Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-28

committee chosen May 10 to investigate
the affairs of the board of education.
This committee was named by the
presidents of the Merchants and Man
ufacturers' association, the Municipal
league and the chamber of commerce,
and thew selected Judge D. K. Trask.
the Rev. Burt Estes Howard, H. c.
Wilmer, D. A. Hamburger and George
A. Gates as a disinterested body to
Judge the school board. Since then
the committee has devoted itself to
Ats work.
Yesterday afternoon the committee
met at the office of Judge Trask and
signed the report, which was sent to
each of the organizations proposing
the Investigation.
The investigation was deemed ad-
visable because the city council had
charged Incompetence and extraVa-
gance on the part of the board when
1t applied for additional appropria-
tons needed because of the reductions
made in the boards budget at the be-
ginning of the fiscal year.
The Committees Report
The report follows:
The committee appointed by your
honorable bodies ito examine into ana
report upon the conduct of the finan-
cial affairs of the school board of this
city" after a careful investigation begs
leave to submit the result of its In
Quiry.
The suggestion of the appointment
of this committee seems to have arisen
out of a difference of opinion between
the city board of education and the
city council as to the amount of money
to be raised by this city for the use
of the public schools, and as to the
~
In determining this question. The city
charter provides, section II, subdi-
vision 8, that the board of education
shall have sole power:
To determine annually the amount
of money required for the sup
port of the public schools and for
carrying into effect all the pro-
visions of the law in reference
thereto; and in pursuance of this
provision, the board shall, on or
before the 18th day Of July Of each
year, submit in writing to the city
council a careful estimate or the
whole amount of money to be re-
fceiyed from the state and county
and the amount required from the
city. for the above purposes, and
the city council shall, in each year,
fix the percentage of taxes to be
levied and collected for school pur-
poses; provided that the amount
to be thus levied for school pur-
poses shall not exceed 20 cents on
each 500 valuation upon the as
sessment roll, and that when col
lected 1t shall be paid into the
school fund
The Boards Estimates
Exercising the power thus granted
to ii by the city charter, the board
of education submitted to the city
council an estimate of the amount OF
money to be raised by the city Tor
school purposes. 1t has, perhaps, been
the custom of former boards to provide
for contingencies that are to be ex-
pected in the school department OF a
growing city in making up its budget
of expense for the ensuing year, and
to add an additional sum in view or
the possibility that the whole estimate
thus submitted may be reduced by the
city council. In this instance 1t would
seem that the board of education very
properly submitted an estimate Of the
amount that would be actually needed,
so far as they could determine the
same 1t should be borne In mind,
however, that in making up its budget
the board of education is not dealing
with fixed quantities, but with I'M
known factors. For this reason any
estimate made by the board must be
more or less tentative.
The sum asked for by the board or
education was not allowed by the city
council, but was reduced In consider
able amount Your committee regrets
that the estimate made by the board
OF education was not allowed and that
the city council found it necessary to
cut the same. In view OF the fact
that past experience In Los Angeles
has shown an annually increasing at
tendance, we regard the estimate as
very conservative. 1t is admitted that
a larger amount has been secured for
the support of schools from the state
and county funds than was antici-
pated, but the sum received has been
found insufficient to maintain the
school department, keep up repairs,
purchase supplies and meet other ex-
penses incidental to the work of the
school system. Two things are evil
dent to your committee, viz: That
the estimate provided by the board of
education was less than the needs, as
1t subsequently appeared, demanded.
and that there has been no disposition
on the part of the city council to Grip
pie the administration or impair the
efficiency of the city schools. While
the board of education, as events now
show, should have asked for more
money, the council assumed that the
estimate made was liberal one. and,
on that assumption, reduced 1t consid-
erably. The estimate, as we have be-
fore stated, was conservative and
should have been allowed in full.
Board Should Judge
ut is insisted by the board OF educa
ton that it is the duty of the city
council to provide the amount esti
mated by the board of education as
necessary, within the limits set forth
in the city charter 1t would seem
that the board of education elected by
the city al large, and charged with the
duty of managing the affairs of the
school department, should be in a bet
ter position than any other body of
city officials to judge of the require
ments of the city schools, and that it's
determination of the amount to be
raised by the city for school purposes
ought to be conclusive. The language
of the city charter, In respect to this
question, would seem to sustain the
contention of the board of education in
this particular. But 1t is somewhat
doubtful, under the authority of such
cases as The Board of Education of
the City of Sacramento VS.. the Board of
Trustees OF the City of Sacramento, SO
Cal, 49, and The Board of Education
Of the City of Woodland VS.. the Board
of Trustees. 129 Cal, $780, whether such