ST. LOUIS MUST SUPPORT SCHOOL TAXES

Under the law the General Assembly passed this year to try to extricate Missouri from the St. Louis desegregation case, a major burden falls on taxpayers in the City of St. Louis. A portion of additional state funding for St. Louis schools is contingent upon St. Louis voters' passing a property-tax increase of 85 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The theory to which a majority of the General Assembly subscribed -- or at least didn't object to, having found other provisions of the bill sufficiently attractive -- is that in order to attract additional state funding, St. Louis taxpayers must be willing to shoulder part of the burden themselves.

This has ignited a controversy among Democratic members of the General Assembly who represent the city. State Sen. Jet Banks, D-St. Louis, is a longtime lawmaker and the only senator from the city to oppose the desegregation measure. His fellow Democrat, State Sen. William "Lacy" Clay Jr., voted for the bill, which passed and won Gov. Mel Carnahan's signature. The bill contains a formula that will reduce state funding from current desegregation levels by about $30 million annually. The law urges St. Louis voters to pass the tax increase to draw bonus state dollars that will be targeted to poor students. Under the law, a vote accomplishing this will have to occur by March 15, 1999, or the case will stay in federal court.

A sharp exchange ensued between Clay and Banks at a recent legislative forum before a largely black and urban audience. Noting that the Legislature last year reduced the sales tax on food, Banks said it's "cruel" to now ask poor voters to raise their taxes to finance city schools. "I was opposed to it then. I am opposed to it now. I will be on the stump until this thing is defeated," Banks vowed.

Clay countered, citing additional millions the state will supply if $21 million is generated locally. Clay said it is folly for patrons of the city district to insist, "`Don't take care of your children, leave it up to the court.'" He added that St. Louis parents should accept the same responsibility for financing their schools as other parents across Missouri.

Outstate taxpayers, weary of years of shoveling billions of their precious taxes at our two urban districts, can't wait for an end to the two cases. We'll be watching along with everyone else to see whether St. Louis voters want control of their own schools, or whether they will abdicate this fundamental responsibility.