Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1877-09-11
tCommunited.l
The School Fund.
Editor Of the NetO8 A.:

To the Editor Of the NetO8
1t is well-known fact that the
Public Schools have not been receiv.
ing from the State Treasury, for tn,
last five years, the full amount of fund,
to which the schools are entitled hy
the Constitution and the laws. The
people interested in the Public School.
are much troubled about this matter
AS but few of them have the means Of
knowing where the trouble lies, and
as | am frequently asked for intorma.
ton, l think il proper to make public
such information rs | may be able tc
give, that the people may have a bet,
ter understanding of the question, and,
therefore, may he better able to decide
how the evil is to he remeded.
The Constitution provides that one
dollar of the capitation tax, and tax
of not less than one mill on dollar OF
property, shall he set apart for the sup.
port Of the Public Schools. The Leg
islature fixed the school-tax on prop
erty at the minimum that the COnsti-
tuition allows-One mill on dollar
(ten cents on hundred dollars).
In the act known as the Funding
Bill, passed i'm 1871, giving new bonds
to the holders of bonds against the
State, it was provided that the cou-
pOns should be received in the pay
ment OF state tax. Coupons are sepa-
rate obligations attached to each bond
OF the State, each coupon calling for
one years interest on the bond, $50
600, 600 of new bonds were issued with
their cOupons-one years interest on
S2O,OOO,OOO is 81 POO 900. The entire
State tax on property for all purposes
IL fifty cents on hundred dollars
The one-tifth Of this tax is set apart
by law, besides one dollar Capitation
tax, for school purposes. Now, to
show the effect of receiving coupons
IN payment of taxes, take the case of a
man whose tax Ia the State Is $50. II
he holds coupon he hands il over in
payment Of his tax. Now, 81 of this
being capitation tax. and One-fith of
the remaining $50, $3.50 of property
tax, in all So 50, is school fund. But
this man pays no school money into
the treasury. His So so of school-tax
has gone to pay the Interest on State
bond. Thus the coupons absorb the
school fund.
Now, it may be said, and said right
~, that 1t is the duty of the Auditor
to set apart as school fund from the
money in the Treasury the full amount
that the law has provided. But, un-
fortunately, when the coupons have
absorbed 81 200, 900 OF the revenue, in
Guiding large part OF the school fund
and the Auditor feeling called upon to
meet the current expenses of the State,
the school fund comes out last, and
there ia not enough of money left to
pay to the school fund the full amount
that the law has provided aud that the
demands. The deficiency
has been about Sl00,000 year for the
last five years.
The proportion to Washington coun-
~ IL about 81 600 a year. Thus our
county has been deprived, in five
years, of about S., 600 of school money,
Instead, therefore, of the school fund
receiving ten cents on hundred doll
lars Of property as the constitution and
law have provided, il has been receive
Ing only about eight cents on hun
dred dollars.
In report of the Auditor 10 the
Legislature at the session of 1879 6,
the fact that this deficiency in the
school fund had been occurring for
four years came to the knowledge of
the Legislature, but that body made
no order requiring the Auditor TO APP
To the school fund the en-
tire amount that the law provides A
bill 10 this effect, If | have been right
ly Informed, was passed last winter in