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15 local law, which in addition to the County tax, permitted tuition fees to be collected from the pupils. The revenue from this source was larger. In Baltimore County $13,000 was paid by the pupils, being equal to an additional tax of 6 1/3 cents. In Cecil, the same per centum; in Washington County 5 cents, and in Harford County 7 cents per hundred dollars. These rates, added to the local tax, gave Cecil what was equivalent to 26 cents, Harford 19 cents, Baltimore 18 1/2 cents, and Washington 17 cents. When the local tax is withdrawn, the rate bill having been repealed, the Schools will receive a smaller revenue than under the local law. We look, therefore, with great, anxiety to the ac- tion of the Counties in this particular, for upon that action will depend the success of the noble effort we are making to establish Free Public Schools. The whole amount of School money apportioned to the Counties ia $300,753.14, which, divided among the 1300 schools now in opera- tion, gives the average of $230.88 tor each School, or less than $200 for the Teacher's salary, after deducting the necessary amount for inci- dental expenses. Each parent can, from these figures, calculate how long Schools will be open to the children if there he no additional revenue from local tax. To meet this emergency, I recommend the repeal of Section 9, Chap- ter I, entitled "Sources of Income," (page 341) of laws of 1865,) retain- ing all existing taxes by local law until the people ask their repeal; instead of repealing them, that they may be re-enacted by popular vote. Or, as an alternative, repeal all local laws relative to levying taxes for School purposes, raise the direct State School tax to 20 cents on the hundred dollars, and order a new assessment, of the property of the State. This will yield ample revenue for the support of the Schools at least nine months in the year and make the sessions uniform over the whole State. Such action by the General Assembly, and a law by which district taxation can be ordered by the voters for erecting School Houses, will meet the difficulties which now not merely threaten but are certain to impede progress. The argument against increasing the direct tax, to be divided ac- cording to population without reference to color, is that it will give Counties containing a large population of colored children an amount of money beyond their present need. This objection, however, can be honestly removed by providing Schools tor the colored children, as the Constitution designed. Of grave importance, as connected with the distribution of School money, is some method of ascertaining the population of the City of Baltimore and of the several Counties. Knowing that since the United States Census of 1860, there had been great relative change in the pop- ulation of different sections of the State, and especially in Baltimore City, I asked advice of the Attorney General, who instructed me that the United States Census of 1860 must be my guide, as the only official exhibit of our population and the basis of the apportionment of School money. By this course I am satisfied that the City of Baltimore loses |
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Proceedings and Acts of the General Assembly, 1866
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