The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1955-02-18

the issue, Rep. Armstrong offered a
complex amendment which he con-
tended would mot hurt the founda-
uon program but would help the tax
payer" Proponents of the founda-
ton progI am however, contended
that passage of the Armstrong
amendment would cause serious dam
age to the public school program.
Armstrong; amendment. the in
tent of which was most confusing, ap-
parently would have made it manda-
tory for the people of a school dis
trlct to vote on whether to approve
an additional levy to meet the mini
mum foundation program. Presently
the county commissioners make I'D
the deficiency on the district budget
if it does not reach 100 per cent of
the state equalization program.
Rep Arnold Reider (D-Jefferson)
told the House that Armstrong;
amendment would wreck the stand
ard of education" in the state. Rep.
Gene Picotte (D-Lewis & Clark
spoke along similar lines asserting
that its approval would mean an lend
to the foundation program"
Speaking in support of the amend
ment, Rep. Chaffin contended he
was not foe of the foundation pro-
gram, but that 1--WE should adopt some
compromise" Chaffin also forecast |
a gloomy outlook for 1857 if the |
schedules proposed under HB 80
weren't cut down to levels he con-
sidered reasonable" He also ex-
pressed fears that the Senate would
chop the program down considerably
if the House insisted on passing HB
80.
For all of the efforts by Arm
strong and Chaffin, standing vote
on the Armstrong amendment saw
the amendment lose with almost
all Democrats, joined by Republ-
cans Reed, Hancock, Leuthold,
Smith. Felt and Goan, voting
against weakening the program.
The Silver Bow delegation, with
the exception of Rep. Ray Lee, $
voted to weaken the proposal.
RABBIT"
No sooner was the Armstrong
amendment disposed of when Rep
Tom Tobin (D-Silver Bow dropped
in an amendment proposing to cut
off more than million dollars of
the foundation program proposed
under HB 80. Dumping of this amend
ment caused Rep. Paul Ringing (R-
Meagher) to remark that the House
could dispose of one weakening
amendment after another, and yet
still others would "pop like rabbits
out of hat, off the ceiling, out of
in the company lobby's
desperate effort to weaken or de- :.
stroy the bill. :,
Tobin's amendment caused Rep.
Picotte to ask Tobin "Who pre- =
pared this amendment? In reply, =
Tobin said it was drafted by Art
Ne;Il executive secretary of Mon
tana Taxpayers Association.
Rep. Fred Barrett (D-L1berty),
chairman of the House Education II
Committee, taking note OF the at n
empt being made to weaken lib o.
old the House the bipartisan COM
nittee had made very thorough
tudv of the financing needs OF the
oundation program and that the .
Committee had found the recon- {
oendations encompassed in the bill
o he actuarily correct. He could see
o need for further wasting of time
n time-consuming amendments by
he opposition.
Mrs. Bess Reed (R-Missoula) i
and former state president of FLA
the years long fight to /
secure the state foundation pro- t
cram and told the House that Z
leach time we have compromised i
our budgeting power has gone n
down. Why for once can we not b
be realistic and take the actual t
cost of educating our children
Others speaking in support OF pas h
zoe of HB 80 included Reps. j. Mil S
r Smith (R-Lewis & Clark and b
Homer Hancock (R-Yellowstone). ! b