Taxes and Equality in Schools

Very probably the tax structure supporting public instruction in this country will be thoroughly revised during the next few years. A principal aim of such reform is “equalizing of educational opportunity”—or providing that every school district (particularly those of the “inner city”) should have sufficient funds.

With this in mind, recently President Nixon advocated a plan by which the Federal Government would assume a vast proportion of the cost of public schooling, financing the scheme by a “value-added” tax. Whether or not the Nixon plan eventually is adopted, several states push ahead meanwhile with proposals for statewide equalization of school funds. Generally this would be achieved through virtual abolition of the tax on real property as the basis for school finance, and substitution of state funds raised by state income tax, retail-sales tax or a new value-added tax.

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Russell Kirk

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Very probably the tax structure supporting public instruction in this country will be thoroughly revised during the next few years. A principal aim of such reform is “equalizing of educational opportunity”—or providing that every school district (particularly those of the “inner city”) should have sufficient funds.

With this in mind, recently President Nixon advocated a plan by which the Federal Government would assume a vast proportion of the cost of public schooling, financing the scheme by a “value-added” tax. Whether or not the Nixon plan eventually is adopted, several states push ahead meanwhile with proposals for statewide equalization of school funds. Generally this would be achieved through virtual abolition of the tax on real property as the basis for school finance, and substitution of state funds raised by state income tax, retail-sales tax or a new value-added tax.