Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-11-18
80 CENT TAX is
NEEDED FOR THE
C|TY'S SCHOOLS
CHAIRMAN OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
ON SCHOOL BOARD GIVES FIGURES
AFFECTING BOND ISSUE.
STATEMENT MADE CITY is ONLY
ONE ON ROAD WITH LESS THAN
so CENT SCHOOL TAX.

Brownsville i the only independent
school district ON the 81 Louis. Browns
Vile x Mexico railroad carrying les than
- cent lax-rhe limit By law-tor school
purpo-e>, according Ia ". B. Clint, chair
man Of the finance committee 81 the school
hoard, who today gave The herald ~
statement nf figures affecting the proposed
bond issue OF SlOU.UUO for school pur-
poses, 81 which the property owners NJ
The independent school district Wi. vote
the coming December ! L. Mr.. Clint stated
that the bond issue will necc~~itatc u tax
levy of probably L. cents on the 500 valu-
alton, which will pay the interest and
sinking fund on the bonded indebtedness
This tax ol ID cents will be in addition to
the maintenance tax oF probably - cents. (.
bringing the total tax 10 30 ccn;~ This
tax will be Just ; l-2 cent On the 500
greater than the maintenance tax of 1918.
which wa~ p l-2 cents
The school board, ~ith the gon. into rf-
feet 81 the compulsory school law III 1916.
faces the problem Of hem. forced t. pro
vide facilities 10 care for the greatly IN
creased attendance. The board decided
that the only way to meet the probable
crowded conditions; will be The erection oI
additional school buildings. and II the
bonds are not issued IL will be- required to
fix tax levy sufficiently great To- provide
for the rental nf additional buildings nr
the construction of more '-hack~" Oh the
grammar school grounds. neither ~ winch
would afford the proper school larililc-
acrordin. Ia Mr. Clint While the total
attendance M the Brownsville public
schools at this time IL les than 1000
there are more than 5000 -chola~tic~ il
the district. The members of the board
are practically certain they will have TO
care for at leas, 500 more children nj the
next school term, due to the compulsory
law
Al the coming election the property own
crS will vote on i bond issue of : 100 600
the bond~ being payable i'll 40 YEAR. and
~ bear interest M the rate Of : prr cent
ner annum. These bonds will hc backed
~ the valuations on 80 t. 50 square miles
dependent school district. the valuation IN
the district being approximately $500.
000. of which Sl.72O.5l9 covers property
within the Brownsville city limits
The school tax in 1913 wa- p ! > cents.
in 1911 it was - cents. and thi~ year il
j. u cents. indicating con -idcrahr re-
duction IN the three YEAR. permitted hv
varon~ conditions that existed IN the mat 4
ter nf collection 81 taxes during 1913 and
1914. For 1916 the school board doc- not
anticipate that the school tax wll hr
greater than - cents for maintenance
purposes. and. ii the event the bond issue
j. approved. lj cent more ~ pay the in-
tere~t and create sinking fund
The state board OF education on it, a-
official Inspection of the Brownsville
schools criticised the local ~chool~ severely
fer inadequate equipment aud nadcuuato
buildings. particularly the lack Of HIGH
school huildn. The state board also
wrote = letter tn the superintendent M the
brownsville city schools that u could nv.
consistently give further credits ~ the lo-
cal schools until the physical conditions
had been improved.
.Thc compulsory school law eoe- into
effect in 1916" said Mr. Clint "aud with
il the school board faces a problem which
must be met. The grammar school j.
crowded to heyonh it. capacity The
overflow j. bcin. taken care of in '~hack-
constructed ON the school ground Tn,
senior grammar school grade this year i.
the largest IN the history Of the schools
lending the prospect Of crowded hiul
school for next year. vi the school ta,
fails To carry We will have to provide M
ditional schools. and that would mean M
ditional rented buildings. far from salts
factory condition of schools IN city y.
large and n wealthy n Brownsville
''rhe tax agent Of the 81. Loui>. Browns
Vile 4 Mexico railroad tells me tha
Brownsville j. the only independent schoo
district on the railroad that ha~ not levie,
the full 30 cent tax for school purposes.
I'VE do not anticipate any trouble Il
di~po~ing Of the bonds. and are prepare.
- begin the work Of erecting the addifiona
hrildine~ ~ soon n the Issue j. author
lied Immediate action Will BE- taken. 10