The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-10-02
MAYOR FIGHTS
MOVE TO Kill
UTILITIES TAX
Efforts to HamString City in
Regulation Program
Are Opposed.
PLEADS FOR AIRPORT
Sullivan Sees Serious Loss
in Progress If Levy Is
Eliminated.
BY DANIEL NJ. KIDNEY

Charging that indianapolis utili-
ties rates are excessive, Mayor Reg
inald H. Sullivan pleaded with the
state tax board to retain the 2-miu
utilities district tax in the city
budget and mot cripple our chances
for relief"
The plea was made Thursday
afternoon, when elimination of the
levy was asked by the Indiana Tax
payers Association, which, in part,
is utility supported.
Hearing on the city budget was
resumed before the board today.
Commissioners indicated at the
hearing Thursday that they are out
to make a cut.
Budget SlaShes were advocated by
Albert F. Walsman for the taxpay-
erS' association, in the absence of
Harry Miesse, who had gone home
| i'll.
Urges Levy Elimination
He urged that both the 3-mill
municipal airport and utilities dis
trict levies be eliminated.
I'VE need experts to carry on our
utilities fight and it takes money to
employ them" Mayor Sullivan de-
Tended. 1.-THE 2-mill levy gives us
an opportunity to put forth a pro-
gram for a utility district, free from
politics.
Our utilities bills are too big and
we are going to try to get relief In
addition to attorneys, we will need
to employ engineers and account
ants to testify as witnesses.
I am sure that the state tax
board will not cripple us in the fight
to make the gas company a munich
pal property and to lower utility
| rates here
Pleads for Airport
The mayor pointed out that the
airport had been inherited by his
administration and must be main
tanned. 1t is one of the finest in
the country and factory sites there
Will be used to bring new industries
when times return to normal, he
declared.
Philip zoercher of the tax board
asserted that he saw no more rea-
son for the city to finance an air.
port than a railway station.
WalSman launched his attack by
requesting elimination of 100000
from the park board and street de-
partment appropriations, used
largely for employment of common
labor.
The Indiana Taxpayers Associ-
alton idea is to replace the paid
labor by persons on poor relief and
make the latter work for their bas-
ketS of food.
Shows Plan Is Futile
Jacket Joseph, park board men,
Der, was on hand to explain fulfil
ity of such plan. He pointed out
that men working just for their
food need "a foreman to at least
| every ten and that to turn off low
paid workers merely adds to the
poor relief burden.
Nearly an hour was consumed n
wrangling over whether the gaso-
line tax revenues should have been
published with the budget. James
E. Deery, city attorney, explained
that all street repairs are financed
by the gasoline tax fund, that this
item is not in the regular budget
and the gas tax being in or out
has absolutely no effect on the
S1.O8 rate. Besides, its disposition is
all prescribed by law.
But members OF the tax board
like to see the figures in print and
the mayor agreed to accommodate
them
Would Cut Hospital Budget
Effort to cut the city hospital
budget also was made by WaIsnan.
1t is estimated that the patients will
increase 25 per cent there this year.
Following Walsman's assault. Will
liam Book, Chamber of Commerce
tax trimmer, took up the cudgels
for the small change slices which
he hopes will take $4,000 from the
city's general fund.
Francis M. Coleman, chief deputy
city controller, is defending the
budget against Book today. 1t was
explained at the outset that the
S1.08 rate is based on the idea that
$4,000 will Ne saved on the items
listed.
II TINS saving was not anticipated.
the rate would have to be sI.09. it
was asserted.