CASE MUST BE MADE FOR DEBT

About 400 Missouri school districts, including 22 small ones here in Southeast Missouri, will be affected by the outcome of a vote at the Aug. 6 primary election on whether to change the Missouri Constitution. At issue is a proposed constitutional amendment to lift the maximum bonded indebtedness from the current 10 percent of a local district's assessed valuation to 15 percent. The measure has the support of school and teachers' organizations, including the Missouri School Board Association.

Many smaller district officials say that their low assessed valuations limit the amount they can ask voters to approve for needed school improvements. Oran's superintendent, Tom Anderson, said that although his district isn't near the current limit and doesn't currently plan a major project, it would benefit if the limit is raised. "We are near capacity and if we need a building project, we can ask the community to issue bonds," said Anderson.

Taxpayers will want to scrutinize this issue closely. The 10 percent limit has long been in our state constitution, and for good reason: To limit the amount by which taxpayers can plunge future generations into debt. To date, although the measure may indeed be needed, it isn't clear that educational officials have conclusively demonstrated the need for its passage. If these officials can demonstrate such need, they must come forward before the primary election and forthrightly make their case.