The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1948-03-05
Richardson To Arrive Off Pascagoula
Monday; Solons Here On Channel Bill
Problem Faced
Next Year In
School Finances

Problems faced by the Pasca-
goula school system in securing
adequate finances for next years
operation was laid before the
board of supervisors Tuesday by
the board of trustees of the Pas
cagoula rural separate school dis
trict and Thomas R. Wells, sup
erintendent of schools.
The budget for next years
operation, tentatively set at
$241, 1885, is an absolute mini
mum, Mr.. Wells explained, and
takes into consideration a con-
siderable decrease in school po-
pulation. However, anticipated
school revenues for next year on
the basis of the present l9-mill
tax on the present assessed valu-
alton will yield only sos, $40,
leaving a gap of more than $32,-
600 between the budget and
revenues.
Next years budget reflects a
$4,000 decrease from the budget
of this year, which is $285, 100.
During the year, and past
years, the school operation in
both Pascagoula and Moss Point
has been aided by appropriations
from the Federal government un-
der the Lanham Act, which pro-
vides for this aid to communities
where populations have under
gone sudden increases due to
wartime conditions.
Federal Aid May Stop
There is no assurance that
funds will be made available for
years operation, he said,
although every effort is being
made to have them continued.
Mr. Wells presented statistics
to the board to show that the
per pupil cost of instruction in
the white schools of Pascagoula
and Moss Point is lower than
that of any other of the 10
schools in the Big Eight. These
costs range from a high of $1O9
per pupil at Meridian to a low
of $50 at Pascagoula and Moss
The situation faced by the
school systems in Pascagoula and
Moss Point developed during the
past Jews years, and in Pasca-
particularly is due to the
tremendous amount of govern
ment-owned property which is
not on the tax rolls.
Payments in lieu of taxes are
made by the Federal govern
ment, he said, but not in proper
to the volume of property
owned, nor the number of pu-
pills attending the schools from
government-owned houses.
Figures compiled this week, he
said, show that so percent of the
attending Pascagoula
schools are from government
owned housing, while last year
taxes paid by the government
amounted to only one-tenth of
the school systems revenue.
Assessment Low
Assessed valuations in Jack
son county are abnormally low,
ne pointed out. A sample check
conducted among 10 hometown
ers whose property is on tax
at $500 to $500 valuation
he said, that in 1910 the
assessment amounted to 24.3 per-
cent of valuation, while today it
represents only 11.o.
The only answer to the prob
lem, he said, is the continuation
Of Federal aid which is doubtful;
increased assessments, or in
creased millage.
Under a special act adopted
at the last special session of the
state legislature a total of Is
mills can be levied for school
maintenance and operation.
1t would take a 23-mill levy
on the present assessment TO
yield the necessary revenues, he
said, or an increase of two mil
lion dollars in present assess
ments to yield the necessary re-
venue on the present 19-mill
levy.
A systematic study and equali-
of assessments would re-
cover hundreds of thousands of
dollars for the county tax rolls,
it was pointed out, and would
produce necessary school reve-
nues without the necessity of
raising taxes.
The meeting was adjourned TO
the scheduled July 5th meeting
of the board of supervisors, at
time new assessment rolls
will be available and exact re-
venues for next year can be
compiled.