The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-07-30
ROAD BOARD
ARGUES FOR
BUDGET
Pavement Battle Between
Rival Interests Bar to
Building Program.

The ole battle between the black
top pavement and cement interests
may thwart the highway depart
ment from inaugurating a new pol
icy Of increasing new road construc-
ton and decreasing maintenance
expenditures, it was indicated to-
day.
Governor Harry G. Leslie may
take a hand in putting the high
way program across under the di-
rectorship of his former secretary
John ]. Brown, it was predicted,
The stumbling block in the way
of The programs adoption is the
state budget committee. Some
weeks ago they turned down a
proposed $600000 construction de-
partment budget increase.
Face Budget Committee
Today the highway commits
sioners. Brown and William Titus
head of the construction division
we're back before the budget COM
mittee in the Office of Lawrence F.
Orr, chief examiner of the state
board of accounts, arguing for q
new Interpretation of the construc-
ton budget increase which will
make their proposed program pos
sible.
Titus pledged himself not to ex-
pend more than $550000 this yeal
and $850,000 next, if the next f1ex-
ible overhead of $1,200,000, permit
ting increase Of personnel from a
maximum of 256 to $50, is au-
thoriZed.
He presented a brief in behalf
of his budget requests. Opposition
was led largely by Senator Thurman
A. Gottschalk Dem, Berne)
member of the budget committee
who brought out the cement black
top features. TIE senator contendec
the new policy will almost eliminate
blacktop, but the commissioners re-
fused 10 take a stand in defense o1
their belief that cement roads are
the better. Privately they admit this
is a commission conclusion.
Under their new policy, as out
lined by Titus, blacktop (asphalt
macadam or tarvia) will be used for
resurfacing. but all construction
will be in the construction division
Formerly blacktop was largely laid
by the maintenance division. New
roads will be concrete. The main
tenance budget will be cut from
$4.000,000 to 81 100000.
Large Staff Necessary
Titus declared that next year they
expect to lay IS per cent more pave
ment than III 1928 and the staff
must be increased nine men more
than 86 per cent of the 1928 staff
When the 1-cent gas tax increase
was voted by the 1929 legislature
it was urged by the commission that
only slight increase would be neceS-
sary to handle the additional pave
ment made possible by the increased
funds.
Titus, however pointed out that
new inspection rules make a larger
staff necessary, but that most OF
the increases will be on low salary
ranges. During the entire year
only about 66 per cent of the maxi
mum personnel is employed, he
said. This is due to the work being
seaSonable.
Instead of the 100000 increased
maximum, he declared it will be his
policy, if the proposals are adopted
not to increase expenditures more
than $l48,000 this year and s448,000
next.
Adjourning for lunch, budget
committee members appeared to be
set against any increase. Leslie
who sat in the meeting part IF the
time, is for it, however, and this
may make a difference. The COM
n1ittee was to decide late this after
noon.