School spending under scrutiny: thanks to our one-woman army Diane Vice

You've just got to read this. Please take a minute to thank Diane for all she's been through. She's been harassed and sued over her relentless pursuit of Tremco Roofing and their systematic gouging of the Indiana taxpayer.

Most people would have stopped. Most people wouldn't give a damn enough to do anything. Diane did. And she did it alone. Would it not be wonderful if everyone thought as much of the taxpayer as this patriot lady does.

Please take take to thank her. She's my nominee for a Sam Adams prize next year. She's earned it and no doubt will save taxpayers billions over the years.

A Seller of Ideas: Ron Paul

They call him Dr. No -- no big government, no big spending, no flouting the Constitution. And no interest in a slick political image.

Read the Chicago Tribune Article.

Quote:
Emerging as an unlikely Republican rock star among young voters, Paul actually draws cheers on college campuses when he calls for abolishing the Federal Reserve System."It amazes me no end that they even have thought about it," he said in a recent interview.Asked about his appeal to young people, he said, "They don't trust government. Government has been messing things up. And they respond favorably to not worrying about paying income tax and getting out of Social Security."

Cindy Noe added to North Meridian United Methodist Forum on Sunday

Representative Cindy Noe who is a pro property tax repeal legislator will join David Orentlichter and Teresa Lubbers at the Meridian Street United Methodist Church tax forum on Sunday March 2nd. More information.

Now businesses get to pay the tab -- that's just great for the economy

The Indy Star reports today that businesses were under assessed by $4 billion and it looks like homeowners are going to get a break. But where does that put businesses? Looks like they are going to pay for all that bond indebtedness now, along with homeowners.

Businesses are not going to be happy.

Homeowners aren't happy.

But what will the people do? Will they colletively surround the state house by the thousands and demand that the state stop the spending madness, bond indebtedness, and force the legislators to repeal property tax?
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Perhaps the great prophet Eric Miller and his flock of homosexual haters will lead our homeowners to the promised land of repeal. What Miller did is to lead the repeal movement right over the cliff.
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Watch for a March 12th announcement.

Drive by Melyssa's house

I am always bold when I am passionate. I'm also true to my values. I don't sell out and neither do the people with whom I surround myself.

You probably remember the "Yard of Shame" I installed in my yard on Central Avenue that featured the heads of all the city councilors who voted to raise your income tax against your will complete with Monroe Gray wearing devil horns. The sign was so stressful to certain naughty city councilors that it was stolen and had to be re-erected.

The "For Sale by Owner due to unfair taxation" sign campaign was also successful. It's still featured in news broadcasts, politicians campaign mailers, and nearly every sign in Meridian Kessler has been stolen from people's yards. It got attention! It was effective.

Take this to the next level and add some technology. My boyfriend, Max, who is a engineery, geeky, science wiz genius kind of guy helped me.

It is no secret that I support the Libertarian in this race for Congress. I support the Libertarian not because he is the lesser evil or the candidate that has the best chance of winning, but only because he is the BEST candidate.

And you should too. Why should you ever settle for less than the person who is the BEST choice to represent you?

That's why I'm projecting my message of Liberty every night on the front of my house. By Sunday or Monday the projections should also have free radio simulcast broadcasts. Just drive by 42nd and Central anytime after dark and you can see my message of Liberty.

Now is the time to collectively do the right thing for our state and for our nation.

Let's send the candidate that is the best person to fill the seat in Congress. Have faith in our collective ability to do the right thing for Indiana. It's too important to vote for anyone except who you know is best for Congress. Don't let them trick you again.

Sean Shepard is the most powerful person in the special election. More than any other candidate, he has already EARNED your vote by his service to you in our fight against excessive taxation and wasteful government spending. Where were the other two guys when Sean was fighting for you? You can't let down the person that most deserves your vote. If you do, that makes you no better than the machine that you rail against for its betrayal of you time and time again.
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Before you cast your vote on March 11, ask yourself how the two-party system is working working out for you? Ask yourself if you are getting what you deserve in government. If you don't feel positive about your legislators, you need to change what you are doing when you vote because obviously it is not working. -- Melyssa

Don't forget there is a fundraiser tomorrow night at Santorini's. It's only $50 and includes a huge meal at one of the top 25 restaurants in the city. You can make your reservation by going to SHEPARD2008.com

Property Tax Forum on Sunday @ Meridian Street United Methodist Church

click to enlarge flyer

On Sunday, Meridian Street Methodist located in Meridian Kessler, ground zero of the property tax revolt, will host Sen. Teresa Lubbers and Representative David Orentlicter for a property tax forum.

It was just reported a few minutes ago by Advance Indiana that David Orentlichter did not vote today on the Governor's property tax cap. Gary Welsh and his readers via comments speculate as to why.

David O. will seek the democratic nomination in the May primary to run for Congress. Senator Lubbers has two fierce challengers for her seat.

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Thanks to our community church, Meridian Street United Methodist for putting on the this forum. They are a good neighbor to our community.

Democrat National Headquarters take note of Carson's lack of ethic

click the image to enlarge

The Democrats National headquarters are worried. They googled "carson ethics" and spent six hours on our site yesterday. On other days, we have noticed they spent more than 18 hours here.

As you know, two ethics reports were filed against Andre Carson in the last 10 days. The first was regarding abuse of a citizen at a city council meeting and the other ethic complaint will receive a special hearing tomorrow at 3pm in the city council building, room 118.

We questioned Andre Carson's ethic all along as he was intentionally mum and helped to purposely cover up Congresswoman Carson's terminal illness for many months. This silence left the 7th district without representation and shows that Andre Carson places HIS interest and the interest of his many handlers ahead of us.

If Julia Carson, who allegedly cared so much about the folks in her district, and her family knew she was dying, why didn't she simply resign office when she received the diagnosis? The answer is that the machine needed time to get things in place to send her "seed", Andre Carson to Congress.

While we are on the subject of Carson ethics, let's get something straight. Females do not produce a "seed", but then when did speaking the truth or fact ever stop the Carson machine?

Ken Morgan has a blog...stories from his campaigning travels

Ken Morgan is seeking the Republican nomination in Teresa Lubbers state senate district. Steve Keltner is running as the Libertarian against Lubbers in the general election and has been worked on his campaign for two solid years already. Both men are impeccable in their ethic. Senator Lubbers has got to go. She is no friend to the taxpayer, although she does give us lots of lip service.

Recently Ken left his volunteeer position as head of the Indiana Voters' League to run for this office. So far no one has decided to step up to fill his shoes to take over the organization that helped Ballard win office and helped to turn the city council over. If you want to make a difference and have the calling to help bring about change in Indiana, call Ken about volunteering to run the Voters' League.

At any rate, for those of you who closely follow the property tax issue, Ken's blog is well worth reading. The stories he relates from people that he meets on his door-to-door march are compelling.

