Show I WILL NOT AFFECT r i GENERAL FUND Amendment to Constitution Gives No More Money to Schools Says Sa Y s Christensen Ch SC SCHEME MISUNDERSTOOD TAXPAYING CENTERS WILL GET i SHORT END V According Ac to D H Christensen su superintendent s superintendent of public instruction for or orthe tile the U e city there is is a general misapprehension hension with ith regard to the effect of the proposed amendment nt to the state stale constitution in the th matter of the di division division division vision of the school funds of the state which will be voted on at the coming election eJe The proposed amendment to the con constitution constitution constitution is as follows That section 2 article 10 of the constitution of the state of Utah be amended to read as follows The pub public public lic lie school system shall shan include kinder kindergarten kindergarten kindergarten garten schools common schools consisting con consisting consisting of primary and aud grammar grades high schools an agricultural college a university r and such other schools as the legislature may establish establish establish lish The common schools shall shaH be free The other departments of the system shall be supported as provided by b law Jaw Provided that high schools may be maintained mah free in all cities of the first and second class now constituting school districts and In such other cit iqs iliS and districts as may be designated by the legislature But where the pro proportion proportion proportion portion of school moneys n s apportioned or accruing to any city ity or district shall not be sufficient to maintain all the free freo schools in such city or district the high schools shall be supported by local taxation Provided that when any cities or districts shall shaH establish t high schools the legislature may au t authorize r the th use of state school funds to assist in supporting such schools said funds being belm apportioned to the cities or districts district concerned by b the tho th state board of education The constitution is so amended said Mr Christensen that the legis legislature legislature legislature lature is i permitted to provide for the distribution flan n of the state school fund by the state board of education for high school purposes before b fore the fund has been distributed on the per capita basis among the public schools of the state for the maintenance of the ele elementary elementary elementary schools school Will Act Against Salt Lake This division will benefit every dis district district district in the Ule state in which high schools have been organized but this will be beat beat beat at the t e expense of such districts as have no high schools This amendment if enacted will il net act against 1 aint Snit Salt Lake 7 and Ogden where here the taxes are paid on the assessed assess d val valuation aton on basis This tax always amounts to more than the receipts from this fund where the dis distribution distribution distribution is made as it has always been made on a per capita of school population basis v Here are some figures that will illustrate il illustrate illustrate lustrate this fully In 1905 the state received in taxes from Salt Lake City Cit in the th state sta school tax When the tax t was distributed to the city on ona ona ona a per p r capita basis Salt Lake got 78 This was a contribution of 70 to the state schools outside of the city City Contributed Thousands For county school taxes tax last year Salt Lake City paid In the distribution of these taxes on a per perc capita c pita basis Salt Lake Lalm City received d The city thus contributed to the county schools outside the city The total amount of school taxes Salt I that we e thus distributed by Lake City to the county and state school funds for schools outside the th city was This money was given gratis and Elie the city taxpayers hail had ha no return except that return which would come indirectly by reason rea on of the benefit that would come by the education education education tion br bf the children of school age in inthe inthe inthe the state outside the city cit uIt It is admitted by b all public minded citizens that the child is a ward of the state and that there is a certain cuty Guty Gut owed by the state to the child chUd But there is a limit beyond which the state cannot justly go and the burden after that timit limit has been reached should be borne by the district or locality in which the child lives If that limit has already alread been reached and the state st te has done its full duty by the children of the dis districts districts districts the th new amendment proposed the heavy would seem an tin n injustice to taxpayers in Salt Lake and Ogden the heaviest taxpayers of the state If this Unit limit has not been reached then it is tha th duty of the tho taxpayers of the state to pass puss the provision for th the j amendment to the constitution It te iQ temy my opinion that the state has already or has at least le ct very verr nearly reached the limit of its duty to the various dis district districts of the state ta tee No Effect on General Fund which h is uTh Three There rc is an impression generally y held and which is erroneous erroneous erroneous ous that this added money to be used for high schools in the event of the to the passage pas ge of the resolution constitution is to come from the gen general general general eral state fund The general state stat fund will not be affected to the extent ext nt of a single dollar do lar It merely provides for a different manner of disposing of the school fund in the state treasury and does not add one dollar to the th amount of money to be appropriated ted for educational purposes It was my own impression and that of the state superintendent of public in instruction instruction instruction that this would mean that a portion of the general fund would be diverted to the channels of education n i but upon u on careful analysis and exam examination examination examination of the proposed amendment we have learned that thit this is not the pur purpose purpose purpose pose intended by the proposed amend amendment mont ment |