Evening Star Newspaper, June 26, 1932, Page 16

B—4 TAXPAYERS REIGN BY INDIANA PLAN $7,000,000 Saving by Econ- mies Through New Laws Stir U. S. Interest. Bpecial Dispatch to The Star INDIANAPOLI (N.AN.A) —In these days, when taxes | throug have increased 50 that pooj scarcely can | carry the persons are | writing to tF es in this capital | and as is your ‘Indiana | T ' of cc g taxes, that we hear so much_about?” 5 | Such letters come from all parts of the country. Harry Miesse, founder | 2nd secretary of the Indiana Taxpayers' Association, who probably knows more about taxes and tax problems in Indiana than any other man, said June 25 “It is true that this year the tax- ayers in Indiana will pay $7. 000,000 fess than last vear. This amounts o a | Teduction of $2.10 for every man, woman and chil 8.40 for each f “The Indiana plan has saved the t payers in this State, in the last n years, $100,000,000 tax eal Teady planned to héve them pe there 18 no way of telling how many more times that $100,000,000 the tax- pavers would have paid had it not been | for this plan standing in the of tax-eating grafts of various kinds. Control by Taxpayers. Briefly, the two big features of the Indiana plan are 1. A law that gives the taxpayers the control of budgets, levies, bond issues acts let for public works ary, self-supporting, non- political Taxpayers' Association, which es in nearly every county acts constantly in the inter- ests of taxpayers, to prevent extravagant by cutting off waste and ng in economies. stem of giving taxpayers the right to confer with the taxing officials in their budget making, tax levying and the layout of public works and let- ting of contracts is an efficient means of keeping taxes within bounds. It puts on the taxpayers the duty of appealing from proposed budgets, levies | or bond issues whenever they believe | the proposed expenditures are wasteful. | It puts on taxing officials the duty of | proving that the outlays are wise and Tnecessary. It acts as a check on every taxing official, because he knows that if he attempts to put over some form of taxation graft, some one in the eom- | munity is sure to detect it and expose | it to s public hearing through an| @ppeal. The other most beneficial and efficient feature of the “Indiana plan,” the In- diana Taxpayers' Association, was in- corporated with this as its chief object: “To aid, encourage and promote the reduction of public expenses and taxes 1 the State of Indiana, and in counties, | cities and other political subdivisions | thereof, without opposing necessary and | legitimate public improvement and without standing in the way of an edequate educational system.” Its first public act was to attack ex- travagant school and city budgets plan- | ned for Indianapolis. The result was that $1,320,000 was cut out of the two | budgets. “We go into a county” sald Mr Miesse, “‘call together taxpayers, explain the workings of the association and say: make & job for some one. We are here to collect money from you. It will take some money to operate a branch in your county and what money you contribute will be used for that purpose, for your own benefit.” “Our association would have been powerless to do more than distribute ropaganda had there not been a State aw that carried teeth. This provides Lthat every public official spending public funds shall budget his proposed ex- ditures for the following fiscal year. t i upon these proposals that the tax levies are fixed. Here the taxpayers have a chance to study the budgets and | to_appeal from extravagance.” In the operation of the schools there were tremendous wastes. The greatest wastes were in the bullding of new | schools, which was honeycombed with | graft, and the transportation of puplls, | which was largely political patronage. | There were 5000 busses and drivers | engaged In this transportation, and the costs in the same county often varied as much as from $15 to $50 to the pupil & year under the same conditions and distances. In one county the cost varied from $23 to $100. “We aroused the taxpayers to these conditions,” said Mr. Miesse. “One dis- trict paying $52 & year for transporta- tion for its puplls now gets it for $20. ‘Another that was paying $51 gets it for $30. We got a law requiring town- | ehip trustees to advertise for bids for | transportation, and to give the con- STEAMSHIPS. Delegate TO ATTEND ENIGHTS OF ST. JOHN CONCLAVE. MRS. CARL JARN, President of St. Martin'’s Knights of 8t. John, No. 175, and vice president of the District organization, who will at- tend the annual convention of the na- tional order, oymir}_{ at Detroit tomor- Tow —Harris-Ewing Photo. ct to the lowest and best bidders. off as much as $5,500 a | y ive charges in one town- ship and saved the State $2,000,000. “In many school districts teachers' salaries were much too high. In other districts the paople seemed crazy over basket ball, and rural schools, already overtaxed, were paying $4,000 a year for coaches. “In & great many school districts, ere the constitutional taw- limit had | eady been reached, the people want- | ed