The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1948-05-14

lows:
Much publicity has been given to
| the amount that Montana taxpayers
would contribute to the 100000, 900
| federal-aid-to education fund. Since
much of this has been incorrect, we
shall attempt to explain. Some state
mentS have been to the effect that
Montana would pay $1,170,000, and
others have placed the figure as high
as $1,400,000. Montana, ON the basis
of last years figures, would receive
$545, 900 in return. This would lead
people to believe that we would stand
to pay out from $625,000 to $S55,000
more than returned to the state.
This amount, $3OO,OOO,OO0, is only
about twO-thirds to three-fourths of
ione per cent of the annual federal
budget. This would be about zoe out
Of every 500 paid in. This money
would take the place of other taxes
that we would have to pay on the
local or state level anyway, so would
not increase the total tax load to the
people of the United States. 1t would
make us all contribute more nearly
the same amount to educate all of the
children of our country. The issue
is: Are we Montanans, or are we
Americans and Montanans. Let's be
big enough to think of ALL OF THE
CHILDREN OF ALL OF THE PEG
PIE when we educate them as we'll
as when we draft them for military
service.
Apparently the figures above are
arrived at by finding the per cent
that our state income is of the total
federal income, and take that per cent
of the three hundred million. This
would be correct only If we paid taxes
to the federal government on that
basis. BUT WE DO NOT PAY ON
THAT BASIS. We pay on the NET
incomes only.
Montana has .35 of 1 percent of the
nations population, and a TOTAL in
come of about 81 of 1 per cent of
the taxes. Let us use the facts found
in the Bureau of Internal Revenue
Bulletin for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1947, the latest available.
Any more recent figures must of nee
essity be estimates, and would be sub
ject to errors. The figure of los, 900
school children, ages 81 inclusive, is
for the school year 1861, or the
census of the Fall of 1916. There
fore, we have fairly comparative fig
ures. Both number of children and
incomes are increasing.
On page 112 of the Bulletin you will
find that Montana paid Is of 1 per
cent of the total federal taxes as col
lected within the state by the Internal
Revenue Bureau. However, other
taxes are collected within the state
by customs and post offices. There
are also taxes levied as manufacture
9rs' sales taxes, and are collected in !
other states Since these taxes are |
evied on cOnsumable goods, or for |
items, it is reasonable to
estimate that we pay these on the
)er capita basis rather than income
ak payments. To care for this item
We should add about % per cent of
he taxes reported collected in our
tate. This would mean that we pay
% of 1 per cent of the total federal
axes. Our share of the federal aid
would therefore be about $69O,0O0 in
tead of the larger figures often used.
If all of our thinking is to be on
his one year only, we certainly are
cry unhuSineSSlike in orr Manning
When all of the babies now born shall
ave reached the 5-year age level we /.
hall have 100000 children instead of Z,
$4,000, without counting the ones