St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-03
THE CHARTER AND THE SCHOOL

| The conference committee, In max
| ing its recommendation for cutting
| down the public school fund, put be-
hind it, with an airy wave Of the hand,
one Of the most explicit and positive
requirements Of the city charter. Not
| only is the diminution Of revenue
which it suggests inconsistent with the
efficiency of the public schools, but it
is, as we understand it, beyond the
power of the committee or the COM
mon council to carry it into effect. We
quote the first part of section of
the special law of 1891, constituting
the board of school inspectors as it
now exists, and defining it's powers
and duties:
The expense of the public schools of the
city of st. Paul shall not in any year ex-
coed the amount OF money appropriated and
set apart therefor by the common council
OF said city, and the common council of said
city is hereby prohibited from making any
greater tax levy in any one year for the
support and maintenance of the public and
free schools Of said city than two and one
half mills on dollar, nor less than two mills
on the dollar on all property on the ASSESS
ment roll; out Of which amount said council
for the erection Of additional buildings for
school purposes for a fund that shall be
set aside for that purpose exclusively.
1t was the deliberate purpose Of the
legislature In enacting the several laws
Of 1891, recognizing the charter of St.
Paul, to abolish the Independent pow
ers which the board of education had
formerly exercised, and at the same
time to provide funds for that board
without leaving it entirely at the
mercy of the common council To ac-
| seen, fixed maximum and mini
mum rate for taxation for school pur-
poses. No board with extravagant
views could ever hereafter expend
more money than would be produced
by a tax of 21s mills on the dollar, be-
cause no more could be levied for
school purposes. Any obligation in ex-
cess Of this was declared to rest per-
of school inspectors.
On the other hand, equal care was
taken to provide that any city council
which might be chosen in the future
without due regard to the interests of
the schools could not cut down their
income unreasonably; and the limit
on that side was fixed at the mimi
mum of two mills on the dollar. If
the language of the charter means
anything at all, and if the act which
we have quoted is operative, which
will not be denied by anybody, then
there can be no question of the neces-
sity Of levy of tax of two mills
on dollar for the public schools. On
the present assessment basis, this
rate would produce $246, 600, which is
exactly the amount asked for by the
school board. It was argued by the
controller, and others in the confer
enee committee. that the law did not
contemplate piling up surplus in any
fund by the levy Of unnecessary taxes.
In the first place, there is no danger
Of this. The maintenance Of the pub
lis school system at it's present level
of efficiency requires the funds asked
for; and, if by good management, any
saving can be pinched out Of it, il
may well be used for the erection Of
new buildings in those parts Of the
city where there are not now sittings
enough to accommodate all the pupils
at one time
In the second place, whether there is
surplus or not, we do not know
how this mandatory provision Of the
charter can be set aside. 1t is just as
binding as any other section, and I'M
mistakable in it's intent. The common
council is prohibited by the charter
from levying less than two mills on
the dollar of assessed valuation for
the maintenance of the public and free
schools of the city. We do not think
that the common council will wish to
the burden of more than half the en-
tire work of city entrenchment on the
public schools. If 1t did, we do not
know how it could do other than obey
this most positive command which we
have quoted. It has no qualifications
or conditions attached. The charter
says that not less than two mills
tax shall be collected for school pur-
poses. How can that provision be set
aside?
ALWAYS R0RRER