The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-09-08
1882 TAXLEvY
FOR CITY is
FIXED AT S1.OS
Cent Reduction From Rate
Is Adopted by Coun-
CiImen.


tax board for reduction in the $1.0e
civil city tax levy for 1882, adopted
by the city council Monday night
today were being considered by
representatives Of three organiza-
tionS.
Appeal by the Indiana Tax
payers Association definitely is as
Sured, according to Harry Miesse
secretary, while representatives OF
the Board of Trade and Chamber
of Commerce were undecided as to
their probable action.
The $108 levy, reduction of !
cent over this years levy, wa;
adopted by the council after very
brief discussion.
The budget, as adopted, contained
the $3.50 slash agreed on at bud
get committee meetings last week
after demands Of the Indiana Tax
payers Association, Chamber OF
Commerce and Board of Trade fol-
substantial reduction in taxes
The minor slash agreed on does not
affect the levy.
Explain Cut Failure
In explaining failure to make
further budget cuts, councilmen
pointed out that the 1882 budget
had been pared $4,000 under the
budget for this year, before it was
submitted to the council.
Decreased tax valuation and
heavy cut in miscellaneous revenue
however, prevented more than l.
cent levy drop, it was explained.
Half of the $4,000 budget cut is
represented by an arbitrary slash in
the light and water bills, in antici-
patton of utility rate cuts being de-
manded by the city.
st have no doubt that there are
some items in this budget which
could be reduced" said Council
President Ernest G. Ropkey. How
ever, three weeks is not long enough
to study it thoroughly.
4NOW 4OL 1909
"I believe we should start now
and go into this thoroughly, depart
ment by department, so we will
know better what we can cut next
year"
Councilman Leo WEIGH expressed
himself as vigorously opposed to sal
airy slashes, proposed by the Board
of Trade and urged by Councilman
Fred G. Gardner as the only eff
fective way of whiting the budget
The only opposition vote to &C
ceptance of the budget was cast by
Gardner.
On motion of Councilman George
A. Henry, the council finance COM
mittee was delegated to study the
various municipal departments
needs during the next year, to be
able to suggest budget economies
next year.
Following the meeting, Council
man Maurice E. Tenant issued a
statement of his views on the
budget, in which he pointed to the
difficulty of obtaining majority
vote on budget cuts by separate
items.
Advocates Wage Cut
'"The most effective way to have
accomplished real result" he said,
with a savings of possibly or 4
cents, would have been a general
up and down cut in wages and sal
aries, including reduction of pay of
police and firemen.
when the cuts in private bust
ness are considered, and these cuts
extend everywhere, from salaries of
presidents to those of clerks and
StenographerS, such plan seems
right. However, the federal gov
eminent is on record against any
salary reduction of its employees.
The same is true of the state.
Further, in municipalities COM
parable in size to Indianapolis
throughout the country up to July
IS this year, not a single taxing
body had made general wage and
salary cut.
Support Is Refused
IT have asked many of the heavy
taxpayers of the city, some ofswhon
are members of the organizations
asking tax reductions, whether
they favored general salary cuts anc
whether they would allow then
names to be used as favoring such
a move. Without exception they
have declined their support.
'The smaller taxpayers, even if &
general salary and wage slash were
made, resulting in maximum re-
duction of cents in the levy, would
save only SIS on each $4,000 o.
property returned for taxation.
Lastly, a cut of 100000 from the
pay Of municipal employees woulc
reduce the spending power of these
people in the local markets. These
considerations, in my judgment, jus.
tify the passage of the budget"