Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-01-14
PART MOTOR TAX
ASKED FOR CITY
Lemaux Says Distribution to
Counties Unfair.

A change In the State automobile IL
cense law to provide that some part Of
the money paid into the State treasury
by motor car owners OF the city of In
dianapolis should be returned to the
city treasury to be combined with
special tax levy to make a fund for
the rcsurfacing OF streets, was pro-
posed by George Lemaux, president of
the board of public works, today.
Mr.. Lemaux declared that the present
system, whereby the license fee funds are
distributed to the counties, so that the
city of Indiana polls does not get penny,
is unfair He said that If half of the
annual sum spent on street resurfacing,
which he estimates will be 500, 600 for
some years to come, were raised by taxa
ton and the remainder obtained from
the license fees property owners, who
now are directly assessed for such work,
could be entirely relieved of the burden.
He said he thought tax levy Of 2 cents
on the $500 ought to be sufficient for the
part to be raised by taxation.
NONE OF FUND
USED BY CITY.
lie said:
In reference to the present system and
distribution Of the tax on automobiles,
1t does not seem absolutely fair that this
tax on automobiles and trucks should be
paid into the State fund and from there
distributed to the counties throughout
the State as is being. done under tho
present system. So far as automobiles
throughout the State are concerned, l
heartily agree that they should pay taxes
int 0the State fund and th3t ms Lunt
should be distributed 70 the dinerent
counties throughout the state, put the
Inconsistencies of that method as apphed
to a city of the first class, such as our
city are that the county eeJs ms h IN
and none Of this money that is pald INTO
the county from this fund can be qseu
or ever is used on the streets OF Indiah-
apolis ,,,t a~r
streets and resurfacing streets that nave
already been built Is that the cost Is
~barvcd against the abutting property
For instance the resurfacing Work uohc
in the last three %eeToSo n oa6 cos t%T This
I Extraordinary amount during the last
three wears was on account o. InrS
streets being from twenty 70 twenty -o.s %,
vaars old and beyond repair, cOAse
/ Guentlv they had 70 be resuriaceu'
/ PROPOSES BUDGET
] FOR STREET REPAIRS.
! Nv idea Of law pertaining to this Kind
/ NJ work would be a law go eHact'u IA"
10 per cent Of this resurfacing Woui9 ne
mid out Of a general fund and such Iuhg
you'd he created by a special levy ana
then certain portion Of the license Tee
a. collected on all cars in the city OF IN
diauapons applied to the same tund
making this law such that 0udge'
would be made up each year on al re-
surfacing work and a tax levy sunlclen'
to provide enough money each year hich
rould be used only for this SPECIFIC pur-
pose This fund. plus the automobile
+ license fund. ] believe would eventual
do oI OF the resurfacing WORK that the city
would need to do from year to year.
A careful analysis Of the rosurfaein2
that VIII have TO be done In the neX'
several years in Indianapolis shows thai
after 1871 and 1922 about 100000 a year
VIII do all 81 the work that Is necessary
This will tighten the burden OF the tax
PAGER and will be a godsend 70 tbs
property holders Oh streets that have
10 BE- resurfaced. 80.
A tax levy Of cents on the 500
plus the automobile Incense, Will JUS
about take care OF the entire resurfaciua
and 1t VIII be very easy matter for any
administration 10 save this cents OF
the SOD by a close scrutiny ot all ex
penditures with the result that there vii
be little. II any actual increase Of tbs
general total levy.