UIHistories Project: A History of the University of Illinois by Kalev Leetaru
N A V I G A T I O N D I G I T A L L I B R A R Y
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Repository: UIHistories Project: Book - History of the University (Nevins) [PAGE 235]

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THE MILL TAX

217

versity, gave general support to the mill tax law. They laid special emphasis on the fact that it would give the University stability in development and almost complete freedom from politics. The agricultural investigating committee already mentioned proved of service, as did the alumni in the Legislature. Senator Dunlap deserves a special word: two years before he had carried a mill tax bill based on a one-fifth valuation of property through the Senate; and he now first had a three-quarter mill tax measure based on a one-third valuation passed, and then obtained the passage there of the mill tax bill (on the new one-third valuation) which President James had had introduced in the House. The lobbying of the University officers for this and for the huge appropriation of five and a half million dollars which they had requested was redoubled, until the Illini protested against the time they were spending in Springfield. Finally the measures went through, directing that a mill tax "for each dollar of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of this State" should be "paid into the Treasury of the State and set apart as a fund for the use of the University,'' to "remain in the Treasury . . . until appropriated to the use of the said University." The new law meant not only a strengthening but a simplification. Theretofore two budgets had been necessary: one to be presented to the Legislature representing departmental needs, the other to be drawn up by a conference of the University's departments after the ' Legislature had determined how much of the total it could give, g i t was still necessary to present a legislative budget, to indicate how the University proposed to spend the money appropriated from the proceeds of the mill tax, but this budget could be much more nearly