Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1940-03-28

mixing the schools in politics." were
guilty of these very same accusations.
Mr.. Mann owes me an apology for
the "kick in the pants"
(3) Every school organization this
past year, including the State School
Board Association, the Minnesota
Council of School Executives, the
County superintendent Association,
the Minnesota Educational Associa-
ton, etc., have all gone on record
favoring the distribution of all net
income taxes directly and actually
to schools as was intended, so as to
pay all the other state aids in full,
as well as pay the present $40 per
child on the census.
(4) These school organizations are
certainly not all wrong, and the men,
bers are not thus "meddling in party
politics." But when l explain these
same points and call attention to
these facts that affect, block, destroy,
prevent or endanger any state aids,
then l am forthwith accused of
sticking my nose in politics." The
sore spot seemed to be hit the hardest
when l quoted what the administra-
ton spokesman and Prophet" Jo-
seph Ball wrote in the daily papers
not long ago, when he stated that all
of our net income tax money may
have to be taken away from the
| schools for the next few years so as
to pay off the 20-year old rural cred
its deficit.
50 If the legislative dictators of
Minnesota (who apparently repre-
sent the rich corporations) are going
to close the schools of northern Min
nesota, drive out more of our settlers
and create more ghost towns, then
perhaps we all should begin to stick
together and ''meddle in politics. -
so as to bring pressure on "Rockne,
Dunn and Company" instead of de-
Tending their many wrong deeds and
miSdeedS. Those that consistently
fought against the passing of the net
income tax law, have helped to divert
the balance of the proceeds so as to
reduce the state levy on rich corpora
tons instead of making it possible
to pay state aids in full. This helps
to raise local taxes. The above facts
cannot be honestly denied. How can
Mr.. Mann go to bat for them?
(6) The facts remain that state
aids are not paid in full and state tax
levies have accordingly been reduced.
If general appropriations for schools
had been proportionately the same,
the balance of our net income tax
money added to the school fund would
have paid all general aids in full
with over two million left over in
1888. But our state aids are pro-
rated more than ever Paid off at
a still lower rate-this in turn, is
forcing up local school tax levies.
Some local school tax levies have
already been raised as much as Is
or 20 mills. This is known as the
deficiency state aid levy" Pine
and many other rural counties will
suffer the most. Quit quibbling over
minor technicalities and get behind
the wheel and help push the school
carr out of the mud.
CD Our congenial editor at Hinck-
ley reminds me of story about a
neighbours dog that jumps at per-
son, wagging his tail at one end and
growing at the other-we don't know
which end to believe. He pats me
on the back and kicks me in the
pants at the same time. For what?
l don't know. Here I am pushing at
the old school car and the mud get
ting worse. Suppose Mr.. Mann uses
his energy and good sense in check
ing up on the past, present and future
state aid and school tax situation in
his home school district. The results
would be interesting, I am sure.
(8) If Mr.. Mann and Mr.. Stassen,
ETC., still claim that by cutting the
net income tax aid from $40 to SIS
per child, it will increase our school
aids, then their mathematics must
be wrong or the rest of us are de-
lirious. Most Pine county schools
would suffer more than they would
gain. Why not use the balance of
the net income tax money CATER the
$40 per child is paid) to pay the
general aids in full, instead of in
directly avoiding the law and slip
ping it in reality back into the gen.
eral state fund SO as to reduce the
state levy on rich corporations about
three mills? Let us work together
to bring this and few other bene-
fetal matters to a successful conclu-
sion for Pine county
ARTHUR E. GUSTAFSON.
County Superintendent of Schools,
Pine county