The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1952-12-12
FAMINE IN THE MIDST OF PLENTY
OIL BRINGS FINANCIAL CRISES TO some
EASTERN MONTANA Communities


EASTERN MONTANA COMMUNITIES
Sudden population increases whether brought about by
large dam Hungry Horse for other
place unusual burdens the communities IN which
such increases occur.
Housing facilities schools and community
life all feel the When the influx caused by govern
activity grant machinery available to
the bind in housing and education The not the
when increased population brought about
in private business activity.
that many Montana communities today
school and housing facilities faced with critical situation
a result of oil exploration and development work
Some schools report enroments much 25 cent
Classroom facilities overtaxed insufficient funds
available hire stas teachers other
of operating educational institutions Mill leves
have been increased much 60 cent districts in
with the financial problem resulting from
the influx of oil workers and their families
large city school system grade school
enrolment from 800 1000 The mill levy has been
from 215 to 35 mills temporary classroom units
have been erected to meet the problem At the time
money available the oil operations the
has amounted to only $3.50 for the district
This the situation presently facing the oil industry centers
of Montana Indications will become increasingly
critical this industry shifts from low high gear
The next thing is what is to be done about it, The
lies with the forthcoming legislature The schools Montana
whole and the taxpayers of the state generally al
ready begun receiving considerable benefit from the millions
of dollars of oil land rentals accrung the schools current
operations Yet paradoxicay the communities located in
the hear OF TINS new OIL Held from whence the rentals are
flowing extremely hardpresed to maintain their educa
tonal systems
Because similar critical problem is confronting North Da
kota educators the far eastern counties of Montana
have been examining proposals by the North Dakota
this state
The North Dakota group noting school, highway town
developing which quite similar those outlined
above has down number of
for consideration by that states 1858 Legislature pro-
posas by that legislative council after investigation
also point the for the Legislature meet
urgent financial problem. Here they
gross production all oil produced
OF 100000
the counties which oHw produced. The
eeved by the would be per
for schools, fo Ids sand bridge per for
and 4
OF the 100000 the be
the and fosc
roads and prevailing abov listed.
Over 100000 be
ed to the counties for threeway distribution II
While Montana already has two per oil producers
license tax examples will indicate that raising this
tax to AZ cent will provide substantial new tax
revenue to Montana oil exploitation gets fully underway
We have at hand figures the pro-
duclng wells IN eastern Montana for particulars VOICE.
November a. These 10 do one reported on
elsewhere in this ssue) These 10 wells monthly bar
rel production in of 10000 barrels of
this production figured at field per
barrel about S36O500 monitor 81 800 per
~ cent production production these
wells alone would produce S1967O per year tax