Where Freedom Was by Jim Kirwin

We get a lot of mail and this essay by Jim Kirwin showed up today. Draw your own conclusions. No one can deny that America cannot meet her obligations. Sean Shepard pointed out in yesterday's press conference that China already owns 10% of America's debt. How long do we have until America is over? Do you believe that two-party system is working for you?
--HFFT

The landscape of American political life was created as one huge political distortion based on lies and half-truths that successfully destroyed the ability of most Americans to accurately determine who we were, as well as what we have become.

Largely this came about because unlike other 'isms' we failed to discuss or even to fully understand what exactly is involved in the true nature of unchecked Capitalism, as a philosophy, or as the major component in our lives that it has now become.

Capitalism began its takeover of the Republic when it gained control over the printing and distribution of our money. No major nation would even consider allowing any privately held entity to hold total control over the printing and distribution of their money-supply: yet that is exactly what the USA did when the Federal Reserve System was established in 1913. (1)

This move was in response to the bankruptcy of the Constitutional Republic that became official and secret, in 1913. To escape from this financial death-grip, the Constitutional Republic made A Deal-with-the-Devil that is only now coming to light. That 'deal' created the IRS which is actually the collection arm of the privately held Central Banking System, in which the Fed is the US player among the world's twelve major banks. The money collected by the IRS goes solely to pay the interest on the US money that is printed. Our taxes go back to those Central Banks in the form of interest payments to this Global cabal that is not part of the US government, as these twelve banks are each privately held. The public believes that the Federal Reserve System is part of the US government. The secrecy surrounding the creation of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, and its stranglehold upon the Constitutional Republic was kept well hidden from the public, long enough to create the public myth that the Federal Reserve was and is part of the US Government­ but this is not, and never has been true! (2)

Since Christmas Eve 1913, this nation was no longer was bound by the Constitution that was designed to be "of the people, by the people and for the people." Then, with the imposition of the National Security Council, in 1947, the process of the three branches of the government, under the Constitutional Republic were effectively trumped by the Corporate-controlled USA Incorporated: Wherein Government of the Corporations, by the Corporations and for the Corporations, effectively took charge of this nation which was and still is in receivership, due to the bankruptcy of 1913.

What the creation of the NSC called for sounds good, except that once the Double-Speak is decoded it is clear that 'cooperation and coordination' is shorthand for bypassing the congress and the courts while leaving all power directly in the hands of the Executive branch: This is the unchecked Corporate Dictatorship that is now running this country.

"The National Security Act of July 26, 1947, created the National Security Council under the chairmanship of the President, with the Secretaries of State and Defense as its key members, to coordinate foreign policy and defense policy, and to reconcile diplomatic and military commitments and requirements. This major legislation also provided for a Secretary of Defense, a National Military Establishment, Central Intelligence Agency, and National Security Resources Board. The view that the NSC had been created to coordinate political and military questions quickly gave way to the understanding that the NSC existed to serve the President alone. The view that the Council's role was to foster collegiality among departments also gave way to the need by successive Presidents to use the Council as a means of controlling and managing competing departments." (3)

Currently the Decider is violating virtually every law that was created under the Constitutional Republic­ yet nothing is done to stop him­ because what he is doing is completely legal under the terms of USA INC. He is the Dictator and we are his slaves ­whether we know it or not. What is monumentally disturbing is that due to the public's continued ignorance of these facts: virtually nothing will be challenged or reviewed.

Think about why Bush continues to issue his constitutionally illegal signing statements, yet the congress does not challenge him. Why has Hillary refused to sign on to 'reinstituting the Constitution' and why did Obama promise not to seek prosecution of the current administration for the vast and hideous crimes and deceptions throughout the two illegal terms of his reign? Why has congressional oversight of everything that government does been left to starve in the legislative wasteland that mocks the public's right to know! WHY­ because they have no authority under USA INC., they're just a left-over part of the cover-story that was needed to get this Coup to this point in time. We could dissolve both the Congress and the Courts if we were honest enough to admit to the truth of what has happened to us­ but we cannot admit the truth even to ourselves, because then we too would be complicit with this crime of many decades that has come to be who America really is upon the global stage today.

Ron Paul is no saint, and he is certainly not perfect but he is right about a number of things. The IRS must be dissolved, and the taxes levied against working people must be stopped. The Federal Reserve's charter must be revoked and the United States must take back control over its own money; just as we must reinstall the Constitution of the Republic and outlaw the unchecked Corporation that replaced it.

The usurious "Debt" that was run up under the contrived cover of the Federal Reserve System was illegally created and therefore uncollectable. Those officers of the government that pandered to this secret takeover need to be held for questioning and charged with treason. That is the ugly truth and the only legal way out of this twisted nightmare. Of course it is probably completely impossible given all the inroads throughout this society that have signed-on to this mega-lie at the very root of everything the nation was supposed to be about.

If that last statement is true, then why bring this up now. I'm one of those Americans that believed we had a Constitution, and until I did the work and began turning over the slime-encrusted boulders under which all this was hidden - I actually believed that we had a chance against the whirlwind and I still do. Any first step requires as much knowledge as it is possible to obtain, before next-steps are even thinkable. I also wanted to understand why all parties aside from Ron Paul and Cynthia McKinney want to keep the illegal powers that the Decider has been using all along.

Treason has openly become the operative currency in American politics, just as actual patriotism has become a dirty-word. Censorship, Double-Speak and Terror of Everything about-to-be have become our watchwords now; since we have sacrificed our freedoms for a token of security that is unattainable. We have been content to only watch while every column of this Republic has been systematically dismantled in the name of self-preservation. And thanks to the removal of the separating wall between religions and the State, we are about to be flooded by tidal waves of racial and religious hatreds that shall sweep away whatever's left of that dream that once seemed to promise each citizen, a chance to live his or her own life as they deemed fit­ without intrusions from either the state or from any overly zealous religious edicts.

This country was born from the blood of the massacre of its native populations. We then continued those colonial polices on a global scale and in so doing we have earned the enmity and fear of the entire planet. It is one thing to fight to actually defend this nation from a direct attack ­an opportunity that we now have as the facts actually have made clear. It is another thing entirely to make war upon the rest of the planet because we have placed ourselves and our desires above all the other people in this world.

The true enemies of this country are known, if you do the work, and if you care about the truth of what you'll find. But to continue to simply swallow what you're being fed by those who say they own the world and every person in it, is a travesty that cannot go unnoticed forever. The price of that knowledge is very high, but at least it can bring an end to the blatant lies and the barbarity that we continue to practice while we torture, imprison and destroy the lives of so many millions around this planet! No one can know the outcome if we do not even try to change the nightmare for a new beginning­ but time grows shorter with every passing moment!

kirwanstudios@sbcglobal.net 1) Secrets of the Federal Reserve

http://www.apfn.org/apfn/reserve.htm 2) The Bankruptcy of the United States

http://www.apfn.net/DOC-100_bankruptcy.htm
3) National Security Council

http://www.whitehousegov/nsc/history.html BACKGROUND: Eustace Mullins - videos

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7644857907453201814 Who Owns You!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiHOP2P_NTA Freedom to Fascism

http://heyokamagazine.com/HEYOKA.9.FreedonToFascism.htm

A new property tax repeal plan

To get this plan enacted, a lot of lawyers, cpas, and consultants will have to be ignored. This is the only "fair" way to finance government according to the plan's author. We wouold appreciate as much feed back as possible on this plan.

