Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-07-01
REVOKE ACTION IN SCHOOL
PROJECT; CALL ILLEGAL
CONTINUED from page -

whereas, in the judgment of this
board, the school accommodation
now provided in the district of the
city of Perth Amboy is inadequate
and unsuited to the number of pu-
pills attending, or desiring to attend
school; it is therefore deemed i'm
~peratively necessary to provide fur
ther school facilities. be it
Resolved, that for the purpose
of erecting and furnishing a school
building on the block bounded by
Hall avenue, Alta Vista place, Ar
mold avenue and Jacques street. 1t is
necessary to raise the sum of $780,
900.
whereas the present classrooms
provision of the high school is over
taxed and inadequate to accommo-
date the pupils obliged to attend this
school and In view of the fact that
the enrolment in September will be
increased to a number far beyond
the seating capacity of the present
building, it Is the sense Of this board
that additional classrooms are nee
essary which merits immediate at
tention, therefore be 1t
Resolved, tnat for the purpose
OF charging and furnishing the high
school on State street 1t is necessary
10 IdlSo lHG ouIil VI Pou,UUU.
The following letter was received
by the mayor from the city attorney
on June 20, the contents of which
the school authorities also take ex-
ception to, claiming that the raising
of funds is entirely possible accord
ing to ths'law.
June %, 1921.
"Hon. William c. Wilson, Mayor,
"City Hall, City.
my Dear Mayor:
with reference to the CONVERSE
ton had with you yesterday, wherein
you expressed your willingness and
your desire to do what you could to
facilitate the financing and erection
of a new Hall Avenue school, I have
carefully considered the matter and
have this to say:
1T is utterly impossible from a lie
gal point of view to cause a bond
issue to be loated to pay the cost
of the school. because in doing so we
would be exceeding our debt limit.
This does not necessarily mean that
the finances of the city ars not in
good condition. They are 'r better
condition nov than they have been
in the last number of years.
"As YOU know, under the Pierson
Finance act, the amount of debts
owing by the city at the time Of the
adoption of said act was over ten
per cent. 1t has nov been reduced
to about seven per cent, or a little
less. as is evidenced by the supple
mentary debt statement filed with
the board Of aldermen on last Mon-
day a. its regular meeting.
1.-THE only other way that the
school may be financed would be by
raising the moneys in the annual
budget (by direct taxation). This
would, of course. he doubling the
present tax rate and would practice
ally NEAR c~onflsearion, and the
moneys under such circumstances
could not be had until some time
next spring, because the budget is
not finally adopted until that time
and it would be necessary to sell
tax anticipation bonds In order to
raise said moneys.
1T might be possible, however
that our next valuations made by the
tax assessors would increase u
bond capacity but this could not be
done until practically next spring, as
the tax assessors do not make their
final report until that time. Under
the circumstances. ] do not see what
can be done until the early part of
the next year.
81 would not advise, however, rails
ing the moneys by the budget method
without the public having a voice in
the matter, as they in the end will
have to foot the bill.
I'm order to obtain sentiment OF
the tax payer. it would be neces-
sary to have an election which could
be provided for at the same time as
the fall elections. 1t might be pos
sible to rush a bill through the leg
islature at the beginning of the year
to provide for the issuance Of bonds,
under the circumstances which the
city of Perth Amboy finds itself in.
1T may not be new to you. how
ever, but as a matter OF fact, there
are other cities In the same boat that
Perth Amboy is in and perhaps with
their influence we may be successful
in securing the necessary legislation
at Trenton.
Respectfully submitted.
UI,EO GOLDBERGER,