The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-06-30
COUNTY FACES
A STIFF BOOST
IN 1888 TAXES
Added Load May Be Piled
on Citizens If Budgets
Are Not Pared.
MUST CUT $2,40o,o00
< Officials Declare SIiCing Is
impossible; More Pay
Cuts Loom.

Cast in the shadow of a tax storm
residents of Marion county today
faced the possibility of carrying an
added levy load in 1888 and 1884 I'M
less officials of the city, school and
county governments slash operating
expenses 100000.
From all departments of govern
ing units came appeals for relief as
many officials declared it would be
impossible to slice a total of $500, 900
from the operating items in the
1888 budgets
The slash is necessary under the
s82,000,000 real estate and improve
ment assessment reduction ordered
Wednesday by John C. McCloskey,
Center township assessor. He and
officials of the Chamber of Com
merce who worked out the plan
with McCloskey, estimate that each
Of the three county and city units
will have to pare that amount from
their budgets. Unless this is done
the lower valuation will result in
higher taxes to meet operating costs
Cant Be Done
Although it is known that the
chamber will offer recommended
lions to city, school and county Off
Gals, the latter are emphatic in
their assertions that lit can't be
done"
The school city has the Jump on
the others by already having cut
expenses more than 100000 this
year. That leaves another 100000
to go by the wayside.
The most severe problem facing
the school officials is the slashing
of salaries. Tax experts claim some
salaries will have to be cut again,
but the teachers, with contracts UNI
til July /, 1898, block any action
on their pay for the first six months
of the new year.
Employees of the school city, as
well as teachers, this year received
cuts that were said to be 5 per
cent. but which, it is reported,
ranged as high as II per cent in
some instances.
Sees Serious Handicap"
Various tax-cutting sources are
reported to be prepared to recon-
mend abandonment of vocational
training, kindergartens and drastic
reduction of library operations to
gain the goal. There is assurance
from all sides that the situation
will not affect teaching and the
number of schools in the city
A. B. Good. business director OF
schools, said the valuation slice Will
result in serious handicap to the
schools. reducing the bonded debt
margin to S1,000,000, although it is
necessary to borrow $1,5O0,0OO IN
temporary loans annually to pay
teachers salaries and meet oper-
ating expenses.
The school levy also will be
affected. 1t had been planned
under the reduced budget plan, now
in effect. to cut the levy to about
% cents. 7 cents below this years
But, without further budget cuts
The valuation slash will mean a
school levy of approximately $lO6
George SniGer, county commits
sioner, typihed the valuation cut as
"a shot at the moon"
Visions Higher Taxes
"The situation will result in
higher taxes" he said. TITS up to
the county council whether the
county can cut operating expenses.
Thomas Ellis, commissioner, said
he believed whatever cTt the county
made would not be sufficient to bal
ance the valuation cut item.
Warning against the higher tax
rate and the county's $7,0O0,0OO
sinking fund which muss be carried,
was sounded by Dow Vorhies,
commissioner.
THE sinking fund is something
we can't dodge" he said. 1T is an
obligation contracted by law and
there's nothing to be done about it. "
Department heads at the court
house fear cuts in salary and en-
ployes.
Prosecutors Hands Tied
Several instances in which records
of the assessors Office were changed
in the last few years as "favors" to
friends and politicians to cut thou
sands from valuations have been
laid before the grand jury, it was
learned today. However, due to the
period which has elapsed grand
Jurors and prosecuting officials have
found their hands tied.
Thousands of dollars were lost to
the county in three instances which
were discovered by McCloskey.
With the tentative city budget
now being prepared for presentation
to the council the latter part OF
July, city officials today declared
1t would be "a tough job to lop of
another 100000 from the already
pared budget. The city will with