REPLACING PROPERTY TAXES WITH SALES TAXES
PROPERTY TAXATION MUST BE REPEALED

CURRENT PLAN
6% sales tax on goods = approximately 6 billion per year
no sales taxes are collected on foodstuffs, prescription medications, or prescription
medical devices or supplies, or prescription hearing, vision, or dental devices. This
would remain the same under the following dissertation.

I will present two anecdotal experiences on sales taxes applied to services as well as goods. However, I think that these are very realistic presentations of the current economy.

1. If you engage an electronic technician to repair your TV or Stereo or other home electronic devices the total charges might be as follows. QUALIFICATION: I operated an electronic service business for many years and the total charges for the repairs in most cases were as follows. The total repair charge was in most cases broken down to 63% service call and labor –round to 60% - and 37% for parts(goods taxable at 6%) – rounded to 40 %. Now let us apply this to the current income that is generated by taxing goods only and apply the increase of income which would be provided by taxing services as well at the current rate of 6%
The 40% is equal to approximately 6,000,000,000 per year.
The proposed 60% would be equal to 9,000,000,000. per year.

Well I guess that would cover the loss of property taxes ( 8.2 billion per year) and then some. And this doesn’t include the tax income from professional services which I do not have income information for but which I suspect would be equal to or greater than the 3-1/4 % income tax.

In my opinion, with the added income from professional services, the overall sales tax could be reduced to 3% or maybe even 2% and still provide the needed revenue to finance our bloated local and state government. And really help the lower income families in our state.

2. Let us try another non-anecdotal service payment from just the last year. The clothes dryer wouldn’t heat, so my son and I checked out the obvious things like the circuit breaker and the heating coils – both ok. So I called a recommended repair service. Their service technician determined that a sensor had failed and an upgrade “kit” was required to solve the problem. This diagnosis proved to be true and the charge for the repair was $125.00 plus $1.80 for sales tax on parts(goods). Now this breaks down to $95.00 for service call and labor and $30.00 for parts(goods) Now let us apply this to the current income generated by goods only @ the current 6% sales tax and apply the gain in tax that would be generated by a sales tax on services at 6%. The services would be approx. 80% and the parts(good) would be 20%.

20% collected would be = to approx. 6,000,000,000
80% collected would be = to approx 24,000,000,000.

I would guess that this kind of revenue would “super finance” state and local government.

Now let us cut the sales tax rate to 3%.

The income on goods would be approx. $3,000,000,000.
The income on services would be given these two examples somewhere between
$12,000,000,000 and $9,000,000,000.
More than enough to finance state and local government. This doesn’t include the tax income from personal services such as attorney’s fees, CPA fees, and consulting and lobbying fees. I think that the income from these fees would allow the lowering of the sales tax to probably 2% and still fund state and local government before we reorganize it and cut out the “pork”, “fluff”, “patronage”, and payoffs.

I also think that we should apply a “pilot” (payment in lieu of tax) to businesses and non-profits and churches which would be much less than the current property and inventory taxes. Again, PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE, FOODSTUFS, MEDICAL SUPPLIES, MEDICAL TESTS, HEARING DENTAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES should be exempted from sales taxes.

This formula would be a boon to lower income earners and senior citizens and a huge attraction for groups wishing to attract new business to Indiana. Just think - More businesses, more employees, and more tax payers. The state would flourish and be a leader in innovation for all other states. And all this before we reduce the bloat in government.


Maurice H. Gunyon
Indianapolis

Indy Star reports on the Libertarian congressional candidate

Here's today's Indy Star article about the republican running for office. He's the ONLY candidate that is fighting for your tax bill. He's also the only candidate who has not been in the news for ethics complaints or other campaign misbehavior. A vote for the Libertarian is a vote for fair taxation and a candidate who can not be bought by special interests. Indiana can lead the nation's reform by putting the 1st Libertarian in Congress!

Libertarian targets taxes again in new campaign
At the height of last summer's property tax uprising, when 200 people were protesting outside the City-County building, Sean Shepard stood with microphone in hand leading the cries for relief.

These days Shepard, a 38-year-old self-employed businessman, is trying to rally voters to a new cause -- his bid for the 7th Congressional District seat that opened up with the death of Julia Carson.

Yet his latest campaign might be tougher than trying to fight city hall. Shepard is running as a Libertarian in a county where Libertarians are doing exceedingly well if they glean 5 percent of the vote. Even so, he remains undeterred.

A fan of Ronald Reagan who describes himself as a "recovering Republican," Shepard says the two-party system isn't working, America is going bankrupt and people need to stop voting against candidates they don't like and instead opt for a third party alternative.

"I have been contacted by a tremendous number of folks in this campaign who are more worried about the Republican getting in office or worried about the Democrat getting in office," he said. "What they need to realize is that there is not a dime's worth of difference between the two."
No Libertarian has ever been elected to the Indiana General Assembly, state constitutional offices or Congress. But Shepard says the unique nature of the March 11 special election -- with the congressional race the lone item on the ballot -- gives a Libertarian a fighting chance to get the votes of people who might otherwise simply vote a straight party ticket.

"I kind of look at this like when Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile," he said. "When we get the first (Libertarian), I think we'll get more."

Shepard, who lives on the Northwestside and runs his own Internet telecommunications business, opposes the war in Iraq and says he would vote to bring the troops home as soon as feasible. He supports abortion rights through the first trimester. On immigration, he says the borders should be secured not with a wall but perhaps with troops. He opposes a roundup of illegal immigrants, but says they should get opportunities to return home and seek legal entry. Making immigration easier and less expensive could facilitate that, he said.

But it is taxes where Shepard is most adamant.

He advocates taxing consumption rather than income and other areas. He would eliminate personal income, corporate and social security taxes in favor of a new 23 percent consumption tax paid at the point of purchases of new retail goods.

As shocking as 23 percent sounds, Shepard says the government is taking more than that from people now. He says eliminating income and other taxes would put Americans back in control of how much tax they pay. He says it would make American exports more competitive by reducing taxes on manufactured goods. And the burden on the poorest could be offset by reimbursing consumers an amount equal to the poverty level. Shepard also supports eliminating taxes on health care as a means to make it more affordable.

"My political viewpoint is that basically I want the government to be out of my life and I want to keep all my money," Shepard said. "That is really the libertarian philosophy."

Another complaint filed against Andre Carson -- Press Conference on the Circle at 1pm

Adam Longworth, an east side citizen, filed a campaign ethics complaint against Andre Carson. Gary Welsh has coverage of it here.

The only candidate not drawing fire for unethical behavior is Sean Shepard, the Libertarian. Sean is planning a press conference at 1pm on the south side of the circle today. He plans to address a couple serious economic developments that recently came to light that affect the nation's economy. As far as we are aware, Elrod and Carson are oblivious to the problem.

We will update you after the press conference.

