The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-09-05
COUNTY BOARD
FACES THREAT
OF TAX STRIKE
Council Given Demand for
Strict Adherence to
$3.50 Limit Law.
REGISTRATION COST HIT
Sum Allotted for Ballot
Purposes Is Deemed
Far Too High.

BeSet with demand for strict
adherence to the $3.50 tax levy
limit law, on penalty Of retaliation
in form of tax strike, the Marion
county council adjourned its public
hearing at noon today, and retired
into private session.
Representatives of the Indianapo-
lis Real Estate Board and civic or
CARNATIONS attended the first pub
lie hearing on the 1884 budget in the
commissioner office.
A request of 100000 by County
Clerk Glenn B. Ralston for estab-
fishing machinery for permanent
registration of voters was the indi-
vidual budget item singled out by
the representatives for attack.
Amount Held Ridiculous
Terming the amount requested
ridiculous" Miss Florence Kirlin
of the indianapolis League of Wom-
en- Voters declared that rate of Is
cents name should be sufficient
for the work, instead of the ap-
proximately 5O-cent figure estimated
by Ralston.
William Bosom, civic leader,
voiced the threat of a tax strike in
which citizens would refuse to pay
a levy greater than the $3.50 fixed
by law.
IF the tax rate is not kept within
legal bounds, I can foresee that Or
ganized groups will bind themselves
to pay no more than $780, Bosom
declared.
On the basis of requested budgets,
for county, school, and city, the
revenue to be produced by a $3.50
levy would be less than half the
amount necessary.
Operation at Deficit
In the event that a tax strike,
as cited by Bosom, would material
ize, and officials of the three units
did not reduce expenses at the
points demanded, operation of gov
eminent in Marion county during
the last half of 1884 would be at
deficit in addition to the esti-
mated 100000 for this year, off,
Gals said
Warning was served on officials
by the real estate board that every
means would be used to force COM
pliance with the levy limit law.
In statement read by LawreSlce
G. Holmes, board secretary, it was
pointed out that "our statutes pro-
vide penalties for those public Off
Gals who refuse to obey and en-.
force our laws"
1T is only fair to warn you that
we are not going to be parties to
lawlessness," the statement as
serted. 1--WE will use the utmost eff
forts to enforce strict adherence to
the $3.50 law"
Action Is Defended
Chief objection of the board to
the increased levies was given in
the statement as placing the burden
on property, instead of seeking
revenue from other sources.
Two county officials defended
their actions today after being
criticized by tax reduction groups.
Charles A. Grossart, county auditor,
took opportunity during the public
hearing to deny allegation of the
Chamber of Commerce civic affairs
committee that it had been handi-
capped" in its investigation for lack
of information.
Tax rate of $1.31 for 1884 was
fixed Monday night by city council,
despite demands by the Real Estate
Board and Chamber of Commerce
for lower levy.
When the council convened to fix
the levy and approve a budget of
Sc, $3.50 .53904, the public was repre-
sented by only about score of
persons,