The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-13

! it was finally decided that it would be
competent for the aldermen to adopt
resolution referring the school bud
get to joint committee, and also one
referring the entire matter to the as
sembly, in order to give the latter
body something to act upon.
The board of aldermen convened
first. The only members of the school
board present were President Abbott
and Inspector Scholle The matter was
presented to the board in the shape Of
a communication from the mayor, in
forming the council that only $455, 600
was available, whereas the budget
asks for $3.50, 900. The communication
was accompanied by an ordinance ap-
propriating $455 900 for the mainte-
nance of the schools for the ensuing
school year. The information con-
tained in the mayors communication
was the result of a conference between
the mayor, the city comptroller and
Assistant Corporation Attorney Phil
lips, which lasted nearly all day. 1t
was the first disclosure of the condi-
tion Of the school fund that Comptrol-
Ter McCardy has deigned to make.
THE MAYOR COMMUNICATIVE.
To the President and Members of the Com
mon Council-Gentlemen: l submit herewith
for your action an ordinance in compliance
with the provision of law requiring the mayor
to present to your honorable body an esti-
mate budget for the maintenance of the
public schools for the ensuing year.
l find that from all the data at present at
hand that the sum of $455, 600 is all that can
be made available, and therefore recommend
the distribution thereof, in accordance with
this accompanying ordinance.
In reaching this estimate 1t became neces-
sary to go forward in an estimate of avail
able funds to be provided for the year 1897, as
a building fund.- in compliance with the sug-
gestion from the board OF school inspectors,
as well as an earnest recommendation on
my part, that building be erected in the
Second ward, at Hester and Pacific streets,
and one in the Ridgewood Park district.
You will observe that the amount herewith
provided for amounts to $39, $50 less than the
estimates made by the school board, but it
is the full limit have dared to suggest.
I may say in this connection that this mat
ter has been withheld from an earlier pres
entation for the reason that our resources
from which to derive the school revenues
have been impaired through the reduction of
our assessed valuation by the enormous sum
Of $35, 900, ,000 My thought has been that pos
sibly the state board of equalization might
restore portion of this reduction, and so
enable a larger sum to be realized.
= also believed, and do still believe that
inasmuch as there is already provided the
sum of S172, 600 available before Jan. l. 1897,
there existed no reason for undue haste
and that the schools might with perfect pro-
priety and safety be opened as per schedule
time, Monday Sept. IA, 1896.
l submit herewith the board of school in
spectors' report and recommendations. Very
respectfully,
Frank B. Doran, Mayor
The clerk then read the accompany
ing ordinance, which read as follows
The common council of the city of st. Paul
do ordain as follows:
Section l. There is hereby appropriated
and set apart out of the school maintenance
fund of the city of st. Paul, Minnesota, for
the support and maintenance of the public
free schools of said city during the ensuing
year, beginning the LIST day of September,
1896. the sum of $455, ,000 or SO much thereof
as may be necessary, to be expended by the
board of school inspectors, follows: Not
to exceed the sum OF $3.50, 900 for the SAL
aries for teachers, nor to exceed the sum Of
900 for the salaries OF all other employees
Of said board of school inspectors, and not
to exceed the sum of $50, 900 for fuel and sup
plies and all other purposes.
Sec. 2. This ordinance shall take effect and
be in force from and after its passage and
Upon comparing the ordinance with
the budget, it will be noticed that the
reduction amounting to $35, $50 is OBJ
tanned not by cutting the item known
as teachers salaries, for that is ac-
tua1ly raised from $3.50, 500 to 1850 900,
but by reducing the item described as
salaries of all other employees from
$50, $50 to $4,000, and the item of fuel,
supplies and free text books from S75,-
600 to $55,000. BY "all other employees"
is meant the janitors, engineers, etc.
The aldermen, to whom the whole