Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 12 May 1939 — Page 14

PAGE 14

T451 TRACTS IN STATE STARTED

Township Assessors Begin Work Under Orders Of Tax Board.

Acting under State Tax Board orders, township assessors in every Indiana county today began the reassessment of

estate for 1940 taxes. The orders were made after hear-

ings of 7966 petitions of property|

owners from all 92 counties, asking | reductions totaling $17,808,000 in real estate values. The amount or| reductions asked in the 7451 petitions granted was about 17 million dollars. In Marion County, 2264 petitions asking total real estate assessments cuts of more than eight million dollars, mostly in Center Township. were granted by the Board. At the same time the Board appropriated $5123 to pay the reappraisal costs in five local townships affected by the order The townships in which reappraisals must be made are Center, where 1735 parcels are affected; Washington, Wayne, Warren and Lawrence. No petitipns were granted for reassessment in the four other townships.

Benjamin Protests

The reappraisal orders were signed by Chairman Philip Zoercher and Marshall Williams, Democratic members of the Board, with the third, C. R. Benjamin, Republican, | dissenting. The majority order stated: “In our opinion real estate assessments should be made more frequently than once in eight or 10 years. Changing business conditions, adverse influences in residential districts, loss of income and various other factors vitally affect valuations. “The failure to provide for general reassessment since 1932 has forced many property owners 0 seek relief in the only manner possible—by individual petitions. Failed to Give Notice “It is true that the statute contemplates a showing why reassessment should be made but where some 2000 people are required to appear in a two-day session, 1 seems that a sensible definition of “showing” must include a reasonable complete petition executed by the owner. Especially would this be true of those who appeared, but others were unable to remain through the hearings. “Original plans called for postal ecard notices, speciiying when the petitioner would be heard. The failure to give this notice created a hew situation, which we teel should not react against the tax-! payer.” Mr. Benjamin's dissenting opinion stated: “It appears to me that this Board's duty is to carefully scrutinize petitions and only approve petitions to change ground values where it is clearly shown that inequalities exist, rather than to approve only because a petition is filed. Feels Others’ Rights Ignored “The following is a policy of record agreed upon by the entire Board: “Note carefully the valuation of| adjoining land. You may find reasons to recommend approval of improvements only, not real estate.’ “The majority now unable to carry out policy in one county (Marion) “The mile-square area (Indian-| apolis) contains a large portion of | the valuations of Marion County. In| my opinion the rights of other taxpayers have been disregarded by the majority of this Board in making the order.” James

finds itself the Board's

Cunningham, Center Township Assessor, said that under the Board's order, ground values in 34 of the 101 blocks in the downtown mile-square will be reopened. Recruiting Special Staff He said he was recruiting a special staff of eight deputies to carry out the mandated re-examinations estimated to continue for two to three months. although the deadline is Monday. At the same time Mr. Cunningham attacked the 1935 assessment law under which the Board ordered the partial reassessment, All the property owners who filed petitions appeared personally before the Board several weeks ago. Yesterday the Board explained that the reappraisals were ordered because there was no evidence to show they were not needed. The 1935 law providing for the assessment appeals to the Tax Board abolished the provision for a general reassessment every four years. It was the lack of any law providing for a countv-wide assessment upon which Mr. Cunningham leveled his attack.

FOG ENVELOPS ROYAL BOAT AMONG ICEBERGS

ABOARD EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA, En Route to Quebec, May 12 (U. P.).—Searchlights and sirens today marked the path of a threeship flotilla bearing King George and Queen Elizabeth through fog in the North Atlantic iceberg area. The Empress of Australia and her two naval convoy vessels moved slowly through recurrent curtains of fog en route to Quebec to start their tour of Canada and the United States. They expected to reach Quebec Monday on schedule. POLICE TO USE RADIO LOGANSPORT. May 12.—Logansport police soon will install two-way radio communication. Construction awaits approval by the Federal Communications Commission.

Aw er tisement

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| frosted.

