The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-22

The communication OF the mayor is as
follows:
ITO the President and members of the
Conomn Council:
Gentlemen: I herewith submit to your
amounts OF money required during the year
1894 for the various departments of the
I'm submitting these estimates of Hon.
George t. Breunig. city controller, desire
especially to direct your attention to the
fact that Notwithstanding the growth of
the city: that notwithstanding the increased
demands upon the city treasury incident TO
pGch growth; that Notwithstanding the large
amounts OF money provided for the various
departments for the making or sucn I'm
provements and repairs are required not
only TO maintain the present high standard
o1 all forms of city property. but also TO
meet legitimate demands of the municipal
government. that the amounts OF money
called for By the various departments are
I'm this estimate s26.55s-55 less than the
srnounts appropriated for the present year
or 1903. Reference TO the estimates of the
controller Will show that the amount of
year 1904 will be 81 l.365552. p. and that the
tax duplicate against which this sum is
1aic shows a total valuation. less exemp-
tions. of d43.oS7.57O. Placing upon the dupli-
cate a levy Of IS cents will produce in adj
dition TO the. poll tax and miscellaneous re-
ceipts. less the percentage charged for
delnquencies and auditors certificates, the
sum of $1.365.o II. Believing that good
business management demands that no
more money be collected from the people
than Is actually required to carry on the
expenses OF the city government, | there
fore recommend TO your honorable body
that the levy for city purposes for the
year 1901 be fixed at IS cents. as compared
levy or n cents, under the law, il is neces-
sary that there shall be added cents on
account of the sinking fund and 1 cent
en account of the police and iremens PEN
sion funds.
TAXPAYER BENEFITED.
81 feel that the people OF Indianapolis are
to be congratulated upon this condition of
affairs and call your attention and through
you the attention of the people of Indian
apoiis. to the fact that this reduction in
the amount OF money demanded from each
hnudred dollars of property in the city is an
absolute relief 10 the extent of cents on
each 500 of valuation. and through no
manipulation of figures can it be honestly
made TO appear that the reduction thus
recommended does not accure directly to
the benefit OF the taxpayer.
In my annual message to your honorable
body In September. 1902 in recommending
increase I'm the tax levy. / stated nv
reluctance to lay upon the people this addi-
tional burden and in such connection said:
~ have always been and am now a be-
1iever I'm the lowest possible taxation con-
sistent with good business management
and conside IL the duty of every public
lie money to exercise the same care and
economy ir such expenditure as he would
IL he were ,iisbursing his own funds.
But ] have never been advocate of the
policy or Borrowing to-day 10 meet current
expenses and obligations of Tomorrow thus
but mortgasins the future. beIieye
IL is the best policy for a municipality 10
be managed like any other business enter
prise. and II would be considered bad bust
ness management for any corporation OF
mercantile establishment. to borrow money
10 meet current expenses rather than cur
tail dividends TO stockholders. or call upon
such stockholders to advance funds to main
tain the soivency Of the enterprise
his POLICY INDICATED.
II take 1t that the wisdom of this policy
thus declared OF establishing a tax levy
commensurate with the needs of the city
government: that the wisdom of calling
upon the stockholders. in this case the tax
payers. for sufficient funds TO maintain
their solvency, rather than give them a
fictitious benefit OF low tax levy with re-
sulting bond issues and temporary loans
has been vindicated by the logic of events
Public property has been brought back 10
that condirion i, In which II should always
been maintained In the years before the
commencement Of this administration
'.In the same communication to your hon.
crable body the following pledge was given,
The utmost economy shall continue &c
be practiced In every department. and II
possible by the most careful management
20 save any money from the amounts an.
propriated. such saving shall be made II
Is my purpose TO so conduct the fnancia
affairs of the city of indianapolis that a,
the expiration OF my. term OF once | shal
not only have placed the city in the phv.
steal condition I'm which IL should he foune
~ all times. but that there shall be a mate
rial change IN the condition of the city
treasury.
This pledge OF economy has been kept
0coNTINUED ON FACE Z. COL -