How do the elderly influence school spending if they are a minority of the population? We estimate the determinants of school spending in a median voter model, comparing four assumptions about how the elderly influence the identity of the median voter. Using a county-level panel, we find that elderly preferences are best characterized by assuming…

Factors that produced defeat of bond issues and the actions taken by administrators of four California junior college districts to offset those factors are presented in this paper. Relevant findings from previous studies on school bond elections are summarized; the legal and fiscal context in which new California junior college districts operate…

In November 1972, electorates in California, Colorado, Michigan, and Oregon decisively rejected consitutional amendments that (according to their supporters) would have reduced or eliminated reliance on the property tax as a means of financing education. School finance reformers were perplexed by these defeats. This study sets out to explain the…

Kansas City residents were questioned about their attitudes toward education, the school district, schools in their neighborhood, educational expenditures, and voter behavior. Some comparative conclusions were drawn based on responses of people outside the Kansas City, Missouri School District; data from this survey was also compared with a 1970…

This review of bond election campaigns in junior college districts indicated that the election has a better chance of success if (1) the voters are told that no tax increase will result from a "yes" vote; (2) the district in question is a going concern at the time of the election; (3) controversy and vocal opposition are avoided; (4) the editorial…

This article describes the unfavorable conditions and the innovative tactics used in a well-planned, successful referendum campaign for one school district's capital improvement bond issue. (MJL)

The bulletin presents in tabular form the results of the sixth annual joint survey of 1971-72 tax, bond, and loan election results for the State of California. The first two tables report the results of tax elections and the results of bond or loan elections. In each table, the counties are reported alphabetically, with districts within each…

Describes organizational and planning strategies used to convince voters in the Park City (Utah) School District to approve two bond referendums. Offers 10 suggestions for conducting a successful school-bond campaign. (LMI)

A study tested the proposition that three factors influencing voter behavior in nonpartisan school budget elections are (1) fiscal decisions made by boards of education, (2) fiscal commitments that are uncontrollable by boards of education, and (3) expenditures made by other governmental units. The study concluded that (1) about one-half of the…

This report provides data about the sale of bonds for financing the construction of public elementary and secondary school facilities during the fiscal year 1973. Data were compiled on the number of bond sales, the average net interest cost, the issuing agency, and the term of maturity. The report also provides summary information regarding bond…

In this paper, the authors attempt to provide a basic outline of what is known about the determinants of success or failure in school financial elections. The research, conducted since 1960, comes from several academic disciplines, employs a wide variety of techniques and methods, and is geographically representative of the United States.…

The recent marked increase in voter-taxpayer rejection of school budget and school bond issues at polls across the United States -- a phenomenon popularly called the "taxpayers' revolt" -- has given rise to the widespread claim that public school finance is in a state of crisis. This paper develops a simplified model of a political…

This paper describes the development of school finance reform in Oregon from 1968 through legislative enactments in 1973 and proposals for the voters in 1974. The first section describes the 1973 school finance reform proposal, rejected by voters, as it was originally submitted (whereby the State would have assumed 95 percent of the operating…

Presents results of a study exploring how demographic trends are affecting political support for public education. Explains that the study expected and found that parents would support increases in public school taxes more than nonparents. Suggests that political ideology was a stronger indicator of support for public education than was…