St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-07
SCHOOL BOARD FINANCES.

|
Of the public schools, concerning which
much misrepresentation seems to be
| afloat. We do not wonder at this; for,
in the first place, the impossibility Of
telling in advance exactly what a
| given tax will bring in, makes esti-
mates inexact; and, in the second, the
necessary limitations Of the school
year between August and August, in
stead of between January and Janu-
airy, make comparisons confusing. A
statement which appeared in the Pho
neer Press Of last Sunday is, how
ever, so far from accurate, yet seems
to represent so fairly the impressions
current in the conference committee
and the controllers office that the sub
ject requires further elucidation.
In the calculation Of future revenues,
much faith is pinned to an item Ia
beled tax receipts" 1t is stated, cor
rectly we believe, that the income Of
the board from that source during the
past year, much to its surprise,
amounted to $222,70 1t is said that
receipts from the same source next
year will be not less than $780, Here
is where a mistake is probably made.
This income from tax receipts covers
not only the difference between the 80
per cent of the tax levy against which
certificates are issued and the whole
amount of the levy, but also receipts
from delinquent taxes, from royalties
on mineral lands and from sales Of
state lands. 1t is obvious that these
items cannot be more than guessed at
in advance. We know that the pay
ment of delinquent taxes has been
heavy during the last year; Of which
the school fund received. it is as
sumed, its portion. That there will be
a contribution as liberal next year it
is not reasonable to suppose. On the
other hand, the certain revenues can
be computed with exactness.
The records of the school board show
revenue for the school year 1894 to be
1854, 546, and for 1895 to be SAL, 81; an
average Of $453,17S. For 1895 it is cal
culated at s461, 900, on the basis of what
is actually in sight. But it seems to
have been overlooked that, by a COM
bination of the system Of expanding
our revenues in advance and of the
difference between the school and the
city fiscal year, it is in 1897 that the
pinch would be felt if proposed reduc-
tons were to be carried through. Thus,
it is proposed now to place only $780,
600 in the tax levy, Of which 100000
would be Immediately available by the
sale of certificates. Coming, then, to
the revenues for the year 1897, we have
only the following items assured:
/ mill county tax. S123 600
Balance OF tax levy. 81 U0U
State superintendent ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. ,0oO
If, therefore, the same allowance of
$4,000 were placed in the next tax
levy, allowing $4,000 of certificates
to be sold, the total school fund would
be $34S,O00 for the year. If we take
the most liberal superstition, and as
sumo that the appropriation goes back
next year to the full two mills allow
ance, levying $4,000 for the schools,
then $19S,50O can be realized from the
sale Of the certificates. This would
make the total fund only S426, 800, on
the most favorable terms. This means
an enormous cash reduction, to say
nothing of the unpaid December rolls
and of the question raised by having
no funds on hand at the beginning of
| the year. The delusive item of 'tax
receipts cannot be swelled by the i'm
agination into anything beyond what
| the council allows, minus delinquent
taxes for the year, and plus something
from delinquent taxes Of previous
years and q residue from royalties and
other miscellaneous sources. Last
years receipts on that account are not
guide for the future.
| All this tends to the other and cen
trail fact to which the Globe has
already referred. These tax receipts
have been large in the past because
the charter compels the levying Of the
| two mill tax for schools, no matter
what the council allows. Any differ
ence between the proceeds Of that tax
and the school appropriation must
Notwithstanding, be covered into the
school fund If the charter is not yiolat-