Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-07-14
BILL PROVIDES
FOR REFUND OF
ENTERTAINMENTS
Governors Measure Would
Permit Local Tax
Increases.
TWO BILLS REPORTED

/ Lieut.. Gov. Bush took the first step
toward limiting the duration of the
session this afternoon when he an
nounced he would entertain a motion
limiting the time during which bi4ls
may be introduced.
Refund of excess amounts paid by
Indiana taxpayers, due to the horizon
tai increases made by the state
board of tax commissioners, would be
provided by bill proposed by the
administration and presented n ne
senate today by Senator William E.
English of Marion county.
The bill further provides that the
local taxing officials shall Increase
the rate of taxation in their respec-
tive units to meet the expenses fo.'
the current year, funds for which
would be depleted because OF the re-
fund of the amounts paid or the hori-
zontal increases.
The bill was referred, to judiciary A
| committee of the senate for action.
Senator English's bill is practically
/ the same as that introduced in the low
er house.
| -It was designed by the governor and
several attorneys with representatives Of
| the state board of tax commissioners.
q, and is part of the administration pro-
| gram for legalizing the action of the
| state tax board in oyerstepping its au-
/ thOrity making horizontal increases
Incidentally, the bill would go further,
and correct the mistakes of the executive
1 and the tax board.
! The bill provides that the state tax
board shall authorize the county auditors
/ of each county to instruct county treas
urers to refund the amounts paid in on
/ the horizontal increases.
Another provision is that the state
| board shall grant authority to the proper
rate fixing officers of each taxing unit
1 TO increase the rate of taxation or adj
additional amounts to the rates as now
! fixed on assessments made before the
horizontal increases were ordered and
placed in an amount sufficient to raise
moneys actually needed TO meet the ex-
/ penses Of the unit.
( COMMITTEE REPORTS
FAVORABLY ON TWO.
Each taxing unit is authorized by the
measure to borrow money in anticipa-
/ ton of the collection of the increased
! revenues, made possible by the increased
raNs fxed by the local rate fixing Of
/ fcers, in order 10 complete the business
7 Of the current fiscal year.
The bill declares an emergency and
Z provides for the immediate taking effect
I following ats passage
Two of the administration bills. re-
lating to the change in the election laws
! Of Indiana. to provide for the increase
[ in voters, due to the possible granting
of full suffrage to women. have been
favorably reported by the senate COM
mittee on elections.
These are:
Bill No. 366, amending the absent vot-
I ors' law, permitting absent voters bal
/ lots to be marked with ordinary pencil
J or with pen and ink instead of with 4
/ blue pencil only, as is now the law.
/ Bill No. 35T, providing that counties
may provide voting machines to cities
aud towns.
Each of these bills was introduced b7
/ Senator Arthur D. Mckinley of Muncie.
! Senators Elsrer and Rats have been
/ appointed on the committee TO revise the
/ election laws of the state, it was an
nounced TINS morning.
Several other bills providing changes
in the election laws are still in the hands
of the committee, to which changes and
amendments will be made before their
presentation to the senate
1t is thought that, due to the emer-
gency that exists, in preparing for the
women vote all the administration bills
will be reported by the committee on
elections as favorable to passage.
The committee on public morals re-
ported favorable action on the bill intro
duced by Senator Negley, providing for
increased compensation for care of de-
/ pendent or neglected children who are
wards Of juvenile courts to an amount
not exceeding 75 cents per day.
big STICK" READY
FOR OPPOSITION.
Frantic efforts to legalize the invalid
orders Of the state tax board and legally
to dress up the illegal rulings ordering
horizontal increases in valuation of tax
able property, were under way today by
Gov. Goodrich's administration workers
in the house Of representatives.
The second step in legalizing the in
valid orders of the state tax commits
sioners today was being considered by
the ways and means committee Of the
house with the introduction of a bill
legalizing the orders of the state tax
| board in increasing the valuation of
taxable property in Marion county
This bill is introduced to save the
face" of the state tax board in Marion
county by declaring legal the very in
creases which the Indiana state supreme
courts held were illegal in the case of
Leo X, Fesler. county auditor, and 9TH
ers. against William Bosson sand other
taxpayers.
This is the case in which Judge Linn
Hay of superior court room >, Marion
county, issued a restraining order against
County Auditor Fesler restraining him
from placing on the tax duplicates the
horizontal increases.
Judge Hay was reversed by the ap-
pellate court, but was fully sustained
by the state supreme court only few
days ago.
The bill would also legalize all bonds
and other evidences of Indebtedness rest
ing upon the valuation of taxable prop
erty fixed or determined by the state tax
board.
This bill attempts to make legal the
very thing from which the taxpayers Of
Marion county appealed to the superior
Continued on Page Two.)