PRESS CONFERENCE TOMORROW: Developments with U.S. Economy

Learn from the fall of Rome
US government on a “burning platform” of unsustainable policies and practices

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Sean Shepard, Libertarian candidate for the 7th Congressional District, is inviting you to learn about some alarming events going on in Washington right now. Join him at 1:00pm on Wednesday, February 27 for a press conference on the south steps of Monument Circle (downtown).

Sean Shepard is a life long resident of Indianapolis and local businessman. He is married with two children who attend private Christian school. Mr. Shepard has been active in local politics for several years, has worked with Americans for Fair Taxation and helped organize and coordinate several of the local property tax protests in 2007. Mr. Shepard's policy approaches support affordable healthcare, lower taxes, protection of civil liberties, border security, school choice and a strong national defense.

The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in the United States, and is the only non-major party with ballot access in the state of Indiana. Libertarians believe in being SERVED by a small non-intrusive government that is financially responsible, administratively competent and socially tolerant.
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Authorized by Sean Shepard for Congress: http://shepard2008.com - (317) 513-2406
For more information on Sean Shepard, or to arrange an interview, please contact Timothy Maguire at (317)372-6436 or by email at Maguire_tj@hotmail.com.

Dinner with Congressional Candidate Sean Shepard on Friday @ 6:30

Santorini's Greek Kitchen, one of Indy's Top 25 Restaurants*, will serve a four-course fundraiser dinner for Sean Shepard this Friday at 6:30 pm. Cost is $50 per person. We were told that there are only 50 reservations available, so please RSVP early Proceeds go to the Shepard for Congress Campaign. Here's the press release announcement. (map)

MENU
Hummous, Tzaziki, Olives, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Baba Ganoush, Pita

Gyro Meat

Greek Salad

Chicken Souvlaki - Tender chicken grilled with mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, and onions

Green Beans

Potatoes

Galaktavouriko - Santorini's signature dessert made with flaky filo pastry and warm custard
Soft drinks, coffee, tea

Cash bar is available

*As rated by Indianapolis Monthly Magazine

Shepard2008.com

Did Dr. Eugene White hear the taxpayers?

Unbelieveable. Dr. White asked the IPS school board to not renew contracts of 17 school administrative personnel. It is good to hear that they are being given an option to return to the classroom.

See? No teachers are losing their jobs! Children aren't suffering by these cuts!

Superintendent Dr. James Mervilde? Are you paying attention here? You could learn a thing or two by following Dr. White's example. It's not like the people are going to let up on you or the other members of your school board any time soon.

Now, we still need to do something about that pesky Article 8 in the Indiana constitution that states it is not legal for schools to charge homeowners to pay for schools. We are entitled to about 50% of our taxes back since the Great Depression ended. John Price filed the lawsuit which would bankrupt the state by forcing the state to pay back all those illegally collected property taxes for school funding. The judge asked if he had exhausted "administrative remedies" first. That means citizens need to ask for a refund of tax illegally collected. Until people request their money back, the case cannot move forward.

Here are instructions to show you how to request your illegally collected money back.

Andre Carson is for sale: Unions get out their checkbooks

If you have any doubt about Andre Carson's loyalties not being with the taxpayers of District #7, this should let you know exactly where his priorities lie.

Gary Welsh of Advance Indiana is on it again:
"Democratic 7th District congressional candidate Andre Carson collected another $20,000 from out-of-state political action committees according to his latest filing with the FEC, including $2,500 from a New York Longshoreman's union, $5,000 from a Maryland-based machinists union, $2,000 from a Virginia-based postal workers union, $5,000 from the Michigan-based UAW and another $5,000 from New-York based Unite Here TIP Campaign Committee. So much for his complaints about politicians being bought. It's in keeping with the fact he auctioned off his seat on the city council almost as soon as he was appointed for a job working as an influence peddler for a major government contractor."

Mervilde and Kite lobby for property tax status quo, no referendums, and no property tax caps

According to the State of Indiana Lobbyists records, we have 882 registered lobbists in our state.
One of those registered lobbyist is the Metropolitan School District of Washington Township. We were unable to locate any other school district in Marion county that was registered as a lobbyist.

Both Superintendent Mervilde and Board President Don Kite recently visited the legislature and lobbyied on behalf of the MSDWT to continue the current property tax situation and encouraged legislatures to defeat any measures that would allow a voter the opportunity to vote in a referendum on construction projects. Obviously, their efforts were funded by taxpayer property tax dollars and, and in the opinion of many, do not reflect the overwhelming majority of taxpayers and voters in Washington Township.

Further, the Executive Director of the Indiana School Board Association, Frank A. Bush, is a registered lobbyist. He spends the majority of his time at the legislature when it is in session lobbying for school board members and the superintendent's organization. His efforts favor the continuation of the current property tax regulations and are against any caps, elimination or referendums. We am unaware of any alternatives that he may have set forth. We also understand that he was the architect of the pro property tax rally recently held at the state house. These folks use our children and grandchildren as human shields against property tax reform.

Since Mr. Bush's salary is paid by ISBA membership dues, and since ISBA membership dues is paid by each member school board member using property tqx dollars, the tax payers find themselves (again) in the position of having their own tax dollars used against their efforts to fix a broken and un-just system. We are encouraging other school board members to end any financial support of such efforts, and for taxpayers in other communities to contact school board members in order to blunt this practice. If necessary, they may discontinue ISBA membership.

In our opinion, the educational lobby folks are general insensitive to the needs of the property taxpayer and their lobbying efforts just happen further their presonal self interests.

PROPERTY OWNERS vs DEVELOPERS: New Albany activists educate their politicians on the facts of TIF's

We felt compelled to reprint this post from "Freedom of Speech" a blog by our friends in New Albany. Their inept Mayor, Carl Malysz, does not even know how many TIF districts there are in his city! The activists did the mayor's work for him! New Albany might win the contest for most corrupt city or town in Indiana.
--HFFT


Here's what New Albany activists have to say to their Mayor:

After reading the Feb. 20 edition of the Tribune the comments by Carl Malysz Deputy Mayor and Director of Development. We had to laugh...

This shows us exactly what his and England's plan for the next 4 years is."The hell with us citizens" they're going to help the developers!

Does this surprise you?

Malysz said it is a situation of what comes first, the chicken or the egg. He believes roads and other infrastructure projects should be funded through TIF because they literally paved the way for growth.First of all what he should have said was: "WHO is more important Property Owners or Developers?"Malysz is choosing developers over property owners.Don't give us this CRAP of what comes first the chicken or the egg. Just shoot straight with us property owners.Malysz also said: "I think it's a false conclusion to say that TIF districts cause any fiscal harm to the taxpayers."Boy you sure haven't done your home work Mr. Director of Development.

You need to pick up the phone and call the following people because we did:
Charlie Pride: 317-232-2521 State Board of Accounts
Gail Snyder: 317-407-2433 Indiana Department of Local Government for Floyd County

Where is this guy coming from? We're actually paying him $85,000 for these bad decisions.
Good Grief! Let's cut to the chase...shall we? Malysz, let's give the taxpayers and our new Council members some truth for a change.

