The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-22

amount estimate to be necessary for each
OF these departments shall be stated and
the maximum amount which 1t Is estimated
can be drawn from the general fund" for
! the support of each of these three depart
| ments shall also be stated, and there shall
| De put into the tax estimate for each of
] these three departments to be raised by
taxation so much only as Is necessary
Ior the support of such department after
general fund is deducted from the full
ESTIMATED cost of such department. and
s sne general fund may be drawn upon
for the support of each of said three de-
partments to the extent in the aggregate
speclned In said tax estimate.
Inc clear intention of these provisions
should be used only to defray the current
and Incidental expenses of the city not
pr6Syided for by the other twenty-three
subdivisions, except to the extent that
| the general fund may be drawn upon to
derray a portion of the expense of main
tanning the-police department and the fire
on" on the TO s pToes IN n pa
Gus city officers. 1t would be entirely
proper, If the general fund were adequate
penses Of maintaining the police depart
ment and the fire department. and paying
the salaries Of all the city officers out of
| that 1uhd, and, II X was adequate for
! such purposes, 1t would be the duty of
the common council to devote the fund
| IN the nrst instance to those purposes, re-
| serving, of course, a sufficient amount to
meet the current incidental expenses of
the city government, for which no pro-
vision is made In the act authorizing q
tax levy.
! The charter requires the city treasurer
to keep separate and distinct account of
each and all of the funds provided for In
the twenty-four subdivisions of the chap
| ter relating to the treasury department.
| and 1t is provided that no officer board or
/ department OF the city shall have any
power or authority to authorize the treas
urer TO avert any part of said separate
| funds or moneys from the specific pur-
| poses for which the same were levied
| estimated, collected and credited To such
! fund, or to borrow or transfer any bal
ance or portion of one of said funds to
| the credit of another, although authority
is conferred TO invest the moneys belong
| ing to each one of these separate funds
! IN certificates of indebtedness issued in
anticipation of the tax levy to provide
money o for any of the other funds. ex-
| raised by assessment for any local i'm
provement shall not be used for any
other purpose, and the money belonging
TO the school fund shall not be used for
| any other purposes. 1t is provided that
! the county treasurer. in the collection of
taxes Is required to So keep his books
OF account as to show at all times the
amount OF money received or collected
Tor the city of St. Paul for general NUM-
elpai purposes, and also a separate ac-
| count of the moneys collected by him
TO be turned over to the city for the
support Of the public free schools.
EFT FROM these provisions 1T is apparent
| of the public free schools must be kept
! separate ana distinct from all other funds
employed IN carrying Oh the business of
the city. 1t will also be seen that the
general fund, although derived partly
! from licenses and moneys received from
the munlcipai court andmarket house and
| nthef similar sources, and partly as oc-
caslon may require, by taxation is a
! separate and gdistinct fund, as much so as
any OF the other funds provided for in
the remaining twenty-three subdivisions
! OF the treasury act. The fund so saccum-
/ ulated. from whatever source derived is
as sacred and fHvielate the school fund
ana Tor the purposes for which it was
| raised, and cahnot be diverted or used
for the purpose of adding to the amount
! which may be raised by taxation for the
purpose of accommodating any Of the
! other funds provided for by the remain
ing tWenty-three subdivisions.
1t has been suggested that the provision
IN the tenth subdivision of the treasury
act authorizing tax to provide for the
support and maintenance Of the public
free schools IN the city is not broad
/ enough tosineInde and does not include
| the construction of new buildings 1t is
suf11clent answer to this to say that I'M
less authority is conferred by this sub
division to levy a tax for such purpose, it
| is not to be found in the charter at all
mink II Is apparent. however, that the
words support and maintenance of the
! PUBLIC free schools of said city, as used
IN this subdivision. do not refer 10 the
mere incidental support and operation of
! the pubic school system as 1t existed at
the time of the passage of the act The
language means the maintenance of the
| PUBIC schools as q system, including all
| necessary extensions and additions to that
| system. Ihls view is confirmed by ref
| eFence 10 the provisions of chapter So Spe-
clsl Laws 1881, commonly spoken Of as
the sehooI act The board of school in
| spectors Is required to report to the com
mon council as occasion may require the
PARTICULAR locality of the city in which
| new buildings are required, the erection
| Il.
number of children for whom provision
! IS not already made and It is provided
tiiat therlu o! he Dmmon council when
| ever the condition Of the funds derived
| from the school tax levied and collected
/ as provided by law, or whenever any 9TH
/ er fund In the city treasury is available
ioI Such purposes, shall order the mavor
! and the president of the board OF school
inspectors to proceed to obtain a site md
erect erect a. suitable tt building thereon, in ac-
PROVIDED by the board of school insnac
tors. 1t is clear that by reference to any
S 9or s, Innd IN the city treasury available
FUNDS referred to in the seventh senTinr
OF the same act that is "other funds
uerlVeu from other sources and applicants
! 70 purposes of educa ton This -uJo11i5
include the state apportionment and ~
one mil county tax provided for nv the
general laws of the state, and might in
the c, tllo1 Sor donated or bequeathed to
olte Gity Tor purposes of education. and
! at this particular time. as we baIa
/ SHOWN, goes include the sum of $40 OO0 ac
/ cumulated within the past six wears and
| cfSSolted TO the go called insurance fund
,O"lng 10 the limitations imposed h1,
me charter, the common council in an
! PIopfIaung money for the support of tha
eiuooIs Tor the current school wear was
poIieeo 10 reduce the estimate of the
! ooafo or school inspectors for the nav
are ,I OF salaries to teachers and other
bb n9nS by approximately $4,000 The
Doaro or school inspectors declined to
epportion this reduction and to make anV
Geouctlon from the salaries of teachers
ana otner employees as contained in their
| tSPoI. 70 the common council. and it is
! the declared intention of the board to
cohouct at the present expense per month
TOT such period or until the funds hare
! IoIofe provided by the common connect
are exhausted and then close I do NOT
pro- sc 10 discuss the question Of pro-
! prey or improperly of the action taken
! px the board of school inspectors in de-
Ginning TO apportion this reduction in such
manner mat the schools should be con-
QUOTED during the entire school wear
Eh1s situation ought to be relieved in
some way. The turning into the general
maintenance fund of the $50 0O0 above re-
1effed to- will afford temporary relief
and 1t is possible that with a little econ,
omy ana a.tsiight reduction in the pres
ent operating expenses 1t will be suffi
Gent 10 carry. the schools through to the
close of the. present school wear 1t lis
We'll however. that 1t should be under
stood that this relief is temporary only.
Inc limitations imposed by existing law
upon the amount Of money which may
be raised by taxation and which NAV be
expended In the maintenance of the pub