The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-02-27
THE TAN LEVY.
The Effect OF Reducing the Present Tax
Levy rs Proposed by Senator Winters

Levy IS proposed by Senator Winters
Bill.
Communicated
The Sentinel has at different times spoken
in favor of measure now bsfore the Legis-
latuTe, and known as Senate bill No. IL,
which limits the tax levy in Marion County
to thirty-three cents on the 500 valuation.
In your issue OF yesterday you take the
Representatives of this county ID task
for permitting the bill 10 slumber in
The House AS taxpayer having
the county's welfare at heart, / deem it my
duty to point out the folly of such q meas
ure. To bring the matter plainly before you
| would say that the taxabies OF this county
are in round numbers SIC, 600 600, to which
must be added 10000 polls. Now. under the
most economical administration this county
ever had that OF Mr.. Ostermeyer) it cost the
county last year 1852 943 40 being reduc-
ton from the year before of nearly $50, 600.
In order TO get the expenditures within this
amount 1852, 943.49) it required unceasing
Watchfulness on the part OF the county's
most faithful servant, Mr.. Ostermeyer. No
stone was left unturned to save dollar
Every thing was cut down TO the lowest
notch, and it is notorious fact that Marion
County is paying It's employees less tn N any
other county Ia the State. Now. what would
Os the result Of q law limiting the tax
rate 10 thirty. cents. The taxa0les being
S16 COO COO, thirty three cents on the sum
would yield a revenue OF $3.50, 500 provided
al is collected; TO which add $4,000 for
polls never mora than this being collectedl
and Y0u have grand total Of S26O, 500, or
so. / t. 80 less than is required 10 run the
county under It's most economical manage
ment, TO say nothing of the railroad judg-
ment of nearly 100000 rendered against the
county, as well as a floating debt of oyer
500, 000 that must be provided for.
The great drawback to retrenchment in
our county is that the Commissioners have
control over only very limited amount of
county expenditures. Such items az court
expenses, account of poor, County Asylum,
assessing revenue and many Others amount
ing annually 10 over $780, GO, are fixed By
Law, ana the board has no choice in the
matter, the same not even coming before
It, excepting the item pertaining to pau
pers, which STises through the Township
Trustees, and even in this the board is only
required to allow the amounts named IN the
Trustees reports. They have no control
over the Trustees expenditure. De uses his
own discretion Ia the matter. The passage,
then, OF such measure would be a calamity
TO the county, and would result in one Of
two things: either our county or
ooers would be stamped mot paid
for want OF funds" which would
result in their being hawked about the
streets at discount, to be bought up by cap.
italists, or the valuation Of property would
have TO be increased, and the Lord knows il
is already high enough, and the additional
hardship thereby created would be the ad-
ditionsl State tax that would have to be paid
On an increased valuation.
Your are mistaken in your assertion that
our members of the General Assembly are
pledged to reduction Of the rate OF taxation.
They are pledged TO oppose any measure
tending to increase the indebtedness of the
city of indianapolis or the County OF Ma.
rion, or to increase taxation, or to any
change in the law as it now is By support.
ing this measure they virtually vote to in
crease indebtedness. CITIZEN.