The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-12-31
CIVIC AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE ON
4 JOB ALL Year
Advantages Obtained From
Chamber of Commerce
Are Cited.

Oue organization on the JoD In the
interest OF the taxpayer in 1926 was
the civic affairs committee Of the
Chamber of Commerce, of which
William Fortune was chairman.
Leonard ". Harrison, tax expert in
the employe of the Chamber, de-
voted his full time to the considera-
tlon of the problems.
Development Of a budget classifi-
cation system accepted by the State
Board of Accounts and used by the
city Of Indianapolis in preparing its
1926 budget was an outstanding
feature Of the committees work.
The system permits intelligent COM
parison Of n years budget pro-
posals with requirements In former
years and facilitates desirable prun-
ing of budget estimates based on
sound comparison.
The city OF Indianapolis has
adopted Harrison's budget system
officially and the state board Of ac-
counts Is holding the classification
as exemplary and, though the board
has not exactly urged other munich
palities throughout the. State to
adopt. the same system, 1t has let
it be known that Harrison's system
has met with complete approval, be
cause of it's clarity and exactness i'm
presenting municipal expenditures of
all kinds.
In addition to formulating the
budget classification system, the
problem of school finances for In
~dianapolis during the year 1926 was
made the subject of an intensive
study and the report setting forth a
brief history Of public school
need of the Indianapolis school
system made specific recommends
lions as to reductions which could be
made in the tentative budget
estimates without working injury to
the main program. The recommends
tions proved acceptable to public
school officials who, throughout the
period of budget examination, had
manifested eagerness to adopt any
practical suggestion for lowering
school costs not inconsistent with
the program Of school building con-
%struction. AS a result, the proposed
school tax>levy Of $1.36 per 500,
finally was reduced by the Indian.
apolis board Of school commissioners
to $1.10 per 800. thereby saving
taxpayers of Indianapolis many
thousands Of dollars without serious
Iy interfering with the contemplated
program OF school building CON
s~truction.
Watched County Budget
The civic affairs department made
careful examination Of the Marion
County budget for 1926, which re-
suited in the trimming Of ordinary
expenditures to the savings Of the
taxpayers. Also the department
studied the subject Of Marion Coun-
tvs a r of the insane at Julietta
Hospital. pointing out that the care
OF the insane is a duty of the State
and not OF the county. Accordingly,
recommendation was made that the
PNobC dcouHAC lull DuiucH VI CdIlllB
for Marion County insane as soon as
suitable arrangements could possibly
be made for the transfer of patients
from Julietta Hospital. A law
which would have permitted the
State to take over Julietta Hos
pital as a state institution, free Of
cost. was passed during the 1925
session of the Indiana General AS
sembly, but was vetoed by the Gov
ernor.
These major considerations re-
ceived much thought ami attention
of members OF the civic affairs com
mittee during the year. Fortune
said, but in addition minor studies
such as the population study to
show the population of the city of,
indianapolis as of July /, and a
study bearing, on the amount Of
gasoline tax moneys which will be
credited to the city OF Indianapolis
early in 1926, along with other mis-
c~ellaneous examination, were made.