The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-24
THE CITY'S FINANCES
What Republican Control Is Do
ing for indianapolis.
Revenues Largely Increased-Rrick for
South Meridian Street-Alabama
Street RemGnstrants Heard.

That Democracy is a tax was never so
clearly demonstra ted as in "A comparison be-
tween the present administration of city Gf-
fairs and the administration under four
years Of Democratic misrule. 1t will be
some time before the city has fully recov-
cred from the effects OF four years Of Dem
ocratic supremacy. but already the relief
can be seen in the distance The present
administration was left a legacy of in
debtedness and maturing bonds TO meet
which no effort had been made by it's pre-
decessOr. and the result, had the Democra-
cy continued in power. can only be imag-
ined, if the Imagination is capable of the
task. The revenues have been materially
increased by the vehicle and brewery tax.
Both of these measures were preached dur
ing the preceding administration, which
went so far as TO make a weak attempt to
pass both measures. but no material results
ever came from the insincere effort. Hardly
had the present administration come into
power before il took up these measures and
pushed both through 50 as TO yield consid-
cradle revenue 10 the city. From the We
hicle tax the city has thus far secured
S2O,132.35, and from the brewery license it
has realized $1,000. In this connection will
be remembered the strict enforcement Of
the saloon license fee ordinance BY the city
charter the city has Jurisdiction over sa-
looms for a distance of two miles from the
city limits. except in Incorporated towns
or cities. Controller Truser has started
after the North indianapolis saloons, ard
will compel them to pay the city license
OF $50 per annum. This suburb ia not in
corpOrated, and the saloons there are La
bic to the license fce. being within the
I'll.
saloons in this suburb and all of them will
be compelled to pay.
Controller Trusler was asked yesterday
afternoon when the city would begin to
consider the estimate for the tax levy for
next year He said it would not be con-
sidered before June or July, and the rate
would depend upon the estimates Of the de-
Dartments as TO the funds needed for the
various DEPARTMENTS of the government. He
ssald IL would be impossible TO state at this
time what the levy would be.
What is the estimate Of the clty's por-
ton of the April installment Of taxesT
1T is $371, 1916
How. Much OF that amount will be re-
CURES Tor Tor the payment of outstanding tenn
The. The payment of temporary loans will
"Wni the city have to borrow money with
which 70 meet it's running expenses between
the present time and the receipt of the
NO. The funds at hand will be ample
10 meet current expenses without making
another loan"
The question of a sinking fund with
which to liguidate the bonded Indebtedness
o. the city has been receiving the attention
OF the city authorities. The unwiss policy
Of carrying a large bonded indebtedness at
a hTSh rate of interest will no longer be
pursued. Controller Tfuser and Chairman
considering plans for providing for sink
ing fund to be utilized IN the redemption
OF o, the bonds that have been and are to be re-
FUNDED when they become due. The con-
troller was asked if he contemplated rec
ommending the levy Of a special tax for
thought much of this. Before a tax could
De levied to provide for a sinking fund
}deiSio you'd probably have to be special
sources OF revenue which could be utilized
for the purpose Of providing for a sinking
fund There were sources of revenue which
the city had a right 70 draw from which
had never been utilized, and he thought II
Mould not De necessary 70 make special
tax. Ha was asked If he had ever con-
ss.dered o proposition to use the saving in
interest between the and per cent bonds
for sinking fund purposes. and said he had
eSsary TO appropriate money thus saved for
that purpose. The amount of this saving,
900 due In July and the 100000 due next
year at per cent, will be $39.9l3.50. The
luded was the power of the city, granted
in the charter. to tax corporations. The
charter gave the city the right to tax and
license the distribution and supply of nat
ural and artificial gas. electricity and water.
The franchise of the natural gas company,
he said, gave the city the right to tax it
cents per foot upon all of its mains IF
this source of revenue was drawn upon,
said the Controller, lit would yield tGe city
at least 100000 per year, and would of itself
be sufficient in time to pay off the city
Indebtedness. When a sinking fund Is Gre
ated / would not recommend that IL be
placed In control of any public officer, but be
put in charge OF a sinking fund commission.
This would do away with the possibility
the public money at interest and securing
a handsome profit for some individual.
The question of taxing the corporations
for their privileges was brought up in the
Council under the preceding administration,
but the Democratic majority voted il down,
and the large revenues that should have
come TO the city have gone to the corpora
tiOns. Another phase that is being consid-
cred in connection with the sinking fund is
cation. If this is in favor of the city it will
yield a large income that could be applied
to a sinking fund for the purpose OF reliev-
ing the city of it's burdenSOme debt
Controller TruSler saws there has been q
decrease i'm the expenditures in some quar-
ters. but that the city had bcen forced on
account of the large number OF men out of
work this winter TO spend more money upon
the streets than during a corresponding
spccts there had been decrease of eXpendi-
lures. He said the strictest economy would
be observed In making the estimates for
the ensuing year upon which the tax levy
would be based. The efforts OF the city will
be to decrease rather than increase the ex-