OCR Text |
Show SCHOOLS' FAIR SHARE The Legislature has now passed the 75 mark and most of the important problem is yet to be resolved how to satisfy the demands of a militant taxpayer to hold the line on further tax increases, and at the same time, satisfy the pressures coming from state agencies for more and more money, yet provide needed government services. The problem is further complicated by deficits. Great statesmanshi will be needed in the days ahead to reach n solution that is fair to all concerned. The Problem : Never before has the state been in saich a financial mire. Just to continue as it is would : require a y2c sales tax hike. This would raise $12 million. It would pay off accumulated deficits and provide for growth of existing programs, but nothing more.. But millions and millions of dollars are being demanded in addition to this. Almost every department is requesting huge spending increases. More for salaries, more for welfare, more for higher education, and more for public schools. The outlook is grim for the overburdened taxpayer tax-payer unless deep cuts are made all along the line. The key to solving the problem lies largely with how much additional money will be given to our public schools. They spent the most and take the lion's share cf existing taxes all individual and corporate income taxes, part of the-cigaret and sales taxes, and most of the property taxes. Below are listed all of the school finance bills now pending before the legislature. For comparative purposes, we note that enrollments are expected to increase but 12 next yea. Present state and local support amounts to $140 million for maintenance and operational spending. State and Local Support HB134 UEA PROPOSAL. This is the most expen- $203,911,201 sive. It would jump state and local support 46 or $63.9 million. It would force local property lexies up 2 mills and add about 2c to the state sales tax. It would add 2,162 distriution units and increase in-crease the value of each iby $2,225. It would hike average annual teacher salaries by 14, or $1,020 from $7,037 to $8,057. HB141 SCHOOL BOARD BILL. This would jump $167,520,956 spending by $27.5 million, or 20. Local property tax levies would go up 2 mills and sales tax over 1-cent. It wuld add 740 distribution units. It would hike average annual teacher salaries 12, or $820 from $7,037 to $7,857. SB3. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BILL. This bill $163,777,749 would increase spending 11, or 23.7 million. Local Lo-cal property levies would go up 2 mills, and the state sales tax by almost lc. It would add 834 distribution dis-tribution units. It would increase average annual teacher salaries by $720, or 10, from $7,037 to $7,757. HB159 GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL. This would $159,388,868 increase state and local support by $19.3 million, or 14. Local property tax levies would go up 2 mills, and the state sales tax c. It would add about 100 D.U.'s. It would increase average annual teacher salaries 11, or $770, from $7,037 to $7,607. HB322 This proposal would hike state and local $115,153,600 support 11, or $15 million. Local levies would not increase but state support would require at least an additional Mc sales tax hike. It would add about 100 D.U.'s. The proposal would jump average aver-age annual teacher salaries 8, from $7,037 to $7,607. HB319 This could cause state and local support to go up 9, or $12.5 million. Local levies would remain re-main unchanged but it would require-about an extra ex-tra c sales tax. Average annual teacher salaries would increase $370, or 5, from $7,037 to $7,407. Utah is facing a financial crisis. Everyone will have to make some sacrifices if our books are to be brought into balance schools included. We believe that HB319, with a 9 increase, would be fair to all concerned. If schools need more than this, we would advise them that "Efficiency in, and as of itself, is a great source of new revenue." Write your Senator, G. Stanford Rees, State Capitol Building, and your Representative, Royal T. Harward, and give them your opinion. |