Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-12-24
THE CITY SCHOOLS
SHALL NOT STOP
SCHOOL BOARD WILL MANDAM-
Us CITY COUNCIL TO FORCE EN-
ACTMENT OF 20 CENT TAN LEVY
FOR SCHOOLS
CITY FINANCIAL REPORT TO BE
PUBLISHED AND OPPOSITION
TO GENERAL TAX LEVY MAY BE
WITHDRAWN.

~
funds for the operation of the public
schools Of the city The general city tax
includes twenty per cent levy for the
benefit of the schools. and this is what
the school board wants for the operation
; Of the city's educational institutions. A
vote by the council on the question OF
passing the twenty per cent levy for the
schools alone failed to carry. and Hon
F. w. Seabury. a member of the school
board, stated to the council that the
board would 90 before the district court
for writ of mandanus
Mr.. Seabury, before the vote OH the
qnestiOn was taken. appeared before the
council and stated that he, Judge J. A.
Graham and Judge Frank G.. Pierce. the
latter also a member of the board. had
looked into the matter and found that
there is nothing to prohibit the council
from passing portion Of the whole levy
for the support of the schools. He said
the voting of this tax would not affect
the balance of the proposed city tax levy,
upon the passing of which there has been
deadlock in the council the past sew
eral weeks.
Alderman III. j. Kirk, speaking from
what he termed the minority in the cOun
ell. said he had been informed that it
would be almost impossible for the coun
Gil to vote the school tax without voting
the balance of the tax, and in that case
he felt that he would be forced to vote
against the passing of twenty per cent
levy.
| Alderman Cob0lini. who has objected
to certain expenditures by the school
board. notably one of the $4,000 paid to
school teachers who attended the state
normal schools last summer, submitted
/ Il letter he received from State Superin-
' tendent Of Public instruction +. Nj. Bral
/ ley of Ausin, in response to a query sent
attorney general by Mr.. Cobolini. 1t
/ follows.
"In response to your letter of Novem-
Der %. which was addressed to the attor
ney general, and by him referred to this
department, | beg TO advise that the
school laws of this state at the present
time do not require teachers to attend
state normals and summer normal in
stitutes. The law does require teachers
of the public schools to attend the coun-
ty teachers institutes, and il provides
that they shall receive their salaries for
the time lost in attendance upon said
county teachers institutes"
Alderman c. II. Thorn moved the levy
of a twenty per cent tax for school pur
poses On this Aldermen Cain, Thorn
Crixell and Benavides voted aye, ant
Aldermmen Browne. CobOlini and Kirl
voted nay. The motion was lost. a two
! thirds majority of the entire council be
ing required Ito pass a tax levy.
, Mr. Seabury then informed them thai
4 the next proceeding would be before the
4 district court. where the school boarC
will apply for writ of mandamus, for
4 Mr.. Seabury said. THE city schools shal
! not stop"
THE PAVEMENT MATTER.
4 CITY Attorney T. A. Kinder submitted
4 to the council an ordinance coyerin:
4 the levying of assessments against prol
4 erty owners for pavements in paving di
tricts /. and 3. The ordinance was ad
! opted with the favorable vote of Alder
4 men Benaavides. Crixell, Cain, an'
4 Thorne. Alderman Cobolini and Browns
4 voted against its adoption. and Alder
man Kirk did not vote. though he state'
that personally he wants to pay his pOr
4 ton of the cost of the paving.
The voting of the council was stil
! more at odds when Alderman Cain in
! troduced resolution authorizing tn
1 paving company to complete the paw
ing partly done on 18th street, face
ing the City Hall and City Marke'
4 The concrete is laid, and the tracks Q
the street car company are projecting
s high above it. precluding the possib
q lity of travel. Alderman Crixell mo,
8 ed its adoption: he was seconded b
8 Alderman Benavides. These two an
8 Alderman Cain voted to adopt the r,
8 solution. and Aldermen Cobolini an
8 Browne voted against it. Alderme
3 Kirk and Thorn did not vote on II
& resolution.
8 FINANCIAL REPORT TO BE PUBLISHE
q The council apparently got toge