Malysz stated that there are 5 TIF sections in the city. We count 10 TIF Districts, not 5.
1. Downtown TIF
2. State Street Area TIF
3. Grantline Road TIF
4. Park East TIF
5. Charlestown Road TIF
6. Add on to State Street TIF
7. Add on to Grantline TIF
8. Add on to Downtown TIF
9. Main Street - Scribner Place TIF
10. Monon Corridor TIF on Grantline Road

Are we correct Mr. Director of Development?

Let us educate you on TIF's:
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is an area with designated boundaries (like a circle) drawn on a city map and labeled as a TIF area. The taxes in that TIF area are frozen at the time the TIF area is approved. The current property taxes continue to go into the City General Fund and to the other entities (Schools, County Government and Library).

As new development is made on that plot of ground, those "new taxes do not go into the City General Fund" or to other entities (NA-FC Schools, Floyd County Government and NA-FC Public Library).All those new taxes on the "new development go into an account for that TIF area only" for use in the TIF area for improvements such as roads and sewers.That new money does not go to our City General Fund.The need for extra Police and Fire Protection is increased, but new additional money does not come out of the TIF district. So the City Council has to find other ways to pay for all the extra services needed in those TIF areas including sanitation.This may need to be done by cutting back on all departments throughout the city.

The burden of paying for the additional services is shifted to the other taxpayers!With too many TIF areas, the whole city could suffer because services are spread too thin and there is not enough money to sustain them. The "new tax money is gone" that could have been used for New Albany General Fund Services.
Source: Indiana Department of Local Government Finance

Freedom of Speech would like to say:

What Malysz and Mayor England don't get is this: We have no 2008 Budget yet. DLGF says in an email to us that our 2008 budget will not be determined until the assessments are complete and turned in. They also informed us that it will be at least 3-4 months before they will even take a look at the Civil City of New Albany.We are not against growth. What we property owners, don't understand is why we are being lied too.

Why can't Malysz and England look the citizens in the eye and tell them TIF's affect property taxes. Tax abatements affect property tax but most of all local government spending affects our property tax bills.Should TIF's be considered Corporate Welfare? Should Developers pay for the needed infrastructure, themselves?Absolutely!!!!The bottom line is this who are you going to believe property owners: Indiana Department of Local Government Finance or the England adminstration on TIF's?

When the going gets weird the tough turn pro

Love this blog and thought we should share it with you, just in case you have not found it yet on your own. It's name is just irresistable!

"When the going gets weird the tough turn pro"

Does Carson's mosque preach anti-West Extremism?

Don't forget that Andre Carson's mosque was instrumental in bringing Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, to Indiana to deliver the eulogy at Julia Carson's funeral. During the eulogy Andre Carson was anointed by the racist and anti-Semitic Farrakhan as the choice for her congressional seat. Should Andre Carson anywhere near a public office?


Study: 3 in 4 U.S. mosques preach anti-West extremism
Secret survey exposes widespread radicalism
February 23, 2008
© 2008 WorldNetDaily

An undercover survey of more than 100 mosques and Islamic schools in America has exposed widespread radicalism, including the alarming finding that 3 in 4 Islamic centers are hotbeds of anti-Western extremism, WND has learned.The Mapping Sharia in America Project, sponsored by the Washington-based Center for Security Policy, has trained former counterintelligence and counterterrorism agents from the FBI, CIA and U.S. military, who are skilled in Arabic and Urdu, to conduct undercover reconnaissance at some 2,300 mosques and Islamic centers and schools across the country."So far of 100 mapped, 75 should be on a watchlist," an official familiar with the project said.

Many of the Islamic centers are operating under the auspices of the Saudi Arabian government and U.S. front groups for the radical Muslim Brotherhood based in Egypt.Frank Gaffney, a former Pentagon official who runs the Center for Security Policy, says the results of the survey have not yet been published. But he confirmed that "the vast majority" are inciting insurrection and jihad through sermons by Saudi-trained imams and anti-Western literature, videos and textbooks.... "

Worthy Comments: Robert Cole speaks out about legal grounds of school boards to extort your money

One reader gives a great suggestion. Let's call our local school boards and ask under what constitutional authority do they have the right to tax our property. Can you answer that Dr. Mervilde or Dr. White? Whenever the article 8 question comes up, it is always nervously avoided by our politicians. Realtor Mike Rowe asked it at the Channel 13 statehouse forum and was ignored. It was brought up during an interview with politicians on the Abdul show. None of them not once will answer to the legality of charging homeowners for school portion of their taxes.

Attorney Johm Price brought it up in a lawsuit and was told that homeowners have not tried first for "administrative remedies". John Price wrote an administrative remedy for you to file. Legally you are entititled to get back at least 50% of your property tax that is illegally collected in direction violation of the Indiana Constitution. Here's how to collect a refund of improperty collected taxes. It's your money, ask for it back. They owe us.

Reader Robert Cole says:
Below is relevant text from the Indiana Constitution at Article 8

EDUCATION

Section 1. Knowledge and learning, generally diffused throughout a community, being essential to the preservation of a free government; it shall be the duty of the General Assembly to encourage, by all suitable means, moral, intellectual, scientific, and agricultural improvement; and to provide, by law, for a general and uniform system of Common Schools, wherein tuition shall be without charge, and equally open to all.Section

2. The Common School fund shall consist of the Congressional Township fund, and the lands belonging thereto;The Surplus Revenue fund;The Saline fund and the lands belonging thereto;The Bank Tax fund, and the fund arising from the one hundred and fourteenth section of the charter of the State Bank of Indiana;The fund to be derived from the sale of County Seminaries, and the moneys and property heretofore held for such Seminaries; from the fines assessed for breaches of the penal laws of the State; and from all forfeitures which may accrue;All lands and other estate which shall escheat to the State, for want of heirs or kindred entitled to the inheritance;All lands that have been, or may hereafter be, granted to the State, where no special purpose is expressed in the grant, and the proceeds of the sales thereof; including the proceeds of the sales of the Swamp Lands, granted to the State of Indiana by the act of Congress of the twenty eighth of September, eighteen hundred and fifty, after deducting the expense of selecting and draining the same;Taxes on the property of corporations, that may be assessed by the General Assembly for common school purposes.

Does ANYONE see ANYTHING permitting the taxation of private residential property for the support of common schools???There IS a property tax authorized -- a tax on the property of corporations!!Contact your school boards, and ask them for their Constitutional authority to tax your private residential property for the support of the common schools, and see what they say.

Watchdog Indiana Information Page

For those that don't know, you can get great information from Aaron Smith's Watchdog Indiana page. You can also sign up for their frequent email updates. They are a good source to use to keep up with who the greedy political hogs are that need voted out of office this November!

We are putting them on our blog roll and should have a long time ago. We're glad they are out there helping with the problems.

