The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-03-12
VOTE BUDGETS
REQUIRING TAX
RATE INCREASE
Boost in Levy as Much as
10 Cents Necessary to
Pay Bills.

Sleepy-eyed legislators struggled
back to their constituents today to
explain that a boost in the state tax
rate, possibly as much as 10 cents
above the present 23-cent level, will
be required to meet $55, 284 1863 bud
get appropriations voted in the clos
ing hours of the seYenty-sixth gen
eral assembly.
1t was 18 minutes to 4 this
morning before the last bills had
been passed and signed by presiding
officers, the last songs sung and
gavels N senate and house sounded
adjournment of the biennial legis-
lative session. The clock had been
stopped at midnight, when by law
the session ended.
Behind them, in the Governors
Office, senators and representatives
left their contribution to Indiana's
laws, and to the state tax board the
responsibility of boosting the tax
rate. to provide revenues they were
unable to provide by special tax
measures.
Clip 100000
Final approval of the biennial ap-
preparation bill came with adoption
of conference committee reports
which clipped 100000 from the
$440,500 added by senate amend
ments last week. Half of this re-
duction was effected by elinlinat-
ing provisions for $4,000 annual
appropriation for armory construc-
ton. The other half was trimmed
from the Governors emergency
fund, leaving it 100000 annually
instead of $250,000 as set by senate
amendments.
The report caused furry among
senators who had pushed the armory
building probe and feared that elm
nation of the armory appropria-
ton amendment of the budget bill
might amount to abandonment of
the "pay as you go" policy to which
the senate was committed. The re-
port, amended with this safeguard
was adopted and signed by Cover
nor Leslie.
Pass Store Licensing
The store licensing measure, too,
won loelated approval by adoption.
of conference committee reports re-
ducing fees for single stores from
SIS to SO each while leaving the
maximum fee at $25, as set by sem
ate amendments, for each store in
chains of twenty or more.
Agreement was not reached until
one house conference committee had
been discharged for inability to
agree with senate conferees. Rep
resentative Oscar A. Ahlgren, Whit
ing, was the committee member who
would not consent to bringing filling
stations within provisions of the bill.
Arguing on Ahlgren's motion not to
accept the second committees re-
port, charges were hurled that ALL
gren's opposition had foundation in
the Standard Oil Company's in
terests at Whiting.
Representative Herbert II. Evans
of Newcastle argued the state tax
rate should be boosted to IS cents if
needed, rather than levy excise
taxes.
Return 100000 Annually
Representative Samuel Farrell of
Hartford City, ways and means COM
mittee chairman, estimated the
measure would return approximately
100000 annually, the equivalent of
a Accent tax levy.
OF the sessions major enactments,
the Accent gasoline tax measure,
effective April l, probably held first
place in general interest. It is ex-
pected to raise an additional $4,000
600 annually for state highway
building.
The most important special levy
provided by 1929 measure is that
for a $1,000,000 state library and
historical building. The levy is
fixed at one-half cent for 1880 and
1881, and l cent for 1882.
Primary Modification
Political interest conferred in the
Republican platform primary modi-
flcation measure signed by the
Governor Monday. 1t places nom
nations for Governor and United
States senator in state conventions,
retains voting privileges for prox-
les and repeats the presidential
preference feature of the primary.
Its passage through two houses
was the sessions outstanding% ex-
ample of expert steering with the
adept application and removal OF
amendents.
Three bills passed had a bearing
on constitutional revision or amend
ment. One would submit to the
voters at the 1880 primary the ques-
ton of calling a state constitutional
convention in 1881. The others
would provide for referendum, in the
1880 primary. on constitutional
amendments empowering the legis-
lature to prescribe admissions to the
bar and to levy a state income tax
More severe penalties for crime,
particularly when firearms are en-