The Bismarck tribune., 1935-03-05

8Al0AyO1O 014u VutSAuA4l8 4l40 IG0SOUl1l8
and the state government must face:
Asks 3S,00oy0oe Limit
I'VE should not 60 beyond that
($S,000, ,000) figure except Is for the
education Of our children and In the
care Of our INDECENT, our mental and
physicial detectives and for our un-
employed. To appropriate larger sums
will be useless as the funds to pay can
not properly be raised when you con-
slider general demands for money for
needs other than strict governmental
functions.
1T Is necessary for the duration Of
the present emergency for the state
itself to take over the matter Of edu-
cational financing to the end that our
rural schools may be kept open and
operated for the education Of our
children. This Is unfortunate, and,
because the plan presented for Sue
cessful continuance indicates that
$l,o39, las per year Is necessary, there
are those interested in destructive
propaganda who have striven to de-
nlonstrate that reckless extravaganza
Is planned. Safeguard against duplica-
ton Of levy and provide that any spe-
cial levies you may determine upon
may only be . replacement.
Distribution BY Board
II recommend funds collected for
school purposes be distributed under
direction Of the state board OF equal.
ization, q statewide board which will
apportion the states money discreetly
to those schools entitled to receive It.
Annual cost Of minimum COM
promise program proposed by SUBJ
committees:
1852 high school units At $50. s2s2.-
600.
e5s7 grade school units at >las.
$Sl7,l25.
5000 nonresident high school stu.
dents at 80. $3.50. 900.
For equalizing purposes, $4,000.
Total 81 ,92o, ,l25.
This will make q biennial require
ment for the school maintenance Of
$3,859. $50.
"As = means Of raising the revenue
necessary to meet the requirement Of
the rural schools Of 81 ,o2o, 1880 per
year, It Is believed that some form Of
transaction tax must be resorted to.
Defends Sales Tax
Already there has been an enorm-
Gus amount Of pressure brought upon
you to endeavor to induce you to re-
frain from enacting legislation to
make q turnover tax effective. This
pressure Is being brought solely for
the purpose Of embarrassing your
selves and the administration. I am
convinced that no other form Of tax
will produce the revenue necessary for
our schools. With Z safeguard against
q duplication Of levy by also requir-
ing the reduction Of the district school
levies, you have removed all possible
objection that there can be to the
manner Of taxing.
There Is nothing improper or ir-
regular in the levy Of . sales tax.
It Is the only means now available to
permit our entire citisenry to partic-
ipate In the support Of their govern
ment. This opportunity to participate
in the support Is provided In direct
proportion to the amount Of money
available to the person.
Excess for Other Uses
II recommend provision be made
that revenues received from q turr-
over or sales tax In excess Of the
amount required by the rural schools,
be provided to be used for the support
Of our other educational or charitable
institutions. A two per cent sales tax
should yield approximately two mil.
lion dollars per year. Consideration
might be given to . provision for the
levy OF . three per cent tax the first
year, reduced to two per cent the Sec
ond year: additional funds derived
possibly being used to provide addi-
tional construction required by the