Indianapolis Times, Volume 43, Number 214, Indianapolis, Marion County, 15 January 1932 — Page 6

PAGE 6

CHICAGO BROKE AFTER REVOLT OF TAXPAYERS Court Rules Assessments Unfair; Levies Never Collected. Cbiearo It not alone in its financial muddle. A score of major American cities are drifting toward the same bog. The Chicago crisis mar be duplicated over all the country. This concluding installment of a series of stories about Chicago’s plight tells bow and whv taxpayers went on “strilces.** precipitating the citv into Its struggle against bankruptcy. BY RAY BLACK United Press Staff Correspondent (Copyright. 1032. bv United Press! CHICAGO, Jan. 15.—A taxpayers’ revolt brought Chicago to the brink of bankruptcy. “Taxes are too high; assessments are unfair,” home owners, shop keepers and business men protested. “We won’t pay.’’ They did not pay. More than $140,000,000 in taxes for the last four years remain unpaid. While 88 per cent of the 1928 taxes was sent in, only 65 per cent of the 1929 assessments was met, and the 1930 and 1931 tax statements lie on the city treasurer’s desks unsent. The muddle dates from a reassessment a few years ago. Middle class folk complained that $15,000,000,000 in personal property, trust estates, bank deposits and other holdings of the rich had been left off the tax rolls. Irate home owners organized, retained attorneys. Test Case Won by Widow A test case was brought in behalf of Mrs. Lillian Cisar, an Oak Park widow. She refused to pay taxes on her home because the assessment was unfair. County Judge Edmund K. Jarecki heard the case. “Scandalous and a crying shame,” he said of the tax apportionment. “What can be fair about an assessment that deliberately omits $15,000,000,000 of taxable wealth?” Judge Jarecki declared the 1928 and 1929 tax rolls void. Since the 1930 roll was based on that of 1928, It, presumably also, Is illegal. The decision was appealed to the Illinois supreme court this week. Unless the high court reverses Judge Jarecki, the whole taxing scheme of the city and county will have to be revamped before taxpayers can be compelled to pay. Legislature Stumped Last Tuesday, Superior Judge Charles A. Williams issued a writ of mandamus compelling the board of review to place the $15,000,000,000 of personal property in the tax lists. If the supreme court upholds that order, enough valuation would be added to cut the tax rate in half. But how soon the complicated tangle of suits, appeals and writs can be cleared up so money actually will start pouring into municipal coffers again, is problematical. The state legislature, meeting in special session to pass laws to remake the tax machinery, is at loggerheads. One relief bill was killed in a test vote. It will be reconsidered next week. As the matter stands, citizens howled about their taxes, refused to pay them, and a court upheld them. They are in revolt with legal sanction.

Editorial Blames Graft Appeals of officials and civic leaders that homeowners pay now and trust to later court rulings for reapportionment have gone unheeded. Not a cent in taxes has been paid since Judge Jerecki’s ruling. The Chicago Tribune, in an editorial headed, “A Stout Thief on a Starved Jackass,” placed the blame in these words; “The voters elected officials to steal the public funds. The officials stole the funds. To replenish them, they raised taxation and stole more funds. “Theft and taxation climbed together. Corruption and collapse were twins from one cradle. “This impossible structure of graft was about to fall of its own weight when bad times came to take the taxpayer on the other flank. That settled It. In Chicago the very machinery for levying taxes had to break down under its sins. Other cities went to ruin without that added cause. Crisis Grows Acute “American democracy has given its demagogic and dishonest political system enough rope, but the system has hung, not itself, but the democracy. Charlatans of reform, brainless windbags, greedy alimoners, sour bigots and fat scoundrels have crossed the country as a plague of locusts and the fields are bare.” Whatever the cause, the crisis grows hourly more acute. There is a tenderness even where want, cold and hunger have not yet laid clutch. Knowing that hundreds of thousands are existing from meal to meal by charity, the millions who have not yet suffered have begun to wonder. “Will we be next, if the city goes under?* ’is a question none can answer now.

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Asks Divorce

V * m A A A—- —!

Zasu Pitts

By United Press LOS ANGELES, Jan. 15.—Zasu Pitts, motion picture comedienne, charging desertion, sought divorce from Thomas S. Gallery, sportsman, in a suit on file today in superior court. Gallery left her Nov. 24, 1926, Miss Pitts charged, and refused to return to their home. They were married in 1920.

RELIEF BILLS BEINGJER6ED La Follette and Costigan Plans Consolidated. By ficripps-lfoward Newspaper Alliance WASHINGTON, Jan. 15.—One bill for direct relief for destitution caused by unemployment, carrying an appropriation, probably, of $375,000,000 will be reported out this week, it is understood, by the senate committee on manufactures. The measure will merge the essential feature of the La Follette and Costigan bills, hearings on which just have been concluded, and, in all likelihood, will bear the names of both senators. It is believed the joint measure will provide for a board of five to administer the funds. The bill is expected to carry out the principle of grants-in-aid to states or local communities which are unable to meet relief demands and to co-operate with them in providing funds for both work relief and home relief. Both the bill introduced by Senator La Follette, chairman of,the committee, and the one presented by Senator Edward P. Costigan of Colorado, have many points in common. The best features of each, it is understood, will appear in the bill to be reported by the committee, the details of which are being worked out.

DEMOCRATS HOPEFUL North Dakota Delegates Meet on Primary Plans By United Press VALLEY CITY, N. D., Jan. 14. North Dakota Democrats today debated whether to support Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt in the state presidential primary, or to throw their support to another. Delegates from all thirty-three counties gathered to discuss candidates, policies and plans for the primary March 15. Party leaders lookqd forward hopefully for their first electoral college victory since the World war.

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THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

JAN. 15, 1932