The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-02-09
COURTS, TAX RECORDS
TO CONTROL RENTALS
UNDER PROPOSED BILL
(By Associated Press)


INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 9.-Indiana |,
state courts and the records in the
county tax offices would be the con- |
trolling elements in the fixing of rent
ais for all residence property under
the provisions of the amended Moore
head bill, reported favorably by the
senate rights and privileges commit |
tee. Business property has been with !
drawn from the mea sure.
Under the provisions of the bill as
it now stands, property owner is re-
stricted to a rental charge of IL per
cent on the assessed valuation of his
property, plus the taxes charged. He
is allowed also the actual service costs
expended.
The Moorehead bill, as originally
presented, gave the public service
commission power to determine valua-
lions and set just rental on the COM
plant of any renter. The committee
decided that such procedure would
not result in the desired relief and
sought the aid of Attorney-General
Lesh in finding measure that would
give the desired results. The attor-
neygeneral is reported to have ad-
vised the committee to find definite
means Of arriving at valuation and
putting the matter up to the courts
Assessed values for taxation being the
only ones of record, these were made
the basis of computation.
Works to TWO Ends
Members of the committee say that
the bill, if it is enacted into law, will
work to two ends-it will regulate
rentals and force the property owners
TO list their properties at more nearly
the actual value in order to get a
larger rental.
Under the provisions of the amended
bill, rental property means ANY tene-
ment house, apartment house, flat
building, duplex building or part there
OF or land appurtenant thereto, rented
or hired for residential purposes, and
any other building or part thereof or
land appurtenant thereto rented or
hired for residential purposes. no part
of which is occupied by the owner
thereof for residential purposes"
1t is pointed out by those opposing
the measure that the owner of the
property by living in it himself can
be exempt from the provisions Of the
bill. This clause, it's supporters say.
was put in to mean rooming house
keepers. over whom it was felt no re-
strictions could be placed.
Two Glasses
Rent property is placed in two
classes only. Property valued on the
tax books at less than $4,000 is given
right to make a charge of Is per cent
rental. To this may be added tax and
all service costs, plus ten per cent or
a clear 10 per cent of the taxable
value. All property of greater value
is restricted to the II per cent charge,
with the same additional tax and serv-
ice charges, plus 10 per cent on these
charges.
Service, the bill explains, means
the furnishing of light, heat, water
telephone, elevator, maid, janitor or
any other necessary labor service re-
moval of refuse, any service connected
with the use or occupancy of any
rental property necessary to the COM
Portable enjoyment thereof by the ten
ant and of character general to all
the tenants
A penalty of fine of not more than
$500 and imprisonment in the county
Jail for not more than six months is
provided for violation of the provi-
sions. Nothing is stated in the bill,
however. regarding how prosecution
shall be made.
The senate committee on rights and
privileges, which handled the bill, is
composed of Senators Furnas, Cam,
Swain. Buchanan, Dunn, Van Orman
and Arnold