The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-03-10
MORE MONEY IS NEEDED.
Helena School Trustees Will Ask
for Thirty Five Thousand
Dollars.
The Money Required to Pay the
Running Expenses of the
DISTRICT.
Plenty OF Cash In tho Building Fund,
but 1t Cannot lie Used for General
Purposes.

There Was a special meeting Of the board
of education last night to consider the
finances of tho district. The exponHe OF
running the public schools OF Helena for
one year 10 $55. 900 in round numbers. This
includes salaries, fuel and all other e1-
psnsss. The tux levy by the county COM
Mi%ssioners is two and one-half mills. and
this yielded last year 3 5000. In addition
TO this there was a special levy OF one mill
for the city of Helena alone. which yielded
49, 600. making n total OF $4,000. When
the schools olose in May thero will
probably be a balance of $4,000 or $4,000,
which will bo used during the vacation for
repairs and other expenses. 30 that there
will be no money to maintain the schools
during September. October, November and
December. or until tho a~pportionmont for
1893 is credited to the district. Under the
law passed at the last session OF the leeis-
lature school trustees are held personally
Responsible for all unlawful expenditures.
As the finances of the Helena district now
stand the trustees are compelled to take
one Of two courses-either not to
open the schools until January,
or to ask the people for the
money 70 ruu-~thsm until that time. 1t
must not be understood that the money
raised from the sale of bonds ID all gone,
but this money. amounting TO a good
many thousand dollars, is in tho building
fund. and il liable to be called upon at any
time to pay the bills on the new high
school. The trustees cannot 60 to the
banks and borrow money and have The dis
trict pay the interest, because thoro 10 no
provision In the law for the payment OF in
tersst. and its payment would DO an IN
awful expenditure.
This shortage in the FUND for maintain
ng the schools began in 1889. when the
Helena schools began to grow rapidly,
necessitatinR more teachers and other e1-
renses. In December. 1889, the shortage was
$1,000. This amount the trustees boz
owed from the banks. In 1890 1t had in
creased to $4,000, in 1891 to $4,000. and in
1892 to $4,000. This year it will be about
he same. The county commissioners have
been requested a number of times to increase
he levy for school purposes to three and
bne half or foul mills. but they have never
Rcceded to the request. The trustees are
anxious to have the finances of the district
n such shape that they will have suf-
icient money to run tho schools without
soine into debt for the four months pre-
teding the distribution Of tbs money col
ectsd by taxation. As explained at the
meeting last night. with the necessary rum
ling expenses sos, 900 and the receipts from
s34, 600 to SIS, 600 they not only cannot get
Rhead. but at the same time they will run
behind If the schools are kept open.
Trustee Cox. to meet the emergency, Of
cred a resolution which was adopted, to
he effect that ut the school election to be
peld April /. n proposition be submitted tc
nc vote of the people to raise by apecisl
tax 1886, 900 to maintain the schools. This
d not to construct new buildings but to pay
he necessary expenses of keeping the
chools going. The resolution was adopted
Unanimously by the vote of the seven
ruStaag.