Show I T Tax ax- ax Reduction Effort is Praised What those who participated In In- In eluding the tax committee of the Utah State Farm bureau various state and district school officials consider as marking an Important advance in the solution of the tax problems of Utah was accomplished accomplish last week at a meeting in the board boardroom boardroom room at the state capitol The following following fol fol- to- to I lowing resolution was unanimously adopted in a meeting which was a at times as one man present expressed it pregnant with potentialities Be It resolved That we commend most heartily the state superintendent superintend superintend- ent of of public instruction and the tax committee of the state farm bureau bureau bureau bu bu- bu- bu reau upon their diligent and intelligent intelligent intelligent intelli intelli- gent efforts to lessen the tIle tax burden of the citizens of Utah We Ve congratulate congratulate congratulate con con- these officers upon having succeeded through the cooperation I of or local school districts and local farm bureaus In iu effecting a reduction reduction reduction I tion in the cost of school operation In ht the twenty one districts already heard from b by approximately which indicates a tot total 1 reduction reduction reduction tion in the he cost of state school operation operation operation opera opera- tion of more than during durIng during dur dur- ing the school year 1922 Efficiency Maintained We are especially pleased to note that these anticipated economies will not impair the efficiency of our public schools A careful survey of ot the immediate needs of the schools has has has' been made and the reductions have been eft effected by me the elimination elimination elimination elimina elimina- tion of expenditures of items not imperatively Imperatively imperatively im Im- im- im needed the curtailment of the building program and by re requiring requiring requiring re- re quiring each teacher to co care for tor a larger class and serve longer hours It is recommended that me tIle farm bu bureau bureau bureau bu- bu reau committees and the school officers officers officers cers continue their extorts In favor of all such further economics and retrenchments as are consistent with the efficiency of the schools t Since school effectiveness de depends depends depends de- de primarily upon the quality of the teaching we approve and commend commend commend com com- mend the concerted action of the tax committee of the state farm bureau and the thee state superintendent of ot public public public pub pub- lic instruction to avoid a blanket reduction reduction reduction re re- re- re of teachers' teachers salaries but bus to regulate salaries according to the time preparation and fitness of the teacher teach teach- er for his work We Ve further commend commend commend com com- mend the attempts made to teach and to Instill into the daily dally practice of our school children the habits of thrift and economy econom which added to to the habit of Industry will always be major factors in n bringing prosperity to any people Dr Jensen presided at the meeting meeting meet meet- I ing which had been called by arrangement arrangement ar ar- ar- ar between him and amid the tax committee of of the time farm arm bureau In Inan Inan an opening talk he reviewed the I history of ot the efforts of his office to obtain reductions in school expenses He read the letter sent out by him January 19 19 urging consistent economy economy econ econ- omy only In expenses and suggesting methods by which reductions in expenditures expenditures ex ex- for schools might be obtained obtained obtained ob ob- without impairing the efficiency efficiency effi effi- of ot the system as a whole while Dr Jensen also told how he be had lad advised the school boards to close their early rather than to Incur Incur incur in In- cur deficits to be carried over into another school ool year and pointed out ut r J 1 that the state board of f t h I had given him discretion tas jas' abate t. t v the requirement for a hiss school term when school finances were I such that school could not be continued continued continued con con- the required thirty-five thirty weeks Mr Evans outlined the attitude of ot the state farm bureau with reference reference reference refer refer- ence to the schools It nad been desired desired desired de de- de- de sired and urged that the schools should effect every retrenchment possible consistent with efficiency Jar Salary Cuts Cute Opposed The farm bureau t he said has always been opposed to a blanket cut In teachers' teachers salaries We Ve stand with the superintendent in this re re- Any saving in this respect ought to be by adjustments Salaries Salaries Salaries Sala Sala- ries should be sufficient to guarantee guarantee guaran guaran- tee that good teachers could be obtained ob ob- Air ur ii vans pointed out that the tho school expenditures had gone from to since 1919 As a comment on this he pointed out that the state auditors auditor's records sho show that unusually large percentages said to be double those of last year yeal which were already high high of of the taxes of the various counties in the state were delinquent delinquent delin delia quent at this day He also called attention to the public indebtedness In the state totaling totaling totaling to to- to- to of which he said represented an Indebtedness Indebtedness indebtedness edness incurred in behalf of the schools I While the total tax revenues last year year ran about he said there here had been expenditures for schools of Strong retrenchment is necessary ry said Mr Evans in the opinion of the farm bureau and he read from rom the declaration of policy of that organization that the various governing govera- govera Ing ng bodies bodles should adopt and pur pur- sue suo a policy for the utmost economy in public expenditures the tho end that the public debts shall shan be paid that no Flo deficits shall be permitted and as a consequence taxes shall be re re- Conservative Policy Favored The policy of the farm bureau said Mr Evans Is conservative and constructive It is not to destroy Institutions institutions in In- In- In but to preserve them Conservative and deliberate action was counseled by Mr Ivins He said that the expenditures expenditures now under question had been built up by a process process pro pro- 1 I cess that is a matter of history They could not be corrected all at once but care and wisdom must be exercised exercised exercised exer exer- in dealing with them W. W W. W Armstrongs Armstrong's talk was so highly thought of that on motion of ot Mr Creer Creel it fl was decided that it should be printed In full and Mr Armstrong reviewed the history of ot Utah schools and pointed out that the tho people of or the tho state had been spurred to greater efforts in inthis inthis I this direction by the public and stinging though unjust criticism dating back to thirty or OT more years I ago As a n result sult time tho people of ot th the state had run to the other extreme I Hardly a hamlet hamlot in the state he said but has hns a fine big school house o of Ot I proportions and architecture to bo be almost palatial when compared with Continued on Last L-ast Page Pago I |