The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-18
FOR SCHOOL BUDGET
JOINT COUNCIL COMMITTEES ON
WAYS AND MEANS TALK
1T OVER
MORE MONEY FOR TEACHERS
The $37, OOOI Increase for Salaries
Is Owing to Employment of Adj
dttiOnaI Teaehers-Validity of "a
State LaweCaI1ed Into Question
Alderman eg sanborn Suggests
That Buildings BE Repaired.

That BUILDINGS BE Repaired.
The joint council committee on ways
| and means met last evening to consider
the school budget as presented by the
board of schools inspectors to the mayor
and by the mayor to the council. There
was considerable talk and discussion,
but the committee took no action ow-
Ing to the point raised by Aid San
| born.
President Zimmerman, of the school
board, made detailed statement as to
the needs of more money this year than
last for teachers salaries and the pro-
posed new buildings and sites which
would have to be erected and secured.
The $4,000 increase for salaries, Mr. Zim-
! mermann said, was owing to the addi-
tlonal teachers and the schedule Increase
IN teachers salaries. While the board
had been allowed but $4,000 for the
year ending July /; 1898, the additional
levy OF one and a one-half mills author.
| lied by the legislature at it's last ses-
| sion would help raise the $751;, $50 asked
| for in the present budget
Aid. Sanborn inquired If the president
| or the school board did not know that
| the law was void. Mr.. Zimmerman ex-
pressed surprise at this statement. Aid.
Sanborn said it was a very serious ques-
| ton II the law was any good. Assem-
| olyman Albrecht in answer to a sug
| gestion that the city could go ahead
and make the levy just as though the
| law was all right, said If this was done
there was a question whether the entire
| tax levy would not be invalidated. Aid.
| Sanborn also explained that if the levy
was made and the school board went on
and purchased sites and erected build
| 1ngs and annexes and then the additional
mill and a half tax could not be col
lected, then the, school bord would be in
a worse position, than ever.
Aid. Kenny thought Duluth and Min
neapOlis were in the same boat and
would be just as much affected by the
law allowing an additional levy as would
| st. Paul: Aid, Sanborn said not, as
| both cities could issue bonds for schools
if desired and they had only allowed
| the law to go through in order to &C.
| comm y late St. Paul. President Zim-
hermann said there ought to be some
way out of the inuddle. The pupils de-
string to attend school were increasing
| as well as the expenses Of conducting
the schools and yet the valuation of
| city property had been reduced and the
| lected, then the school board would be in
| reduced. jl.f
| Assemblyman -Albrecht said there was
| no way the school board could use any
Of the additional one mill and half levy
| until after Jan. l. 1900, even should 1t
| be held the law was good. The board
would have to run on the basis of four.
| tenths of $420, 900 until jan l. and then
on six-tenths of 1892, $50 for the remain
| ing six months of the school year Presi-
| dent Zimmerman said that was exactly
| what the school board had figured on.
| Aid. Kenny brought up the old chestnut
| about the manner in which Comptroller
| McCardy distributed tax receipts to the
| school fund. The only way he said to
| Settle the question as to whether the
| school fund received its share of the back
! taxes was to call on the comptroller for
| a statement of how much had been levied
in the past five or ten years for school
| purposes, and then figure out how much
| had been spent. This statement would
| show whether there was any balance due
| the school fund, and what had become of
1t during the years. If the comptroller
had not made the proper distribution then
| he should be compelled to, and turn the
| money back into the school fund Aid
| Sanborn suggested that perhaps it would
| be well to use the money which the board
! had estimated for an increase in salaries
| for repairs to school buildings Partic-
ularly the amount which would be re-
ceived from the additional mill, and
half tax if it was found to be legal or
! possible TO levy for 1t.
President Zimmerman explained that
| there was but little increase in salaries,
| and that in the budget teachers who had
| been teaching for $40 per month were
! raised to $45, and those who were re-
ceiving $3.50 would get $50 this year. The
| board had even gone so far in an econom-
| ical way as to provide that this year
| teachers who taught only half day, ow-
| ing to the schools being 50 overcrowded
| that half-day's sessions were necessary,
would be paid only for the time they work.
| ed. The increase owing to schedule raises
would not amount to more than $4,000,
and 1t was impossible to get good teach
ers unless the board paid what other
| cities of It's sizeiedide AS to the $4,000
item in the budget for buildings and sites
| President Zimmerman said there must
| be a site, and anew; building erected in
| the Eighth ward This would mean at
| least $4,000, and in addition there would
have to be anneKesicto the Grant and
Longfellow schools.
Aid. Kenny raised, the question of hav-
| ing the comptroller. make a detailed
statement of thel school fund as to the
amount levied for and expended during
| the past five years. Aid. Sanborn did not
| think there was any use in wasting time
in that way. The comptroller would tell
| the committee as he had for the past
four years that owing to the school year
and the fiscal year of the city not ending
| at the same time 1t was hard to make
any figures.
A committee was finally appointed. con-
sisting of Aid. Sanborn, Assemblyman
Albrecht and President Zimmermann of
the school board. to secure information as
| to the following matters:
Secure from the corporation attorney an
opinion as to the legality of the recent
| law authorizing the levy of an additional
one and half mills for school purposes.
! Secure from the state auditor the
amount paid to the city under the state
! apportionment for the past five years,
1 and the estimated amount which could
! be paid this year.
/ Secure from the county auditor what
| the one mill county tax would likely
amount to this year.
! Secure from the comptroller the amount
which would be likely to be realized from
| tax receipts this year. and information
as to balances due from levies made in
! former years
| The committee then adjourned to meet
Monday evening. when, on the informa-
ton obtained from an sources, action will
! be taken.
SAW HIS BROTHER DROWN.