The record-union., 1892-02-03
THEY WANT THAT MONEY.
The School Directors Buckle on Their
War Trappings.
steps Taken to Compel the City Trus-
tees to support the schooIs-A
Proposed Mandamus Suit.

There were present Directors Tufts,
Chapman, Harrison, Sherburn, Davis
and Crouch. Chairman Tufts said the
object OF the meeting was to consider the
matter of the sum allowed the school de-
partment by the City Trustees in fixing
the tax levy for the coming year. He
explained that the receipts Of the depart
ment would, under the new levy, be
about S39, 900, which, added TO the $685.,
900 now on hand, amounts to $685. COO. The
salary list alone will amount to $4,000.
Hence it will be seen that the depart
ment viii not have enough money to
meet the salaries alone, to say nothing of
other necessary expenses.
An informal discussion then ensued in
regard to the matter. Director Crouch
said there was not a schoolhouse the in
terror of which was on a par with the
Ineanest tenement that he had to rent.
Chairman Tufts said that as long as he
had been member tof the board not a
schoOlroom had been calcimined, and all
were in GeplOrable condition.
Secretary Hart quoted the law on the
subject which is as follows:
An Act TO Provide for the Government of the
Common Schools in the City of Sacra-
mento. approved April 20, 1868.
Section /. lhe Board of Education shall, on
or before the first day OF February, make and
report to the Board Of Trustees a statement in
eatl OF the receipts and expenditures for
school purposes in the city during the year
tnen last past, and shall at the same time
make and furnish detailed statement of the
probable amount OF money that Will be re-
quired during the current year, and the pur-
poses for which ii IS required. and also an eSti-
mate of the amount that will be received by
the city from the State and county for school
purposes.
Section 2. Upon receiving the estimate of
moneys needed, as provided in Section l. the
Iioard of Trustees shall, at the time OF Ievying
other city taxes, levy direct special scnool
Tax, which, after making proper allowance for
Celnquencies, viii produce a sum that taken
with the estimated amount TO be received
from the state and county, viii make the
amount required by the Board Of Education;
provided however, that III no case shall such
special school tax exceed 35 cents on the 500
Of taxable property.
Director Harrison said that, in order to
get at the matter in q direct way he
would move that the board take legal
steps to enforce, if possible, its right TO
the 35-cent tax allowed by law.
The motion was seconded by Director
Davis. and was carried by unanimous
vote of the board.
Chairman Tufts was instructed to take
legal advice on the subject, and if neces-
sary to bring a mandamus suit against
the Trustees TO compel them to lew tax
y
In the discussion of the matter it was
held by members Of the board that under
the law, 1t was clearly the duty of the
Trustees TO levy such tax as the Board of
Education claimed to be necessary for the
proper maintenance of the schools, ex-
cept that they could not go beyond 35
cents on the hundred dollars.
How else" said Director Davis, "are
the City Trustees supposed to ascertain
what the needs of the school department
are? They can know nothing about the
wants Of the schools, because they do not
try to inform themselves. The School
Directors last week spent two days ex-
amining the school buildings in order to
determine what repairs are needed to pre-
serve them from decay. If the Trustees
wanted to review our estimates, why did
they not go with US and learn for them
selves what is necessary, instead Of sit
ting there like autocrats and ignoring our
report?'
Director Sherburn said that if the neces-
sary funds could not be had to run the
schools the full term, the board could do
the best possible with what money it
would have, and when that should become
exhausted they could close the schools.
The responsibility for such result would
rest with the Trustees.
Director Chapman said it seemed to be
the idea Of the Trustees to give every
other department all the money necessary
for its uses, and when they had been sup
piled to let the schools take what was left,
regardless of the fact as to whether or not
ii was adequate to run them.
Some one remarked that the enmity
manifested by the Trustees toward the
schools possibly resulted from prejudices
formed in their early boyhood.
Finally the board ad ourned until Pres
ident Tufts shall call the members to-
gether to hear the result Of his interview
with an attorney.