Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-12-09
FESLER ALONE
OPPOSES PLEA
FOR REDUCTION

CONTINUED From Page one)
of the property for taxation purposes Is
too high
Mr.. Ashby said that in 1918 aud ut
various other times, he had appeared
before the tax board on behalf Of the
city, to show that The valuation of the
company was too low. He admitted to-
day that the entire property of the COM
pany could not be valued at more than
5000 600, but he added that II should
not be valued at approximately $1,000,
O0O by the public service commission, and
then again be valued at $4,000 900 for
purposes by the tax board.
There is no legal or moral right for
this to BE- done" declared Mr.. Ashby.
Did you say there was no legal
right?" asked Mr.. Sims.
''Wen, there oughtn't to be-" Mr..
Ashby replied.
Mr.. Ashby declared the street car com
pany is now operating under a fran
chise from the city OF Indianapolis, and
is sustaining a loss OF $3.50 600 under the
franchise. Several times, he said. the
company has requested emergency relief
to operate under this franchise.
He declared the property should not
be considered rs worth In excess Of SD
100000. yet Il Is taxed at more than SIS.
CO. 600 under the tax boards valuation.
BOARD DOUBTS
RIGHT TO CHANGE.
The big question before the board II
whether Il has the right TO consider OF
to lower the valuation Of the street car
company at this session. IL was sGowu
that when the valuation was placed on
the company for taxation purposes no
protest was entered. a recent decision
Of the Supreme Court invalidated changes
made In valuations by the board, and it
was declared doubtful II the board eouid
now change the present valuation, in
view Of this decision.
Mr. Lewis, In answer to q query OF
Mr.. Sims. said the pubAc service com,
mission. In its order Of Oct 12, 1918. fol-
lowing a mandatory hearing for emer-
gency relief Of the car company, had
placed "A valuation, including physical
property and intangibles. Of little more
than S2S0O0,O00. The physical property
then was placed az slightly more than
$50 ,O000 600. he said.
Speaking for himself, and for the pub
lie service commission as a whole, Mr..
Lewis said he would place the total
physical valuation of the company Mt
the present time. including working cap
ital, at between o. Co., 900 and $4,000
600. He declared the property of the
street car company undoubtedly is In
better condition than IL was two years
ago. since new cars have been added.
and the service generally bettered.
He told Of 100000 common stock Of
the company which had been wiped out,
and of $2,1S0.OOO OF bonds that have been
taken up, making o total of about $4,000
600 taken on the liabilities Of the COM
pany, a shrlnkage Of approximately 30
per cent.
Taxes paid by the company, per pas
senger, ne said, amounted to about 3
mills in 1911, slightly more than mills
in 1919 and in the present year the tax
per passenger viii be about mills out
Of each Scent fare collected.
1.-THE whole burden is going to be
placed on the class that has no auto
mobiles and which is forced to use the
cars continually" Mr.. Lewis said.
FEsLER, HEARD
BY COMMISSION.
Ang would continue into an afternoon
session. Mr. Fesler. who said he could not
be present at the afternoon meeting. was
permitted to speak.
He declared It would not be right for
the tax board to reduce the valuation of
the company now, IL 1t were possible.
The present assessments and distFibu-
tions for Marion County were made by
the Marion County Board Of Review in
September, he said.
For the State Tax Board to take off
three or four millions OF dollars now
would be an injustice to the other tax.
Iayers of Marion County" he said, land
would mean a loss of about 100000.
There are many other taxpayers in
the county who have complaints to make
about their taxes, but they have no re-
dress now, and must wait until next
spring when they will be given their
chance to present their grievances. This
is not the time to make reductions III
valuations. This company did not pro-
test their present valuation when it was
fixed by the board, and when the time
was here for them to protest, they took
no action.
'T have been a member of the Marion
County board Of review for seven years
and l can recall many other corpora
lions which were assessed at their full
value when it was known that they were
losing money.
"If the valuation of this company is