Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1938-05-05
SCHOOL LEVY
VOTE FRIDAY

Sometimes when school program
runs on seemingly automatically from
year to year the public may lose
sight of the fact that it is they,
the people, who have the whole say
as to what the community will offer
in the way of high school opportunity
for its young people No law oompers
them to have a high school. If they
want it they may have it, and like
wise the extent to which they wish
to improve high school facilities is up
to the people themselves.
Some communities do not see fit
to maintain an accredited high school
at all, but have to be content with
portion of the four-year program. This
is either because of lack of interest or
(much more likely because of low
valuation.
In some cases a district hitherto
able to afford certain advantages
finds itself compelled to forego some
of them and be content with less be-
cause of fluctuations in revenue.
The recent equalization law where.
by the state creates a fund for the
aid of children-rich and valuation
poor districts, for example, helps
Grand Coulee to the extent Of over
$4,000 per year. yet gives town
which is both children-poor and valu.
ation-poor, such as Coulee City, moth.
ing. county equalization plan works
out similarly. The point is that tho
whole program of school financing is
still in flux in this state.
Other Measures Aid Schools
Real milestones have been reached.
The Showalter bill subsidies trans.
portation to some extent and also
shifts half Of the former local tax
burden to the states shoulders. The
purpose Of the bill was to give To
such districts as Coulee City addi-
tionsl money for needed equipment
and service, but Coulee City. like
most other districts, had to use the
increase TO decrease local 'contribu
ton. In other words, after the pas
sage Of the Showalter bill no attempt
was made to pass the special levies
which had been imperative during
previous years.
most of whose provisions met with
hearty approval, but which carried
little clause making it almost impos-
sible to carry a special levy election.
This clause says that for such an OK
ira levy election, 40 per cent Of all
those who voted at the last general
election must vote at the school ell
ection, and that Of these, go per cent
must vote for the increased millage.
This 4O-mill bill made special levies
30 difficult to carry that mono hos
been attempted in the district since
1895.
AS long as taxes gone delinquent in.
the depression years were rolling in to
create annual SURPRISES, the pinch was
not felt, but recent months have seen
an end to this source of revenue and
even current taxes are coming in
slowly again due to the so-called re
cession.'
Voters To Decide
At the public budget hearing On
April IL it was decided to submit to
the voters the question Of pruning
services to point consistent with q
$15,707.S7 budget for 19S8.39, or
increasing the levy by five additional
mills in order to maintain the present
program. That is exactly whore the
decision should rest-with the people.
If the services which would have
to be given up do not impress the
people as necessary and worthwhile.
then citizens can vote the increase
down.
On the other hand, if they want to
see sewing, cooking, girls physical
education and sports kept in the
course of study, as well as shorthand
and possibly bookkeeping, they will
manifest this wish by favoring the
extra s mills levy.
The election will be held In the af
ternoon on Friday, May 6, at the
school gymnasium. That is tho after
noon tomorrow Of the annual pei
parade and children IS May fete, Ct
patrons will be spared an extra wall
-. over to the school building
Mes Nhootnr Means anH son Anf