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

|| REVALUATIONOF City Is Offered Co-operation of U.S. THUGS SOUGHT |

In 1 Program for Wiping Out Shams IN 3 HOLDUPS

Straus Voices Amazement At Conditions Here After Two-Hour Tour.

(Continued from Page One)

fand look around. She said, “Certainly.” Mr. Straus bowed himsell in with easy grace. “How much rent do you pay?” he asked the woman. He did not identify himself. “Ten dollars a month,” she said “Of course, we have no runThe administrator expressed his amazement. “It doesn't seem so bad,” the woman said apologetically. “The | people who own this fixed it up for us. A little.” “Fixed what Straus. to come apart.” “Why, they fixed the roof,” the woman explained. She poked a coal fire in a stove. Behind her was a sink with the plumbing ripped out. “Would you like to see the living room? We have four rooms.” Mr. Straus and his entourage trooped outside. He and the Mayor inspected the outhouses. “Who owns this property and asks rent for it?” he demanded. owners of these properties ought to have their names spread across the front pages of the newspapers.” Turning to Mayor Sullivan, said: “I'd

up?” asked Mr

get after these fellows if I were Mayor. A decent building department wouldn't let them Keep these places occupied.”

Goes on to New Sights

Mud puddles, piled trash and litters of filth held no terrors for the administrator. He led the party on to newer sights. In a back alley, where small children were making mudpies, he found several women ripping apart an innerspring mattress. “Hello,” he began. you doing there?” “Can't vou see?” the women said suspiciously. Mr. Straus persisted: “Do vou sell what you're making there?” “No sir! We're on relief. WeTe making sheets for beds. I guess mavbe we can use the springs for something. too.” The Administrator discovered that the Center Township Trustee pays $10 a month for the houses. A neighbor, whose husband was on WPA. said she paid $14. Her little son sat in the mud, eating candy. Mavor Sullivan walked over and gave the little boy a nickel.

Visits Lockefield Gardens

“What are

Across the street, the Administrator visited Lockefield Gardens. L. F. Artis, housing manager, took him and Tyrrell Krum, USHA assistant administrator in charge of investi- | gation, through the spacious build- |

ings. Originally built by PWA, Lockefield, which houses 2076 persons, is now administered by the USHA. Rents are as low as $12.75 monthly. “We're building cheaper projects than these,” Mr. Straus said. "We're|

| getting rents down to $9 a month.

We can’t landscape them as well as vou've landscaped Lockefield, but we make them attractive.” As Mr, Straus entered the main building, he noticed the bronze plaque in the hall. It bore his name and that of Mayor Sullivan. “I see you were in on this, too,” he said to the Mayor. “I hope we can continue to build sium clear-| ance projects here.” As the Administrator entered the business office, which looks like the front offices of a utility concern, he involuntarily straightened his tie

Finds Fault With Lights

“This is where tenants pay their rent,” Mr. Artis said. “We collect 8217.916.43 a month right here. Last month, we collected all but $39.14. People here have paid advance rents

. | totaling $5000.”

In a basement recreation Mr. Straus {ound a fault, “Those lights,” he said, They ought to be. In New York State, it's against the law to have unfrosted lights.” In the library, which serves the neighborhood, he peeked over the shouider of a little girl who was engrossed in a book of fairy tales, She didn't notice until a camera bulb flashed in her eyes. Startled, she started to cry, then seeing the group. couldn't quite make up her mind. Mr. Straus settled the issue by talking to her quietly. j Outside, he inspected the playground. It was filled with children who looked like those across the street in the alleys. “You need some more equipment here.” the Administrator commented. He made notes. The party stood in the enormous grassy courtyard. A fresh breeze mowed the grass. “That's wonderful,” the Administrator said. "How do you keep your lawns so well? I can't do it in my own vard.” On the way back, Mr. Straus gave the Mayor a letter offering to pay $141480 annually to the City and other governmental units in lieu f taxes. The amount is based on 5 per cent of shelter rents, provided here is 100 per cent occupancy. In exchange, the City would pro-| vide all municipal services the

room,

“are not

“It looks as if it were ready

$i : 3

Nathan Straus, U.

