The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-28
RIGHT TO THE TAXES
THE CITY NOW HAS NO REVENUE
FROM NORTH INDIANAPOLIS.
Township Gets the Taxes, While City
Pays for SchOOls-The Whisky
Ordinance.

City Attorney Curtis is to be asked for an
opinion in regard to the right of the city TO
the taxes assessed by the township in 1895
against North indianapolis. The ordinance
annexing this territory was passed by the
Council a short time before April !, 1895, but
the last publication, as required by law, was
not made until about a week after April 1.
The ordinance had to be printed two weeks
before 1t could become a law. The taxes are
assessed on all property on April 1 OF each
year. The township trustee made a levy
amounting TO 55 cents on each 500, and this
is now being paid by the residents OF North
Indianapolis 1t is deemed unfair that the
city should derive no benefit from this tax,
when it is bearing all the expense OF main
tanning police and fire protection and schools
for North indianapolis.
1T is not known just what the assessment
in North Indianapolis will amount TO, but it
is thought the taxes derived from the levy
of 80 cents will be between $1,000 and $4,000.
Under present conditions the city will receive
no revenue from this part of the city until
the taxes are paid in the spring of 1897
The Board of Safety is considering what
must be done to give North Indianapolis
proper fire protection, and will take some ac-
ton on the question in a short time. The
board, the Mayor and the city controller will
go out and look over the ground so as to de-
termine what is needed. There are no water
pipes, and it would be very expensive to have
them laid. 1t is believed that few large
cisterns, which could be filled by engines
from the canal. would answer the purpose,
for all the larger buildings located near
enough to the canal to enable the engines to
pump water from it, An engine house will
also be necessary. Altogether the expense
will be very large, and the city officials think
1t is not just that the township should re-
ceive the benefit of the taxes assessed for
last year, with the city paying all expenses
There are decisions by the Supreme Court
which cover the point and show clearly that
the city is entitled by law TO the taxes. Judge
Mcbride Yesterday reeai iis, IRON memory one
townships with adjoining borders, which
were asked to vote on the question of grant
ing subsidy 10 railroad. One voted in
favor Of the grant and the other against ii.
Before the tax was collected the County
Commissioners changed the boundary lines so
as TO take from each township a part of its
territory and annex 1t to the other. The SUI
preme Court held that the land annexed by
the township which had voted for the tax
must pay its portion, although the people in
the annexed part had voted against the tax
when part Of the other township, and that
the part annexed by the township that had
voted against The tax need not pay IT. al
though il had voted in favor of the tax
There is a case from this county that was
recalled by ex-Mayor Denny man living
in one of the out townships moved to the
city shortly after April !. He had been as
sessed In the township from which he moved,
and was later assessed in this city The SUI
preme Court held that the assessment in the
city was valid. and could be collected. while
that in the out township should be dropped
from the duplicate.
1t Is thought that these two cases are suffi-
cent to show the legal right of the city 10
the taxes that now being paid as the first
installmeDt Of the tax of 1895 by the citizens
of North Indianapolis.
There would still be another question that
would cause much bother. The assessment
in the township is 80 cents and a poll tax of
80 cents. The city levies tax of 80 cents
and the levfes of the School Board, for vari-
Gus purposes, brings this up 10 about 80 cents.
The question would be on the division of the
levy OF % cents. OF that amount. Is cents is
p tuition fund