Lawmakers: It is time to answer to the People & the Press

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
hoosiers.for.fair.taxation@gmail.com

www.HoosiersForFairTaxation.com

January 21, 2008

It is the work of journalists to protect America's citizens from tyranny by publishing facts thereby holding our lawmakers accountable to the rule of law. Unbiased journalism separates precious rule of law and freedom from tyranny. Overwhelmingly Hoosiers demand repeal of property tax, yet our politicians artfully maneuver to keep the status quo. Property tax "reform" is the shell game by which politicians stop taking from one pocket, only to dig into another instead.

The meat of the truth underlying the property tax crisis lies somewhere between the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the bond debt, and most sadly the failure of our elected officials to obey the rule of law to which they gave their oaths to defend.

More than ever Indiana's citizens need her journalists to defend help defend our property rights as given to us by our Constitution. Below are questions to which the People need answers. Do you have the courage to give Indiana's people the answers?

1. What percentage of our property tax dollars is used to illegally secure bond debt?
(Hint: it is many times greater than what is being spent on township government)

2. Who authorized citizens' homes (property taxes) to be used as collateral (without consent) against the state's bond debt? Who is responsible for this oversight of the rule of law?

3. Which bond banks are writing loans that guarantee repayment with our property as collateral without signed disclosure documents?

4. How much money does the state have off budget according to the CAFR (Comprehensive Annual Financial Report)?

5. Where is our off budget money kept and how much interest does it draw?

6. Who prepared the CAFR in its current format?

7. Why was the format of the CAFR changed?

8. Why does the CAFR appear to be purposely prepared so that no one, not even economists, clearly understand it?

9. Why are our politicians are not obeying the Indiana Constitution (Article I, Section 22) which states: It is FORBIDDEN for the state to enact the seizure and sale of homes for payment of taxes. Article 8 states that taxes from only corporate property, not personal property, is to be used for public schools.

It is OUR government and it is OUR job to oversee it.

It is the job of an ethical press to be part of the checks and balances which defend our liberty. More than ever Indiana needs her journalists to push this issue and get to the bottom of the bond debt and the legality of using Hoosier homes without consent and against the tenants of the Indiana Constitution as loan collateral.

ALERT: CITIZEN SHUT OUT! SJR 8 (property tax repeal bill)

We just received this call for action from StopIndiana.com We need everyone at the State house again on Tuesday! Please duplicate this announcement to everyone on your lists.
--HFFT editors

Dear Fellow Hoosiers: It's time again, to rally and converge upon the Senate Rules Committee, scheduled to meet this Tuesday, in Room 431, to discuss SJR8 (link), at 5:30PM.

The word now is they'll vote to KILL repeal by studying it to death, in a summer "study" committee. If the committee moves forward with SJR8, as they KNOW citizens want them to do, they'll have four years (!!!) to study repeal and adopt one of several, viable replacement plans. If Republican Senators have killed SJR8 (and we hope that's not the case); how much more out of touch could these folks be?


The first major ramp in property taxes of 100% to 500% increases was nearly five years ago (yeah, it was 2003), during which time, an entire class of college freshman has graduated and some have earned graduate degrees. More time to study...? If these folks need more time to study it's time for them to drop out, just go, and get an early start on a summer committee of their recreational choice. Thanks, but we can't take any more of that style of public "service."

Abdul (Indianabarrister.com) is reporting that the Senate Republican Caucus voted 2-to-1 last Thursday (by a process CLOSED TO CITIZENS), against moving SJR8 to the Senate floor for an open vote. This latest misstep by Republicans is reminiscent of last year's, pre-election city council meetings in Indianapolis, where citizens were shut out- this citizen shutout is no different!

Committee members who deny citizens the right, to an open discussion and vote on the floor of the Senate, should be unelected in May or November. Members of the Rules Committee and other legislators, have openly acknowledged, that SJR8 would pass, if brought to the Senate floor for a vote. So, what does it mean if they choose to kill SJR8 by any means? Let's see, Senators, who routinely face election challenges, shrinking violets that they are, would vote for SJR8, because they're afraid not to, or, could it be they know, that it's what their CONSTITUENTS WANT THEM TO DO? Hint: Constituent is another word for employer.


We may well have a crop of legislators who are tired and don't care about reelection. But why should that become the citizens' problem? Indiana needs bold, proactive leadership; not mediocrity, by default of a limited range of special interest reflexes. Indiana can lead rather than follow, but that will take leadership.

Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson, is the champion of an elimination plan in his state's legislature called The Great Plan For Georgia developed in consultation with Economist Arthur Laffer. Some have suggested that because other states haven't eliminated property taxes, that it can't be done; never bothering themselves, to exercise a calculator and demonstrate their vast knowledge of "can't."

