The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-10-05
BOARD CLOSES
HEARINGS ON
COUNTY TAXES
All Budgets Are Taken Un-
der Amusement With
e Briefs Asking Cut.
PROMISE RULINGS SOON
Tax Board Chairman Proves
MCCuIIOugh'S Champion
at Meeting.


tening to DIRECTORS to proposed tax
levies in Marion County Tuesday,
to State tax board closed the local
= --.fings this morning by listening
to arguments for and against the
proposed levy Of $3.50 for Warren
Township. Perry and Center Town
ships we're heard Tuesday afternoon.
All tax unit budgets we're taken
under advisement, together with
briefs suggesting rate cuts submitted
by the civic affairs committee of the
Chamber of Commerce and the In
diana Taxpayers Association.
Tax Board Chairman John j.
Brown announced that informal
hearings may be held if new facts
are wanted and that the board
would rule in these matters as soor
as possible.
Brown Champions Mccullough
The closing session Tuesday was
on the proposed sanitary district
levy Of Sis and resolved itself into
a sort of testimonial meeting in vim
dication of Maintenance Superin-
tendent E. w. Mccullough of the
garbage and sewage disposal plants.
Mccullough was the target of criti-
cal attack recently when he was
given the position at $4,000 annually
and the establishment Of the Job
postdated.
Brown proved to be a champion
of the superintendent, backing him
on the record made at the garbage
disposal plant since 1922. William
H. Book of the civic affairs COM
mittee turned out to be lone critic.
Mccullough cited figures showing a
loss of $1.047 ton on by-products
in 1922 when he came to the plant
and constant yearly increase Of
profit to $3.50 last year and an esti-
mate of 50 net gain this season.
Mrs. Duvall on Sidelines
Book pointed out that McCul-
Tough was brought here as super
vising engineer and was in charge
of construction of the new plant.
having little to do with the old
one, on which the record until this
year was based. He attributed the
increased profit to market condi-
tons"
The Chamber of Commerce OBJ
jected to the proposed rate, but had
no specific suggestions, Book de
clared.
Newly appointed City Controller
Mrs. John L. Duvall made her first
appearance before the board at the
hearing on the civil city levy shortly
after noon Tuesday. She sat on
the sidelines, however, and had
nothing to say. Councilman Otis z.
Bartholomew, finance committee
chairman, and Corporation Counsel
Schuyler Haas defendend the pro-
posed rate of $1085, which objec-
tors sought to cut to $1.03 or less.
City Behind on Bills
Book asserted that he had pointed
out to Bartholomew that the pro-
posed budget boosted salary appro-
priations and cut current expenses
already in arrears. The councilman
did not recall this, but Books con-
tention was proved when attorneys
for both the water and electric utili-
ties gave figures showing that the
city Is constantly behind in paying
their bills for street lighting and
water supply.
Both Book and Harry Miesse. In
diana Taxpayers Association secre-
tary, objected to the salary budget,
which was boosted by recent police
and firemen raises and those of
other city employees.
Support County Levy
County Auditor Harry Dunn,
county councilmen and commission
ers appeared to support their pro-
posed county levy Of S.345, to which
objection was raised by Book and
others on the ground that the gravel
road repair fund should be cut from
5 to cents. A blanket cut to $40
was suggested.
william A. Hough, State tax
board member, inquired why 1t was
that Marion County must pay S3.75
for gravel when other Indiana coun-
ties paid but SITS. The mystery was
unsolved and the board went on to
further questioning.