The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-04-20
IRvINGTON HIGH
EDICT> OF TAX
BOARD STANDS
Ready to Approve Levy,
but Law Must Be
Observed.
INSISTS UPON OPTION
Public Has Right to Know
Location, ZOerCher
Tells WaISman.

The State tax board stands ready
to approve a tax levy or bond issue
for an Irvington high school
location provided the school board
complies with the law, according to
a letter received by Albert F. Walls
man, school director, from Philip
zoercher, tax commissioner.
However, the tax board still in
sistS upon the school board pro-
curing an option on a site before APP
proval is granted.
1T is the taxpayers money that
is used for these purposes and under
the law the taxpayer has right to
know the location of the real estate,
how much there is and the amount
to be expended therefor" zoercher
wrote.
No Money for Option?
"I notice from press reports the
board now says that if the item had
been left in the budget Qast falD
the S. Riley st. location would have
been purchased. How does that
tally with their statement to us
that they had not determined the
location and had no option on it?
"The board tried to say they had
no money with which to take an
option, but it seems they do have
money to employ a special attor-
ney to bring suit when no such item
was in tire budget.
"a nominal sum of 81 or SIS will
make an option binding.
"Mr. Vonnegut, from the press
reports, seemed to resent the mat
ter of passing the buck. There has
not been any passing the buck, but
the citizens repeatedly have been
told the tax board is the cause Of
the school city's inability to give
proper school facilities when the
records and facts do not justify a
statement of that kind
Issue Preliminary Order
"In the pending program we have
issued preliminary order directing
the board to advertise and receive
bids for construction of these build
ings and when the bids are sub
mitted and it is shown there has
been free and open competition, as
the law contemplates, bonds will be
approved.
Il can see no reason why there
should be any display of temper on
the part of the president of the
school board in discussing this mat
ter. 1t is a business matter and as
an official, it should be his duty
and high privilege to give the public
the very best service and to see that
the public gets the very most of
every dollar that is paid"
Mrs. Henry H. Prescott, Is S. Boil
ton Ave, who headed q delegation
of Irvington residents at the last
school board meeting, demanding a
new Irvington high school site be
purchased, in a letter to Walsman,
declared the "time has come when
Irvington expects you to place the
Irvington High School first in your
financial provisions, not second or
third or anywhere down the line"
CriticiseS School Board
She criticises the school boards
action i'll asking a $215,O00 bond is
sue for an Arsenal Technical High
School gymnasium when it had no
for an Irvington site"
1.-THE school population of the
east end has reached such proper
tons that Irvington parents are no
longer satisfied to have our quota
spent on a school a mile and half
east of the monument. Our chill
dren live five and six and six and
miles east of the monn-
ment and they are of such numbers
that we demand a high school must
come to them"