Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-04-06
THE SCHOOL LAW PROBLEM.
Secretary of State Brownell Discusse
some OF its NIooted Features.

Secretary of STATE Brownsii Discusses
some OF its Mooted Features.
To the Editor OF the Free Press:
Dear Sir-In answer to your questions
relating to the division and distribution of
the public school money, and the proper
disposition OF the personal property Of the
districts, IL would say that I am clearly of the
opinion that there is but one way to dispose
Of the public money, and that Is according
o law, as laid down by our statutes now in
force. The new law does not 60 into effect
until April and SO has nothing to do with
the public money which the act In force
provides for the allotment and distribution
of In March preceding.
Section O. No. 30, of the acts of 1892,
reads as follows
''Sec. Q. The several towns shall take
charge OF the school houses and property
belonging thereto, within their respective
limits, and all debts outstanding that have
accrued for the purchase of land, erection Of
school houses, aud repairs on school houses
shall be audited and paid by the respective
towns. All other indebtedness OF any
school district shall be paid by said district
| In the settlement of their [its] pecuniary
affairs.
1t will be seen by the above that the town
takes only the real property, and assumes
the debts created for. the same and leaves
all other debts to be paid by the district itself
A district, share of the public money,
when the time has passed for its allotment
and the amount has been determined upon,
becomes a personal asset of the district, az
10 the money on hand, the uncolleoted taxes,
the wood or coal, etc. Many of the dis
tricts have relied upon the public money, in
addition to the taxes raised, to pay the run ming
expenses Of the schools for the past year, and
they are certainly entitled to their money.
No less is this true Of those other districts
which have, by reason OF q larger tax, or
In any other way, compiled with the law
in maintaining a legal school. Again, the
new law makes no provision for the dispose
tion of the personal property, but leaves
this matter entirely to the districts to set
tie. There seems to be no provision by
which the town shall collect the taxes as
ssssed by the district, some Of which, to my
knowledge, are in arrears for several years,
or to compel the districts to col
lect such taxes for the town. and
under those circumstances for the
town to appropriate such moneys as have
been collected and arc on handsome of
which have been raised as a sinking fund,
or with prospect OF enlargement of grounds
or buildings which the 10 may never carry
out-would be the grossest In justioe. The
personal property of the districts should be
disposed of by them for the payment OF
their floating Indebtedness and in districts
where this falls short, tax should be as
sessed to make up the deficiency, and
in many districts where there is per
sonal property In excess OF Liabilities
tbs same should be redistributed to those
from whom it was collected, as being q
legal, equitable and just solution of the
differences between the Taxpayers OF the
town. | trust this communication will
answer other iuterrogatories Of a similar
nature that have been submitted to me.
Respectfully yours,
| CHAUNCEY w. BROW NELL