The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-19

cApcUSt Oh the city BOftIuntul Il GcSlso
TO say that the amount raised by general
taxation should be kept at the lowest pos
sible point. To this end l would recon-
mend that all corporations making use Of
the streets and public places of the city
should be required to contribute their pro-
pOrtionate share of special taxation for the
enjoyment of such special privileges. as
the city's streets are the property OF the
entire community, over which no class
should have such privileges without ade-
quate compensation for the same. i beg
To call your attention to the contracts made
by the city for such public utilities during
the past few years. The revenue now re-
ceived from all such sources is as follows:
Central Union Telephone Coz. se.0oo.oo
indianapolis Light and Power Co.. n.4li.so
indianapolis Street-railway Co... 100000
Total All. 10
lin addition TO the above, contracts were
made during the past year by which tie
Home Heating and Lighting Company.
lights, Will pay into the city treasury 5
per cent. of its gross receipts, and the In
dianapolis Clean Street Company Will pay
into the city treasury Is per cent of its
gross receipts.
SHOULD BE INCREASED.
LAS these contracts expire. / believe the
amounts exacted for a renewal should
be largely in excess Of those now received.
re contracts referred to were. in a meas
OICs DAOhCC VI t4t 1As III Ail0 VI
~rection, but with the growth of the city
and the great enhancement Of the value
of the privileges granted. l feel that COM
pensation more commensurate with their
real value should be asked for and re-
ceived.
o account OF the low tax levy, the
city has been required. during the year
800. to make temporary loans. which nave
81 IL T..~ -
interest, averaging about 3 per cent. Had
the tax levy been made high enough 10
have, at all times, sufficient money on
hand TO meet demands. the levy would
have been largely In excess Of the actual
needs of the city. for the reason that tax
es, constituting two-thirds OF the city's an
nual revenues are payable semi annually.
so that with a tax levy commensurate with
the city's needs at all times. there would
necessarily have remained 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 expenditures and exhaust the
surplus. which would require a higher tax
levy and temporary loans In addition.
II therefore believe that a low tax levy.
even though a temporary loan is occa-
sionaily necessary, Is proper and just TO
the taxpayers. and Is the businesslIke way
In which 10 manage the financial Affairs OF
the city. With n low tax levy more econ
Omy is practiced In the administratio OF
government than when the levy Is high
II concur I'm the recommendation OF the
city controller for the establishment OF
a sinking fund. setting aside annually a
portion Of the cfty's revenue for the grad
ual extinction of the bonded Indebtedness.
This is made possible by the enactment.
during the session OF the General Assembly
Just adjourned, OF an act authorizing the
establishment of such a fund.
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.
During the past ten years the city has
made many public improvements whereby
the thor~oughfares and alleys are general
Is i'm good condition. and 1 concur IN the
recommendation OF the Board OF Public
Works that only such public improvements
as are absolutely necessary. or are petit
toned for by the interested property hold
ers. should be required to be made. A ref
erence TO table No. Is IN the report CT the
city civil engineer will furnish yen full de-
tails as 10 the character and amount of
public improvements made since the enact
ment OF the charter.
81 have always held IL desirable for a
municipality 10 own it's own water works..
for reasons which have been often ex-
dressed and which are manifest. / have