The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-07
STATE AND LOCAL ExpENDITuREs.

The representative of one of the best coun-
ties in the State. and very intelligent man,
has expressed the opinion that state ex-
penses must be cut down for the reason
that the people are desperate because of the
burden of their taxes. They feel" he said,
that the expense of maintaining the state
government is largely in excess of what it
should be-" In his message Governor Mount
exposed the false assumption that the state
expenses are so large as to be a burden. To
meet the expenses of the State. including
the levy fer the sinking fund.- which is 3
cents on each 500, only Il cents on 800 is
laid upon the taxable property of the State.
The actual levy for the maintenance of all
the public institutions and to pay the inter
est on the public debt is IA cents per $780, All
these expenditures call for only 1-3 cent
per 500 more than goes to public schools
and higher educational institutions. 1t is not
probable that the general expenses of any
state government i'm the Union which affords
so many advantages are less per capita than
those of Indiana.
The assessed property of the county re-
ferred to is $169OO,00O. of which S2OOO,0G0 is
railroad property Deducting the interest on
the school fund, the county in question paid
into the state treasury $4S, 10 and received
back as interest on the school fund and the
11-cent school levy $26. 600, leaving about $23,-
OC0 as the net amount paid into the state
treasury. This is about 1876 cents on each
500 of the county valuation. No reasonable
man will become desperate when he consid-
ers such facts as the above.
In the county in question the lowest levy
in any township which included all taxes,
was $1.15 on each 500 and the highest 1921.
The average of the lowest and highest is
$l.57. The state levy for other than school
purposes was Il cents. leaving the average
rate for county. township and other local
taxes $1.36 per 800. Moreover, all the taxes
assessed in the county in question last year
amounted to 1924, O66. Deducting from this
total the net amount which the county
turned into the state treasury over what it
drew out as school funds-$23 00O-and it APP
pears that over 100000 of taxation was ex-
pended by county, township, city and town
governments. Furthermore, township gov
eminent cost from 1924 to $4.6U per capita,
the average being 1884.
1t may be added that the representative
in question expressed doubts about the
wisdom of the proposed township council,
it had been reported that it was not salts
factory in other States. He was also GER
tain that the people would be relieved if the
sinking fund levy be suspended, leaving the
next generation to pay the state debt.
Doubtless in every county there are men
interested in the. present methods of county
expenditures who do their utmost to turn at
tention from them to state expenditures Tax
payers should not be deceived; So per cent.
of all their taxes are for local government,
which they can make effective and economi-
cal The statement is made and it is prob
ably true, that local expenditures can be
reduced 20 per cent. and better results OBJ
tanned.