New-York tribune., 1921-04-11
Education Bills,
Quietly Pushed,
Help I alnllnally
Advocates of Vital bu,
Ambiguous Measures Are
Ready 10 lam Them Over
in Assembly This Week
Open Funds to Politics
School Moneys in City En-
empt From Debt Iinlil
and Subject to Mayor
From a STAT correspondent


ALBANY, April 1o-The pro-
ponents of one Of the most vital pieces
of legislation affecting the public
schools of the state, and on which
~.ere have been no public hearings
will try to jam the measure through,
the Legislature this week.
Legislators who have made study
of education and are considered ex-
perts on the subject by their col
bill or hills--for there are two of
them. differing in many essentials
intend to accomplish.
The measures. which were intro
duced by Assemblyman Judson Wright
OF Chautauqua, and Senator John
Mullan. bear the simple and similar
title of "An act to amend the educa-
ton law relative to boards of educa-
tion in the city school districts"
Both define school districts in the
cities of the state as political sub
divisions of the state for the purpose
of raising taxes for school purposes
and administering the schools With
this principle few of the critics Of
the Mullan- Wright legislation find
fault.
Leaves Sop to Tammany
But what one of the school experts
characterlzes as sop 20 Tammany is
, provision in both bills which ex-
empts New York City from the pro
vision making al school boards in
the state elective. In New York City
the Board of Education is to be ap-
pointed by the Mayor
Another bid for Tammany support is
the provision which exempts the
school expenses from the constitu-
ticnal debt limit. This provision
means that in New York City the same
amount Of money now appropriated d
for education, and which must go into
the city budget, can be used for in
crcasing Tammany job-holders' sal
aries and creating new places for some
of the Hearst Hylan- -Tammany outfit
This year the money appropriated for
schools in New York City was
$4,000 600.
Assemblyman Ebery Hutchinson, vice
chairman of the joint legislative Com
mittee on Education, which has been
studying the educational system Of the
state for the last year, and of which
Senator Mullan il chairman, said that
the Introduction of any legislation af-
fecting the public school system of the
state, as is contemplated in the Mullan-
Wright bill, is not in accordance with
committee and representatives of the
cities and the various agricultural So
cieties.
Were to Wait a Year
"My distinct understanding" said
Mr.. Hutchinson, "is that we were to
wait until next year, so that we could
receive the reports of the committees
representing the cities and the oranges
and other organizations of farmers,
who are now studying the subject, and
whose labors will not be finished until
next GUNNER"
The bill raises the tax levy for school
purposes in New York City from 40
mills to 8 mills While this seems al
most to double the tax here. the fact
is that mills will raise but $50 1000 900,
approximately. This is but S2,0OO000
in excess of the present budget. With
the primary purpose of the bill-to
make the public schools of the state in-
dependent of local uthorities-no one
finds fault. But bitter fight will be
waged to make the board in the City of
New York free from the domination of
Tammany Hall.
Those who have studied the two bills,
and who are experts on bill drafting
and education. confess they do not quite
understand the purpose of some of the
provisions of the measures.