Evening star., 1953-07-16
School Board
To Air Budget
Before Public
Hearing to Allow
Citizen Comment,
Revision Requests
By Jones G. Deone

AAAC DOu4O VI GuuCdUIO1l HAS
decided to give citizens a look at
its proposed budget before send
ing it to the Commissioners. A
public hearing will be held to
get citizens views and requests
for revisions.
The new policy-precedent-
breaking in the District Govern
ment-may run into slight
hitch this summer, however.
Time may be too short.
Board members adopted the
policy change in a special poll
yesterday. They acted after get
ting an opinion from Corpora
ton Counsel Vernon E. West
that the change was legal.
The board ignored a caution
ing memorandum from Mr.. West,
however, that citizens might
want other city departments and
agencies to follow suit. The
board said it doubted this.
All District departments long
have kept their budget proposals
secret. They have been re-
leased by the Commissioners
themselves. The school board is
the. first to break away from
this custom.
Committee Approval First.
Under the new policy, the
proposed school budget will be
released as soon as it is approved
by the boards finance commit
tee. Then a public hearing will
be scheduled about 10 days later.
After the hearing the finance
committee will give the plans a
final review, then ship them off
to the District Building.
The new policy takes effect
Immediately. But c. Melvin
Sharpe, board president, said the
1954-5 budget-now in prepara-
tion-may have to be at the
District Building too soon to al
low a public hearing ahead of
time this summer.
The Commissioners have set
a deadline Of August 3, and
Supt. Hobart M. Corning doesn't
expect to get the budget finished
until July 20 or 30, Mr.. Sharpe
said.
RevisiOns Could Follow.
The board president said
District Budget Officer Walter l..
Fowler assured him the school
board could send up revisions
later. however, so the hearing
probably will be held anyway,
Mr.. Sharpe said.
The new policy grew out of
recent discussions among board
members about giving the public
more information on school
actions. Walter N. Tobriner,
legislative chairman, submitted
the plan. Board Member Robert
r. Faulkner was another ad-
vocate of more publicity.
The Board for a number of
years has held two public meet
ings on the budget. One in the
spring, is to hear requests from
parents and citizens. At the
second, in the winter, cuts made
by the Commissioners have been
outlined, but no requests heard.
The Commissioners always
hold a hearing after they have
made all the departmental
budget requests public-though
they seldom alter the school
boards proposals.
Intervention Ruled Out.
But citizens never have had
a chance to ask for changes in
the school boards plans before
they are sealed and delivered to
the District building.
Mr.. Faulkner strongly criti-
cized the post-mortem explana-
tory meeting when it was held
this year. He called it pointless.
DR.. Corning and other board
members subsequently also de-
cided it should be dropped.
The Commissioners themselves
approved Mr.. Vests ruling that
the new procedure is perfectly
legal. It isn't known what their
attitude will be if other depart
ments try to follow suit.
Recreation Supt. Milo F..
christensen already has spoken
favorably of a suggestion that
budget meetings of the Recrea-
ton Board be opened to the pub
lie, although Henry Gichner,
new board chairman, opposes
this.
Mr.. Sharpe. meanwhile, is
planning to seek an opinion on
whether the School Board is
violating law in keeping it's f.
nance committee meetings secret.
He, Mr.. Tobriner and Mr.. Faulk-
ner all have said this appears to
be the case. since the law says
only committee meetings for
teacher appointments can be
closed. Mr.. Sharpe said he'll seek
a change in the law if necessary
in order to keep finance sessions
closed. Mr.. Faulkner, on the