Show Hearing Could Result v- v Loss In vIn Loss to Local Schools L Hearings are art being held in fn Washington this week on a bill bit which would eliminate federal federa funds unlit which have been used InGrand InGrand in inGrand Grand county's school system during the period since 1950 It was announced this week by byI I Rep Henry Aldous Dixon The House on General Education is holding hearings on a bill blU which would considerably cut the amount of ot federal money going to Utah and other western Vestern states under Public Law and md Public Law The bills were originally passed pas pas- sed into law nearly neary ten years ago ago to assist school chool districts in meeting the costs of educating children whose parents are aN Inthe in inthe inthe I the state to work for defense defense- related industries and probably would n not be there on If n it were n on n not pot for tor these industries Ill Iii the case of Grand county those people employed in the fhe uranium industry fall taU into this category according to Superintendent Superintendent Super Super- Helen M. M Knight In pointing out reasons why the bills had been originally approved Rep Dixon stated A It substantial number of f these defense-connected defense fam faro tiles lies are living Jiving on tax-exempt tax federal property For this reason I Ithe the government fCC in 1950 its financial responsibility to help local d districts provide an education for tor the federally federally- connected children and aDd passed two acts Public Law to allocate allocate al locate funds for school con and Public L Law w for maintenance and operation Rep Dixon stated that there would be a 11 per cent reduction reduction re re- in maintenance and operation op and an eight per cent loss in n construction funds if the bill now being considered were passed I To give some idea of what the amendments in this proposed propos I ed legislation wOl would d mean to Grand county Superintendent Helen M. M Knight was contacted contact contact- ed Wednesday In regard to tho the amount of ot funds received by this district in the past three years und under the two bills She stated that during fiscal fis cal years 1957 1937 1953 1958 and 1959 had been used here to help the district meet its financial fin tin ancial obligations Under Public Pub lie lic Law for construction I I was was received in n 1951 1957 In 1958 and in 1959 These funds were used to construct the entire first haltof half halt of the th Southeast elementary school chool and the new high school shop facilities facUlties Under public law for tot maintenance and operation 61 was received in 1957 1951 2906 2900 in 1958 and in n 1959 according according ac as cording to figures from the of ot flee flea of District Clerk Erma Erraa Mrs Knight pointed out that had ad the district been forced to 0 tax tJ loca local residents for tor these funds it would have taken faken an average of ot 9 mills per r year ear for tot forthe forthe I the past three years ears using this years year's assessed valuations as a guide to make up the difference differ ence enee She stated that conditions here as far as federally connected connect ed students were concerned were not riot much changed from several years ago This paralleled parallel ed the words of Rep Dixon who stated I am convinced that the Utah situation as far tar as federally connected children is concerned is not pot significantly different that when the government first frat recognized its responsibility The Congressman went on to state that many of ot the Utah d districts receiving federal luIu funds are bonded to the tho limit and the maximum effort under the law lawis is being made The removal of these monies would put them ina In Ina a rather d desperate d. plight he ha I said sald Superintendent K Knight n t i g h b t I pointed out th that t this was not the case for tor Grand county but that loss of the funds tunas would be bo sorely felt and would woul t place added add added ed responsibilities on the property property pro pro- I perty tax payer In the district t i Congressman Dixon along wong with Rep David 3 S. King and representatives of Ufah's Utah's school oot system began Wednesday outlining out wt lining the needs of ot the state to tot t the e subcommittee Since our problem has bas not decreased t in bi Utah and we still till have ave almost ea N many federally connected children c ej 1 we Ye ever bad had I 1 have requested the House committee to allow me to testify Rep Dixon said laid r J |