The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-09-15
RALEIGH CANNOT AFFORD TO
LEAD IN A REACTIoNARY
POLICY.

Brief alluzion was made YESTERDAY morn
Ing to the wholly unexpected action e
inc Wake Board Of commissioner redae
ing the tax rate for the Raleigh graded
schools. The action came without a word
Of warning like a clap Of thunder from 2
clear SKY. We believe It i illegal and
cannot, stand. But Il the board had The
right. ii was an action that meets with
III, dIsapproval OF the overwhelming ma
icrity OF the people of Raleigh. They wet
come tax reduction at any point except
where il touches the education OF their
children.
The act authorizing the establishment;
Of the Raleigh graded schools was RATIFIED
March u. 1877. 1t authorized a SPECIAL tax
not to exceed ten cents on the one hun
dred dollars OF property ana thirty cents
on the poll. Il provided that the school
committee of the township should fix
salaries, etc.
The question a. to whether the tax
should be levied for the space Of two
wears Was submitted to the people oi
Raleigh township and on Mas :, 1877, the
proposition was approved hy the people
By a vote Of 1876 against 80. and the
tax was duly levied.
The question as to whether the tax
should be levied for the space OF two
more years was submitted TO the people
in May. 1879, ana was carried by a vote
of ga to 81.
The question was submitted to the PEG
pie for the third time. May, 1881. and was
carried by a vote OF $50 to 46. In the
order of the Board OF Commissioners
however. for the third election, 1t was
provided that the people should vote,
not for a period of two yeors as formerly
but for an annual tax. The tickets read:
For Tor against an annual tax OF one
tenth of one per cent on property and
thirty cents on each poll for the support
Of Graded Public Schools" A day or two
after this, May 4, 1881, 1t was ordered
that the clerk be directed IN making out
the tax list of SAID township to enter N
| the proper column thereof the special tax
so authorized to be levied. The right OF
the commissioners to reduce this levy has
never been advanced until within the
| past few days.
In 1889 Chapter 300 the General As
sembly authorized a vote to increase the
special graded school tax by ten cents on
the one hundred dollars valuation. The
| beginning of section L reads as follows:
''That for the purpose OF increasing the
annual tax for the support OF the graded
schools Of Raleigh township IN the coun-
ty of Wake, as now provided by law,
the Board of Aldermen OF the City OF
Raleigh may apply to the Board of Coun-
tv Commissioners of Wake asking that
an additional tax of ten Q0) cents on
one hundred dollars of property and thir-
ty cents on the poll be annually levied
and collected" This question was duly
submitted to the people and was carried
by a large majority. Those who advise
the reduction of the tax rate do not
claim that the County Commissioners
AVE any power to reduce the rate pro
yided for under the act Of 1889, contend
ing that their power is confined to the
act of 1877, under which the full amount
authorized has been levied continuously
for the period of twenty-five years.
Under an act of the General Assembly
CT 1897, a vote was therein authorized
bonds for school buildings, ETC., and an
extra tax not to exceed six cents on the
500 valuation was authorized to pay the
interest on these bonds and provide for
a sinking fund. If it should appear that
a reduction can be made in this levy,
without endangering the payment OF
interest and providing a sinking fund,
there cannot possibly be any objection
thereto IN law or IN reason, but to re
duce the tax rate authorized by the peo-
pie at the polls again and again for the
running expenses of the schools is not
only Unauthorized by law but suicidal. In
this hour Of educational activity all over
the State, Raleigh, the capital, cannot af-
ford to be the leader IN a reactionary
policy.
IL . I v Dc IeSIGLlSu Lldl the county
Commissioners nave seen 1t to judge of
the needs Of the schools without even
consulting the Raleigh School Com
mittee. We are satisfied, however,
that the commissioners would not have
taken the action if they had carefully
examined the law and had been in pos
session OF correct information about the
public schools in Raleigh. 1t had been
reported to them that the schools would
have ample funds at the lower rate. De
string to respond IN the easiest way to
the demand IN Raleigh for lower taxes,
they decided that a reduction of the
school rate would be granting the relief
along the lines of least resistance. When
they are put IN possession Of the real