The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-10-22
Home Rule Needed

One Of the changes in government that IS
strongly indicated by the recent decision of
the state tax board is large measure of
home rule for cities
At the present this city is under the die
tatorship of the men who compose that
board. They have it within their power to
punish those communities which have been
unkind to their creator-and they use that
power ruthlessly and harmfully.
Certainly the people of Indianapolis have
more faith in the judgment, honesty and wis
dom of Mayor Reginald Sullivan and his
councilmen than they have in board which
has as its political sponsor Governors who
have failed and still fail to hold public con-
fdence.
1t was precisely because the people of
this city had tired of the sort of government
controlled by those who named these mem
bers that Indianapolis first endeavored to OBJ
tain city manager form of government, and,
failing in that endeavor, through a vicious
supreme court decision, elected Mayor Sui
Ivan as the one hope of escape
In that election the character of the OPP
position did not count. The people looked be-
hind him and saw the same discredited in
fluences which had helped to furnish Gov
errors.
The same can be said for the school board
with even greater emphasis and certainty.
That board was drafted board. It's member
ship were not Office seekers nor politicians.
They responded to universal demand IN
crisis.
For those members to be hampered by
the politicians who received their offices on
the tax board in return for political favors,
who sought the places and lobbied and
connived to obtain them, is unbearable and
unthinkable.
Yet the board is hampered and the
schools threatened at the command of cor
porations who have no children and whose
one purpose is to save pennies.
Until cities are freed from this sort of
dictatorship, until each community has the
power to run its own affairs and control it's
own government all public institutions will
be threatened with disrepute.
The power to limit taxes is greater than
the power to spend those taxes In the
present cut for this city, the immediate effect
will be to drop from the pay roll the lowest
paid workers in public parks and on streets,
men whose wages have been such that when
lost to them there is danger of adding to the
list of those who must be supported by
charity.
Worse, if possible, than this is the GER
tainty that the city will be hampered in its
fight for justice from the electric and water
monopolies by lack of funds to prepare
properly the necessary evidence that would
force reductions.
There could be but one purpose in this
reduction. It's effect on the tax rate is negli-
gible. It's embarrassment to the administra-
ton is monumental.
The only explanation for this decision is
that the state tax board did not wish the city
of Indianapolis to be in position where it
could force reduction to the million dollars
year taken by these two concerns from
public funds.
The decision should not stand There
should be petition of citizens, presented in
person if necessary by all the signers, de-
handing that Indianapolis be unshacked for
this battle.
And the next legislature must be chosen
with the purpose of ending state dictator
ship of local governments.
The time has come for home rule. This
and other cities can not longer remain poll
tical Irelands.
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