Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-01-26
CRITICISM OF SENATE BILL No. g.

EDS RECORD UNION The above-named is
remarkable bill 1t is to be hoped it is not
full exhibit of what its author knows about
county governments and the condition of the
various counties OF the State. On page 3 is
classification of the counties. They iare
solemnly marshaled and ranked with SEEM
ingly great precision but Modoc and San
Benito are not called. Perhaps they are not
wanted perhaps the author of the bill did
not know of their existence The classified
ton would seem to be made according to
some ancient census. At any rate the elabo-
rate arrangement of offices in the several
classes evidently ignores the fact that there
has been any growth of business and popula-
ton in many of the counties since the census
was taken on which this classification is
based. For instance, the County Clerk, with
deputy, is, in this bill, required to do all the
duties of Clerk, Recorder and Auditor in such
counties as Colusa Mendocino, Napa and Iu-
lare and in such counties as Butte, Nevada,
Placer, Solano and Yuba the Recorder with
| out a deputy is required to do the work of
the Recorders Office on a salary of 500
month.
Next to the Recorders office, | find that
of School Superintendent in the bill, regu-
lated without any reference, apparently, to
the amount of work to be done. For instance
County School Superintendents in Alameda,
Santa Clara and Sacramento counties are
allowed 81, 500 salary, while those of Tulare,
Mendocino, Humboldt, Colusa, ETC., are al
lowed only $500 each In each of the three
first named counties there is large city
which is under a separate school government.
The country is smooth, the roads good, and
the schools cluster within easy distances. In
the others there is wide extent of country and
places difficult of access. But the report be-
fore me shows that there are actually more
school districts in some of the counties graded
as third class than there are in those graded as
first class They run as follows: Alameda
has 40 districts, Santa Clara has 5S, and Sac
ramento ca; while Tulare has II, MendOcino
81, Humboldt 81, Colusa IS, Napa As, and so
on to the end Of the list. Yet these latter
are graded third class, and the School Super
intendent is to do the duty required by these
numerous districts on a salary of $500, and
pay his own travelling expenses, while in the
other counties with fewer districts the Super
intendent receives 81, 500.
The same mistake is made in reference to
the second-cass counties. Butte, with 81
school districts and vast territory is entered
as second class, while Alameda with only 40
is first-class. Tuolumne with only % is en-
tered as second-class, while Colusa with IS is
enCefeu as JlilIu-CldSS, ciuo ny "AOli
pine which has and Del Norte which has 9.
These school statistics are to some extent an
index to other officers in these counties. The
fact is. the whole arrangement of the bill is
thrown into confusion and ruin by this false
oradation of the counties. The Legislature
would probably do well to pass these matters
over until the census to be taken this year
shall have furnished correct data upon which
to base these gradatiens. And in reference
to the salaries of School Superintendent the
present general law is probably the best that
copld be framed. 1t is contained in Section
1852 of the present school law, and reads
follows:
Each County Superintendent, except when other
wise provided by statute, shall receive such salary,
and his reasonable travelling expenses, to be est-
m.ted by the Board Of Supervisors and as may be
allowed by the Board OF Supervisors which shall be
Maid ont Of the County General Fund.- in the same
manner as other salaried county officers are paid
nrnvidej that such compensation shall not be less
than sim equal 10 $50 for each school district in
exclusive OF travelling expenses, and that
ha sbau he allowed in addition 70 his salary sum
for hostage and expresssge payable out OF the
County school Fund.- equal to 81 for each scnool
district provided that in incorporated cities each
school containing 800 pupils shall be considered
equal to one school district
II the words, 50 except when otherwise pro-
vided nv STATUTE were stricken from the
section. and it re-enacted in the new Code, 1t
would rive perfect equality TO this one office
at least in all the counties. So thinks
A SUPERINTENDENT, !