Indiana Property Tax Repeal Alliance sends message to Indiana's citizens

Dear fellow citizens:
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Legislators tell us they saw the "perfect storm" coming, which apparently didn't compel them to take evasive action. Now, they can't see "exactly" how repeal and replacement will work, so they don't want to take any action on that either. There's a pattern here.
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These same Republi-Can'ts and Demo-Can'ts have one thing in common, they're defined by what they can't do. Add now to their "can't do list," any open discussion of property tax repeal. What happened to the open minded agents of change whom we elected?
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Some practice an inane form of political yoga, to make voters believe that they "would" consider or vote for repeal, if only the others (i.e. "leadership," graveyard committees, etc.) would let them. "If the people around me would permit it, I would sincerely be and act like myself," they seem to say. Others take the electioneered "heat" for the pretense of that which they call "practical" (the grand mediocrity of lesser evils), making the "hard" decision to say "can't." Political cover is another expression for "citizen compromised."
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View now the spectacle that is the current process, a "call to inaction." Keep a sharp eye. The Senate Rules Committee may hold SJR8 indefinitely to effectively kill it, after adopting a not so popular bill like SB0012 and pieces thereto, or butcher it by amendment (diluting it beyond purpose); any or all to sync with the Governor's state of the union speech- expost speecho. And, then there's the leggo-your-ego problem that keeps good ideas, on the party or personal basis of aversion to authorship, from reaching the floor of either house for an open discussion. There are countless hours of higher education and experience within the state house ranks, and what citizens get is a process that does not reflect that fact. Ain't we lucky to have such a process?
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What are Republi-can'ts and Demo-Can'ts afraid of? All evidence points toward the questionable funding (bond indebtedness of an indentured citizenry, the many) of unnecessary public facilities projects (schools, libraries, misc., the excuse); contracted to niche developers, and the paper creations of niche law and investment firms (the few who benefit directly), in an environment of citizen and therefore student depopulation (read customers). It's not that the memo from the future is unclear (it's not hieroglyphics fellow Hoosiers), it's a matter of readership by leadership. Failure to respond to a problem with a proportional solution, is still failure. The only solution, proportional to Indiana's property tax crisis, is complete elimination of the property tax, and that evidence is available to those with the will (the "can") to make good policy.

Citizens are employers who don't need committee filters on what their options are (re: state's collection of their money); particularly at a time, when forty plus, or nearly half the counties, don't have recent tax bills. Members of both houses say that they believe a bill for repeal would pass, on an up or down vote, if brought to the floor of either house. What's the purpose of leadership if not to do the people's bidding? If legislators are to be representatives, they must have the courage of their convictions, and expose them to the light of public process. Anything short of full engagement, is an irresponsible gamble on the future of Indiana; a losing game of COWARDICE.

America's competition for citizens is on! In a nation where depopulation is a fact; the future will reward states where policies are transparent, and citizen friendly (centered), because people will CHOOSE to live in those places (what a concept). States that fail citizens, in favor of special interests and self-serving government, will also fail economically- it's that simple. States will have less revenue with which to do anything credible or purposeful (vacated infrastructure is expensive, ask Detroit, St. Louis, etc.), much less back-room development deals. And, more taxes on fewer people, fuels exodus to "other" states (hint: it's been tried), where reapportionment will add congressional seats, and subtract them from "failed states."

See citizens as customers or any category of human division, by which special interests predispose you, but people generally flock to places where they are WELCOMED (it's a honey and vinegar thing). Foreign investors have likewise returned to Indiana during the past few years, because they have been INVITED (leadership). Unfortunately, recent gains in Indiana's employment and investment are being erased, by confiscatory property taxes that outpace income growth and citizens' resources; which along with the history and increasing awareness, explain Hoosiers' preference for repeal. Rather than waiting to read post election polls, legislators would do well to read current polls on citizen sentiment and repeal. Bold change will require genuine introspection by our currently elected officials; many of whom have an artificial (token or template), exaggerated sense, of their connectedness with constituents; hence the "perfect storm."

To good works and better times,

The Indiana Property Tax Repeal Alliance