The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-09-03
CITY EMPLOYEES
1888 PURSE is
100000 LESS
Budget SIaShed Sharply to
Conform With Laws
for Economy.

indianapolis city employees will
have more than 100000 less with
which to pay the grocer, landlord
and other creditors next year, as re-
suit Of 1888 budget cuts being made
by city officials to conform with leg
islative economy laws.
This was shown in a statement
issued today by Mayor Reginald H.
Sullivan, listing the total salary re-
auctions to be made in several city
departments by cutting pay and by
eliminating many city jobs.
Heaviest losses will be suffered by
the police and fire departments,
which receive about two-thirds of
the total city salary item.
Reductions in fire department
salaries will amount to sl27974,
while figure for the police depart
ment is $113,064. Reductions an
nounced for several other depart
ments include Gamewell depart
ment, $12,062; building department,
$8,25l; street department, $37,O68,
and engineering department, $90,032,
making a total OF $308,000
100000 Parks Cut
This total figure does not include
the park department, total budget
OF which is being reduced 100000,
sanitary, health, recreation, Bar
rett law and other departments.
Salary cuts alone will account for
more than $450,000 reduction in the
budget, aside from savings effected
by abolishing jobs.
Graded salary cuts, ranging from
5 to 20 per cent, will effect re-
duction of approximately Is per
cent in the total city pay roll, in
stead of 10 per cent as required by
the law passed by the special Ses-
sion of the legislature.
In addition to savings effected by
salary pairing, the budget, when it
is submitted to city council, prob
ably Tuesday night, will show ma
terial slashes in other items, Sulli-
van said
May Show Increase
Despite the stringent budget re-
auctions being made, however, it
appeared today that the 1888 civil
city levy may show an increase over
this years.
Several factors enter into this
situation. Among them are the 10
per cent reduction in assessed vaIu-
alton, increase in tax delinquencies
from 2 to per cent, necessity of
providing funds for the 1888 city
primary and general election.
Another reason is the fact that
an additional $257,999 must be bud
geted to meet bond and interest
payments falling due next year.
This sum is in addition to the
amount ordinarily raised for such
payments and is accounted for by
unusually large blocks of bonds ma
turing next year.
Balances Wiped Out
Sinking fund balances, built up
in last years to care for this emer-
gency, have been wiped out in the
last two years, on insistence of the
state tax board, Sullivan said, in
order to keep down the levy for
those years.
Necessity for increasing light and
water budget items about $150000
will help to nullify budget reduc-
tions accomplished by salary cuts.
In preparing this years budget
last year the works boards request
for an 100000 item to pay water
and light bills was reduced to about
100000, in anticipation of rate re-
auctions.
Reductions granted by the pub
lie service commission, however, to-
tailed only $4,000, forcing the city
to increase the item about $150,000
for next year in order to meet ac-
tual bills.
Can't Observe Limit
For the city to operate on its
share of the $3.50 maximum levy
set by the legislature would be an
utter imposSibility, it was pointed
o out.
The civil city's share of this $3.50
total levy would be not more than
about 55 cents, at least 81 cents of
which would be required to meet
bond and interest payments, which
can not be evaded.
The total amount raised by 55-
cent levy, considering the Is per
cent reduction in assessed valua-
ton and increase in tax delin-
quencieS, would be less than
$3,000000
One cent in the levy has raised,
for the last several years, about
$680O0, but under present condi-
lions will raise only about $4,000.
Account for 80 Cents
The lower valuation and increased
tax delinquencieS, on the basis of
this years budget. would account for
a 52-cent levy hike.
Some relief will be obtained from
the approximately $662, 900 to be re-
ceived by the city from gasoline
taxes and auto license fees, under
the new diversion act of the special
session. This is an increase of near
ly $3.50 900.
Wherever permitted by the state
accounts board. these funds will be
allocated to relieve the property tax.
The part that can not be used to
pay for street work in the budget
will be used in street maintenance
and construction work, providing
employment for several hundred
men next year, relieving pressure on