The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-04-25
HIGHER TAX RATE
TO MEET REPAIRS
Bridge Fund Needs May
Necessitate Gross Increase
of Six Cents According to
Commissioners.

A gross tax increase for 1915 of six
cents on the 500 is almost inevitable.
This increase will be in the bridge re-
pair fund. pulling 1t from the normal
ten cents to sixteen cents, but the
county commissioners hope the net
tax rate can be pulled down to make
the increase only four cents.
Money troubles of the county wor-
ried the commissioners and their ad-
visor, Auditor Bowman, today. They
have a list of improvements which are
absolutely necessary and which total
$4,000. Their endeavor today was to
pull this amount down to $4,000 in
order to make the loan of that amount
negotiable in a one days session, but
this was impossible.
The items given in the estimates of
John Mueller, county bridge engineer.
are:
McGrew bridge repairs in Washing
ton township, 1000; Grace bridge in
Center township, $1,000; Culvert on
state line northeast Of marlborough,
$40; Concrete arch over Elkhorn on
A. A. Smith farm southeast of Rich
mond, $4,000: additional expenses on
Doddridge fill. $3.50: piling for Rum
nell ford bridge. 1856.
The first two items were left over
from last year and were caused by
the March floods.
Anderson Gives Stand.
Albert Anderson, commissioner from
the Eastern district refused to allow
the passage of the list with the
$4,000 Smith farm bridge stricken out
without strenuous fight. He de-
clared that the taxpayers are being
done an injustice and unless the
bridge is built, those affected by it
should be exempted from taxation. He
won his point and the matter went to
the county council.
In explaining the request for funds
to build the Smith bridge Commission
er Albert Anderson said tax payers
who were paying the high rate of tax
alton had come to him and asked for
the Improvement over the ford, which
is bad one. When he tells the coun-
ty has no funds, they say they paid a
large amount of taxes, but would not
mind that If they were getting value
received. He said the men of that
nefghborhood we're helping to pay for
the $15O,00O road bonds sold during
the last year and should be given con-
sideration.
Borrows From Fund.
The money required for the con-
struction of the various bridges and
fills will be borrowed from the fund
now accommodating for the construc-
ton of the south end bridge in Rich
mond. This fund contains $65;0O0 and
will not be complete until 100000 has
been reached The loan will be an
appropriation to help over the. trough
spots"
In preparing his resolution to coun-
Gil asking for the loan, Auditor Bow
man asked whether the work includ-
ed in the list would be regarded as
additional bridge work for this year
or as advance 1915 bridge work Nor
mally about 100000 is used for bridge
repairs year, secured from a ten
cent revenue
While the commissioners did not go
on record as saying that the list Of
repairs would be regarded as "addi-
tional," they agreed that bridge mat
tiers which will come up next year
will require more than the $1,000
which would be left over from the
100000 fund of next year if it were re-
garded as advance" repair work This
will mean that the rate must be in
creased six cents or possibly seven
to repay the loan to the culminative
south side bridge fund
Action Postponed.
The matter will not be finally set
tied until Monday. The council was
called in session today especially to
consider the loan, but because the
amount exceeded $4,000, two days
session was required.
A heated argument arose over the
suggestion of a taxpayers to Commits
sioner Anderson that he advise the
county council members to visit ev-
cry location where an Improvement is
asked
When it was suggested before the
body, Auditor Bowman said: AT SIS
a year salary! And they expect the
members of the council to do that.
That is the duty of the county COM
missioners and that is what they do.
This suggestion carried out would
only complicate matters. There is no
use in 1t and it would be an injustice
to the council members"
the county council members are paid
almost nothing now for services which
require much time and careful study
and consideration.
There is a debt that every man
owes to his city, his county and his
nation" returned Commissioner An
derson. I'm this way the council
members can pay it.