Evening journal., 1923-02-01
Clash over
LEVY OF CITY
SCHOOL TAX
Cconu..ued from First PAse)

! (Cont-.ued from First Pege)
and David a. Ward. superintendent
OF Schools In Wilmington. appeared
20 state their views
The Mayor and Councilmen
/ strongly urged the adoption Of the
bill. While the school officials were
equally strong in their opposition
TO II. Mr.. McManus is chairman OF
the Finance Committee OF City
Council.
The charge was made by Repre-
sentative McManus that the board
had asked City Solicitor Satterth-
waite 20 draw up a bill for presen-
tatlon 10 the present Legislature Civ
ing the board power 20 levy tax up
TO $14O on the 500 for school pur-
poses IN addition 10 all the other city
taxes tho residents OF Wilmington
have 10 pay. but that Mr.. Satterth-
waite refused 20 do this as he had
already drawn a bill IN opposition
20 such move. Mr.. McManus ex-
planned Mr.. Satterthwaite had moth
Ing 10 do with drafting his bill. as
he had prepared Il himself. he said.
Senator Hardesty presided at the
hearing. and Representative Nc
Manus explained what his proposed
bill would do in giving city Coun-
ell the right 20 say how much the
school Board would spend for
schools and taking from the board
tho power TO levy a special tax up
20 mills on the dollar. This Z
mills on the dollar would mean
tax increase OF 90 cents on the 500
that Wilmington residents would /
have TO pay. and tho people are op-
posed 20 any such increase. Mr.. Nc I
Manus said. /
Council ls the revenue raising .
bond OF the city and it should have .
the power 20 say what the taxes |
are TO be for all departments and /
Mr.. McManus contended.
Representative Virden wanted 10
know II the School Board did not
know the needs OF the schools bet
ter than tho Council does. and Rep
resentative Little asked II the
School Board was not elected by the
people the same as Council and IL
tho board members are supposed 20 ]
1e competent business men.
Mr.. McManus said they are sup
POSED 20 be. but on December OF
ast year the board passed a reso-
uuon asking the city Solicitor 20
iraft a bill to enable that board TO
evy a tax OF "a mills on the
lollar and 10 issue bonds up 20
81, 900. 900 a year but the City So
icltor had refused TO draw such a
1iu.,
Mayor Harvey made an earnest
speech IN favor OF the McMauus bill.
He said City Council is the body that
has 20 consider the needs OF all city
departments. Tie was interrupted
by DR.. Washburn. who said the
school board IS a state institution
and not a city department.
Mayor Harvey with much heat re-
piled that Il is their duty 20 look ar
ter the schools only in Wilmington,
and the. needs OF the children in I
schools are OF great con-
Germ TO the people OF Wilmington,
and besides under the present law
he citizens OF Wilmington are the
1nes who would have 20 pay the in
,reased taxes and not the people Of
he State.
The Mayor said the officials OF the
.ity became alarmed when they
earned OF the power the School :
Board has under the existing law TO ]
avy special taxes Independently and @
Without regard 10 the needs OF the $
ther city departments He declared s
his creates n dangerous situation.
Ie thought there should be but one s
lx levying body IN the city for one %
ody can see the whole problem bet n
Pr than any individual department q
osidering its own needs independ- o
ntly. He cited figures 10 show that q
ne School Board Is now getting 81
vice as much money as it did four "
ears ago and he challenged anyone b
, say that this would indicate the
,hools for the year being sighted. b
n none can say the number OF =
lildren has doubled in four years
Mayor Harvey said the city ls
ow spending 100000 year.
hich Is double the amount spent
1914. but no questioned where
le city IL going 20 land n Il taxes
)ntinue 10 increase. for It's revenue
reducing sources are standing still k
stead OF being increased. He ask
that the city be given a chance (
recover from its severe blows Z
iring the reconstruction DAYS
blowing the war. He declared VIII 4
ington was hit harder during this
sriod than almost any other city IN
10 country. He said no citizen OF a
wanted to be consider b
as retarding the growth OF the
lblic schools but he begged the 3
not 10 give anybody the q
'wer TO complicate the situation Z
Nv existing in Wilmington. He said
llmingtOn contributes handsomely q
the county and state and they 4
d not intend to slight the schools 81
ere. but the city has lost in popu-
ton and in industries and its re- n
uroes have been cut down. The
penditures must not be increased
ID he expressed the hope the
'gisiature would pass the Nc 4
anus bill.
DR.. Ward. superintendent Of III
irTyT nVFEFByy Nh