Evening star., 1948-12-02
Virginia School Official
Urges Greater Share
.0fCosts by Localities
By the Associofed Press

RICHMOND, Dec. 2.-G. Tyler
Miller, State superintendent of pub
lie instruction, said yesterday he felt
the localities could contribute far
more of the 5000, 900 proposed
school improvement program than
the 81 per cent average they in
dicated.
The contribution of the cities and
counties, Mr.. Miller said, should
Iaverage about so per cent of the
total cost. He added, however. that
some formula based on school popu-
iation, ability and effort to pay
should be worked out which would
see the poor localities contributing
as little as 80 per cent and the
wealthy counties or cities paying
as much as 10 per cent.
On the whole, Mr. Miller said. the
localities total estimate of 1896 000,-
600 as the amount required for a
10-year school program was
pretty much in line with actual
needs. ~ .a
he did not 'asiee THAT the figures
received from the subdivisions re-
f1ected an ability to contribute only
about a fifth to the cost Of the 10-
year! program and slightly over a
fourth to the immediate $185, ,000, 900
program envisioned for the next two
years.
Misinterpretation Possible.
The superintendent agreed, though,
that some of the localities may have
misinterpreted the part of the ques-
tionnaire which read: What proper
ton of total needs do you feel can
be financed locally, based on the
present method OF taxation?
The answers varied anywhere
from 100 per cent to zero. However,
Mr.. Miller said, several of the locali-
ties which left the answer spaces
entirely blank may have misunder-
stood the question or that it may
have been unclear.
Doubtless some of these areas
which listed nothing for their esti-
mated part of the cost could finance
some portion by bond issue or other
wise The present method of tax
alton referred to the sources left for
the localities to tax.
The State superintendent himself
called the 10-year figure "stagger-
ing" but noted that it represented
needs built up over the last 18 years
and projected 10 years into the
! future.
He said further today that, in
view of the size of the amount, he
saw no reason why the program
could not be stretched out to per-
haps a l5-year program instead of
the 10-year plan.
Sales Tax Considered.
Mr.. Miller would not say how he
thought the State could raise the
additional funds to aid the imme-
diate or the long-range building
program, but education officials,
generally, have pointed to the sales
tax as about the only means in
sight.
The school needs report came at
a time when there was talk about
possible special session of the
General Assembly to aid the local
tiles in school building. More than
half of the States 100 counties had
asked the Governor to call the leg
islators to Richmond. The Federal
Court orders to several Virginia
counties to "equalize" their white
and Negro school facilities served
to help get the drive under way.
In the past few days the opinion
has been expressed privately by a
number of State officials that the
size of the proposed program has
served as a setback to the chances
for special session, certainly SO far
as 1948 is concerned.
The schools picture is an impor-
tant part of the commission study
ing State and local finances. The
commission has not been called on
to make it's report to the Governor
and the General Assembly until No
vember of 1949.