Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-24
PLANS
TOREDUCEPAY
OF HIGHER-UPS
Hogue Declares Strict Econ,
Omy Necessary to Avert
City Bankruptcy.
JEWETT RULE BLAMED

Cuts in the wages and salaries Of the
more highly paid city employees and Of
icials are under consideration by the
city council and department heads today
as a means Of pairing expenses to avoid
municipal bankruptcy before the end OF
1922. Corporation Counsel Taylor E.
Groninger is under instructions to pre-
pare 8 list Of salaries and wages that
might be cut to be submitted at a Sc
ries Of conferences Of department heads
and cOUncilmen.
The financial situation was laid before
the councilmen and principal officials
By Controller Joseph L. HOgue Thursday
evening. The situation is not grave, but
il is such every department must prac-
tice strict economy in order not to ex-
haust the treasury before the end Of the
year 1t has been the custom for many
years to let bills for the last one or
two months of the year lay over until
appropriations for the following year are
available Mr. HOgue said he desires to
avoid this and pay bills promptly, in
order the city may take advantage of
discounts.
PROBLEM Is To
MEET PAY ROLLS.
The immediate problem in the finance
department is how to meet pay rolls until
the April advance Of tax money is re-
ceived from the country treasurer. Mr..
Hogue said. There is about $13J,000 in
the general fund. April 1 a pay roll Of
about 500, 600 must be paid. Other ex-
penses viii cut the balance in the fund
to about $4,000 after that rate. An
other So. 600 pay roll is due April 10.
II the tax advance, which probably will
be something over 500, 900, comes in be
fore April -, the emergency will be met.
II not, it will be rather difficult to tide
over. the controller said.
The situation would not have been
quite so bad il the Jewett administration
had not left so many unpaid bills TO cut
up the S136,O00 balance which it left In
the treasury when the Shank admins
tration came in. according TO the con
troller. Financial comfort during the
rest Of the year might have been more in
evidence. too. If the Jewett adminlsSra
ton had rJt cut the budget TO a point
where mary necessary expenses are alb
soluteIy unprOvided for. the controller
said. For instance, he pointed out that
no provision was made in the budget
and the tax levy for the S10Sl000 interest
on Memorial Plaza bonds, which must
be paid this year.
WALKER POINTS
OUT DIFFICULTY.
John E. Walker, superintendent OF
street cleaning, pointed out where the
Jewett administration provided $4,000
for maintenance in 1921, it appropriated
only $4,000 for maintenance and S10s.-
600 for salaries for the Shank admins
tration this year.
The street commissioners department
felt the Jewett budget knife even more,
Commissioner Martin J. Hyland said. IN
1921 the Jewett administration allowed
itself a total Of $4,000 for new equip
ment IN the unimproved street, carpenter
and sewer departments, but left this
regime not a penny. In addition, the IN
Improved street maintenance fund was,
cut from S65OoO to $4,000. This viii
he exhausted by November. the commits
siOner believes.
Among unpaid bills left by the former
regime is one Of S1.S0O for architects who
&irew plans for two new fire stations,
Ahich were not erected. The plans were
.rawn before sites were selected. The
e have not been purchased.