Show BARNETT EXPRESSES VIEWS ON SCHOOL FINANCE PROGRAM Since there is and has been much talk and confusion ion on the present school problems in the state I should like to present some of my thinking on the su subject bj There seem to be tw two philosophies philosophies philosophies philo philo- that are nrc dominant One in favor of additional school finances coming on an equalization equalization equalization tion program and the other in favor of additional school finances finances finances fin fin- ances coming on a local leway program In support of the philosophy of equalization I submit the following for your consideration In Jordan district the present present present pres pres- ent assessed valuation of with a 53 1952 enrollment enrollment enrollment enroll enroll- ment of making an an- assessed assessed assessed assess assess- ed valuation per students of In South Sanpete the present assessed valuation is the 53 1952 enrollment enrollment enrollment enroll enroll- ment is 1846 making the as assessed assessed assessed as- as valuation per student This means that Jordan has times as much taxable power pow pow- er per student as South Sanpete San Sanpete pete or 1 mill in Jordan will raise as ns much money per student student student stu stu- stu- stu dent as 7 mills in South San San- pete At the present time there is some equalization on the state level which helps to 10 decrease this inequality The actual le levies levies levies le- le vies in the two districts for the past year for operation a and n d maintenance were Jordan South Sanpete For the current year these levies are Jordan South Sanpete These levies do not include debt service bonds new buildings etc which are covered by ci rial Ii al levies n. n out sr d th th v. v b h. h n u Uy UyU e U e IU pJ program pro pro- u- u gram and which depend on local levies and do not participate participate par par- in the equalization pro pro- gram This it appears is fairly well equalized but when you analyze analyze analyze anal anal- it further and see that last year with the levy of mills Jordan had per student to spend on the basic program and South Sanpete with 18 1 mills had only it further shows up the inequalities 30 does not seem much but when you realize that if South Sanpete could have legally raised this much more per student it it would have been 30 times 1846 or and that this would have taken mills additional tax it makes the inequalities great great- er For South Sanpete to have raised the same amount per student student stu stu- stu- stu dent that Jordan raised on y mills we would have had to levy 2598 mills Continued on last page 11 TT TT BARNETT ARNETT EXPRESSES VIEWS VIE ON SCHOOL FINANCE Continued from page 1 Now from this point on any additional money raised that is left to the local levy will re require require require re- re quire 7 mills in South Sanpete t to e every ery mill in Jordan So lets Slip suppose pose that the philosophy of loc local l leway is adopted and Jordan is given permission to raise 2 mills which would then make their levy mills In order for South Sanpete to continue continue continue con con- to have the same amount per child they would hav i. i to increase their levy another 14 mills making their levy as as s compared with Jordans Jordan's I feel that this is the wrong philosophy fo for the preservation of the poorer rural districts I hope that the people of South Sanpete will support our efforts effort to obtain more equalization of the tax burden for the support of schools Supt Maurice 1 Barnett |