Imperial Valley press., 1924-02-06

'the figures available, rs some are
working on the accrual basis and
Others on actual receipts and dis
bursements.
In the case Of FL Centre, saws
the report, it is impossible to pre-
sent any table of assets and liabi-
ltics. No accounts are kept of the
costs of permanent improvements
and equipment owned or of unpaid
current liabilities, it states.
Second only to the arraign-
ment of the Imperial Irrigation
District, is the grand jury's
comments on the school system
OF the county, where high
salaries for teachers, needless
and wasteful expenditures and
lack of business methods have
made it necessary to expend
rs cents of every tax dollar for
the maintenance of the school
system.
Recommend Salary Cut
1T is plain to this grand jury, "
says the report, "that no change
for the better can be hoped for un-
Ill each and every taxpayer be
comes aroused to the existing situa-
tion and demands that his school
trustees and the supervisors Of the
county take real control OF school
affairs and introduce business ne
thods along the line of economy
somewhat in keeping with other
necessary county government af
fairs.
No good citizen desires 20 do
the least thing that would in any
way impair the effieiepcy of oar
public school system but it is absurd
10 maintain that excessively high
salaries to teachers and extravagant
and wasteful methods all along the
line have any tendency to in anv
way raise the standard Of edura,
tion.
The special committee $ report on
public schools recommen that sal
aries of teachers, janitois and
school employees be cut ut least 20
per cent.
THE teachers ,institutc,' the
report states, ''eost Imperial coun-
y about $4,000 and the school
children one week of schooling NJ
the best time of the year, without
giving anything Of value 20 either
the school communities or t. the
school children. The teachers in
stitutc, with its former programs of
helpful suggestions in teaching,
model ;tutations and round table
discussions, mas deteriorated into y
lecture Platform, pieture show, 4
musical entertainment and {. pChti-
cal forum in which criticisms of
the 2oT:,Lo and all VINO tavHr -
trenchment and sane economy, are
held uu 20 ridicuic. We wonll
therefore recommend that in the
future, three days be glvcn to this
work and further that the institute
be held after the eTd OF the school
terni.'
\ strlltcl adherence to the spirit
and lCu \ of the law IS recHn.mend-
ed for the board Of supcrvis rs, the
report eating that certain rhinGs
have been done to indicate HAT the
are not entirely familiar
with THEN rights, duties ami imita
lions as provided in the state laws.
Many OF these acts have r? ,ul:o,l
only in ecod for. thc county, but
right things have been done in wrong
ways, claims the jury, leaving the
way open for irregularities i'll -he
future if present practices are con-
tinued.'
Urge Digest for Papers
Particular reference is made to
of county property. The
recommendation is made that the
supervisors instruct the clerk 10
prepare and furnish county news
papers with digest of the monthly
proceedings of the board and that
IN annual statistical record be pre-
pared for local publication, thus
keeping the taxpayers advised of
what is being done with their
inc ney.
Affairs in the county clerks
department. were found to be
in good condition. It was recon-
that a duplicate system of re-
ceipts for revenues and trust
furds received by the clerk be
installed SO that receipt will
be given to all who pay money
to him. An improved marriage
license stub and semi-annual
settlement with the public ad-
ministrator were also recon-
mended.
Considerable criticism is directed
toward the auditors department, the
statement being made that Auditor
Carey seems TO have been ''merely
a clerk of the board Of supervisors. -
The employment by the supervisors
of outside auditing experts, who in
some eases worked under the drrcc-
tion Of the county auditor, is term
ed tatamount 20 asking the auditor
to auditing his own books.
Investigation of the assessors Of
flee disclosed the information that
there is no scientific appraisement
and valuation of property by the
assessor of Imperial county. Con
solidation of the duties of the tax
collector and assessor is recommend
ed, as the two offices work only a
portion of each year, and the con
so!idation Of the salaries would en-
able the employment of trained,
high class official.
The bookkeeping machine system
of tho tax COLLECTOR is hiphlY com.