The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-01-04

Continued From Page u
found whereby the good features of
the law can be retained and us bene-
fits safeguarded by increasing the
penalties for violation to the end that
the law may be made safe as well as
convenient" he said.
Popular Amendments Die
In discussing amendments TO the
State constitution. the Governor
pointed out that in many instances
proposed amendments had received
majorities in referendums. but had
not received a majority of all the
electorate and were therefore defeated.
To the end that this may not hap
pen again, the Governor recommended
an amendment TO make a majority Of
votes cast sufficient for passage of an
amendment.
At the opening of the last session
the Governor objected to the fact that
the Assembly convenes during the
first year of a Governors term. In
his message today he recommended
a constitutional amendment pro-
viding the Assembly shall convene
during the second and fourth years OF
d term instead Of the first and third.
Amendments to the State tax law
recommended by the Governor would
tend to give the tax board more au-
thority than it now possesses. one
amendment proposed would give the
board power to reassess any property
after proper notice to taxpayers The
Governor also recommended that the
board be given power to order hori-
zontaI equalization of assessments
within counties. At present the county
is a unit in equalization.
Clear Up Bond Appeals
The Governor also recommended
that the law concerning the appealing
OK bond issues to the board be cleared
ID an5 that public officials be pre-
vented from borrowing money for any
purpose in cases where money for
these purposes has been provided in
budget. The Governor also recon-
mended a penalty in cases where local
officials fail to submit and publish
budget.
An echo of the present chaotic con
dition Of State finances was con-
tanned in this reference:
II wish to suggest to the General
Assembly that the balances of the
State should be kept in two funds,
one the tuition fund, as designated
by our constitution, and the other
a general fund from which all pay
ments can be made according to the
amounts appropriated for the va
riOus activities of the State, as des-
ignated by the budget.
Borrowing Bad Business
TT certainly is poor business for
the State to be compelled TO negotiate
loans to provide for a fund that is
temporarily exhausted, while at the
same time large balances are main
tanned in other funds that viii not be
drawn upon. 1 recommend such leg
.sIation as will enable this reform TO
be put into practice, believing that it
viii be a saving to the State that can
we'll be made"
Demands from all sources have been
made that State boards and depart
nents be reduced or eliminated. In
answer. the Governor recommended
hat the membership Of the industrial
board be reduced from five to three
and that the Offices of clerk Of the
Supreme Court and reporter of the
Supreme Court be combined. He also
suggested that lit might be practical
to combine the offices Of State hbrar
ian. public library commission and
historical commission under one
head"
A recommendation also was made
that the assembly enact law chang
ing the present agriculture board law.
which was found not TO be workable