The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-07-12
Fight Over Session Cost


Fight Over Session Cost
Showing tax relief matters to the
background, the house also Wrangled
over costs of the special session, and
refused to conquer with a senate
amendment to the appropriation
bill, allowing 100000 to defray costs
of the session.
Fourteen bills, touching on all
phases of government economy, were
introduced at today's session.
After first concurring with the
senate on the amended appropria-
ton bill, house members moved to
reconsider their action and voted
to appoint committees from both
houses to agree on the amount to
be spent for the special session.
The house bill, providing for ex-
penditure of $4,000 for the session,
was amended by the senate.
Commission Is Asked
Resolution calling for appoint
ment of commission by the Gov
ernor to study and devise means to
cut government costs was referred
to Judiciary A committee.
Five bills affecting operation of
governmental units were reported
for passage by the house ways and
means committee.
Chief of these was a measure of
Representative Earl Crawford
(Dem0, Milton, providing for abo-
lition of the office of township as
SCISSOR, placing duties on the trustee.
The office of assessor would be
abolished in townships of less than
1000 population, and auditors would
assume duties of trustees in coun-
ties of less than $4,000 population.
Would Ban Road Bonds
Among bills introduced today is
one by Representative Hardin S.
Linke Dem), Columbus, prohib-
iting issuance of bonds for con-
Struction of county highways until
September, 1885.
A second bill introduced by Linke
would transfer jurisdiction of all
township highways from trustees to
county commissioner, the latter to
maintain the roads.
Elimination of the Office of coun-
ty highway superintendent is pro-
vided in bill by Representative
Oran w. Cromer Rep0, Middle
ton. Under the measure, the super
intendentS' duties would be- as
sumed by county surveyors.
Cities Ask for Funds
Mayors of several cities, headed
by Mayor Reginald H. Sullivan and
James E. Deery, indianapolis city
attorney, appeared before the house
committee to ask for greater por-
ton of gas tax and license funds
to Stave off threatened bankruptcy,
because of mounting poor relief
| burdens.
1t was evident today that
hopeless deadlock can be avoided
only by increasing the cities share
of the revenue.
Bills under consideration propose
to send half of each fund back to
the state highway commission,
which now receives three-fourths of
the gas tax and all the license
fund.
Of the remaining half, under two
of the bills, three-fourthS would go
to counties, based upon road mile
age, and the last fourth would 60
to cities and towns, distributed &C
cording to population.
Favored by Mayors
These measures, guaranteeing
greater shares for cities, were IA
vored by the mayor and city off,
Gals.
The cities never have had
lobby to claim just part of the
revenue, but we're organized this
time to make fight" Deery de-
clared.
Sullivan and Deery argued that
cities can adjust budgets to care
for poor relief if shares of the two
funds are increased to care for ex-
penSe of city road maintenance.
Mayor Roswell o. johnson of
Gary, pointed out that the share of
cities and towns in the two funds
is about $4,000 whereas the bulk
of the revenue goes toward main
tenance and building of roads in
rural sections.
When times were good We paid
no attention to where this money
was going, but now. nearly bank
rupt and facing gigantic poor relief
burdens, We come to ask our just
share" johnson said.
In the name of God, where do
those TWENTY-FIVE millions po?"