The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-10-17
What the School Bond Issue Means.

To The Sun:
| have read with interest the ar.
ticle in your issue OF Friday signed
Taxpayer" on the proposed bond
ssue for the schools.
Taxpayer" Ike great many
other people who are opposing the
issue. Is not properly Informed on his
subject. | agree with him that be-
fore any voter take sides on the
question he should post himself In
diligently, so why didn't he do so.
There Is, as the lamented Cleveland
said, at a momentous time, a condi-
ton confronting us,--a condition that
is as momenious to Paducah as the
one confronting the country when
Mr.. Cleveland made that famous re-
mark. We must RAISE money, OF
close our schools.
Here is the condition: The school
board owed $4,000. the debt m
her.ted from the former board. when
the present trustees took charge. As
the money from the state and city
has come in, this debt has been paid
on until it is now $4,000: there Is
no money in the treasury. and eight
months OF the school term are ahead.
the salaries for which are approxi-
mately $4,000 n month. or course,
the board is to get some money rom
the city when the second instrument
Of taxes is paid. bat. with this, here
will be a deficit OF 500, goo the
amount eft over from the old board.
TO confront. The present board has
concluded il Won't obligate Itself for
the money, so the schools wi. be
closed when the funds run out
Further: The Lee building az
Fourth and Ohio. has been practl-
cally condemned. and something must
be done at once. The estimated cost
will be $4,000.
The Lincoln building Is In such a.
condition that $4,000 will have toI
be- expended on II 10 at It for use.
The Franklin building will need
$4,000.
Let Taxpayer" or any one else go
to either OF these buildings and he
will quickly agree that these esti-
mates are very conservative. These
to recapltulate, are
70 meet deficit from Ola
board ...........A2o,o 0o
For the Lee building. ..... 1000
For the Lincoln building. 5000
For the Franklin building. $500
A total OF .....?......$52.50O
Now. what can this board. or any
me else do with a situation like hat?
Taxpayer" says this schoo. board.
md all other boards, have said they
'ou,d not operate the-schools on The
mount Of money they are now get
ing. say they can IF THEY
DON'T HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR
>Ew BUILDINGS AOU'F-.s OF T4B
FUNDS THEY HAVE FOR OPERA
rION That's the trouble now. We
ire asked to meet a deficit OF 500 900
lsed to erect buildings out OF our
operating funds. / won't discuss
whose fault II Is. Truly, Il is not the
present boards They found the
present condition. and like business
men must meet Il.
II is true the city can only issue
100. 900 in bonds for schools. but.
I is not a fact no more bombs can
EVER be issued. as "Taxpayer" con-
ends. The law provides that the
ity must appropriate ten cents as
sinking fund with which TO take
are OF the bond issue. and this fund
viii pay the interest on the debt AND
WIPE 1T OUT In twenty years.
As Is pointed out Mr.. HIS ex-
.icit statement before the rally at
he Mckinley school Friday after
Ioon. an account OF which will be
ound in both newspapers today. only
i52 500 OF the bond Issue Is 10 be
sed at present. $40 600 In Novem-
er and the balance In June. 1903.
The other bonds will be issued
Irobab.y in the next two ears.-nOt
ooner. as again is explained by Mr.
Hills. and. now mark you this, every
ne who Is interested In this matter:
n the next two years a new assess
nent will have been made. and I'M
er il, with The 80 cents apportion-
nent for the schools. as at present.
HERE Will. BE PLENTY OF
Honey TO OPERATE THE NEW
SCHOOLS THAT WILL HAVE
BEEN ERECTED In the meanwhile.
he board has asked for the 800. 900
ssue because We must have the two
in two years. and II Is bet
er TO prepare for them now. The
resent Intentions are to erect them
n 1909 and have them ready for
80. II Is estimated they viii cost
1875 900 and this would leave only
$4,000 OF the bond money for any
contingencies.
Your taxes won't be raised a penny