Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 157, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 June 1920 — LAKE COUNTY OFFICIALS SEEK SALARY INCREASES [ARTICLE]

LAKE COUNTY OFFICIALS SEEK SALARY INCREASES

i Crown Point, Ind., June 29.— County officials here will tell the world that increased population is not alway welcome. When Lake county jumped from 80,000 people in 1910 to 160,000 in 1920 the 1 mented census return automatically created a new status for certain county officers. But the trouble is no one seems to know who’s who or why. It’s pretty positive that county commissioners get an increase. The township assessor will receive more money too. But how about the county surveyor’s office asks Ray Seely, incumbent. —‘l can’t run my office on $2,400 a year and according to the statutes under the new census that’s all the money I’m allowed. Why that won’t even pay the window washer. “Me, too,” growls “Mac” Foland, county auditor. “How in the name of common sence can I operate this office efficiently on $7,500 a year which I understand is all the county auditor will be allowed? Sure, Tm getting SII,OOO now, but when the population and work increased the salary went down. Can you beat it? Why, it takes six assistants here all the time and when we begin to make up the tax duplicate, which requires six months. I’ve got to add another half dozen clerks in order to keep up the work.” Otto G. Fifield, state representative, will make a trip to Indianapolis and take up with Governor Goodrich the embarassing question of increased population and decreased salaries of Lake county’s officers. A revision of the statutes, several of which were passed for the particular benefit of Marion county, will probably be made. Legislation to relieve the situation and an interpretation of laws regulating county offices under the new census will be threshed out at the special meeting of the legislature which convenes next week.