Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-07-05
LOCAL SCHOOLS
VISITED BY TAX
COMMISSIONERS
Inspection Made to Determine
Need for New Buildings
in Four Wards.
PUBLIC HEARING JULY 6

Members Of the State board of tax
commissioners visited public schools
Nos. 10, SO, 50 and CO this afternoon in
order to see for themselves just how
badly the SS47 900 bond issue, proposed
by the indianapolis board of school com
missioners for additions and improve
ments at these schools is needed.
The members of both boards, to-
gether with lawyers and representatives
of the ten members of the Taxpayers
League of Indiana, who are opposing the
bond ISSUE made the trip. The party
left the Offices of the school board. Me
ridIan and Ohio streets, at 4 o'clock, and
when the trip ended the members OF the
State tax board were well prepared with
information for the big public hearing
which will be held Wednesday evening
at o'clock in the House OF Representa-
tives In the Ststehouse.
The hearing will be the second on
the remonstrance filed ty members Of
the Taxpayers League, the first having
been held last Thursday afternoon. The
first session brought out that the remon-
strators do not question the necessity OF
the proposed Improvements so much as
they do the method by which the money
is being spent.
Their 0ENt was concentrated dAA4OSt
wholly on the contracts between the
board of school commissioners and the
firm of SnIder & Rotz and l.. A. Snider,
member Of the firm. BY the terms
of these contracts, Mr.. Snider is en-
ploved as building advisor of the board.
while his firm holds a contract TO act
as engineers,
The day following. the first hearing the
State board Of accounts came out Win
public statement denouncing the two
contracts and holding them illegal u.
S. Lesh. attorney general Of Indiana,
previously had given an opinion TO the
state board OF accounts in which he
made a similar finding. The State board
of accounts recommended that suit ne
brought 10 recover payments already
made on the contracts ana TO FORBID any
further payments.
lust what effect this action VIII have
on the proposed bond issue has been II
matter Of considerable speculation. Per
sons favorable 10 the bond issue say
that 1t Will be proper in view Of the
recommendation Of the state board OF
accounts. for the State tax hoard 70
approve the bond issue and leave the
legal acknowledgements to the other board.
HOPE CONTRACTS
WILL CAUSE DELAY
Opponents OF the BOND ISSUE on INC
other hand say that they do not be
liave the state tax board VIII approve
the issue until the entire matter Of the
Snider Is Rotz contracts as been
thrashed out and definitely settled. 1t
has been estimated that Snider x Rotz
and Mr.. Snider as an individual VIII
get approximately $4,000 as fees ont Of
the construction covered by the proposed
! Ss47. 600 expenditure.
Parents OF children attending the four
schools are up In arms over the matter
and are insisting that their children be
safely housed In sanitary. safe buildings
! regardless OF any quibblings over the
! legal status OF the building adviser and
engineers Of the board. They do not feel
that the entire building program Of the
school board should be held up pending
the settlement Of matter that may ORA e
Its weary way through courts for several
Years