The sun., 1919-10-20
RICHMOND.
NUDD SEES POLITICS
IN SCHOOL BUDGET
Says PraH Helps Mayor in
"Act of Humbuggery."

The Board of Education was accused
yesterday by Howard w. Nudd, director
of the Public Education Association, in
an open letter to Aiming S. Prall. presi-
dent of the board. OF becoming a party
with "scheming politicians" to what Mr..
Nudd characterizes as "a cheap act OF
political humbuggery." An explanation
is demanded of Mr.. Prall.
Mr.. Nudd. as soon as he disposes OF
the amenities of correspondence with
my Dear Sir" leads Off with the fol-
lowing direct question:
why has the Board of Education
with such apparent stupidity. permitted
the public school system to become the
scapegoat of the scheming politicians
who are planning to make a spectacular
cut in the inflated city budget for
political effect upon the Taxpayers"
He then continues In part:
"It has been evident from the very
beginning that the ss7o0o.oO0 school
budget estimate has been deliberately
padded. It contains some $2s,000.0 900 for
building purposes, which cannot legally
be included in the tax levy budget for
| the current expenses, but must be raised
separately as part of the corporate stock
| fund and must. therefore, be taken out
| of the proposed city budget as 1t stands
THE general public has been misled
into thinking. however. that all of this
| $S7 900, 900 Is to be raised out of the
taxes for 1920. and while It has at one
| moment been thrilled at the seemingly
extraordinary generosity OF the authori-
ties toward the schools. at the next
, moment II has been appalled, at the
effect which the apparently enormous
increase in the 1920 budget for the
I schools will have on the tax rate.
THE situation is therefore propitious
| for our political wiseacres to kill two
| birds with one stone. On the one hand
| those who demand more school buildings
will be made to think they are going to
get them, and on the other hand those
| who insist on a reduction In the city
J budget will be made to think they are
getting that when the Mayor and the
| Comptroller, at the psychological mo-
ment, have this $2S,o00.000 taken out
i Of the tax budget again, where It does
not legally belong, and placed under the
corporate stock fund, which Is to be
raised by bond issue under the so-called
| pay as you go exemption act known as
Chapter 85s OF the Laws OF 1918.
| This heroic piece of surgery will thus
enable the city fathers to pose as bene'
factors to the we'll known and long suf-
| fering 'peepul.' by appearing to purge
the alarming 1916, 100000 city budget
by over $28, 0O0. 900, which, 1t is implied
the school authorities have been trying
to put over on the public!
as Il not true, moreover, that 4
would be practically impossible to spent
such a sum within the coming year. ever
| IL IL were legal to grant II? Has not tn
Board of Education. as a matter of fact
during the last ten years, been unabl,
! to spend more than $6,0G0,000 in an,
single year for such purposes? IL thu
L L. tnx EtaIg
labor and In completing plans made thi
| impossible in the past. is II not prepos
J ferrous, In the light Of present abnorma
| difficulties in securing materials an,
labor, to propose such srandiose plai
for the ensuing year and expect TO ge
the cash to carry II out? Is IL not, mani
testify, simply an effort. for public effect
to play up TO the Mayors oft repeate,
blum that the schools could have up
wards OF s25, 900, 900 for building pur
poses at any time they wanted themT