The Saint Paul globe., 1900-02-07
FIX LIMIT PER CAPITA
NEW CHARTER TO ALLOW SCHOOL
EXPENSES BASED ON AVERAGE
DAILY ATTENDANCE
REFORM IN SCHOOL FINANCES
II the Ideas of the Present Charter
Commission Are Put Into Opera
ton, the School Expenditures
Will he Regulated In Accordance
With q Different Basis of CaIcula-

DR.. Bridgman, as chairman of the sub
committee on the question Of school
finances. submitted a report at the meet
ing Of the charter commission last even
Ing. The chapter was entitled THE Pub
lie Expenditures, and provided for meet
ings Of the conference committee and the
manner Of making UP the tax estimates
for the several departments Of the city
government. The subdivisions relating to
the schools were taken UP at length. DR..
Bridgman said the subcommittee had de-
cided that the only source from which
additional money could be secured for
the schools was from the general fund.
1t had also been calculated that an
amount equal to $25 per capita on the av-
erage daily attendance ought to cover all
expenses except for new sites and build
ings, and authority was given the council
to order the erection of new buildings
when the board of education so recon-
mended The buildings were now in need
of repairs and improvements, and 1t was
proposed that In 1901 and 1902 the council
could spend SIS, 600 each year for repairs.
The schools, in the opinion Of the sub
committee, could not be economically
conducted for less than SIS per capita for
the average number of pupils attending
the schools
The sections Of the chapter relating to
the schools confine the amount to be rails
ed by taxation for the schools to the 21a
mills now provided In the present charter,
the balance to come from sources other
than taxation. This means that the gen
eral fund will be called upon for the diff
ference between the amount now given
the schools by the 2h mills, the county
tax and state apportionment, and the to-
tai amount eXpendable within the limit
Of $25 per capita on the average pupils in
attendance. Figuring on basis Of $4,000,
which was the average attendance last
year. $475O 900 will be expended for the
schools. In order to raise the difference
and also provide for the 5000 for the re-
pairs of new buildings, it will be neces-
sary to provide in the new charter for
the levying Of taxes for the portion Of the
expense Of the fire department, police de-
partment and city officers salaries, which
are now paid from the general fund, and
by levying for this amount, and reducing
the other expenditures from the general
fund enough can be secured for the school
fund to make up the amount necessary.
There was some discussion as to Wheth-
er the subdivisions relating to schools
should not be laid over until the next
meeting, but Messrs. McNair and Zim-.
norman insisted on the adoption, and
this was agreed to, only Messrs. Taylor
and Albrecht voting against 1t.
The new chapter changed the confer
ence committee section as now In force
by making the comptroller report the
estimate to the committee in November.
After the committee completes it's re-
port it is to be published in the official
paper, and ten days after-lsuch publ
cation a public meeting is to be held.
At this meeting persons may be heard
and the estimate Is to be reported to the
| council the first week in December. The
council is not allowed to increase the
maximum figures for any department
over that fixed by the conference COM
mittee, but may reduce the amount Mr.
Taylor and Mr.. Albrecht objected to. al
lowing the conference committee to fix
the maximum amount, both contending
that the council was nearer to the peo-
pie than the appointive heads Of depart
ments, and the principle was wrong.
Action on the section was postponed. Ac-
ton on the subdivisions fixing the max
imum Of the fire department expenditures
at $215, 900, and the police department et
s1s5,0O was also postponed. Mr.. McNair
raised the point that the amounts for the
several departments should not be fixed
until the subcommittee on salaries had
reported, and on this suggestion the
chapter was laid over until the next
meeting
Those present at the meeting were
Messrs Doran. Zimmerman, Bridgman,
Taylor, Albrecht, Tighe, McNair. O'Brien
and Smith.