Andre Carson paying for campaigners -- Sheriff endorses Carson even though he placed 88th out of 89 in his law enforcement training class

UPDATE: Channel 13 reports that Sheriff Anderson is endorsing Carson for Congress. Carson is getting an endorsement from a man who always puts party politics ahead of what is good for the people. Anderson is endorsing a candidate who scored 88th out of 89 on his law enforcement academy test. You will also recall that crime soared while under Frank Anderson's watch of Indy's law enforcement and officer morale was so low that Ballard won office partly by promising to put the police back under control of the mayor's office. Boy, that's some endorsement you got there Andre. Talk about partisan politics and cronyism!

Saw this comment on Advance Indiana and just had to print it here too:

Advance Indiana said...
News Flash: Carson is having trouble finding volunteers to help out with his campaign. The campaign has sent out this e-mail alert: PAID CANVASS TO HELP ANDRE CARSON WIN THE MARCH 11TH SPECIAL ELECTION! Let's see, isn't that what happened in Bart Peterson's campaign last fall?

I'm guessing most of the handouts they were given wound up in the trash after a few blocks just like what happened with Peterson's paid canvasers.

Melyssa says:
I took my Andre Carson mailer and used a sharpie to write the truth all over it and left it at my favorite watering hole. I suggest all of you do the same. Don't waste those mailers, use them to spread the truth.

Indiana Insiders -- The 7th district candidates debate.

If you did not watch the live forum yesterday with all three 7th district candidates, you can watch it here: http://www.wthr.com/Global/category.asp?C=79076&nav=menu188_2_10

Advance Indiana has additional coverage. The Indy Star ran an article over the weekend, but neglected to include Sean Shepard as a candidate.

Live 7th District Congressional Candidate Debate -- This Sunday at 9:30 am

The WTHR debate now includes the Libertarian candidate, Sean Shepard. So on Sunday we'll get to watch all three candidates for the late Julia Carson's congressional seat, discuss their positions on the issues.

The debate will be televised live on Channel 13 at 9:30 am. Our poll is available on line and you can change your votes at anytime, but you can only vote once.

The special election is on March 11th. You can also vote absentee at the city county building. This is a special opportunity for the 7th district to send another message to our politicians by who we elect to send to Congress. Please don't vote for the "lesser evil" and vote for the person who you genuinely feel is best to represent us.

Politicians, educrats, bureaucrats on notice -- citizens are declaring war

Citizens, it is time we declared war on our politicians, for they have failed to honor the laws of our government.
Lake County Tea Party -- BE THERE, MARCH 1st !

“(The purpose of a written constitution is) to bind up the several branches of government by certain laws, which, when they transgress, their acts shall become nullities; to render unnecessary an appeal to the people, or in other words a rebellion, on every infraction of their rights, on the peril that their acquiescence shall be construed into an intention to surrender those rights.”

–Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia Q.XIII, 1782.

Read this today.

Superintendent Mervilde & school board president Don Kite squander YOUR money !

Educrats James Mervilde (above)
and Don Kite (below)
completely ignore wasteful spending

click document to enlarge it

Ok, this is not rocket science. For such well-educated educrats like Dr. James Mervilde, superinitendent of Washington Township schools, and Don Kite its school board president, you would think that they would have a CLUE about where our money goes. The reality is that they do know. They just hope you will not find out.

You will hear them, and educrats across the state try to scare you into thinking that our children will suffer and not be well educated if we cut the money we send to schools. That's an outright lie and the people know it! We know you waste our money. We know you don't think twice about stealing our wealth while holding our homes hostage.

Take a look at the document we received in our in box yesterday. If we got it, don't you think that the school board president has it? Has he said anything? Is he accountable? And what about Mervilde? Why isn't he doing anything about this? It is likely we got this document because they got it and did absolutely nothing about it.

This is PROOF how easily they can waste $146, 000 of your property tax money and not think a thing of it.

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And don't forget, government ILLEGALLY COLLECTS property tax on your home to fund these educrat run schools. Article 8 of our state constitution clearly states that school levies are to be paid by corporate taxes, not homeowners!
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The politicians are in violation of the Indiana Constitution and MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE !

Government run schools are so out of control, that they've become a quasi-government themselves and their influence over state legislators is alarming. The big losers in this picture are the children, their parents, the teachers, and the homeowners who are being robbed to keep this broken system propped up. Teachers are frustrated with low pay, having to buy class materials out-of-pocket, parents are paying for textbooks, and t hey are failing 25% of our kids. And the ones that ARE graduating, often are not prepared with skills to compete in the work force.

The days are numbered for government schools. We cannot afford them. The cost per child to educate our children in public schools is running as high, and sometimes much higher, than private schools who are graduating more kids with better SAT's.

With Indiana's graduation rate at just 75% and costs spiraled out-of-control, do you think we should allow the educrats to continue to reign?

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Let's hand taxpayer education dollars directly to each child's family and let them choose which acredited school to which they send their child. This will force competition among schools (and their educrats) to be competitive. As important, it will give our children the best opportunity to get the type of education that best suits them as individuals.

Society will benefit. Educrats and lobbyists will not.

Surely not! Our Legislators would not violate our constitution! This cannot be true!

Indy Star: Lucrative jobs despite constitutional issues

Quoting: Article 2 section 9 of the Indiana constitution as follows:

Section 9
"No person holding a lucrative office or appointment under the United States or under this state is eligible to a seat in the General Assembly; and no person may hold more than one lucrative office at the same time, except as expressly permitted in this Constitution. Offices in the militia to which there is attached no annual salary shall not be deemed lucrative. "

Why are there several legislators in the General Assembly who indeed hold "lucrative" positions in Indiana government? The first that comes to mind is Rep. Pat Bauer, an employee of Ivy Tech.

Q: Why isn't our constitution enforced and who should enforce it?

Sean Shepard on Amos Brown today

Tune into AM 1310 to hear Sean Shepard on Amos Brown's show today at 1pm. This should be quite an interesting interview since it is likely that Brown is square inside Andre Carson's camp.

URGENT NEED: Libertarians need graphic designer

Anyone out there want to help the Libertarians with the goal of putting the 1st Libertarian in Congress? There is a need for a graphic designer who can turn a simple project around in a day or two.

Imagine the message we'll send to Indiana's politicians when we send a Libertarian to Congress.

Any volunteers?

Call 317-938-8913 and we'll get you directed to the right folks.

69th Congressman co-sponsors FAIR TAX ACT !

(Sean Shepard promised to co-sign the Fair Tax Act as his first act in Congress to be the 70th co-signer!)

Broun co-sponsors Fair Tax Act
http://www.lincolnjournalonline.com/news/2008/0214/Editorial_page/018.html

Congressman Paul Broun recently announced his co-sponsorship of H.R. 25, the "FairTax Act of 2007." This bi-partisan legislation, which was introduced by Rep. John Linder (RGA) and Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK), repeals all corporate and individual income taxes, payroll taxes, self-employment taxes, capital gains taxes, and gift taxes in favor of the simpler, consumption-based FairTax. The FairTax would be collected at the point of sale, and its adoption would allow for the elimination of the excessively bureaucratic and needlessly intrusive Internal Revenue Service.

