The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-09-26
FEAR LEVY CUT
WILL RUIN CITY
SCHOOL SYSTEM
Complete Collapse Faced, Is
View of Officials; at
Rock Bottom Now.

NUN DOllOIIl NJWs
This Is the first Of two stories on out
look OF the city's school system under
the proposed 81 50 tax law.
Return of education to the stand
ards prevailing in the days of the
one-room county school will be
faced in Indianapolis, If the school
city should be forced by the county
tax levy adjustment board to OPP
crate on its share Of a $3.50 max
imum levy.
This is the view of school Of
ficials, who are awaiting action OF
the county adjustment board, set up
by the maximum levy law, with
power to grant exceptions in emer-
gencies.
Despite reduction of $857,O0O in
the 1928 school budget, it was
necessary to increase the school tax
levy from 81 to $1.087 because Of an
18 per cent reduction in assessed
valuation and trebled tax delin-
quencies.
With the 1888 civil city levy set at
$l.30, which is % cents over this
years levy, and the new county
levy Of 41.25 cents, also an increase,
total tax levy Of more than SO is
faced, compared with $2.79 in Cen
ter township this year.
Would Get as Cents
If the adjustment board should
decide to enforce the $3.50 maxi
mum, the school city's share would
not exceed a levy of 48 cents.
On the basis of next years re-
duced valuations, 20 cents of the
school city's levy will be required
for bonds, interest and other fixed
charges which legally can not be
reduced or avoided
This would leave a levy of % cents
with which to operate the schools.
A,28-cent levy on the new valuation
would raise only $2,0l2,000, less than
half enough to meet the present
reduced pay roll of $4,673,345, of
which $3,934625 is for teachers
salaries.
This would make no provision for
the maintenance and operation of
the $22,000,000 worth of school
property, or administrative and ma
terial costs.
Also Operate Library
A large portion of the school
budget is taken up with fixed
charges and other items over which
the board has no control and which
are not chargeable directly to edu-
cation of children
Few persons realize that funds
for operation of thee public library
system must be raised in the school
budget.
This year, the library appropria-
ton was set at $3609 reduction
of $42,416. This cut was made IN
the face Of an unprecedented in
crease in business at the library.
Under state law, the school board
is required to provide specified
funds for three institutions over
which it has no control, the art in
stitute, childrens museum and free
kindergarten system.
No Alternative Provided
The school budget for next yeal
includes SAC, 800 for the kindergar-
tens; $9,235 for the art institute, and
$4,000 for the children's museum.
Under the law, the school board
has no alternative than to increase
its levy sufficient to provide these
funds, although it has no voice in
the method Of their expenditure.
Another unavoidable expendi-
ture is a $535O0O payment to the
bonded debt sinking fund, the pay
ment being equal to per cent of
the bonded debt.
Interest on outstanding bonds
calls for another payment of $445,0O0
which can not be reduced
Subtracting these various fixed
charges, there is left a budget of
only $5,068,413 with which to con-
duct a school system enrolling al
most $4,000 pupils.
Salaries Cut I1.77 Per Cent
Salaries, which comprise tbs per
cent of the budget total, we're de-
creased 1923, 449, or lit per cent.
Largest reduction, aside from
salaries, was in the item of capital
outlay. 1.6 per cent of the total bud
get, from which fund major re-
pairs, furniture, equipment and re-
placements are paid for. This item
was cut $104 800, or 400 per cent.
Building maintenance was re-
duced $18,615, or 1897 per cent, and,
classroom, janitorial and Office sup
plies $45,962, or 1884 per cent.
Other item reductions include:
4 Fixed charges, $34,960, or 8 per cent;
utilities, $5,492, or BIT per cent, and
miscellaneous items, $18,615, or 759
per cent
The total salary item in the new
budget, $4,673,345, includes 1894
62S for teachers salaries, compared
with $4,306,678 for teachers salaries
=. tAo 1901 40 I,ttJpat