The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-04-12
ESTIMATE BOARD
KNOCKED OUT.
Sharp Work Of Hudson and
Essex Modifes 0bjec-
tionable Features Of
School Law.
HOW IT WAS DONE
Corporation Attorney Queen
and City Attorney Boggs
of Newark Framed An
Amendment.
HOW IT WAS DONE

It is the belief of city officials that a
section of the Bachelor act abolishing
mandatory appropriations for city depart
ments, which was signed by Governor
Murphy yesterday. will exempt Jersey
City from the provisions OF the Mckee
General School act, creating Board of
School Estimate in the city. The section
of the Bachelor bill which is thought to
accomplish this result was amended with
that purpose in view in the last days OF
the session, after being held up and its
passage delayed for a week or more, and
as amended is intended to make it neces-
sary for the Beard of Education with all
other city departments, to submit its es-
innate to the Board of Finance, which Is
to have the final say as TO the amount Of
the appropriation to be made for all
school purposes.
In so Amending the bill as to wipe out
the Board of Estimate, Corporation At
torney Queen had the assistance and CO.
operation of Attorney Boggs, of Newark.
The authorities in both cities were op-
posed to the Board of Estimate scheme,
and the two lawyers conceived the idea
of making it ineffective after the agree
ment of the Essex delegation to support
the School bill made its amendment inn
possible.
Assemblyman j. H. Bachelor, who in
trodueed the bill, admitted that final
amendment made to his measure had been
intended to make the Board of Estimate
provision of the School law imperative as
applying to Newark and Jersey City, anG
that the amendment had been made for
that purpose. Whether the State school
authorities who prepared and backed this
Mckee act were cognizant of the effect
of the later act, he said, he did not know.
but as the amendment mad been made in
the House and read openly by the clerk,
there was no reason why they should nos
have been.
AS the Bacheller act applies only to
first class cities It will not affect s-.e
Board of Estimate scheme as applying
to any other municipalities in the State.
The Mckee act provides that all appro-
oriations for school purposes shall be
made By a board of estimate, consisting
Of two school commissioners, two raem-
I Ders of Inc Common Council or Board OF
Finance and the Mayor, and that the
amount recommended by this board must
be Included by the council in the annual
tax levy.
In its original form the Bacheller bill
proposed that the making of all appro-
priations should be placed in the hands
IF the council, and that the taxing limit
should be raised from 81 to $3.50 on each
500 of valuation The bill recited that
Its purpose was to abolish all appropria-
tions for city departments made manda-
tory by statutory requirement.
There was opposition to the bill in the
House by the Hudson members, and to
placate them II was amended in such
way as to exempt the statutory tax for
the support Of public libraries, and not to
interfere with the Murphy act in Jersey
City. fixing school teachers salaries by
sliding scale graduated according to grade
and length of service.
Before the b.ll reached final passage in 4
the House the Mckee bill had been sign
ed by the Governor. It is admitted that
the delay was premeditated, and part
of the plan to make the Board of Esti-
mate provision ineffective. Mr.. Queen and
Mr. Boggs discussed the matter before
hand and were al first Of the opinion
that the Bacheller bill in its original
form, If made subsequent legislation.
would accomplish the desired purpose. 1t
was feared. however, that under the new
school act 1t might be decided that the
Board of Education was rot included I'M
der the head of city departments, and
the measure was amended by specifically
referring TO that body as one of those
which must refer their recommendations
or requests for appropriations to the Com
mon Council.
The TT,deor r,ay7farS aoraad m 4bo
amendment, which was adopted in the
House and passed by both House and
Senate without question or debate.
The clause of the Bachelor bill known
as House No. 2Sl. which, 1t is expected.
are the words ~and OF boards of educa-
tion in districts in such cities" The full
text of the Bachelor act follows:-
1T shall be the duty of each and every
body board, commission and department
of cities of the first class of this State
and of boards of education In districts
In such cities, which are by law or ordi-
nance charged with the expenditure Of
city money annually ard on or before
the first day of May in each year, to esti-
mate in detail the expense Of such board.
body, commission or department for the
current year, such detailed estimate to
include the expenses of every branch
and department Of the city affairs con-
trolled by tho board, body, commission
or department making the estimate. ex-
cept expenses re-atiRg to the water sup
ply of such city and on or before the
day last aforesaid to present such detail
ed estimate to the Common Council or
other body having charge and control Of
the finances Of such city; and the said
Common Council or other body having
charge and control Of the finances of
the city shall provide for the expenses