As I sat among 150 residents at the ‘Taxing Time’ event held inside the Indianapolis Statehouse House chamber Wednesday night, I tried to be a neutral observer. Just to double check my reality that I was not in Hell instead of Indiana, I later replayed the hour event found on WTHR’s web page. Yep, it was real. Despite the outside freezing temperatures, the inside was simmering with irate property owners of homes, businesses, and farms; many who told horror stories of their past and present plight.
A veteran, Kent Morgan, sitting in front of me spoke of his fixed income and fear of loosing his home. To my left, Dave Hendricks from Hamilton County spoke of eviction from his seized home by a prosecutor over his failure to pay steep property taxes. In fact, from the floor to the balcony, the panel of 4 lawmakers drew harsh criticism from citizens who had jeers for legislators and cheers for repeal. The crowd with frequent boos and outbursts wasn’t buying the same status quo remarks heard for months. For citizens already drowning, it was little comfort to be told our leaders still were trying to design a lifejacket. Residents’ shouts of repeal and stop spending periodically echoed, leaving no doubt that property owners are fed up with being taxed out of their homes and want action; not words.
As I emerged from the Chamber of Horrors, disgusted business, farm, and homeowners, some of whom traveled miles for the event, were still boiling from lack of answers to valid questions, and their plight remains unsolved. Who can blame them? The lawmakers on the panel represented the cast of characters who have presided over an abusive system, and it will take more than tweeking to fix it. Few knew that only the night before, the Senate Rules Committee had killed the repeal bill.
Paul Wheeler
Contributor
Thursday, January 24, 2008
STATEHOUSE CHAMBER OF HORRORS !
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5 comments:
I watched it live and I saw you! The media sorts don't know how to run anything and they let these four guys off the hooks way too many times, even permitting lawmakers to say things that no one believes to be true. But, came across the Frank Bush memo to Mitch on Tax Plan. This loon told the Guv that school construction projects should be considered as economic development....with these kinds of fools advising the four legislators...well, you see the problem. I wonder how Mitch kept a straight face on Nov 21, 2007?
I watched on tv and thought the audience was located in the wrong seats-they should have been the elected officials .The citizens had excellent questions but the legislators can sure speak and after they are done you realize they didn't answer the question or make real sense. They sure overlooked,deliberately, the constitutional question, didn't they.
I watched as well. Of course I normally attend these important tax events in person, but have been under the weather lately.
My impression from the television broadcast is that the tax anger has reached a new pitch. It's not the same as last summer. It is the kind of scary like before all hell breaks loose.
People that were there told me that the TV broadcast did not pick up the screaming and shouting which came from the audience.
Also, I've heard that there is a bill introduced to make it legal for legislators to carry a gun into the statehouse. What? Huh? Why do they need guns INSIDE the statehouse?
Most notable was the smugness of our legislators. In particular Bill Crawford with arms tightly crossed against his chest and his condescending looks at the people...you know the taxpayers who write his paycheck.
Crawford can kiss his public career goodbye. He's getting neutered and know we shall surely see that it gets done. Crawford has no idea how many enemies he has and the dirt they have on him. No state representative should sit on the board of a minority business contractor that pretty much only builds public projects. How many of you knew that?
Look for an expose on Crawford soon.
Yet another watcher who was unable to attend.... they never answered A SINGLE QUESTION!!! And the media types totally let that slide by, which was also appalling. Where was that fierce "media watchdog" attitude that usually nails the evader to the wall? Pure politics as usual -- frightening.
Melyssa, it is ALREADY legal for legislators to carry guns in the statehouse, and many do (provided they are otherwise eligible to own & carry the weapon). Just ask around. They're there.
The issue came up when new security and metal detectors were installed in the statehouse for the first time last year. It's a separation of powers issue. The executive branch controls the physical statehouse and enacted the measures. But they cannot make rules to govern the legislative branch. Therefore while everyone else can be barred from bringing in a weapon, legislators cannot.
The crazy constitution at work again.
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