The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-15

than the amount named by the Auditor. l
expected that the Committee on Salaries
would submit the customary schedule fix
ing the salaries of the teachers this even
ing, and | prepared this statement, which
| intended to make in connection with the
discussion of that report.
The Auditor estimates that the City's
share OF the State School fund Will be
$500, 900. The school taxes for the year at
the rate levied by the Supervisors will
amount to $390,0O0. From other sources,
chiefly rentals of school lots, we get so, 500
annually. These sums will aggregate a
tritie over the $1000,000 allowed in the
estimate. Now, contend that the deficit,
If deficit there be, is $1,000 instead Of
S35, 900.
Last year." said Mr.. Moulder, "the
Auditor estimated our portion of the State
school fund at 5000, 900. 1t proved to be
S6l6,ST1 ~, IN round numbers $17 900 more
than was estimated as our share. / claim
that there Is every probability that we
VIII receive an equal amount above what
is estimated this year. Thus we may
count upon the alleged deficit being re-
$4,000.
Now for further reduction of that de-
nett. There are eleven lots Of twenty-five
feet frontage on Market and Fifth streets
belonging to the school property of the
City. They have been leased for twenty
years, the last five of which the monthly
rental Has been $3.50. That rental was fixed
twenty years ago, and the lease will expire
In September. Advertisements will soon
be made for a new lease, and considering
the increased value of the property, which
has come and will come with the erection
or hye magnificent business buildings
within two blocks, there is no doubt but
that the rental of the lots will be in
creased.
Real estate agents estimate that in
crease valiously, their figures ranging from
70 per cent to 100 per cent. Choosing the
conservative rate of 1873 per cent of increase
L calculated upon an increase of one-thlrd
over the present rental. That would be
$lO63 month, and $1,000, or nearly SILL
600 during the ten months ending. with
the close of the schools on June 80. That
sum added to the $1,000, which is the
probable overplus of the State fund above
what estimated, makes total CT $2o,uOU,
assuming that there are no other sources
from which to make up that deficit.
81 know from my experience with them
! in past times, when there was threatened
deficit, which has occurred half-dozen
times during my four years service as Su-
| perintendent of City schools, that the
/ teachers will willingly teach month at
| reduced salaries, or even for nothing,
rather than have their salaries reduced.
| 1t is a wise policy on their part, too, for
they know that if a reduction is once made
| it will be hard to get saleries back to their
old status.
"But L believe there will be no occasion
for such a sacrifice on their part. There is
a strong probability that the increase over
the past rental of the Market and Fifth
street lots will amount to more than one
third. 1t would not take much higher
/ per cent of that value to make up the
remaining $1,000. l believe, however, that
our pro rata of the back railroad taxes to
be paid this year will go far toward
making it up. Another source to be re-
lied upon is the tax on requests which is
required by the recently enacted law and
which was first complied with in the pay
ment of the tax on the Wilmerding estate,
made on Tuesday.
Taking all this into consideration claim
that at the worst there is only a $1,000 de-
felt, and that can be made up by 10 per
cent reduction in the June salaries. The
monthly payroll amounts to $4,000, and
you can see that that can be easily accom-
/ plished"