The author examines sources of taxpayer discontent with property taxes and with public education. He proposes full state funding as a solution to education's financial dilemma. (Author/SJL)

This report describes inequities in the current school-funding process for the Auburn Enlarged City School District. Data were analyzed from two studies that compared the Auburn district to 10 other New York districts with similar enrollments or full value. Findings indicate that wide disparities exist among the districts with regard to…

This report describes findings of a study conducted by the Auburn Enlarged City School District that examined the ability of New York school districts to pay for their students' educational needs. The methodology used involved an economic comparison of the largest 80 New York school districts selected on the basis of enrollment and an analysis of…

In 1993 the Michigan Legislature voted to eliminate the property tax as a source of school revenue, cutting the educational budget by $6.3 billion. An alternative funding source was not identified. Proponents of the bill say it will move the Michigan educational system into the 21st century; opponents criticize the bill as being a political…

Recorded in this booklet are statements and letters presented at the hearing by a number of educational administrators concerning the impact aid legislation and amendments to the legislation. Many arguments are presented which call for the continuation and expansion of the impact aid program, particularly in urban areas where large numbers of…

This article examines some implications of the Serrano vs Priest decision for Oregon's system of financing public schools. The author presents one alternative financing method -- a Statewide system to assess, collect, and disburse to each district or county an amount equalized on a per student basis. The status of the school financing system in…

Recent court decisions have declared that those public school financing systems dependent substantially on local ad valorem (property) taxes violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. The violation stems from the fact that local school district spending and educational quality are dependent on the values of real property in the…

Reviews major issues surrounding funding of Nebraska's public schools and presents an alternative funding system sustaining the goals of local control, tax equity, and flexibility for program quality. The new formula would add an economic factor to the weighting of pupils and alow local tax flexibility for districts losing state funding. (MLH)

Evaluates estimates of full-value-equalization rates, using a study of 20 New York cities and their school districts to (1) show that these estimates contain significant errors, (2) discuss how these errors affect intergovernmental relations, and (3) analyze how they affect equity in financing local schools. (MCG)

Describes the involvement of administrators, faculty, and students in a successful publicity campaign designed to gain public backing for a referendum in support of Palm Beach Junior College, Florida. Examines various publicity tactics utilized, including newspaper advertisements and editorials, slideshows and lectures, and the distribution of…

In light of the passage of Proposition 13 in California, which requires rethinking of the state's school financing structure, the author assesses the advantages and disadvantages of complete state financing v retaining some proportion of the revenue function at the local level. (Author/SJL)

Studies the deleterious effects of Oregon's Measure 5 (a property relief measure) on two suburban elementary schools in Oregon City and West Linn. In both Oregon and California, a shift away from property taxes has not been accompanied by the development of adequate funding from other sources. Our growing willingness to provide for children's…

The three primary sources of funding for public education in America are the federal government, the state government, and the community. This paper presents an overview of trends in funding K-12 public education; the stability of local-funding sources; the value of public education as a factor in cost; political influences on school funding;…

Discussion of inequity in funding of Pennsylvania schools has tended to focus on differences between wealthy and poor school districts. In Pennsylvania, 180 school districts have filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the existing public school funding scheme. A study of the state's 500 school districts, grouped by market value of…

The history of and issues involved in the implementation of a tax appraisal program in West Virginia are highlighted in this paper, with a focus on taxation litigation since 1975. Efforts of the state legislature to implement a uniform tax system since the 1982 "Recht Decision," which found the state school funding system to be…