new school houses as big and as fine as in neighboring districts. So, to | get around the tax limit, they would | contract with a ‘holding company’ to build the school house, the district to | rly rental for it, or to pay | s Tunning 20 years at high | interest. One county had three school houses built on that plan, each cost- ing $250,000, and the installment pay- ments, while not on the tax rolls, did add to the taxes already being paid from 40 to 50 per cent. “This plan of building schools and saddling new debts upon taxpayers was s0 profitable that a half dozen holding companies were in the business. One holding company was charging the taxpayers a promotion fee of $30,000 | for building a $225,000 school house on the installment plan.” There was no law by which taxpay- ers could appeal to the State tax board from the action of those holding com- panies, so the association had a law passed, and stopped that sort of ac- tivity. In one county with 17 townships, there were 14 big consolidated schools, when four would have been ample. Another fruitful source of waste and graft was in road repairs and building of county roads. Under the constitu- tion the State cannot issue bonds for any purpose. It has an excellent system of surfaced State roads, but all have been built out of the gasoline tax fund. The tax is 4 cents a gallon. While the States as such could not issue bonds, there was no such prohibition ageinst cpunties, townships, cities and incor- porated towns, and they issued so many that expenses soared and levies reached the point in many places, where taxa- | tion virtually became confiscation of property. Duplication and Waste. Here, for example, was a county with 12 townships, each with an outfit for repairing roads, making 12 road repair- “This is not another scheme to |ing outfits in one county. In addition, t he county had its road repairing ma- chinery. In many cases the county or township would deposit in bank a cer- tain sum, say $50,000, for road repairs, and the contractor would simply draw against it for his pay. In the same county the prices paid for road repairs would vary from $80 to $388 a mile. One county had & 5-cent levy for road repairs, and $70,000 out of that fund was going to road supervisors, all precinct captains for a political ma- chine. The taxpayers' association cut that levy to 2 cents, then to 1 cent, and this year the work is being done on a levy of ;-cent and the rdads are better than ever. ‘The association has saved the tax- payers about $80,000,000 in road repair | bills alone in the last nine years. County and township officials for- merly got out their budgets in a crude way, many knowing little or nothing about such things. The association has assisted by sending its field men to help | them. In one county last year a fleld man of the association cut $535,000 out of a township and county budget, after | the budget had been made up, and thus saved ihe taxpayers there just that much. In one year the field men of the association pared down county and township budgets that had siready been prepared $1,250,000, and did not interfere with the full operation of schools and roads. 1932, by the North America: (o ipaser Allnuoe, The) 7 STEAMSHIPS. EUROPE ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY ‘Why the St. Lawrence Seaway? Beczuse first 2 days of your trip run between ectin, Rrme, v es. Because open ocean time is only 3 to 4 days. Because you can choose, from Canadian Pacific’s distinguished liners, the style to suit your taste, the fare to fit i'our budget. First Class. .. the “Empresses,” Luxury with economy. .. ed by the Em;ren of Britain. the “Duchesses.” Economy with comfort...Cabin liners. Tourist and Third Class on all ships. Because fares are reduced as much as 20%. Compare the fares! Frequent sailings each week from Montreal and Quebec (trains to ship- side at Quebec). All-expense conducted tours. Norway Cruises : by Empress of Australia...12 ports, 14 days. From England, July 14 and 29. ORIENT - HONOLULU Reduced Round-Trip Summer Fares Empress of Japan, largest, fastest liner on the Pacific,and Empress of Canada sail via Honolulu. San Francisco and Los Angeles sailings connect at Hooolulu. Empress of Asia and Empress of Russia go the Direct Express rouse. They are the largest, fast- est on this speedway . .. Yokohama in 10 days. Al sailings from Vancouver (trains direct to ship-side) and Victoria. ALL EXPENSE TOURS: Japan, China, Korea .62 days, $565 and $740.” 73 days, including Philippines ... $1385. AUSTRALIA-NEW ZEALAND Can Australasian Lin modera motorship, the Aorangi, and the Niagara sail from Vancouver and Victoria,via Honolulu and K Caneslian Flcfic WORLD’S GREATEST TRAVEL SYSTEM Suva. Los Angeles and Sun Fraacisco sailings consect at Hooolulu. ASKFOR folders on services that interest you. Information from your agent, or C.E. Phel&s, 14th and New York Ave, N. Wash.,, D. C., National 0758. 