Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-03-30

school district such fund shall be divided as
now provided by law for the division of
school money"
Some of the school districts in sparsely
settled sections will undoubtedly be CON
solidnted under tho new law, in which case
some towns would not receive their just
share of school money altor the first year.
The change would operate in two
ways. Providing the total grand list re-
main unchanged, n town which consolidated
some of its districts would receive less school
money than it did before, while the town
which retained its present number of schools
would receive more money than it did under
the district system. Tho number of schools
being reduced, tho amount to which the
town would be entitled for each school
would he increased This would be an
unjust arrangement, and would, to all ap-
pearances, render the Old method Of division
inconsistent with the present law. It IL is
inconsistent it is not in force, and there is
no provision whatever for the distribution
Of the money which will be derived from
the next school tax.
II, on the other hand, the entire act of
button of school money Is still in force,
sparsey settled towns must do one OF two
things. They must other maintain their
present number of schools and forego the
reduction in expense which would follow
consolidation in certain instances, or they
must content themselves after this year
with less school money in proportion than
they receive at present. Either penalty may
ba regarded as n retri5utive act, for it was
the plain intent Of the trainers of the
School tax law Of 1890 to compel the
wealthy towns to help support the schools
e the thiny populated towns, this being
shown by the adoption of the number OF
schools as a basis Of division rathor than
school attendance
But another problem presents itself.
Under the statute, the public money de-
rived from the school fund was divided
among the districts March %. The new
law does not 80 into effect until April /.
it contains no provision for having this
public money retained and paid into the
town treasures. There appears to be moth
ing TO prevent its division among the tax
payers when the old districts are merged
together, unless the district clerks hold that
this money is included in the property
which is to lie surrendered to the town.
In view of the uncertainty which sur
rounds this bject we wrote to Gov. Fuller
to obtain some suggestion as to the course
to be pursued which might be Of service to
the people of the State, and we are pleased
| to present his reply as follows:
Replying to yours of the 22l concerning
the division OF public school money, ! do
not apprehend any serious difficulty con
corning the same. / think the basis of the
division should DE arrived at, at the regular
time as usual, and that the money should
then be allowed to remain in the treasury
unless there is perfect agreement as to its
disposal. Towns will be u little better of
to wait little while rather than to rush
into the experiment II a solution does not
readily present itself the towns will not
have to wait great while before the sub
ject will be likely to get before the court,
when a safe rule of action will be laid down
by competent authority. Yours truly
LEVI X. FULLER.
Gov. Fuller's suggestion is timely as wei
as wise, aud one which it will be safe for
towns to follow.