments ART
made it will show deficit of $3.50,
10000.
Twichell pointed out that unless
preparations are made now to pa!
the bonds when due. the time will
come when heavy taxes must b.
levied for that purpose. The consti
tuition provides that levies to pa!
interest on bonds may be made re
gardless of the normal tax limita
tion and that the bill would enable
the state to take advantage OF tina
fact without imperiling it's operat
ing funds at some future date.
Another factor, he said, is tina
the price Of North Dakota bonds will
suffer if it becomes known in finan
cial circles that the state is no
properly keeping up the retiremen
fund as contemplated by law.
Mrs. Craig alleged that the bill
was being BADLY misrepresented" b!
the Independents and alleged tha
its purpose is to take from the state
board of equalization part of it
power to make tax levies. The things
which the Independents fear nevel
have happened and never will hap
pen, she said.
o. f. Erickson, Kidder county, con
tended that the bill resulted from
dispute between certain official,
at the capitol regarding who should
have certain authority.
An amendment to strike out th'
major provisions of the bill, Offered
by Erickson, was defeated. A to 81
and the measure recommended TO-
passage.
~ H,-Al-sD Dnxys~ync