4 VR \\/’ THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, JUNE 26, 1932—PART ONE. The Julius Lansburgh Furniture Co CONVENIENT DEFERRED PAYMENTS LOUNGE - CHAIRS $21 Lounge ~ Chairs Full size, up- $|0.50 holstered in Colonial tapestry. Spring construction, $31.50 Deep Lounge Chair A selection $|5'75 of chairs for suites. Several styles from which to choose. Assort- ments of covers. Neat designs of velour—hard- $4.25 wood frames. $16.50 Occasional Chairs A selected lot $8.25 of chairs in as- sorted covers and designs. $75 Kroehler Beautifully upholstered in tapestry Large Davenport easily opened into full size bed. Drastically reduced for this event. Lounge Chair to Complete Ensemble, $24.75 $125 Kroehler 3-pc, Bed Da Davenport bed, club ghair .ng 1«:.;:}] chai;, updhohtered in high-grade velour. ally reduced to o..iweress - e Reversible spring-filled eushions. $165 3-pc. Kroehler Genuine Mohair Bed Davenport Sulte A most attractive suite, comprising large davenport, club chair and bunny chair with reversible moquette. Genui: construction. ALL SUMMER Drastically reduced for this event.... 5 The Great Opportunity of the Year to Buy Quality Furpiture at a Substantial Saving Each year we hold this extraordinary clearance Entrance, 909 F St NO INTEREST CHARGES and it is the bargain event of the year. See what youneed in furniture, rugs, drapes, or Summer needs and then come to Julius Lans- burgh Furniture co. and learn of the tremendous savings...on furnishings of Julius Lansburgh high quality. Convenient deferred payments on any item. Small down payment, balance in monthly sums. $265 Bed Room Suite—b Attractive Pieces ‘A beautiful Queen Anne period suite, of genuine burl walnut on gum, Comprises full bed, dresser, chest of drawers, vanity, vanity bench and chair, Drastically reduced for this event... . . " $125 Walnut Bed Room Suite. 4-Pc. An attractive four-piece suite comprising poster bed, dresser, chest of drawers and $6 8 vanity. Walnut veneer on gum. Drastically reduced to.... $165 Burl Walnut 4-Pc. Bed Room Suite Colonial design with selected burl walnut veneer on hardwood. Colonial bed, chest, dresser and vanity, Drastically reduced for this event................. The Julius Lansburgh Furniture Co. \ Bed Davenport the newest in room ensemble furnishing. table with Suite seTver, ne mohair 100% upholstering—guaranteed Sherston design, DRAPES AND RUGS Heavy Fiber Rugs in a Variety of Colors & Patterns —Size 9x12 ft. Regular price, $9.95. One-third off —Size 8x10 ft. Regular price, $8.95. One-third off —size 6x9 ft. Regular price, $6.95 One-third off —Size 36x63 inches. price, $2.79. One-third off —Size 27x54 inches. Regular price, $2.29. One-third off. —Dainty Chintz Regular price, third off . Bedspreads. $2.95. ~—Ready-to-hang Chintz Drapes, 36 in. wide, $1.97 72x105-in. twin $1.97 2% yds. long. Regular price, $2.95. One-third off —Bedspreads to match. and 80x100-in. double. Regular price, $2.95. One-third off.... $6.64 $5.97 $4.64 $1.86 $1.53 $145 Pillow-Back 2-pc., Living Room Suite Upholstering is high-grade friesette with reversible spring-filled cushions. Hand-tied spring combination make this sulte exceptionally comfortable. Comprises large sofa and club chair. Drastically reduced 10 ..++xe++ FSE i A I AR R S s SR i R i $145 Cromwell Velour 2-pc. Living Room Suite Lounge type suite with deep seats and resilient spring cushions. Comprises a long sofa and lounge c{x‘:\- upholstered in Cromwell velour. Drastically reduced to . P . $135 All-Over Mohair 3-pc. Living, Room Suite A beautiful serpentine front 3-piece suite upholstered all-over in high-grade velour. Re- versible spring cushions. Comprises large sofa, ¢ jub chair and bunny back chair. Drastically reduced for this evenb.....occcvseriiiiinans . . $225 Tapestry 3-pc, Living Room Suite ¢ London des! rich tapestry upholstering. Reversible spring cushions. This sulte &5 splendid value. mprises. arec sofa. Ciub chalr and lounge Chaw. — Drastioally Entrance, 909 F St.. $175 Duncan Phyfe 10-pc. Dining Authentic period design. ..choice of genuine walnut or mahogany. Comprises extension $ I | i brass feet, china cabinet, server, buffet and 6 chairs to match. Drastically re- A $135 Genuine Walnut Dining Room Suite The neat overlays give this suite a distinctive appearance. It extension table china cabinet, buffet and 6 chalrs to match. gmm $450 Finest Quality Sheraton 10-pc, Dining Suite A most beautiful and gracefully designed suite of 10 exceptionally fine pleces— comprises extension table, inclosed server, buffet, china cabinet, 6 upholstered seat chairs to match. This suite is one of the most attractive in the store. Drastically reduced for this event.... $ STROLLERS AMD CARRIAGES $15 Fiber Stroller With reclining $750 foot and back rests. Full spring base. $24 Woven Fiber Stroller Full tubular de; slz sign—fine woven ' fiber. Spring running gear. $50 Perambula- tor Carriage Soft, resilient $25 T $25 Fiber * Carriage Neatly s‘z.w decorated and finished—tight fiber eon- struction. Room Suite $88 $250 ALL SUMMER # FURNITURE Included in this group are all fibre suites and odd pleces. Porch Rockers, hickory suites and odd pleces—Lawn and Porch Swings—Gliders. Deferred Payments! 588 $75 379 125 Convenient Deferred Payments