The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1962-10-26

HB 3, by Bardanouve and SchWlnden, pro-
vided for the consolidation of all state agencies
dealing with agriculture in the existing Agri-
culture Department Although Governor Nut
ter had called for more government efficiency
through consolidation, the House majority
supporting him killed this BILL the only meas
ure proposed to accomplish his declared aim.
RESTRICT SALE OF SCHOOL LANDS
SB II would have made it a policy of the
state government to retain the state school
| trust lands intact for the benefit of the chill
dren of Montana by preserving this valuable
resource as an important source of public
| school income. The measure did allow sales
under certain necessary circumstances A vote
for this measure vote for the children.
SCHOOL GRAZING LEASES aeA s..
HB 33 would have established a new graz
ing fee formula for rental of school lands in
Montana, raising the acknowledgements fee
from about SO cents to dollar. For years
the livestock interests have been beneftting
by subsidy resulting from very low grazing
land rentals at the expense of the public
schools. Comparisons with private land rentals
showed this new formula to be fair The live
stock and corporate lobbies teamed up to de-
feat this bill. Thus the schools continue to lose
many thousands of dollars year as they ex-
perience increasing costs of operation. j IDS
SCHOOL FOUNDATION PROGRAM 5s-
SB Ito Cotton, Thiessen, Dussault Cum
ming, Lehrkind, Schoonover, Newman), pro-
posed to raise the foundation program sched-
ule for Montana public schools an average of
go, to bring public school foundation pro-
gram budgets to about rs 20 of their operating
costs.
Based on the original intents and purposes
IF pdo+io
that portion of a schools operating budget
shared by district county, and state should
total 800 of the actual cost of operation and
maintenance. Senate Bill Ito provided for a
minimum but realistic increase based on the
amount of additional money recommended Ly
the Governor for the school equalization fund.
Rather than the 800 obligation intended,
the school foundation program provided less
than 500 of school operating costs in 1860
81 the difference is an additional burden on
property taxpayers. rcI
SD 10 was introduced on January IS. and
passed the Senate (44-11) February 9. 1t
read first and second times in the House Z
the following day. AS a. ~,
In spite of the support of the Montana As
ISOLATION of School Administrators, the FMon-i,l
tana Congress of Parents and Teachers, the
Montana School Boards Association, the Mon-,n
tana Education Association and the State De-
partment of Public Instruction, a majority Of
the House Committee on Education recon-
mended non-passage.+ < \ y1i,io acscr
A substitute motion to allow floor debate
and compromise amendments was defeated
37-57. A motion to, reconsider was downed =
1888, permanently burying this school aid "a
measure This action forces many school dis-ioI
tricts to choose between asking for higher q
property taxes lowering educational stand
ards during the next two years So
OF SCHOOL FUNDS "a
HB 373 Creed, Kvaalen) Providing for dis
tribution of proposed additional 1914 million
Of need and equalization. t~
Following general agreement on all sides
hat the Legislature should and would appro-
pirate an additional 3.4 million dollars of state
funds for schools, there Immediately appeared
small group determined that this additional
money should not be added to- the IL million
icing distributed through the state equaliza-
ion fund in the school foundation program.
This bill was the first of several proposals
Y few House members with the intent of
eparting from the philosophy of equalization
nd state aid based on real financial need en-
oded in the program. ~
The House Committee on Appropriations
aimed enough floor support to pass HB 373
trough the lower chamber 1894, along with
companion bill, HB 374, which provided IT !
illion dollars for the school equalization {