§89. Financial operation of boards on fiscal year basis; restrictions on expenditures; penalty for excessive borrowing

The parish school boards that have been operating upon a fiscal year basis, July first to June thirtieth, shall continue to operate upon that basis and the parish school boards that have been operating on a calendar year basis shall be permitted to continue to operate upon that basis, but they shall so adjust their finances that they shall begin operating upon a fiscal year basis on and after July 1, 1935; provided that no parish school board shall, after July 12, 1934, permit its expenditures out of current revenues, in any such year, to exceed its receipts for the same year, and, provided further, that all debts incurred by parish school boards prior to July 12, 1934, properly to be paid out of current revenues, are hereby declared valid and the school boards are authorized and directed to budget and pay the same, in whole or in part, when, as, and if, current revenues are or become available for that purpose.

When and after the budget for a school year has been duly, regularly, and properly prepared, considered and adopted, as prescribed herein, the parish school boards shall have the authority to borrow money to meet its budget or expenditures for the school year 1934-35 sums aggregating not in excess of three- fourths of its expected revenue receipts for current operation. And for the years thereafter the sums borrowed shall not aggregate more than one-half of its expected revenue receipts for current operation. As evidence of these loans the parish school boards may execute or cause to be executed notes or other evidences of indebtedness payable before the close of the school year, and pledge as security therefor their revenues for that current year, calendar or fiscal, as the case may be, and no longer. Provided, that in parishes having a population of two hundred thousand or more school boards shall be allowed to borrow as much as three-fourths of the expected revenue.

Parish school boards are prohibited from making budgets, expenditures, or disbursements, for current, or other expenses in excess of the revenues shown in the budget for that year. All notes or other instruments evidencing money borrowed by the parish school boards to be valid shall be authorized by appropriate resolution and shall be signed and executed by the president and the treasurer thereof but the said officials are prohibited from signing or executing the same in excess of one- half the amounts contained in the budget for current operation.

The president and treasurer, or any member of the parish school board, or any person, who signs, executes, causes, authorizes, or contributes in any manner to the borrowing of money in excess of the amount properly budgeted, for current operation, or beyond the limits and conditions herein prescribed, shall be fined not less than two hundred fifty dollars, nor more than one thousand dollars, and shall be removed from office in the manner prescribed by the constitution and laws of this state.