Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1931-01-22
Showalter Bill
Is Again Filed

the Legislative hopper and received its
filing number Hereafter 1t will be
officially designated Senate Bill No.
81.
Though changed in many particu-
lxs the new bill embodies the same
geiS tal plan as its predecessor of two
years ago, which passed the senate
by a large majority, but fell one vote
short of the constitutional majority in
the house. Sponsored by the State
Department of Education and backed
not only by the teacher and parent
teacher forces but also by the Advis-
DRY Tax Commission, the State
Grange and other organizations, the
school bill is expected to be one Of the
chief subjects of Legislative interest
in this session.
The bill is big in size as well as i'm
portance including 43 sections and
filling is pages.
Containing several minor provisions
besides its main features of financial
equalization and ad m inisara tiv e
changes the bill is practically an
omnibus measure.
The measure has four main pro-
posals as follows
l.. To equalize conditions between
comparatively rich and poor schools
by putting about half the cost, in
Guiding transportation, on statewide
basis Twenty-Five cents day, to
be raised by whatever taxation the
legislature may determine is appor-
toned for each day of actual attend
ance in school, Similarly, about one
fourth of the whole cost is appor-
toned over the ,county-10 cents a
day in the elementary school, is cents
a day in the junior high school, 20
cents day in the senior high school.
Thus only about one-quarter of the
load will be left for the local districts,
with their widely varying abilities, to
assume. Under the present system the
districts carry over half the load. All
districts will be able to maintain a
creditable school for nine months.
2. To equalize the burden for the
taxpayers. Reduction to only a
quarter of the whole cost on the
variable local district levy is designed
to reduce greatly the wide margin
Qocal levy now varies from to 45
mills) between taxpayers where per-
capita valuation is high and taxpayers
where percapita valuation is low.
Limit of local levy is reduced from 20
mills to Is mills by vote of the people
and from 10 mills to mills by
authority of the school board. Most
districts will be able to raise a reason
able budget on less than eight mills
of local levy.
8. To improve school administra-
ton in the interest of economy and
efficiency. County and state depart
ments will supplement- the administra-
ton of local officers with expert SER
vice where most needed, and share
with them certain responsibilities
This additional service entails no
change in present local organization
and takes no function from local
school boards. A commission repre-
senting district, county and state will
review and revise local budgets and
a similar commission will approve
permanent transportation routes. A
county commission will adopt text
books for second and third class dis
tricts). In the third class districts
the county superintendent will APP
prove or nominate teachers and APP
prove building plans and purchase of
equipment and supplies The county
superintendent will obtain price quo
tations on standard equipment and
supplies for all schools.
4. To change the county superin-
tendency from elective to appointive
office. For the enlarged functions of
county administration lay county
board of education is provided, which
will appoint the county superintend-
ent, after the term for which present
superinte n c MT Sc ct have been
chosen, just as city boards now
appoint their superintendent. The
county board will consist of five men,
bers, serving without compensation,
elected by countrywide vote from five
director districts for a term of three
years.
Chief issues on which support and
opposition to the bill are expected to
develop are the tax equalization and
/, budget-control features. Districts adj
yantaged by equalization will natural
ly advocate the new plan while dis
tricts whose tax 'levies, even though
now comparatively low, will be raised
may be expected to stand pat for the
status quo However the prospect Of
raising all or most of the state school
fund from other tax sources than
property seems likely to change the
attitude of many otherwise opposed
to the plan. The fact that Seattle