The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-03
In Addition II VIII Also Require Tax
of Fifty Cents on Each Poll to
Cover Estimates.
TEMPORARY LOAN EXPLANATION
THE MAYOR, As USUAL, MAKES At
TEMPT TO BE FOXY.
A Recommendation for n Tax on Nat
uraI Gas Mains-The Depart
mental Estimates.

Mayor Taggart last night sent the follow
ing message to the City Council:
II submit herewith the estimates for APP
preparations for the several city depart
ments for the year 1902, as revised by the
city controller. By these estimates the ex-
principally due to the increased fire force
and appropriations for printing, payment
Of benefits and payment or appraisers IN
the Department of Public Works, made
necessary by the assessment law passed by
the last Legislature. There is also an APP
preparation of 5000 for cfsterns, which are
necessary for fire protection. These in
creases are partially covered by decreases
III the Departments of Parks and Public
Health. The total assessment of taxable
property, as shown by the report OF the
assessor, is 1923, SOS, 925, on which 1-cent
levy may be counted to raise only $12,955S9
If no allowance were made for delinquency.
1t will require a levy of II cents and 90
cents each poll TO cover these eStlnat eS
To this, then, must be added, as required
by law, L cent each for the police and fire
mems pension funds. l would also call
your attention to the law of 1901 EActs,
for sinking fund for the ultimate pay
ment of the cityS bonded debt, Whlch L
recommend to be made. l therefore recon-
mend that the tax levy be fixed at IS cents
and 30 cents for each poll for the payment
of current expenses and for the police and
firemen's pension funds for the year 1902
and that a levy of cents on each 500 be
made in accordance with the provisions or
the act above referred to.
This does not include any provision LOT
paying the temporary loan, which will be
no larger than last year. In this connec-
ton l desire to quote from my annual mes
sage, dated March Is, 1901, the following:
ION account of the low tax levy the city
has been required, during the year 1900, TO
make temporary loans. which have been Sc
cured at exceedingly low rates of interest
averaging about 3 per cent Had the tax
levy been made high enough TO have at all
times sufficient money on hand TO meet de-
mands the levy would have been largely in
IF ma moods
the reason that taxes, constituting two
thirds of the city's annual revenue, are
payable semi-annually, so that with tax
levy commensurate with the city 5 needs at
all times there would necessarily have re-
manned in the treasury large sums OF
money for which there would have been no
Immediate use, resulting in the Well-knoWn
and invariable tendency to increase ex-
penditures and exhaust the surplus, which
would require higher tax levy and tempo
rary loans in addition.
'T therefore believe that a low tax levy,
even though a temporary loan is occasion
alyl necessary, is proper and just to the
taxpayers and IS the businesslike way in
which TO manage the financial affairs of the
city. With low tax levy more economy
is practiced in the administration of gov
eminent than when the levy is high and
surplus Of money is In the treasury.
by the controllers estimate three
fourths of the revenue for next year will
have to come from direct taxation. L renew
my recommendation that tax or cents
per foot be levied on the natural gas mains
was long since agreed to by the COM
panies. and that license of 81 900 be put on
breWeries which they always paid until
1899. If this is done and these special taxes
be made payable in advance, as they should
be, the January temporary loan needed to
500 600. and within two years the entire
amount would be paid without any increase
of direct taxation"
Accompanying the mayors message were
the departmental estimates for the present
fiscal year, showing the following totals: