Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 19, Number 12, DeMotte, Jasper County, 18 February 1949 — Amended Bills Add 5 Millions To The Budget [ARTICLE]

Amended Bills Add 5 Millions To The Budget

Increase Brings State Assistance For Schools To $53,000,000 An increase of $5,000,000 in state school aid over that for the current year was approved yesterday by the Ways and Mearis A committee of the House of Representatives. The group reported out with a recommendation for passage their amended versions of three House bills touching on state aid to edu«tion. Backed by the Indiana School Study Commission, the principal bill called originally for $65,000.000 in state aid to schools under a new minimuum foundation system of distribution. The committee scaled the total aid down to $53,000,000, which is $5,000,000 above the estimated State aid for the current fiscal year. Principally, the bill specifies that units of school government must fix basic minimum tax levies to be eligible for state aid. Minimum levies are 16 cents toward teachers’ salaries, 60 cents toward administrative costs and 10 cents toward transportation costs. A second House bill was amended by the committee to scale down minimum salary allowances for teachers from a virtual S2OO across-the-board raise to boosts averaging $88.42. The third bill was amended to keep the state tax levy for teachers' pensions at 6.15 cents for each SIOO of assessed valuation instead of boosting it to 10 cents, as provided in the original bill. The minimum foundation system is an entirely new approach to distribution of the school funds. It was one of several far-reach-ing recommendations made by the school study commission after a survey of the faults and needs of the state school system. Representative Robert A. Hoover, Goshen Republican, announced he is requesting a study by the Indiana Taxpayers’ Association on just how the new distribution system actually would work out. Hoover, a member of the committee, said the other members had not been able to satisfy him on just what the effects of the now system would be. He said figures he obtained from the State Superintendent of Public Instruction’s office showed that of the $48,000,000 allotted to schools this year, $39,506,000 was apportioned as directed in the last state budget, $3,500,000 in special aid to poorer shod districts and $5,000,000 in cigarette taxes. Hoover said he wants accurate comparative figures on what will happen under the new system before he takes a final stand on the bill. The three bills are scheduled for second reading and possible further amendment sometime this week.