Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-03-07


is 20 cents.
It is significant however, that all these
figures are based on the present valua-
tons. Personal property now is being
revalued. Experts believe the new valua-
ton will be at least 20 per cent lower
than the old valuation. With the new
figure as a basis the necessary tax levy
may reach the neighborhood of 30 cents.
The present common school levy Is SO
cents, the higher educational institution
levy is 2.S cents and the vocational levy
is 2-1Oth Of a cent There is no Purdue
experiment levy. This shows that the
Legislature increased the levies a total
Of 4.3 cents.
All of these increases, however in
| justice, cannot be attributed to the pres
ent administration. Many of them were
brought about through the false economy
program of the Goodrich regime. This
is particularly true of the deficiency ap-
preparation, which was made necessary
by the fact that the Goodrich Legisla-
ture, in its various sessions, did not ap-
propriate enough to keep institutions and
State departments going. A part OF the
specie and general appropriations was
made necessary because the institutions
were allowed to run down during the
last four years.
A comparison between the present ses-
sion and the two Goodrich sessions may
be had from the fact that the regular
and special sessions passed appropria-
ton bills calling for $6,S53 961.19 while
similar bills this session carried $3.50 =
426. In both cases the figures are exclu-
sive Of special appropriations which go
to make up the more than ten million
dollars of this session.
ADMINISTRATION
BILLS.
Outstanding in the list of measures
favored by Governor McCray are the
amendments 10 the Goodrich tax law,
which, like the basic document, confer
/ vast powers on the State board of tax
/ commissioners and the chief executive.
/ Practically all OF the authority which
/ was shorn from the State board by the
/ special session last summer as a matter
/ of political expediency, is restored and
to a certain degree the present admins
/ tration obtained a more compact central
| ization Of law than even Goodrich dared
/ to ask for.
! Fundamentally the amendments give
/ ten taxpayers the right to appeal from
any local bond issue or tax levy to the
/ State board, which, by this provision,
D
cally every important move of this kind
| in the State. 1t will not be difficult to
/ find ten taxpayers In any community
who will be willing to appeal to the tax
/ board as a court of last resort.
Then a vast grant Is conferred on the
/ Governor, the auditor and the tax board
\ by the terms of the amendment which
authorizes them to fix all tax levies not
| specifically made by the Legislature. The
! present tax board abrogated this power
/ to itself for the purpose OF scaling down
/ the levies commensurate with the new
valuations, but under the new law the
/ levies can be moved in either direction.
| Aside from these important provisions
| the right of jury trial is taken from
township and county assessors charged
! with neglect Of duty by the State board
They must stand trial before the circuit
/ judge alone.
Also, local corporations cannot sell
bonds bearing more than 5 per cent in
terest, unless the Issue is approved by
| the tax board.
! ADMINISTRATION
| CHANGES ACCEPTED.
These latter sections were added from
/ time to time in the shape of amendments
/ as the bill moved along, after being in
| PRODUCED rs an administration measure
/ by Representative Barker, Boone County.
/ As all were injected by administration
/ spokesmen 1t is the assumption that they
all carry out the Governors desires.
Second in importance on the Governors
program was the bill authorizing the re-
mOval of the Indiana Reformatory from
Jacksonville to the State Farm at Put
namville. The measure sets aside an ap-
preparation of 100000 for the work and
empowers the Governor to appoint a com
mission OF four members who will draw
$40 day and expenses while engaged
in supervising the transfer and the cree
ton of the new building. The board
must be appointed within sixty days
after the signing Of the act, which took
place Friday.
The reformatory suffered a serious fire
several years ago and State officials de-
| clare it is cheaper to remove it to a cen
! tral location than to attempt to rebuild
it at Jeffersonyille. The measure was
| advOcat ted first by Goodrich.
Another of the important bills put
| through at the behest Of Governor Nc
| Cray was the one establishing a budget
system in the State government Admin
istration Of the law is vested with the
chief examiner Of the State board Of ac-
counts who, in addition to his $1,000 sal
airy as cnler examiner, VIII receive s., 1000
as head of the budget commission. The
actual work, however, will be done by
chief clerk, whose salary the bill fixes
at s., 900.
| All of the State departments are re-
Quired to file with the clerk on or before
| Oct. Is Of any year preceding a session
Of the Legislature an itemized account of
| their expenditures and financial require
ments. These are compiled into a budget
| by the clerk, who in the meantime has
collected data Of his own to supplement
the statements, and the completed budget
! is then submitted to the Governor.
ELIMINATES PRESENT
VISITING COMMITTEE.
After the chief executive has looked
over the request he transmits it to the
| Legislature with the necessary bills call
! ing for the appropriations. The law will
! eliminate the Legislative Visiting Com
mittee and will place its functions largely