The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-09-01
COUNCIL Tolls
IN VAIN over
BUDGET SLASH
$500 Cut in SS,o75,ooo
Total Is Net Result of
Four Hours Study.
BY LOWELL NUssBAUM

"Bovs. we called you in to help
us cut the hay out of the budget,
Council President Ernest G. Ropkey
told CITY department heads Monday
night. at the council budget COM
mittee meeting.
Councilman had summoned de-
partment heads to explain why they
should not slash the budget 100000
or more.
eyes. sir. we want to help you all
we can, BUT" was the invariable
reply to Ropkey.
And when the various department
heads we're through helping" the
committee figurative tears were
surging down the cheeks of the
tender hearted councilmen.
Make "Flyspeck" Cut
"Boys. the law prevents us from
raising the budget to help out these
poor suffering department. heads,
Councilman Maurice Tenant
"sobbed," but I have 50 in my
pocket. I will contribute it to the
city. I only wish I had more to
give"
Net result of the councilmens
efforts in the four hours from 7:30
to 1870 was total definite reduc-
ton of about $4,000 in the $8075,00
budget.
The reductions considered were
those proposed by William H. Book,
Chamber of Commerce civic affairs
director, who was present.
Books suggestion that eight po-
Newcomers salaries be cut from the
budget to save $10,56O was agreed to
by Police Chief Mike Morrissey,
provided the council could find a
way to evade legal technicalities.
Halted by Court
He pointed out that a similar eff
fort to dismiss police women sew
eral years ago resulted in a court
order reinStating those dismissed.
Morrissey pointed out that two
police women have husbands on the
police force and one police woman
is drawing a fire department pen
sion of $75 month.
Views of the Indianapolis Fed
Grafton of Community Civic Clubs
are to be presented at the budget
committee meeting tonight by John
F. White. Efforts will be made to
have the budget completed by
Wednesday night, ready for final
action by the council Monday night,
when public hearing will be con-
Quoted.
Arguments in favor of salary cuts
for city employees as the only log
ical means of reducing the budget
and levy were presented Monday
night by w. Hathaway Simmons,
Board of Trade president, and at
torney M. H. Miller, a member.
Want Pay Cut
"It is logical to reason that if
taxes are to be reduced" Simmons
said, there must be a reduction in
expenditures. Eighty-fve per cent
of the city budget is for salaries.
Wages and salaries were fixed when
the cost of living was higher, and
it is logical that that is the first
place to begin to reduce taxes"
Miller defended the Board of
Trade against Inference that it is
made up of bunch of broker
gamblers"
"a very small per cent of it's
members engage in grain business,
and those who do really buy actual
grain and sell it the same day."
Miller said. "It is true that there
are two boards in the Board of Trade
building conducted by private firms,
but they merely are tenants.
1.-THE board as a whole is made
up largely of manufacturers, bank
erS, attorneys, doctors, merchants,
representing a fair cross-section of
business interests of the city.
Factories to Leave
"Forty-six thousand persons in
indianapolis were objects of charity
since Jan. l. Bankers know the
financial condition of the merchants.
When large factory leaves the city,
no mention is made by papers.
July Is the Wheeler Schebler
plant moved away from Indian
apolis. To my knowledge, three
large factories will leave the city
soon if taxes are not reduced.
81 see no reason why a city
should not be operated as a priv
ate business. If you are not aware
of the struggle manufacturers have
had, you should be advised.
you can go over your figures, as
we have, and your conclusion is
going to be that there is no posi-
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