Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1929-02-01

anu lhteHstNe ieNlSlonS proposed by
DR.. N. D, showalter, state superintend
ent OF public instruction. If enacted
as outlined the showalter plan would
overhaul the school system from top
to bottom-in fact, it would set up
new financial structure and ner
method of management.
Its main objective is to equallze the
cost burden between the socalled
poor" and "rich" districts, which, in
turn, would equalize the opportunities
for common education; and it seeks
to achieve such equalization by max
ing the Weather districts contribute
financially to the poor districts
Therefore, the Slowalter plan pur-
poses increasing state taxes by $4,-
42i.g95 ana raising county taxes by
! S2O54.O6l, annually, on the basis oil
1928 returns; and it contemplates re-
ductlons in local or district taxes to
offset the extra funds to be raised by
the state and county levies. 1t is
theoretical in this respect, however.
While the proposed increases in state
nad county taxes are definitely fixed,
The proposed or offsetting decreases
in local taxes are unfixed.
But it is planned to restrict Local
taxes by reducing the limit on the
district levy from 20 mills to Is mills
and by proyiding for strict budgeting
under severe penalties for overspend-
ing. To curtail local enthusiasm and
local taxes, the Showalter plan pro
poses the abolition of local control,
providing FOR county control under
state supervision.
II would abolish the 2O-1O plan fol
raising money, under which the state
tax is on the basis of $50 per child
and the county tax is on the basis of
$40 per child. Instead, state funds
would be raised at the rate OF % cents
per pupil per day, while county funds
would be raised on the basis OF go
cents day per senior high school
pupil, Is cents a day per junior high
| pupil and 10 cents i day per elemen-
tary pupil.
The Showalter program would
create county boards OF education five
lay members, elective; and it would
create county textbook commissions,
five members, appointiye by the coun-
ty Superintendent of schools.
County Read System Expensive.
Supporters of the program for tho
county system of farm-to-martet roads
have taken the bit in their teeth and
are headed for clash with Governor
Hartley, being the first group TO open
| ly take course in conflict with g
Recommendation Of the governors
message. They are set on i0-year
program OF county road building that
IL enacted and left unchanged. will
require an outlay OF from SiO000,O0O
to si5OOO,OO0 by the end of 1889.
Mr. Hartley cautioned in his mes
sage against an increase In the gas
oline tax, but the farm.to.market
group, made up of the grange, county
commissioners and county engineers,
has formulated bill that would in
crease the gasoline tax from cents
to cents, and the measure has been
introduced by Senator Gray, Lincoln
county.
The measure provides for complete
reorganization of county road systems.
First, it provides that the present sys-
TEN OF permanent highways, which are
financed by an annual lift of about ST.
100000 from the state motor vehicle
fund, shall be absorbed by the farm
to-marlet program. County commis-
sioners would be required to lay out
The county system of arterial, lateral
and district roads, and the county
commissioners would build and main
tain the farm-to-market roads under
the specifications and approval of the
| ot@Ae highway uSPei tAiNhAs
Would Pool Revenues.
II provides that the revenues from
the 1.cent increase in tho gasoline
tex. estimated to yield So 100000 an
nually at the outset. shall be pooled
with the present permanent highway
fund, making at this time an annual
fund Of approximately s4,OO0,OOO.
on the present basis Of income the
tO-year program would total $4,000
600, but 1t can be reasonably assumed
tnat increases in valuations and in the
consumption Of gasoline viii push the
total to the vicinity of Si50OOO0O. of
which about s25.O00ooO would accrue
from the i-cent raise in the gasoline
tax.
Tho legislature adjourned Friday
for ovcr The week end, tho various
committees having turned out only a
batch Of repeal bills for floor con
sIderatiou.
Before quitting for the week. the