| Show o l Laws to Elevate j in State Is the 41 e note This Tills liars liar's of articles on I a 1 s amend amend- I constitutional m t i voted at is This Thua eJection 6 5 lio ot amendments Nos 3 I i school finance d 4 nos t and acid concise explanation M eat ea the adoption of the school fa t Nos Noa 3 and 4 t the schools state and w I w DUc bUc ts is Active effective use of state funds I re SS tion oa purposes purpose sea educational level In inas ed Kb er with relatively low lowIe a as aale Ie wealth ale of the method of on n of state funds distribution of ot j i ns base for forI r. r re stable revenue retinue I gel l equal opportunity for a good education for every Utah child regardless of where he or she ehe may live J Assures Funds These amendments explained Allan M M. West executive secretary secre secre- tary Utah Education and research expert will guarantee from state resources sufficient funds to finance the minimum educational program now defined by the state legislature at per classroom unit in every cry school district School costs in excess of the I minimum will depend on local initiative ini ini- and must be paid from local taxes Since the state tate legislature legislature legis legis- lature may redefine minimum program at any anytime time set legal tax limits and otherwise viBe implement the whole program over all results results re re- suits depend on success in the coming legislature in January 19 1947 he said Mr west said adoption of the amendments will now make more effective use of state money for schools by distributing state aid to local boards of ot education on the basis of at need the amendments will bring Utah one step tep nearer the goal toward which she has hs been striving since statehood to give every Utah child an equal opportunity op op- for a a. goo Uniform Levy Passage of ot these two particular lar amendments now means a uniform uni uni- form tax levy will Vm be applied to all property in Utah at a rate which when added to other state school revenue will wUl finance the minimum program of education in every ery school district continued Mr Vest West The responsibility of the state would cease when the minimum program is reached Educational CO costs tB in excess of ot the minimum program wo would ld be paid entirely from local funds It was pointed out by Mr West that if the program were in effect in the 47 1946 school year about 11 districts would have property taxes increased t and the other 29 would have them decreased Those that would hl have ve increases are Jordan Jor Jor- dan Grand North and South Summit Summit Summit Sum Sum- mit Morgan Box Elder Rich Tooele Beaver and Juab Tax levies already have been set for the 47 1946 school year on the old basis said Mr West The procedure set up by adoption adoption tion of the two amendments will wilt not become effective until 48 1947 school year next September he assorted What happens then will wm depend on what the state legislature legis legis- lature docs does in January Revise Rc Laws The legislature will have to revise the old laws to conform with the constitutional changes At the present time there are four funds through which state aid is apportioned to local school dis dis- I 1 The district school fund or so-called so 25 fund for every person person person per per- son of school age 2 The high school fund raised by two-tenths two of a n. mill levy on all property in Utah and distributed to local boards on the basis of ot the number number num num- ber of ot high school students completing completing completing com com- a certain number of at weeks' weeks work 3 The state equalization fund which is raised from a property property property prop prop- erty tax on all property in Utah at a rate necessary to provide 5 for tor each school age child 4 The uniform school fund the money coming from interest on the per permanent permanent permanent manent school funds and other BOUT sou sources p. p sago of these two amendments amendments amend amend- men ments eliminates the first three funds and the legislature will have to set up machinery for ap portioning the funds and also will have to revise the legal tax ceilings cell cell- ings in fn local districts He pointed out that If It the program program program pro pro- gram recommended by the state tax study committee is adopted by the legislature the general effect effect ef et- ef- ef feet will be no tax increase although al- al although although al al- though some districts with a relatively relatively rela rela- relatively great amount of ot taxable wealth which in the past have had relatively low tax levies probably will face an nn increase Amendment No 3 changes section sec tion 7 of ot article XIII and amendment amendment amendment amend amend- ment No 4 changes section 3 of ot article XIII Regarding amendment amendment amendment amend amend- ment No 3 two limitations are proposed to be written into the constitution which were not previously previously previously pre pre- included They are The state shall not contribute more than 75 of the total cost of operation operation operation op op- op- op and maintenance of the minimum program and not more than 75 of the states state's share of the cost of ot operation and maintenance maintenance maintenance nance of the minimum program shall be raised by a state property tax Amendment No 4 channels all of the Income tax revenue to the schools w wit without i t h o 0 u t first going through the general fund and then being |
