The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-09-30
HUSH MOVE To
CUT BUDGET OF
SCHOOLS Barred
Tax Board Chairman Fails
in Secret Visit to Pass
Buck to Others.
BY BEN STERN

O1 DEN > KIM
Demand that no newspapermen
be present and that secrecy be
maintained, James E. Showalter,
chairman Of the state tax board.
made two visits to the Indianapolis
school board to confer with mem
bers regarding next years budget, it
was learned today.
On these visits, Showalter asked
the board voluntarily to cut its
sinking fund levy from cents to
cents.
He requested that the board vol
unteer the slash to save the tax
board from criticism because it
would leave better taste in the
mouths of the public
Showalter today admitted that
he made the visits and the demand.
Secret Is Out
The secret of his conferences had
been kept inviolate for a week, but
under questioning Russell L. Will
son, board chairman, today stated
that Showalter had asked that
newspaper men not be advised of
the meetings.
1--WE told the tax board head that
we would not announce the fact
that the meetings had been held,
but that if we were questioned we
would narrate what occurred"
This is the first time in the his
tory of the state tax board that the
chairman has made visits to local
officials with the request that they
do the cutting to keep the tax board
from being criticised. All discus
sionS of school taxation in the past
have been deemed a matter of
public record.
Showalter would not tell who had
prompted him to do this.
Didn't Want Enmity
Il didn't want to win the enmity
of the school board by cutting the
proposed rate and so I went over
there.
Il also wanted to do some plain
talking and that is why I asked
that the reporters not be told about
the visits" he declared. News
papers sometimes do not print
things accurately, and I want to
speak right out" he elaborated.
when Wilson said that he
would like to have the reporters
present, said would not CO."
Showalter has been under fire
from several sources for his atti-
tude on the school city budget.
School board members pointed
out at the hearings before the tax
board that of the proposed $1.01
rate, but "a cents is for school
maintenance, while the remainder
is for the operation of the kinder
garten and libraries.
Called Stetson to Farley
The tax board head first called
Paul Stetson, school superintendent,
Oct. II, and asked for a conference.
Showalter then presented his propo-
sition, that the board voluntarily
cut it's budget, to Stetson.
The school superintendent de-
clared that this was a matter for
the school board, and Showalter
asked that a conference be ar
ranged with the members.
At 1890 p. M, Oct. 81, he ap-
peared before the board to plead
that they make the slash.
Members pointed out to him that
the statutes make it mandatory
that 5 per cent of the outstanding
bonded indebtedness Of the school
city be paid into the sinking fund,
so they could not reduce the rate
on this item.
Up to Tax Board
''It would leave a better taste in
the mouths of the citizens if you
voluntarily would make the reduc-
tion," Showalter told the board.
"The tax board does not want to
appear in the guise of slashing the
budget arbitrarily" he explained.
Showalter was told that the
school board would not take any
such step and that the burden and
bonus for making the reduction, if
there be one, must rest upon the