The frontiersman., 1954-12-09
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4sAGAAASSAS S& 4&AS AAAoS
 pendent School board thoroughly
 discussed the possibility of ths
 construction of a gymnasium a
 tbe new Palmer High School dur
 ing their regular board meeting , last week. The compiled result:
 of the discussion were prepared
 and approved by the school boarc
 for publication. in an effort te
 clear up reasons why they are not. at this time. building a new
 gym. The letter follows:
 A number of people in the com
 munity have criticized the school
 board for not presenting them
 with a gymnasium at the new
 high school. Such criticism is vel
 come and doubly so when accom-
 panied by suggestions based on
 facts leading toward a solution to
 the problem. Your school board
 does not finance the construction
 and operation of your schools. They simply take the money that
 you pay, add the subsidies receiv- ed from the Territorial and Fed eral governments, and attempt to
 give you the best school system
 that can be purchased for the money available.
 Your Independent School Dis trict was organized in July of 1949. Two months later planning was done in cooperation with the Alaska Public Works and an ap- plication for 50% participation was approved by them pending approval of plans and financial ability of the school district to pay their share. Plans were drawn by Johnson and Botesch of Seattle, a firm of architects specializing in school design. The plans include an auditorium and gymnasium as we'll as shop, cafe teria, special purpose rooms and (12) classrooms. The architects original estimate of the cost was $704,000 for the complete build ing. A. P. w. then advised us CD that due to an order from the De- fense Materials Board, it would be impossible to approve the gymnasium and CD the financial ability of the School District to pay half of the cost of the build ing would be limited to $550,000. By this time (1951) the estimated cost of the building without gym and with (3) less classrooms had increased to $1,100,000. In other words, the estimate had more than doubled for the building as reduced in size.
 In order to buy the new High School from A.P.W., it will be necessary for the School District to pay $42,000 down and $31, ,OO0 per year forz0 years. The total budget for the school year 1854 55 to be raised by local taxes | amounts to $114,0O0. The assessed | of the whole school district is approximately S9,500,- poo. Thus, in order to meet the operating budget for this year alone would require a 12 mill tax. Instead of levying a 12 mill tax, he School Board pared down the budget to approximately S95,000 md. the City and School Board evied a 10 mill tax The simple acts are, therefore, that to oper- lte the present two school sys- em at a minimum level requires l 10 mill tax. When the new high 1 chool is turned over to us, our operating costs will increase at east $20,000 and this plus our an ,ual payment of 31,000 means hat we will have to raise an ad- litional $51, ,000. We hope that to- 'acco tax refunds will supply at east $30,000 of this but it looks ike the other $21,000 will have o come from the property tax. This means that at the present ssessed valuation an additional wo mill tax, bringing the total 0 12 mills will be distinct pos ibility. And this without any ad- itional construction or mainten- nee. If the tobacco tax refund hould drop or be diverted by the egislature to other uses, we 1ould be in one h. of mess.
 The proposed plans for a gym how an estimated cost of about 500, 900. If A.P.W. shared 50%, would mean $250,0O0 for our istrict. This would require an nnual payment of about $15,0O0 { CT year which in terms of taxa {