The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1912-09-17

INDULGE IN
REPARTEE

| The East Chicago city council had a
nice. cozy time of 1t last evening that
reminded all present of olden days
! Most of the important business was
brought to a standstNl and because Of
this 1t looks as though the tax payers
VIII be obliged to pay just u cents
more than they would have done had
! it been possible to make certain Of the
lcouncilmen understand the situation
Pleasant little personalities were in
idulged in and some brilliant repartee
sprung.
The most important act of business
that was stalled off was the adoption
of the tax levy. This should have been
attended to before as the law allows
only until October / to provide for
new levy, ut the absence of a quorum
two weeks ago. postponed action until
last night. and Aldermen Myslevi.
French and ketcfk were sufficient to
block things then. After fruitless at
tempt to make these gentlemen under
stand the situation, and act reasonably,
Mayor SchHeker was obliged to give 1t
up in despair.
Incidentally with tho check to the
adoption of the tax levy the budget was
necessarily held up. and it Looks now
as though the same rate of taxation 3
have to prevail again. although Mayor
iSchlieker and some OF the rest did their
best to reduce the rate to s1.SS.
Itemized, the rejected levy stands as
/ follows, with reference to increase and
decrease of the various funds;
Increased on general fund, Il cents
Increase in lighting fund, 10 cents
Increase on water fund. : cents.
Increase on sinking fund. ! cent.
Decrease interest on public debt fund
4 cents.
Decrease on park fund. 10 cents,
Abelishing Of intersection fund. max
ing decrease of 20 cents.
Thus it will be seen that the de.
creases when footed up exceeds the in
crease by IL cents
All the opposing aldermen could
make out Of it was that there was an
increase in certain 1ems. The grand
total seemed beyond their grasp. 1t was
: ia vain that the general reduction was
! pointed out to them. 1t was in vain that
p the fact that their attention was called
> to the statute which declares that If the
q tax levy is not fixed before October !,
f the prevailing levy be retained. 1t was
/ | In vain the aldermen were told that
some funds had to be increased on ae-
count OF shortages last year. as in the
police fund for example which must be
made UP. and that extra men must be
taken on both the police and fire de-
= rartments to man the patrol wagons
: and the new fire engine. etc.
1T was in vain that il was dr1mmed
!; into their ears that there was an ovcr-
e Plus of $1,000 in the intersection fund
e that the new levy sought TO abolish
Il; and that if the present levy were al
I
/ simply be paying 90 cents TO RAISE
$4,000 (the amount Of last years IN
tersection fund.-, to add to the idle 81
600 still on hand. and to draw Interest
for the city treasurer This win maxi,
$4,000 Of useless money to the tan
. lpayers. 1t was intimated thas Mr.
: Slocomb was the only person In Fasl
: Chicago who would thank the aldermen
:. for their voluntary generosity. but
5 nothing could make the three ms
r guided friends of the peepula $50
> more than the fact that there were
. increases" The dear peepu viii bt
''protected' if Aldermen French, Ketcile
= and Myslevt know themselves. ana Il
L their constituents don't speedily brins
= them to their senses. But this trans
y formation must be before October L o.
:, the old levy OF So win prevail
Every thing hinged on the suspen
: sion of the rules. Had the lnle beer
: suspended and the levy ratifted tn,
> budget could have been put through
and the taxes of the community re
= duced tax from 50 to s1SS But tn
!, trio of watchdogs said no" and Their
was no suspension.
The reading of the budget itsel
created no end Of excitement. 1t 4
this that provides specifically the in
!, 1creases to the police and fire depart
ment fund. This aroused Jimmie Burn
to activity and over the increased ligh
, fund, Jimmie worked himself up to
fine frenzy. He talked about "us poo
fellows" on unlighted residence thor
% oughfares putting up for the extr
u light on the business streets and thi
!. speech occasioned Alderman schocle +
4. advise Jimmie to carry lantern. an
. Jimmie retorted that there were Ger
tain parties whom he would refrair
from naming that needed a red hgh
u As 10 the increase in the police an
fire department fund, 1t looked to Jim
4 ME as though some one could he hav
meant Mayor schlieker) was trying t
s. build up a machine.
r Ketcik sarcasticauy remarked tina
ID it would be a good thing to have
IS fourteen-ye ar-old boy to act al janito
o. Of the city hail. which gave Mayo
I'd Schlieker chance TO retort that h
2 was yearning for some fourteen-year
a old boys in the city council.
2, The change he thought would b
S quite beneficial to the tax payers
q Calvin at an inopportune tim
IA moved that the council adjourn. Tn
g mayor ignored the motion Jimml
Burns said he understood that Their
q was motion before the house. Tn
mayor replied that there was but tina
= it was not going to be put. And wha
was Jimmie going to do about II?
q As TO the water ordinance which pre-
= posed to change the fiat rate syster
now prevailing to a meter system gi,