"Adopting the FairTax and eliminating the Internal Revenue Service are ideas whose times have come," said Broun. "For too long the American people have been asked to comply with an incomprehensible, loophole riddled, lobbyist friendly income tax code that makes it far too easy for innocent taxpayers to find themselves left to the mercy of a punitive Internal Revenue Service. By adopting the FairTax, we can turn the tables and empower taxpayers to control how much of their money they are willing to send to Washington while also eliminating the need for the IRS. Switching to the FairTax would stimulate our economy by promoting saving and by immediately lowering the embedded costs of all goods and services. The FairTax is good for the economy, and advances my goal of limiting the size and scope of government's reach into people's lives. I am proud to co-sponsor this legislation, and I commend Rep. Linder for leading the effort to pass it."

Congressman Broun is the 69th Member of Congress to agree to cosponsor this legislation.

Thank you WTHR for your decision to include the Libertarian

There's very good news for the Libertarians over on the Shepard for Congress website. WTHR reversed its decision and decided today to include Libertarian Sean Shepard in their forum on Sunday who was originally excluded because they didn't think people wanted to hear him.

Thank you to all of you who called and wrote to the television station to ask for Sean. And thanks also to all you bloggers out there who reported so favorably about how well the Libertarian did at last night's forum sponsored by Indiana Equality.

Here Sean talks briefly about the failure of the two party system and avoiding partisanship. People are disgusted with both of the “old parties” and need to start voting for their hopes, not out of fear of “the other guy”.

We told you first: New bills will not provide relief

For Sale by Owner Signs
brought to you by HFFT & Sullivan Hardware

We told you first last August that your bills weren't going to change.

We told you Ballard would win.

We are telling you now that Indiana's 7th district can make history and send the 1st Libertarian to Congress on March 11th. This unmistakeable message from Indiana will shake the status quo two-party politics, that put us in this crisis, to its core. It will cause every politician in Indiana to fear the people whose trust they betrayed over and over again.

Channel 13 ran the story today about our property tax bills not changing much. We hope Sullivan Hardware in Meridian Kessler is stocked up on torches, pitchforks, and For Sale By Owner signs because residents will be demanding them come spring when they get the bills. You can bet the bills won't come before the legislative session ends.

Senator Lubbers? Representative David Orenlichter? Representative Crawford? What are you doing for us?

Marion county property owners can add $1.3 million to our tax bill for the cost of the reassessment. Look where we are. We are no closer to a solution than we were last summer. Repeal was moved to a summer study session, in spite of the fact that very capable economists have told us repeal CAN and SHOULD be done.

On top of this, our legislators are basically ignoring the Shepherd Kernan report that the Governor ordered last summer. The report recommends 27 steps that need to be put into place to make Indiana efficient. Are they being done?

It is time to put literally thousands of angry taxpayers around the state house with torches and pitch forks.

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If you want to run for state representative or state senator and don't know where to start, that's ok. Contact us and we'll help you. We want people in office who will do the people's will and who are not afraid to tell the educrats, the political cronies, and anyone else sucking on the government tit that their gravy train derailed.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE !








http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=7905259

Lake County Fire-whiners take out full page newspaper ad

click to enlarge

Lake County firefighters are crying that public lives are at risk if city budgets are cut. This is not true. Lives won't be lost and the world will keep spinning. We'll just have to spend less.

We can say with reasonable assuredness that homes WILL be lost if spending is not immediately and drastically cut in every city and county in our state.

Aren't firemen supposed to be heros? How is crying like babies in anyway heroic? Lake county firefighters should be ashamed of their cowardice.

LAKE COUNTY TEA PARTY ON MARCH 1st
Caravan leaving from Indianapolis at 9am
Email to join us.

Assessments in Marion County to go up? HUH?

Property owners can expect worse news than 2007 bills

Once again, Gary Welsh of Advance Indiana provides great coverage. Does he EVER sleep? Again, we are grateful he is in our community and provides this service for us.

Please read Gary's coverage of what we can expect when they mail our new bills.

WAY COOL ! DLGF to offer live streaming video of Tax Control Board meetings

INDIANAPOLIS (Feb. 20, 2008) – The Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) today announced live streaming video will be available in 2008 for the meetings of Indiana’s two Property Tax Control Boards.

“By providing this service, the DLGF is striving for better accessibility of meetings to the public and greater accountability of local officials,” Commissioner Cheryl Musgrave said. “Access to public meetings should not be limited to those able to attend during working hours or to travel to Indianapolis.”


Links to the live streaming will be available from the Department’s Web site at www.in.gov/dlgf/boards/ and will first be available during the Feb. 21 meeting of the School Property Tax Control Board (agenda attached). Additionally, a video of the meeting will be available on the Web site within 24 hours of the meeting adjournment.

The School Property Tax Control Board and the Local Government Property Tax Control Board meet each month (except January) to review construction plans and listen to local officials who seek approval for construction projects. After thorough review, the Boards – comprised of experts in the fields of business, engineering, architecture and education – make recommendations to the Commissioner of the Department to approve, disapprove or modify projects.

Once she receives the recommendations, the Commissioner is the approval authority for the projects. Each request is considered on a case-by-case basis using information related to local opposition and support, property tax impact and the needs of the local community.


This tool is the latest in several additions made to the DLGF’s Web site, making property tax information more readily available and transparent to Hoosier taxpayers.

Last month, the DLGF launched an online toolkit for citizens who want to object to new construction projects. The Citizen’s Petition and Remonstrance Toolkit is available online to assist Hoosiers in understanding the complicated objection process required by law. In December, the DLGF began videotaping the Tax Control Board meetings and making the video available on its Web site.

“Videotaping the meetings and making them available on the Web site was the first step in increasing accessibility for Hoosiers,” Musgrave said. “We have now taken the next step by giving real-time access to taxpayers across the state.

In fall 2007, the DLGF launched its first searchable databases, which provide sales disclosure and assessment information on properties statewide. The tools can assist taxpayers in the assessment appeal process and enable Hoosiers to search for other properties in the area defined as a neighborhood by their assessor. The DLGF also prepared county summaries to provide taxpayers with information about property taxes and budgets of governmental units in their area.


The search tools and information are available from the DLGF's home page at http://www.dlgf.in.gov/.

Notes:

The School Property Tax Control Board is where we can object to school and other public building projects until we get the referendum passed.

The Local Government Property Tax Control Board is where the public can object to local government property taxes.

Here is the link to these two boards: http://www.in.gov/dlgf/boards/

On page 23 of this report is an example of the current thinking of the DLGF: http://www.in.gov/dlgf/boards/school/minutes/2007/pdf/120607Minutes.pdf
I haven’t read the whole things through, but it seems that the DLGF is giving athletic projects a tough way to go, even with community support.

Do you wonder what they look like?

"Don't take the government tit away from us
or the children shall perish!"

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Gotta read the Indianapolis Star's article today that goes with the photo above. Do you really think the educrats are going to go away without crying for the children?

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The schools will not have to fire teachers or compromise academics! It's a lie!

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The people in the photo are sucking at the government mammary gland and are afraid to get on solid food and feed themselves! There is a reason that the ISTA is across the street from the statehouse. The ISTA is run by educrats, the administrators who get fat off your money while doing nothing of much value!

