Letter from Lewis Fussell, Jr. (Las Vegas, Nev.) to Flora Dungan (Las Vegas, Nev.), January 8, 1964

L E W IS F U S S E L L , JR. C O N S U L T IN G E N G IN E E R 1111 L a s V e g a s B l v d . S o u t h . R o o m 2 3 6 L A S VEGAS, N E V AD A 8 9 1 0 4 January 8, 1964 3 0 4 - 7 3 4 1 CODE 7 0 2 M r s . F l o r a Dungan 2814 South L a Canada L a s V egas, N evada D ea r M r s . Dungan: In v ie w of the fo rth com in g specia l L e g is la t iv e session , the C itize n s ' C om m itte e fo r School D evelopment w ish es to r e - e m p h a s iz e its con cern o v e r the p r o b lem s of e m e r g e n c y financing f o r the Statewise school system . We know that you share our concern, and we want to back you in your e ffo r ts to r e s o lv e the p ro b lem . The G o v e r n o r 's p ro p o sa l, as r e p o r t e d in our lo c a l p a p ers, im p o s e s a lim it o f 10% above the '6 l - '6 2 - '6 3 funds p e r A D A . We a r e told that under this fo rm u la , C la rk County would not r e c e iv e any e m e r g e n c y funds at all, which c l e a r l y would be unacceptable. Thiis part of the p ro p o s a l is in co n flict with the re s t of it, which says that C lark County might r e c e iv e about $800, 000. The con flict must be r e s o lv e d . Our School D is tr ic t is c r i t i c i z e d because we pay our tea ch ers m o r e than the other counties do. Yet, we r e c e iv e le s s State aid, and we spend le s s m on ey p e r pupil, than do these other counties. A r e our ch ild ren to be pen a lized because our adm in istra tion is m o r e e ffic ie n t - m o r e bu sinesslike - than th e ir s ? T h ese other counties could r a is e th e ir pay sca les i f they wanted to. Our School D is tr ic t p r o v id e s the highest quality education in the en tire State, yet it is not good enough. It does not educate adequately la r g e numbers of our students, including those below a v e r a g e in mental and s o c ia l development, and also the tr u ly gifted ch ildren . To deny these la r g e segments of the school population th e ir rightful h e r ita g e is im m o r a l, and it is plain poor business. We want to thank you again fo r helping us at our m eetin g with the d elegation on O ctob er 15, 1963. E v e ry o n e stated his position c le a r ly , and we se em to be in c om p lete a g reem en t. We a re p r e p a r e d to send someone to C a rson C ity i f you fe e l that w e can help, and we hope that you w i l l c a ll on us i f the need a r is e s . V e r y tru ly yours, C IT IZ E N S ' C O M M I T T E E F O R SC H O O L D E V E L O P M E N T L e w is F u s s e ll, Jr. , Chairman L F / la a