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Show 'lifch Iins sacrificed rcjch fcr e&coiicn days says UTA study Various publicity mediums are calling attention to the pres- sure to obtain more money for schools through the pressure of local "leeway" elections. It is generally assumed that the money will be used largely for teacher salaries and for improvement im-provement in the schools. As one paper stated, "Utah i has a highly developed system for equalization in school finance." fi-nance." It may be noted that only 9 districts in the state have voted the extra "leeway" ' revenues. No district, has voted favorably on the provisions since 1956. Under provisions of Utah's Basic Uniform School Fund Law, revenues increase pro-j pro-j portionally as school attendance increases. That is revenues ex-i ex-i pand directly as school attend- ance expands. i Over the years, state school revenues per distribution unit (D. U. have increased ma-i ma-i terially. Even since 1955, the : state guaranteed basic and ' state leeway programs along with local leeway provisions, subject to board action, have increased from $4,860 to $6,-S77. $6,-S77. This is 41 since 1955. In addition to these revenues an amount up to $1,080 or 20 of the basic program of $5,400 may be obtained by favorable vote. All such revenues must come from property tax increases. in-creases. Property taxes in Utah, even since 1955 have increases from $60,113,257 to $94,838,000 or 57.4. In 1961, 65.5 or $62,-160,000 $62,-160,000 was , for school purposes. pur-poses. Any leeway . voted by the people falls entirely and directly on the over-burdened on a per capita basis, totaled $146.87. This is 41 above the National average of $104 and is exceeded by California and Wyoming only Census Bureau Reports. According to the same authority, auth-ority, Utah spent 7.7 of her income for education in 1960. The National average was 4.7 per cent. Property taxes are heavy; Any additional revenues voted for leeway increases will be added to present property taxes. Utah has sacrificed much for education. No other state gives as high a ratio of her income for education as Utah. We have always ranked at or near the top in educational accomplishments. accom-plishments. Some say we are slipping. Why? Even since 1955 per pupil operating costs have jumped 44.2 and over all school costs have increased 86 in that time. According to our means, the equalization program is liberal. We must stop unwarranted increases. The Department of the Interior In-terior was authorized by Congress Con-gress to administer the national nation-al forest reserves on June 4, 1897. property taxpayer and once voted it can continue forever. Since 1955, per capita operating op-erating costs of Utah schools, on an ADA basis, have increased in-creased from $220.66 to $318. This is a 44.2 in 6 years. Total operating costs of Utah schools or all costs exclusive of capital and debt expenditures, have jumped from $38,613,134 to $71,884,313 or 86.2 in six years. This is our position in Utah. Total per capita 1960 income of $1,910 in Utah, according to the Census Bureau is- but 86 of the National Average of $2,223, Utah's expenditure for education edu-cation of $131,595,000 in 1960, |