We know the truth. If the educrats really cared about our children parents would not be forced to spend upwards of $500 on their kids' textbooks on top of their property tax bills! They would recommend that we buy textbooks before swimming pools and locker rooms.

Uncontrolled school spending is the single biggest threat to taxpayers. Don't ever let those lazy educrats forget that you, the taxpaying homeowner, know their wicked truth.

Announcement: Patriot Ken Morgan hosts a reception to announce he's running for office

THIS JUST IN FROM STOP INDIANA:
Tomorrow's weather forecast is too cold (single digit wind chills, etc.) for a noon rally. You are therefore & hereby invited to the Morgan / Chastain home, tomorrow evening at 7PM, for campaign coordination and subway sandwhiches.

Ken & Laura live at 404 E. 50th St.
Please confirm your attendance by dropping Ken a note at: ken@votekenmorgan.com

More tax revolt memories

Email your photos of the tax protests, forums, and rallies and we'll publish them! Thanks to all our photo contributors! You helped make the blog much more fun to read!

Tax Revolt Memories -- Most of our events

Message from Watchdog Indiana Group and patriot Aaron Smith

Note from editor: The solution below is a short term fix of a 1% cap. It is not necessarily to be construed as the perfectl solution to protect Indiana's homeowners.

The ultimate solution is repeal, for as long as property tax exists, the government can take your home. This solution, while an improvement, still allows the government to assess your property for any amount they want. That means if you buy a house, rehab it, and work hard for years to make it wonderful, the government can decide it is worth more than you can afford and tax you out of it.

When property tax is repealed, Hoosiers will have a lot more disposable income. That income will be spent on stuff. Stuff = sales tax for the government. Hoosiers will also spend money improving their property instead of letting their property maintenance go to pay tax instead. When we improve our properties, contractors get hired. Contractors working = income tax.

The bottom line is that property tax repeal is good for everyone...the People and her government because of the additional money that is circulated in our economy and the restrictions it ultimately will place on excessive government spending.


Watchdog Indiana focuses on the state and local tax burden of Hoosier working Families.

YOU MUST ACT NOW!

Please send an E-mail to Indiana House Ways and Means Committee Chairman William A. Crawford (H98@in.gov) and ask him to allow a committee vote on Senate Joint Resolution 1.
SJR 1 includes a constitutional amendment that permanently caps any homeowner property tax at 1% of assessed value. Detailed information on SJR 1 can be found here.

The number one problem the General Assembly needs to solve this session is the legacy of failure where (1) we suffer permanent tax increases for temporary property tax relief and (2) property tax caps disappear. The foundation for genuine property tax relief is a constitutional amendment for a 1% cap on our property taxes that would let us know the maximum property tax we will have to pay on our homes. The 1% cap would provide reassurance that property taxes will be less likely to become an unaffordable burden that could force us out of our homes.

Even those who favor property tax elimination - including Watchdog Indiana with its endorsement of the Jeff Thompson Property Tax Reform Plan in House Bill 1338 - need to face political reality and support a constitutional amendment for a 1% homeowner property tax cap as a necessary first step for sweeping property tax reform.

The Ways and Means Committee recently held three public hearings on SJR 1. These public hearings did a good job of pinpointing the property tax revenue shortfalls that schools and local governments can expect from a constitutional amendment for a 1% homeowner property tax cap. The importance of imposing the county option income tax in House Bill 1001 for revenue replacement was appropriately emphasized.

Chairman Crawford promised a February 13 vote on SJR 1. He has since reneged on his promise and there is no indication when, or even if, he will allow a committee vote on SJR 1. Opponents of meaningful property tax relief will likely prevail if there is no SJR 1 committee vote THIS WEEK.

Watchdog Indiana provides information that is easy to understand about the revenues, spending, and long-term debt assumption of Indiana local and state governments. An online community is established where Hoosier working families come together to help control government growth by focusing on the state and local tax burden. Watchdog Indiana was established November 14, 2001, and is non-party, non-connected, and non-profit. The

Watchdog Indiana website

This is Watchdog Indiana E-mail Update #97-021908, and it was sent to 13,518 Hoosiers in 52 counties.

Happy Trails
Aaron Smith

Advance Indiana reports that an ethics complaint was filed against Andre Carson

Once again, Advance Indiana scoops all the news outlets with this story. Kudos to Gary Welsh and thanks again for your reporting. Andre Carson needs to answer to the public about this. Perhaps people attending the candidate forum tonight will confront Andre with this issue.

Surely at least one mainstream media outlet would think this is an important story to bring to the voters! Why must we get our news first from the blogs, Mr. and Mrs. Ryerson?

NW Times editorial reports local politicans are whining like babies about tax cuts

This editorial says it all. It's a good thing the Lake County Tea Party is coming up on March 1st sponsored by Team Hammond Taxpayers' Group. --HFFT

FROM NW Times.com
I was talking shop a couple weeks ago with an East Chicago police officer and we agreed as a result of a proposed property tax cap, there will be threats by politicians to cut public safety.

As it turns out, we were psychics."Our response time will worsen and there will be deaths," Hammond Fire Chief (and former Democratic city chairman) Dave Hamm said on a Feb. 11 trip to Indianapolis to protest Gov. Mitch Daniels' plan to cap property taxes and raise the sales tax.

"Do not take that as a threat. It's just a matter of fact. It's going to happen."Cut my budget and people will die! Their blood will be on your hands, Mitch!

Bull-loney. You will accept that only if you accept that a mayor will make his deepest cuts at the public safety level.

If the city is in trouble, why did Hamm's salary jump $15,000 in January? Why did Police Chief Brian Miller's jump the same amount? I know most companies facing a shortfall don't increase salaries -- even for executives -- by 24 percent.

If the city is in trouble, why is Mayor Tom McDermott Jr. talking as recently as late January about a new city hall downtown? You don't propose multi-million dollar capital projects out of one side of your mouth and talk about gutting your police and fire departments out of the other.If the city is in trouble, why was City Attorney Kris Kantar paid more than $10,000 in the first two weeks of the year? And why were five lawyers working on litigation over the closure of the health department, including McDermott's campaign manager, Kevin Smith?

Smith discounts his fee for the city, but he doesn't have to worry about his client paying.If the city is in trouble, why is there a $250,000 legal aid clinic funded by McDermott with casino money? Because it's been staffed by lawyers like Lisa Berdine and Kris Costa-Sakelaris, both of whom are related to former city council members?

If the city is in trouble, why are some council members fighting McDermott's decision to close the city's health department and allow the county to take over the $648,000 responsibility? When the household income shrinks, you eat more meat loaf and less steak.

It's also disingenuous to neglect to mention Hammond, while losing property tax money, will be getting a big chunk of that back in the form of the increase in sales tax.Hammond doesn't need to cut cops and firefighters. It needs the right priorities.Now where have I heard that before?

The opinions are solely those of the writer. See story comments .
The columnist can be reached at markk@nwitimes.com or (219) 933-4170.