The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-28
BILL PROPOSES
STATE TAX ON
MALT EXTRACT
Measure Would Skim Reve-
nue. From Home-BreW
Crooks of HooSierS.

Crooks of HooSierS.
Proposal to skim increased state
revenues from Indiana home brew
crooks confronted Legislators today
as they returned to the capital 70
shape new laws, mako appropria-
tons and devise means of financing
them. Both houses reconvened at
p m.
Representative II. Curtis Ben
nett, Dillsboro, announced he is
preparing bill to place state
sales tax on malt sirup and malt
extract. He has in mind demand
ing a tax of cents on each No. 8
can and is undecided how to tax
malt strip sold in bulk.
while malt products have legiti-
mate uses in baking" Bennett said,
"a large PERCENTAGE is used In the
manufacture home brew. Malt
products are being shipped into In
diana by the carload and approx
mately fifty companies are engaged
in its manufacture.
Recheck Appropriations
Bennett first contemplated enter
ine bill to prohibit the sale or
transportation of malt in Indiana
because of its widespread use by
the homebrewer, he said, but gave
up the idea because malt products
also are widely used in the baking
industry.
The malt tax proposal came at
the moment when the state budget
committee began its final recheck
of items on the biennial appropria-
ton bill. Although requests are re-
ported to have been pared down APP
proximately 100000 from their
first total Of $37, 170,727, they remain
approximately $1,500,000 year
higher than the amounts appropri-
ated two years ago. Since a l cent
tax levy raises approximately $780,
600 annually, a 3 cent tax increase
would be needed to meet prospective
appropriation items.
But that is not all. Operating eX-
penses have increased substantially
In the last year, it is pointed out.
At the start of the present fiscal
year there was a balance of $4,000
900 in the general fund. But sy the
end of the fiscal year, Sep. 80, 1T is
estimated, this balance viii have
shrunk to $1,50O,000 and by Jan. l,
1890, there will be a bookkeeping
deficit of 81 100000. So an increase
in the tax rate from the present
figure of % cents to approximately
80 cents is in prospect.
Amend Judges Measure
Appropriation requests this year,
SlO.546 813 higher than in 1927, are
exclusive of the $40,000O00 asked
by the state highway department
which operates from special rev.
enues and spends all the gasoline
tax and automobile license fees it
received. It's requests represent an
annual increase of more than $5,000,-
600. Proposals for increasing the
gasoline tax to provide the increased
revenue are encountering oppos1-
ton in the legislature although gas
tax and license fee bills are not
yet out of committee.
Minor amendments to the bill
which would increase the states
annual bill for judges salaries by
S183, 500 were promised by its author
Senator Earl Rowley, La Porte.
The bill was held in committee
when it was found it would increase
the salaries of some judges to
$1,000 a year. Rowley'S amend
ments will restrict the salaries OF
county judges in Lake and Marion
counties to $4,000, while judges in
some populous counties now receiv-
ing $1,000, will be limited to that
amount.
Intent of the measure was to in
crease that part of judges salaries
paid by the state from $4,000 year
to $4,000. BY an act of 1921, popu-
lous counties may pay their local
judges $4,000 in addition to the
state paid salary.
No Kick Against Board
Disclosure that the workmen's
compensation bill, awaiting second
reading in the senate, contains no
prevention for retaining the present
industrial board brought explana-
tons from labor leaders, backing
the measure, that they have no
grievance against the present per-
sonnet of the board.
The bill includes practically all
amendments that have been added
to the 1915 compensation act
Adolph j. Fritz, secretary of the
State Federation of Labor, declared
1--WE have no grievance against
any member of the present board
and are not interested in whom the
Governor might appoint on the new
board if the present bill becomes a
1eu- Elrit1 cofd