More State School Funds Urged

A proposal that more "state fi nancial aid be given to Michigan school districts (including Ann Arbor) which contain a large number of state - owned, tax - exempt property was discussed this week by the Board of Education. Ivan L. Bare, co-ordinator of grant programs for the Ann Arbor Public Schools, asked íor the trustees' reaction to this proposal which would financially affect Ann Arbor to a great degree, because of the large number of tax - exempt University installations in the district. The school district is losing a great deal of money because of the University property which cannot be taxed, he said. Bare therefore suggested that Ann Arbor urge state legislators to "remedy this inequity" by increasing state aid in any district where three per cent of its public school children had parents who were "state connected." About four per cent of Ann Arbor's public school students are apparently "state connected." Trustee William C. Godfrey objected to urging any such revisión of the state-aid formula, because of the financial advantages which he said accrued to Ann Arbor because of the presence of the University. A large number of property-owners live and work in Ann Arbor - and pay school taxes - because of the proximity of the U-M, he said. Moreover, according to Godfrey, the state equalized valuation (the amount of money from property taxes which theoretically backs each school child) in Ann Arbor is extremely high, compared to most other school districts in the state. It was decided that more "exploratory inquiry" be held on the proposal.