06-01-33 Council Special Meeting Minutes

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As a matter of comparison the policemen and firemen of this city under the 1919 schedule will not be called upon to make any sacrifice in the standard of living as this schedule, due to decrease in living costs, will permit approximately the same purchases as their former salaries, would in 1929# rurthermorem,in comparison with the salaries and wages to be paid in other departments of thetc.-ity and in private enterprise, the suggested salary scale of 1919 gives the policemen and firemen their fair proportion of the x available public funds. Themnewspapers have carried articles mentioning there was sympathy among the Common Council members for the issuance of anticipation tax warrants, or tax delinquency warrantse Adide from the injustice to the delinquent, taxpayers and other taxpayers of the city of South Bend, it is a direct injustixoe to the men themselves. Tax delinquency warrants are discmaountable on their face at least 8 %.' The record in other cities show that where tax anticipation warrant have been used in the payment of salaries that the merchants, due to the uncertainty as to the time when they will receive their money, have 'been forced to charge higher prices fcr their. products so that in accepting the warrants they would bex immediately negotiable thereby helpinE the merchant to maintain his capital in a liquid state. If these warrants are issued and discounted at 9$ and counting the necessary rise in prices, they will jeopardize the properties) of the poor taxpayers and in addition the policemen and firemen will receive not more and maynyl times less money than would be provided under the 1919 salary scale. If the budget is balanced and the proper salary scale established all policemen and firemen will be paid in casht and I assure you if more money becomes available it will be my pleasure to come before the Common Council and inform you that not only is the ityfs budget,balaneed but surplus has accumulated which should be distributed: to policemen, f,irement and all other city employees in the proportion that their earnings bear to the total.' I suggest again, as a further assurance to the policemen and firemen and other city employees, that you include in your salary ordinance.a clause providing for the automatic fluctuation of their salaries in accordance with the index figures used by the President- in establishing a similar method of handling federal employees salaries. In clnosing, I recommend that all matters over which you exercise legislative control be adjus0id, in such manner as -will assure the balancing of the municipal budget without recourse to borrow - ing. The I City of South Bend to date has weathered the economic storm and maintained its expenditures inside its income, a continuance of this policy will be cooperated in by the I` administrative branch of thi Municipal Government to the fullest extent. On Motion of Councilman Motion carried. On Motion of Councilman ATTEST I��3 W. R. Hinkle, MAYOR. Altfeld the Mayor's Report was referred to the Committee of the Whole #', Rokop the Council adjourned at 9 :10 o'clock P.' M Motion carried.' - --