The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-07-31
UNLESS ISSUE or
BONDS PREVAILS
ON ELECTION DAY
School Trustees Have Secur-
ed Funds on Personal In.
dorsement TO Pay Salaries
and Current Expenses Last
Term-..Will Do So No More.

us IL true as rumored on the
streets that the schools must close
down after Christmas, IL the bond
issue is not voted?" a member OF
the school board was asked.
Exactly" he replied, unless the
teachers will work on credit. AS has
been pointed out before, the income
of the schools from the city and
state, is barely enough to pay sal
aries, without cent left over for
any other expenses the schools may
incur. This has been the situation
for some years, and small deficit
has resulted, but that would not be
so bad, II II had not been necessary
to borrow some $4,000 for new
buildings and equipment
state statutes prohibit the Dor
rowing by school boards, of more
than one-haf the amount of one
terms expenses of running the
schools. Say our expenses are
100000 a year. For one term that
would be $4,000 and half that sum
would be $4,000, or the amount we
can borrow. Such an amount would
be inadequate and in the second term
after Christmas, We would run short
OF funds, with the result, that the
school would close. unless the teach
ers work on credit. or unless the
school trustees personally borrow
the money"
According to law. isn't the board
over-borrowed now" he was ques-
ltioned.
Eyes, and that amount of the
schools indebtedness that Is in ex-
cess Of the legal amount, was bor-
rowed by the trustees on their per
sonal Endorsement, and for several
months they carried this Indebted
ness at their own risk, for the law
would not have held the schools
liable for its payment. Lately, the
notes for school expenses personally
made by the trustees. have been
paid of largely and their altrustic
action is no longer financially dan
gerous TO them.
"Our pay-rolls last year averaged
ItoNV AhOnlns ANtAt g0oAf olttl
eliminating every expense but the
natural growth in the schools the
poy-rolls probably will go TO $500
a month. This will mean that the
fifty odd thousand dollars revenue
lof the schools will not pay for the
coal and thousand and one other in
cidental expenses of the system.
There are two solutions OF the stu
alton for the citizens. and one for
trustees.
"For the citizens. they can vote
the 100000 bond issue with which
we can pay OF the indebtedness in
Cured by n previous board in the
two new buildings and repairs to
old ones, and leave safe margin for
new equipment and expenses; or
they can fail to vote the bond issue
and allow the schools to suffer from
a curtailed force or from a complete
shutdown. There Is not sane man
in Paducah who believes its citizen
ship will accept the latter alterna-
tive.
For the trustees, the solution
would be Tor them TO run the schools
on money they personally borrow
and pledge their property to pay. as
they did for part Of the last year.
think the public will agree that
such a course would be ultra-public
spirited in officials who get no pay
for their services and much censure.
| know that the people dislike as a
general proposition. to burden them
selves with bonded sdebt But what
we want is scrutinlzing investiga-
ton of our situation. Let individu-
ais talk to the trustees, or let them
make any kind of an investigation
their fancy can dictate to see wheth-
err the interests of the schools and
the children are being conserved. II
must be remembered that the school
system is separate corporation
from the city. and lis finances have
no connection with those of the city.
We will do the best we can and
leave the rest in the hands Of the
public.".