The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-09-29
BOWEL ACC0MP[|SHES
REDUCTION IN FIGHT
Cut Proposed City Tax Rate from S1,7o5
to $I.5o5 in Heated Session Monday
Night--Improvement of Fire Depart
ment is Taken Out

that is what is the matter with you.
.Not for 800 per week would |
take the office again" responded
Bowel. Everyone in the council
chamber drew a long breath, when in
the matter of unfinished business,
the mayer called for the tax levy
ordinance. Councilman SwindeA was
quickly on his feet, after.the article
had been read, and moved that the
ordinance be placed upon its second
reading, which was quickly seconded
by Clizbe. Bowel arose, and took
the recognition of Mayor Cleveland.
"Your Honor. and gentlemen of the
council, he began, after careful de-
liberation, and deep consideration OF
this ordinance, | have decided that
the proposed rate of Sligo is too
high. and / move to amend the
motion Of Swindell, that the rate
for the general fund be reduced
from $1.16 to $1.O0." The motion
was seconded by Vangilder. There
upon the debate ensued. Swindell be-
gan with his views of the situation.
Gentlemen, if you are going to
reduce the general fund to that rate
YOU might Just as we'll "shut up
shop" for we cannot carry the city
through the proposed improvements
and necessary maintenance, at that
reduced rate. The trouble is just this
the past city councils have been at
tempting to run the city at lower
rate than the expenditure demands,
and as q result, we are in debt over
$35. 900. These councils have been
bridging over, borrowing money, and
doing everything but pay off the
i, debts, or even keep the debt from
increasing. On the first of next July
there is due $500 on the water
works pIants,--- how are We going
to pay it with $1.OO general fund
How can We do anything for the City
meanwhile, how extend water works
or electric lights, how can We fix the
streets, or do anything else, which
surely is necessary to be done! The
fire department improvement is a
necessity. What is more sacred than
life or property? We must protect
these. We have been laboring fol
twenty gears, with an antiquated
fire department system, which is IN
sore need of improvement. We will
not have sufficient funds at $1.OC
general funds, what with the absence
of the $500 per year from liquor
licenses which is off.
Locates the Trouble.
1.-THE trouble lies with two sets
of citizens" continued the iratt
Swindell. ''these two are---frst the
petty politicians, and second the
eroaker. The first sees political capl
tai in the raise of taxes the secOnt
"kieks" on everything. These peo
pie would complain if the rate wa'
raised five cents. / believe that i
the taxpayers thoroughly undersoot
our intentions, they would sa,
"Amen'' to the increased rate. Al
to the politicians, | do not care 81
cent" whether the Republican part,
carries Marshall county this fall o.
not. If this has anything to do will
the situation | hope that they don't
Ii you cut the rate "there will b.
nothing doing" that is all. -
Too Much At Once.
Councilman Bowel replied i'll lik
tone. in defense of his position. "
am inspired by no motive other thar
nv own convictions, that the rat
is abortive' said he. "Politics ha
no more influence with me on thi
question, than with any other mem
Der on the council. We have fou
years ahead of us for improvements
and | see no need in doing 1T all i
one year, so that the tax rate mus
be boosted to the awful rate whic
you proposed. The proposed rate wa
! framed up without my knowledge
Ii voted for it on its first passage
without any consideration. / wOul
never have voted for its final pass
ace. at the last meeting, without cor
sidering the question. | have consid
cred it. have decided that it is TO
high and must come down. There
no need for the enormous expend
ture of $1,000 for the improvement
of the fire department, and installi
tion of the fire alarm system. A
for the extentiOn Of water work
and electric lights, | am Iii favor
them, but | am in favor of dOin
it gradually, and not all at one
Supposing that it is not quite
economical to draw out the wOrl
nevertheless we cant expect to pa
to everything in one year. / stan
for a gradual improvement, and NJ
this sudden, and immense raise.
will vote for a general fund rate {
$1.OO. and water works rate {