*J"T » ** » * tr #f*. u- h^m. ,» , ***** Swim club wins DeWitt High School Ovid-Elsie bond issue Honors choir /ATS/D£: first meet—Page 9 A dedication Sunday — Page 14A facts presented — Page 5B coming — Page 4B Tax situation big school bond hurdle By LOWELL G. RINKER Editor 110th Year No. 52 ST. JOHNS, MICHIGAN THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 1966 2 SECTIONS - 34 PAGES 10 CENTS There appears to have been only token opposition so far to the St. Johns School Board's reasoning and proposals for a new high school and new rural neighborhood schools. School bond issue But passage of a bond Issue May 9 is still doubtful because of the effect—real or imaginary—It will have on taxes and the questions/answers pocketbooks of school district property owners. 4th of July plans die There are a .lot of questions made to submit it earlier. In the It is unfortunate for the schools their building program must naturally asked about how a meantime the delay will undoubt­ be brought up right on the heels of the Yoh appraisal and assess­ school bond issue will affect a edly increase the cost. ment time. Assessment procedure changes confused and arous­ person's pocketbook. Here are ed a lot of.people who weren't previously concerned. some questions and the school's * * * QUESTION - What happens if answers to them. $5,400,000 is voted,butbids come NOW THE SCHOOLS WILL face these same people May 9 in over this amount? ANSWER— with a building proposal school officials point out can't wait. QUESTION—For how long are The board believes the estimates Most of the schools In the system—in fact all but a few rural under raffle complaint the bonds issued? ANSWER- are high enough so this will not schools—are overcrowded, and the new schools are badly need­ They will be issued for 29years. happen. The high school architect ed. There are some reasons for this. has "missed" only twice in over The possibility of legal action to prevent First, the income to the investor 300 school buildings. However, if a steer raffle has caused sponsoring organi­ School officials have been and will be conducting a series from such bonds in not taxed. the estimates are not enough, The 'best' displayed' of public meetings' during which they will explain the program Hence the interest rate is lower, either the board would have to try zations to drop plans for a' big Fourth of July and answer questions. Many of the questions concern,,taxes, because there is great demand by to "cut corners" or ask the voters celebration in St. Johns this summer. and what the cost of the schools will mean to the property owner. investors for such bonds. The for more money. board hopes the interest rate will" * ' * Opposition to the steer raffle was voiced Right now the St. Johns Public School District has virtually be 4 per cent or less. People who last week by several ministers of the com­ no debt. The only debt is $40,000 on the Olive Center School. QUESTION—Are the sites pur­ invest in low-interest bonds pre­ chased? ANSWER - The high At the present time only the residents of the Olive Center district fer the long period. Another rea­ munity on the premise that it is gambling and are paying on that $40,000 debt; if the bond issue May 9 is passed, school site is purchased and paid son for the 29 years is that in for. It is 58-plus acres located is thus against the law. the remaining amount of the Olive Center debt will be spread this way the people who use the oyer the entire district'as part of the bond issue. south and east of the present city Representatives of' . buildings pay for them. park athletic field. The sites for flreworks display whichthefire * * * two elementary schools in the the St. Johns Fire men themselves built and fired. THAT'S WHERE THE district stands now. Where do the ' QUESTION - Who can vote in south half of the district are not Department, St. Johns residents of the district stand? this election? ANSWER - Only purchased. Their cost is included If the Crown Amusement Co. property owners, realorperson- in the bond issue. Rotary Club and St. holds the fire department to their There's been a big change in the local government's of­ al, can vote to issue bonds. New Johns-Lions Club met contract, the firemen will use what funds they can solicit to put ficial valuation of Individual parcels of property in the county residents must have been regis­ QUESTION - Will the millage Monday night and de­ as a result of the Yoh Co. reappraisal. Many people found their tered by April 11. The same is for operating the new buildings on, at the best, an abbreviated sale, or appraised, value higher; others found their's lower. true of residents who have not have to be increased? ANSWER— cided to drop the cel­ display, Prowant said. * * Let's take some examples, and you can perhaps figure yours voted in the last two general elec­ See Q & A, Page 2-A ebration plans be­ out in the"'same way if you haven't done so already. tions. THE ROTARY AND LIONS, cause of a series of meantime, have definitely pulled Naturally, some assumptions must be made, mainly that QUESTION-Does the board of stumbling blocks out, and so if there is a carnival the county allocation board will provide the schools with 8.5 education have anything to say 24 men to in town over the Fourth, the cel­ mills for operating purposes. This may or may not change this about the laws governing taxes, they've encountered. ebration will be without the plan­ year. We'll assume for the purposes of this article that it won't. bond issues, etc.? ANSWER—No* ned talent show or local eat stand. The tax laws are made by the leave for A final decision by the firemen FARM A—IN 1965 IT was given an assessed valuation (about state Legislature. The board is awaiting word from Crown Rev Keith Bovee of the Meth­ 25 per cent of its appraised value) of $13,300. An equalization must work within such laws. The Amusement Co., Inc on whether odist Church is one of the minis­ factor of 2.1306 was applied by the county, giving a state equali­ Michigan Education Assn.,the Army duty they will bewillingto cancel their ters who have voiced opposition to sed valuation of $28,337. This. Is the amount used to figure taxes Michigan School Board Assft. and contract with the fire department the steer raffle. "I didn't write on^TM/scnool^tex^la^yeaV ftfc. the St.-Johns. School district the_„Michlgan Education Assn. „0f * , Twenty-foifr Clinton County to play in St. Johns July 2, 3 and the law," he said, "but this is in on this figure would have been $368.38 (13* miUs operation). School Administrators have been youngymen"wlllKeave"for induc­ 4. The contract specifies the fire violation of"the law and my con-* and are urging the Legislature to tion into the armed service on department will put on a fire - science as an individual." enact a program of tax reform Monday, May 2, as the county works display, The Yoh Xo. vappralsal this year on the same farm was draft quota remains at a fairly * * $51,780. State equalized valuation is half the appraised value, less dependent on property tax. The St. Johns Ministerial Assn. f high rate, "WITHOUT THE raffle it is im­ ' J Gloria DeGeer>s winter scene painting or $25,890, or a decrease of $2,447 over the previous year. All citizens are urged tp write is divided on the question of the J The owner's school tax on the same 13 mills this year will to state representatives and sen­ possible to finance our fireworks steer raffle, and raffles in gen­ Qi two deer in front of a .white birch tree be $336.57, or $31.81 less. If the bond issue is approved, total ators urging such reform. Although there has been talk show and some of the other com­ eral. Rev Bovee said it was his won top honors as the best exhibit "jby a school millage Will be 20 mills, or a total of $517.80 tax. The * * of reduced draft quotas, those munity projects carried on by the personal opinion he voiced con­ In Clinton County have not been Rotary and Lions," Robert Pro- cerning the steer raffle. He said .girl in the St. Johns Rotary Club's Youth' bond issue itself would cost $181.23. QUESTION-What will the total reduced, at least not in the May want, fire department president, school tax be in the St. Johns he hadn't taken any legal steps to * * * quota. The local selective service said. block the raffle and he didn't in­ Talent Show last week. Story on Page 3-& FARM B—IN 1965 THE farm had an assessed valuation of district? ANSWER-Twenty mills board has not received its June ($20 per $1,000 of state equal­ tend to. "But I will not keep si­ $12,600. When an equalization factor of 2.142 was applied, it quota yet, according to Eleanor Lasl year the profits from the lent on the subject." had a state equalized value of $26,986 and paid a school tax of ized valuation); This Includes 8.5 Lewis, secretary of the local steer raffle amounted to about * * $350.61.