Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1906-06-29
School Board Deficit.

1
Board on the 18th instant the announcement
was made that the June payment from the
Comptroller was 1894. II, and that unless
an additional remittance could be had from
the State, 1t would leave the School Board
In debt for the school year ending August
LIST, 1905, to the extent Of about $4,000 /;
and II was claimed that this deficiency was
attributable to the fact that the income from
the State was less this year than last, and
that the estimates had been based upon the
Idea that as much, If not more, would be re-.
ceived from the State this year than last
year.
Mr.. George II. Lamar, President Of the
School Board, was requested by the Board
to go to Annapolis, confer with the proper
State authorities and report the condition of
finances.
At the meeting of the Board on Saturday
last, Mr.. Lamar submitted q written report,
which was spread upon the minutes. This re.
port shows that: "On May 7th last when the
Board, as at present constituted, was organ
lied, the financial statement submitted by
our Superintendent was to the effect that
the approximate disbursements for the re.
mainder OF the fiscal year ending July 31st,
1906, for teachers salaries and other liabili-
ties will be about $4,000, leaving an ap.
proximate balance on hand for all purposes,
$554.' 1t was explained also that the liza
bilities included two notes in bank sggre-
0ot;nu a LITTLE ovar 90 O0n and that ~ would
be necessary to borrow about $11, 900 more
about June 1st, 1905, to meet the salaries
and In anticipation of the apportionment to
this county from the State on June 18TH"
The report shows further that these OBJ
legations of the Board, contracted prior to
May 7th, 1905, were provided for in accord
ance with these suggestions of the County
Superintendent, who remains in office until
August.
Mr.. Lamar states that he went to An
napolis and conferred with the Governor
and proper employees in the Office of the
State Comptroller and arrived at the con-
clusion that there was no further remittance
to be expected from the State Comptroller
during the present school year. That the
School Board had on hand at the beginning
of last year cash to the amount of $1,265,
that it received $824.50 more from the coun-
ty this year than last year, or total in
crease in income, exclusive of State appro-
priation, of 81, 10964. That the amount re.
ceved from the State this year, however, is
$2394. IA less than it was last year, making
difference in the cash on hand and State
and county appropriations of 1894 80 In
favor OF last year; but it seems that the OBJ
legations contracted by the old Board, prior
to May 7th, 1906, when the Board was re.
organized, was nearly $4,000 more than the
amounts received from all sources.
The new Board will, therefore, have TO en-
ter upon the new year, commencing August
LIST, 1905, with deficit of about $4,000,
which, of course, will have to be met on or
before that time out of county school funds
which would otherwise be in hand for use
in buildings, repairs and sustaining the
schools during the coming year.
1t seems that the State Superintendent Of
Education, in letter to the County Super
intendent of January 25th last, stated that
the County Board need not feel any appre-
hension about the State appropriation, that
it would not be less than last year, and that
indications then were that the same would
be larger, and 1t seems that the School Board
in contracting some of its obligations. relied
! upon this statement of the State Superin.
tendent, who has no control over the State
school funds. In a letter from the State
Comptroller to the Superintendent of Edu-
cation for Baltimore county, it appears that
the distribution last year was necessarily
larger than this year, by reason of the fact
that surplus had been distributed in addi-
ton to the ordinary State levy on last year.
Mr.. Lamar quotes from this letter Of the
Comptroller as follows:
"The difference in apportionment is &C.
counted for by the fact that in 1904, when
the new tax law of Is cents went into effect,
the taxes for that year paid into the Treas-
ury prior to October LIST, except from Balti-
more city, were not distributed during that
school year, but carried over on the LIST day
of October, 1904, into the school year end
ing June 49, 1905. This balance of 1928 600
in round figures went into the next school
year and was apportioned, of course, on
June 10Th of last year. The balance car
ried down on the 1st of last October was,
in round figures, $444,O0O, making differ
ence of $4,000, and this accounts mainly
for the difference in the apportionment.
II is to be regretted that the School Board
has gone beyond its income during the pres,
ent school year, and 1t is to be hoped that
the work of the new Board will not be seri-
ously crippled thereby.