“The a slum clearance program after inspecting conditions such as

S. housing administrator, offered Indianapolis

this,

In the group (left to right) are Norman E. Isaacs, The Times man-

aging editor;

chairman, and Tyrrell Krum, Mr, Straus’

Mr. Straus, Thomas A. Moynahan,

State Housing Board assistant,

Mr. Straus center for low-income families, Here, the housing administrator is playground by iL. F. Artis, center.

inspected Lockefield Gardens, during his tour yesterday afternoon.

housing manager

Times Photos Government housing

shown a section of the Gardens’ of the housing

same as it does to private dwellings. Mayor Sullivan said he would gi”?= the letter to James E. Deery, City Controller, In his address to the Construction League, Mr, Straus said that the USHA is interested primarily in families earning less than $20 a week “Private industry is building for the families earning more than $35 a week,” he said. “The family earning between $20 and $35 has

been forgotten.

to vou that public help private enterprise to explore and develop this unclaimed territory. It was public housing for the lowest third in England that set the spark to an even greater volume of private housing for the middle third.” The USHA, he said. hopes to expend $1.800,000.000 for new homes for the “lowest third” if the Housing Bill, now pending in Congress, passes. “As a businessman,” he said, “I realize that you will expect me to| prove that so-called public housing} is really meeting the needs of the lowest income group. “We are meeting that need. The average rent for all projects now under contract will be well below $20 a month per unit. The average shelter rent per room per month will be under $3.75. “Construction is under way on an

“It is vital housing will

| 84-unit project in Vincennes. These

homes will be substantial, fire-re-sistant buildings, designed for a minimum life of 60 years. The average rent per week will for a tvpical house be about $9.50.” Political differences, he said, have

that in America we have progressed

to the stage where housing is no more poltical than is S public health.”

$500,000 Slum Project At Kokomo Approved

WASHINGTON, May 12 (U. PJ). —The U. S. Housing Administration today approved more than $500.000 in contracts to begin construction of the Hoffer St. slum clearance project for Kokomo, Ind. Work is expected to begin June 1 and be completed by May 1, 1940. Superior Construction Gary received the $374.900 construction contract; Tibbetts Plumbing & Heating Co., Union City, Ind., the plumbing and heating contract for $124951; C. L. Smith Electric Co.. Indiananolis, tae electrical work for $24.800, and HarLy H. Jack, Muncie, landscaping, $12,087.

Co. of general

| three persons,

Burglar Enters A Apartment, Vandals Rip Pipes Off Church Organ. |

Police today sought thugs and burglars who last night held up stole an automobile and burglarized a North Side apartment. At the same time they sought vandals who broke into a church,

| ripped pipes away from the organ |and cut the electric wires.

John E. Conley, of 226 W. 11th St, reported that two men whom he agreed to take as passengers in his automobile for 50 cents, forced him from the car at the point of a gun at 28th and Martindale i and drove away.

State Police reported that two

| men answering the description of| the bandits drove away

from a Muncie filling station at 2 a. m.|

[$3.33 from his pocketbook and then [returned the pocketbook.

| N. Illinois St. returned to her apart-

without paying for a tank full of | gasoline. p Three nel who ordered him into he stepped from a a at “25th and Gale Sts., took | his wristwatch and $5, Ralph McClure, of 2701 N. Gale St., told police. Raymond Ray of 1031 W. 27th St. reported that two men, who thrust a weapon against his back, took

When Mrs. A. D. Stanford of 1244

ment at 9 p. m. yesterday she found the chain lock fastened on the inside. She screamed when she saw a man inside packing clothes into a suitcase. He ran from the house, | carrying the suitcase, and joined a companion outside, she reported. Her screams attracted neighbors, who gave chase, and the man dropped the suitcase on Smith St.,

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