Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-20
BOARD FINANCES
Correcting Some Published Err
rors Regarding Expenditures.

OMAHA, July 19.-To the Editor of
The Bee-Dear Sir: My attention has been
called to a blunder on the part OF The Bee
reporter in misqucting some OF the figures
presented in brief financial statement to
the Board of Education on last Monday
night and to your editorial comments upon
the same. l cannot believe that The Bee
desires TO assume the attitude of misrepre-
senting to the public the condition OF school
board finances 10 the tune of about $50 900
and the people OF Omaha are certainly en-
titled to know the facts rather than a mis-
representation. Your reporter stated that
my report showed that the expenditures of
the last fiscal year had been $500, ,54S.27. Ny
report stated nothing OF the kind. Follow
ing custom of many years standing sub
mitted brief report showing the resources
Of the board, which included the cash on
hand at the beginning OF the year, plus the
receipts of the year. and showing the war
rants outstanding at the beginning Of the
year, or the debt previously contracted, plus
the expenditures OF the year which con-
stituted the liabilities of the board. Your
reporter quoted the total sum OF warrants
outstanding at the beginning OF the year,
plus the expenditures OF the year as being
expenditures only, and following up this
blunder you assumed in your editorial that
the board had expended $500, 54s.27, whereas
the total warrants drawn from the general
fund during the year were s454,167.91
Following are the words and figures pre-
sented in my report:
Cash on hand July l. 1885 7es74
Total receipts Of the year........... AIS $50. .2S
Total resources. si2s S28.67
Liabilities and expenditures Of the year:
Warrants outstanding July /, 1895. 5 IS $50 Sc
Total expenditures of the year.. 454 1871
Total liabilities and expendi-
lures ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $3.50 54S. p
The warrants outstanding July /, 1898.
represent debt or shortage which, as nearly
everybody knows, has been accumulating for
the last five years, and it is manifestly un-
fair 70 attribute that TO the expenditures OF
the last year.
The warrants drawn from the general
fund for the fiscal year ending July l, 1898,
amounted to s424, 67s.oS. while the warrants
drawn from the general fund for the fiscal
year ending July l. 1899, amounted to si5i,-
1871. l presented a few items showing
where the principal increase had occurred
during the last year. This explanation YOU
consider lame" but the public is entitled
to the facts as we'll as to your comments
upon the same. AS a matter of fact, SIS, 900
OF the total sum drawn from the general
fund was not really expended at an, but was
transferred TO the sinking fund and is now
N the hands of the treasurer in the form
OF interest-bearing bonds for the purpose of
meeting the bonded debt OF the school
district when the same becomes due
Another large item showing an increase
in expenditures was that OF teachers
salaries, which were cut during the year
1895 and restored last year This item shows
an increase over the preceding year OF sl3.-
T95. A part OF this was caused by the in
crease in the number Of teachers employed
Janitors' salaries were cut in 1895 and were
restored last year and there is, consequently,
an increase in this item over the preceding
year OF s5,4s1.12. The fuel account was
also increased during the last year, owing 10
the exceptionally cold winter by $1,74s3l.
The board paid sS.so7.1o as special taxes
and the architects were paid 81 200 out OF
the general fund.
The above items make a total sum Of s43.-
Si2.53 and represent the most important in
creases OF the year. Subtracting this sum
from the total amount OF warrants drawn
from the general fund during the year, IL
will be seen that the ordinary running ex-
penses OF the board would have been s4iO,-
S25.Ss. desire TO say in closing that there
is no department or public body in the city
OF Omaha, or Douglas county. that presents
TO the public more complete statement OF
expenditures than the Board OF Education.
AS evidence OF this fact / have only TO refer
TO the tabulated statement presented In
each annual report during the last fye years
and which will be presented within a few
weeks to be printed in the annual report for
the year closing July l, 1899. Respectfully
yours. J. NJ. GILLIAN.
Secretary Roard Of