The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-07-17
Sets Out Recommendations
to School Board to
Effect Tax Slash.
95-CENT LEVY is GOAL
Appeal to State Proposed.
If Economies Are
Not Made.

Slashing Of the 1892 Indian
apolis school budget through reduce
ton Of teachers salaries.
Abolition Of the free kindergarten
vocational day schools for adults
and night schools.
Arbitrary curtailment of the
building and improvement pro-
gram.
Reduction Of the library system.
These are recommendations made
public today by the Chamber OF
Commerce.
For almost three weeks these sue-
gestions for cutting the school CITY
levy from $1.01 to 95 cents have
been studied by members of the In
dlanapoliS school board, who india
vidually issued announcements thew
would not be adopted.
These suggested cuts have been
shrouded in deepest secrecy since
their presentation and it was
thought that because of their some
what drastic nature, no one desired
70 assume responsibility for them.
School Board Praised
Praising the school board for its
work, the budget subcommittee of
the civic affairs committee of the
Chamber of Commerce formally
presented the recommendations to
the school board with instructions
from the directors to appeal to the
state tax board if the cuts were no
adopted by the school board.
One appeal against the budget al4
ready has been fled by the Indiana,
taxpayers Association.
Introductory statement of the re-
port points out that the Door relief
rates will be increased and property
valuations will be decreased. The
one solution, therefore, is to slash
the budget, it asserts.
Determine to eliminate for tina
next year some of the activities of
the school city regarded as less nee.
essary than its principal function
OF educating tn children of school
age in the grade and high schools"
the chambers budget COMMITTEES
urged.
Activities Listed
Such activities, it seems to this
committee, would include the dav
vocational schools for adults, for
which $15,225 is appropriated, the
night schools for which $I5.225 is
appropriated, and the free kinder
garten for which SCI, 200 is appro-
priated.
Arbitrarily reduce appropriation
for maintenance and capital outlay
on the school city's physical prop
erty at least to the level of expen-
diture Of 1880, with the full under
standing that decreased building
costs. OF approximately Is per cent
since that time would permit an
expansion of work beyond the 1890
level by the amount OF % per cent.
This would mean a reduction of
ABOUT $4,000 in these items as pro-
posed by the new budget"
Use Of the sinking fund in re-
ducing the rate also is recommended.
Talk Salary Cuts
The list Of suggested reductions
also includes some proposed reduc-
tons in appropriations for teachers
salaries, the report sets out.
Following discussion Of the
functions of the kindergartens.
night schools and adult vocational
schools, the report declared:
Without question, the usefulness
OF all these and other functions has
been proved. Yet, If it is necessary
to reduce the tax rate, as we be-
lieve it to be, there is no other way
in the case of the school city than
arbitrarily to reduce salaries, or to
restrict or entirely eliminate GER
tain activities"
Conceding that the school board
should be praised for suspending
the automatic salary increases and
pointing out that: 1.-THE heads OF
a great many Indianapolis business
firms reported they have been com
PEELED to institute salary reductions
throughout their entire forces and
that private business, quite appar-
emily, has been compelled to meet
the problems of the depression by.
such action" the committee report
declares:
There can be no doubt that IN
less there is a marked Improvement
in the business situation, another
twelve months or sooner. will bring
general reductions in the salaries
and wages Of public employees.
II another year has not brought suf-
flcient economic improvement to
make 1t easier for the taxpayers to
pay their taxes, without question.
1t VIII be necessary to apply the only
other alternative for tax reduction
that Is here proposed in the case
OF the Indianapolis school city-hat
reduction in all salaries and wages
OF 10 per cent or more"
Budget subcommittee members ara
Arthur v. Brown, chairman; Alrnus
G. Russell, H. S. Morse, Elmer W.
Stout, Earl Buchanan, Frank q
Fowler, Daniel B. Luten, T. r. pat
cliff and State Senator Joe Rand
Beckett.