The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-15
NEARBY WAS UN-
USUAL TRACrABLE AT LAST
NIGHTS MEETING
OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE.
TION TO AMEND THE
BUDGET.
FIGHT TO BE RESUMED TO-DAY.
Mechanic Arts and Night Schools
Are Threatened With the GuiIIO-
tine of Poverty.


Are Threatened With the GuiIIO-
tine of Poverty.
night did the joint council committee
and six members of the school board
wrestle with the school budget and
City Comptroller McCardy without get
The lengthy session ended In a tie
vote on the first motion made, which
was to reduce the teachers salary
fund from $360,000 as provided in the
mayors proposed ordinance, to $685.
900. The vote stood to 4, and the
joint committee accordingly adjourned
until 10 a. m. today, when the struggle
will be renewed
The session was profitable in one re-
spect. City Comptroller McCardy was
present and in a communicative mood
so much so, that the councilmen and
school inspectors enjoyed the rare priv
1lege OF ascertaining not only the pres
ent condition of the school fund, but
actually obtained from the comptroI-
Ter a statement showing what the in
come of the school fund would be for
the next fourteen months during which
the schools will be operated. that Is
until Jan. 1, 1898. It was ascertained
that the income would amount to
$65S,500 and the expenditures to $780,
900.
There were present all the members
OF the committee, which consists of
Aldermen Markham, Allard, Kenny
and Bigelow and Assemblymen Arosin.
Lewis, Thompson and Reardon. By
common consent Aid. Markham acted
as chairman. All Of the school in
spectors were on hand save Inspector
McNamee. Mayor Doran and Comp
troller McCardy were also present al
though they did not remain until II 80
p. M, when the committee adjourned
The committee first turned it's atten-
ton to the ordinance recommended by
the mayor, which reduces the amount
Of the appropriation mentioned in the
budget from $4,000 to SASS, 900. The
ordinance, which the G b has pre-
viously published, fixes the teachers
reduction, but cuts the Salaries Of all
Others" such as janitors, engineers,
1aborers and mechanics, from $50, 600 to
SAC, 900, and reduces the amount needed
for fuel, supplies and repairs from
SIS, 900 to $50, 600.
President Abbott, of the school board.
said that the sum of 1852, 466.43 was ex-
pended for teachers salaries last year,
including the night school teachers,
whose salaries amounted in round num-
bers to $4,000.
Mr.. Lewis wanted to know If the
school board deemed the night
schools necessary. Dr. Abbott re-
piled that they undoubtedly met
a certain want, but whether they
justified an expenditure of $4,000 was
a matter Of opinion. They were GER
tainly Of great benefit to the foreigners
who attended them for the purpose Of
learning the English language. But
1t was true that many others took ad-
vantage Of the night schools The av-
erage attendance, so DR.. Abbott said,
during the entire term was about 1000
Aid. Bigelow then asked Comptroller
McCardy a question that involved that
official in lengthy explanation of the
school finances that proved most in
applicable to the committee for at least
an hour, but finally became clear after
putting a multitude of questions to the
comptroller.
lecturing the school board for keeping
books on a plan at variance with his
own. Its fiscal year should begin like
that of all other municipal depart
ments-On Jan. l, not Sept. l. It was
time that the charter provided that
the school board should submit its esti-
mate on or before July of each year,
but ION or before" July l. meant JAN
1 as well as June 30 If the school
ff1
Jan. l. then there would be no con-
fusion OF accounts as the fiscal years
would coincide. AS for the teachers
they could be hired from January to
January as well as from September to
September. The comptroller proceeded:
1T was stated repeatedly that the in
come Of the school board would be
made up as follows: From the sale of
the tax levy certificates, $4,000; from
the state apportionment, $4,000; from
the tax receipts, 5000, 900; from balance
on hand Jan. 1, 1896, $4,000, making in
all $475.000. There has been received
of that amount UP to Sept 1, 1895,
$303, 900. That leaves as the income of
the board yet to be received in 1896,
STE, 900. This, by the way, is no new
discovery this sarcastically). For the
same period in the year 1895, viz, from
Sept. 1, 1895, to Dec. 81, 1895, the board
received $171, 527
'Inasmuch as the school boards
business is run on the two half
years principle" continued Comp
troller McCardy, there is no better
way Of determining how they will do
for the next fourteen school months
than by judging from the past An
average of $4,000 a month, for the
maintenance of the schools, will mean
an expenditure of $500, 900 up to Dec. 81,
1897. The valuation Of city property
has been reduced and the state board
of equalization may change 1t, but, fig
uring on the present valuation, the fol-
lowing will be the income from Sept
l, 1896 until Jan. l, 1898:
Balance of income for 1896, $172, 600;
the maximum school levy of two and
half mills on a valuation Of $93, 500 900
will yield in 1898, 1926, 900, against which
tax levy certificates will be issued in
1897; county tax levy Of 1 mill, $93 800;
state approtionment $50, 900; excess that
the two and half mill rate will pro-
duce over the amount necessary to take
care of the tax levy certificates of 1896.
$50, 900; total. $685., Geo. Deducting from
this the 100000 to be expended for
maintenance of the schools during the
IA school months and you have bal
ance on hand of $685. 800"
After an hour spent in explaining
the second item of $50, 000 the committee
then proceeded to consider the budget.
Mr.. Lewis suggested that 1T would first