The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-07-09

Local Governments Face
Threat Of Drastic Cut
in Funds.

Speed which marked the first two
days of the special session of the
Indiana legislature may be slack
ened considerably when both houses
reconvene Monday, due to the nu-
merous lawmakers spending the
weekend at their homes.
Having introduced a total OF
eighty-two bills, many of them of a
drastic nature along So-called tax
reform" lines, it will be at home in
quiet talks with local governmental
officials that shoals will be discov-
cred which will cut down CELEBRITY.
For if all the bills introduced were
passed there would be little money
left for local gvernments to func-
tlon,l and some of the measures
would wipe out local governments
entirely through consultations.
None of the bills with sweeping
results have passed or are near
passage, as yet, although several
have advanced to the stage of IA
vorable committee reports.
Asks Radical Highway Changes
An example of the bills slated to
raise loud walls from home officials
is furnished by two introduced in
the senate. One would turn all
township roads over to the county
and the other would not permit the
county to issue any road bonds for
the next three years.
Emphasis will be placed by the
legislators, in their weekend con-
ferences with home folks, on the
idea that huge amounts will be
forthcoming from the automobile
license and gasoline tax funds when
they strip the state highway de-
partment.
But the bills provide for so much
subdividing that the amounts will
not be as large as the anticipation
of them, particularly in cities like
Indianapolis, which would get but
single share, based on population,
of one-twentieth of the total after
f1fty-fifty sharing with the state
OIfCS w
Sensing the danger to local gov
eminent which lies in too much
speed and not enough thought re-
garding the ultimate result of
drastic tax law changes, James
Deery, Indianapolis city attorney,
appeared at the statehouse Friday
afternoon.
He said he had hurried over" to
find out what the panic was about.
Il appreciate the desire of the
special session to make a good
showing and not waste time
Deery declared But we do not
want to hamstring local govern
ment functioning and find our
selves in worse plight than be-
fore the session was held.
Too much speed is dangerous.
All angles of a measure should be
considered. There is ample time if
outside interests are not allowed to
enter.
After all, we can not solve COM
pletely our economic problems
merely by passing laws, regardless
of how meritorious those laws
might be-
Gives Time for Study
Deery breathed a sigh of relief
when he learned that the session
was adjourned until Monday. 1t
would give local officials chance to
study the bills and find out what
the effect will be on their govern
ment, he said.
Senate bills which vitality will
affect local government include the
$3.50 levy limitation, two-third as
sessments based on 1928 figures. and
the bond issue moratorium for
county roads.
House bills include the township
road law repeal, universal salary
cutting, abolition of such offices as
assessors, school inspectors, county
road superintendent, and others, re-
peal of mandatory county fair and
cemetery road laws.
State officials also are disturbed
by such bills as the house measure
to abolish the state industrial board,
cut judges salaries and abolish all
special levies, including that for
forestry and the World war and
George Rogers Clark memorials.
Teachers and schools also are
under fire, bill having been in
troduced to repeal the teachers
minimum wage law.
DayiIa Takes over Chile Reins