The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1948-12-03


county commission, consisting of the
county commissioners, the county
superintendent, and the state super
Iintendent or her representative.
New Districts Must Have
High School
l. All new districts formed must have
high school within its boundaries,
or must have population of so
and taxable valuation of at least
S150,000. Voting on the new plan,
or the new enlarged district will be
by individual districts. If one dis
trict votes to stay out, it can do so,
and remain just as it is at present.
If other districts vote to come into
the larger district, then the larger
district becomes a fact with those
districts.
There seems to be considerable
objection on the part of some people
concerning the method of electing
the 7-man county redistricting COM
mittee, and this objection may be a
valid one. They take the position
that most of the county re-organiza-
ton committee will consist OF rural |
people, and consequently they will be
able to elect the 7-man committee |
for redistricting. Ninety to $50 of |
the population may be in one city
in the county, yet there would be no
representation in the
election. They also feel that the
same thing would be true in the cleo
ion of trustees for the new seven
nan school-board. If new district
S formed, for instance around Great
Falls, with $50 of the population in
treat Falls, the new district would
'e formed into trustee districts
treat Falls could only be in one of
he trustee districts, and consequent
Y could only elect one of the trus- :
ees of those elected from the four
rustee districts. The other three
re to be elected at large, and could
II be elected by the people of Great
alls, giving them four out of the
even. Yet, they feel that three
justices representing a fraction of
lie population is not democratic.
ONE suggest that first class districts
: excluded from the plan.
Again, the point is brought out
lat the larger district will be formed
' those individual districts voting e
come in. If the larger district is n
AIMED out to be an efficient one Il
it'll all the contained districts in it, n
will not be so if many of the small Il
r districts do not come in. Many s
ates have solved this by having the
w district come into existence ty
1en a MAJORITY of the small dis ec
lets, which are to make up the II
rger district, vote to come in. The in
tizens Committee bill says that al
oh individual district can vote to in
in or stay out. in
MEA Opposes "Tax Evasion" til
Districts IN
The MEA has always been firm on "a
e point in this entire matter, and g
at is in regard to those districts Ia
itch do not operate a school, 10
hool districts are set up to form 81
: taxing unit for the operation of ci'
school. Today we have over 400 10
tricts which do not operate -
FOOLS, either having no children, a 4,
transporting them to another dis III
ct. We take the position that if III
district does not operate schools, ca
should be dis-organized. al
This reorganization bill also has OF
same provision contained in the 10Y
bill, that no school lr'
| be closed unless it is voted closed GU
the people which that school iie5s
yes. 'n'
Reorganization of districts is an POI
in school organization,
and finance, which to
now been accepted as must by eql
st states, and all other groups Mo
dying the matter. We believe the +
pie of Montana realize this, and ing
S only in the method of doing it POI
IRE disagreement comes. We be- sur
e the Citizens Committee bill will lat
the plan for larger administrative tho
riots, which will lead to more hay
Gent administration of our mo
ools, and to better educational to
for the boys and girls of Dal