Several states, including South Carolina, Florida, Washington, Oregon and Vermont, also have repeal efforts underway. The day is coming when a citizen centered legislature will demonstrate that property taxes "can" be eliminated. Let's meet Tuesday evening (1/22, 5:30, Room 431), to review the state of our representation. Be sure to check this link for any "last minute" updates.

Citizen and blog rants: Now Superintendent Mervilde suddenly interested in blight of abandoned school

You may recall that we told you about the 20 year abandoned eyesore known as White River School and one of our activists reported on the recent press conference which showed the city the terrible condition of the property under Superintendent Mervilde's watch. Property we should remind you belongs to the people.

Now it seems Mervilde is trying to appear that he cares about the blight , but the reality is that he is on the hot seat and is really passing the buck. That asset and property still is not returned to the taxpayer and its condition has vastly deteriorited under Mervilde's watch. What is our asset worth now?

And yet Mervilde wants more of your money so that Washington Township's children don't become "victims" of property tax reform as he was recently quoted saying. What Mervilde really wants is to keep his fat paycheck, private bathroom in his office, and in the good graces of Schellinger and McNeilly of CSO Architects. Doncha think?

Three problems:

1. Too little, too late. “This week Mervilde told the school district's director of operations, Phil Smith, to have the trash removed from the site and 102 windows boarded up.”

2. Then he tries to put the blame on Indy Parks…"We believe it's the responsibility of Indy Parks," Mervilde said. "In 2004 we entered into an agreement with Indy Parks. . . . We are not pleased with the progress of that." He conveniently forgets the previous 10 to 20 years of zero action by MSDWT since the school was closed and abandoned.

3. “The cost of the cleanup has not been calculated, Mervilde said, and the district hopes to share the cost with the parks department.” Mervilde should have discussed this with the Parks Dept. before spending the money. Another case where he doesn’t think ahead on financial matters.

The MSDWT record of abandoned buildings is abominable. What is in store for Harcourt and Wyandotte and their neighborhoods?

Serve your city: Taxpayer friendly school board candidates wanted in Washington Township

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


CITIZENS FOR EDUCATION
M. Penny Bigelow, Chair
Phone and fax: 317-876-0707


MSDWT SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES SOUGHT

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - January 17, 2008. The Citizens for Education are inviting candidates to apply for slating by the Citizens for Education for the May 2008 School Board Election for Washington Township/Indianapolis.

Candidates must have resided in the MSDWT school district for a period of one year.

Please call Penny Bigelow at 876-0707 to schedule an appointment. Deadline for applications is Jan.30, 2008.

Indy property owners AXED by the grim reaper

Indianapolis axed by Grim Reaper.

Your final reconciliation property tax bill for 2007 is delayed til sometime in May, 1 month after we pay our April 15th Federal and State taxes. Even worse, the adjustment will be minimal. So what happens to the normal annual May installment- it's pushed to August! What happens to the normal November installment? Unknown!!

Marion Cty.Assessor cites 'a question of staffing and skills'. Really? Where have you been for the last year?

Cost to taxpayers for the governor ordered reassessments: $1.2 million*
Projected homeowner savings from reassessment: 5%*
*figures reported during August 2007 testimony from Greg Bowes and county assessors at CCC budget hearings

Andy Horning explains to Indy Star what our Constitution FORBIDS!

Here Andy Horning gets at the crux of the matter. Taxes are out of control not because of schools, police, fire safety, or roads. It is the bond debt.

Taxes are out of control because our lawmakers are not accountable to the rule of law. And the citizens have failed to properly parent rogue politicians and force accountability to the rule of law.

Taxes are out of control because of municipal loans are backed by the private property of citizens as collateral! This illegal act of theft was not disclosed to Indiana's property owners, nor did a single Indiana property owner co-sign a legal agreement for their property to be used to guarantee bond debts .

Who is at fault? The legislators or the bond banks for writing the illegal deals backed by our property? The politicians in office swore to uphold and defend our property and the constitution. Instead they ignored their oaths. and the law.

Why hasn't our media asked the state exactly how much of our property tax is used to to pay the interest on the bond debt? We promise you it is far more than township government costs the taxpayer. The number will be staggering.
--HFFT editor

Constitutions forbid
by Andy Horning

"Article I, Section 22, of the Indiana Constitution forbids the seizure and sale of homes for payment of taxes. Article 8 taxes only corporate property, not personal property, for public schools. Actually, most of what Indiana government now does is clearly forbidden by both the Indiana and federal constitutions our politicians swear to uphold and defend."


So the bottom line is that we’ve worried enough about the methods and degrees of taxation. It’s time to wonder why we pay any taxes at all to our lawbreaking lawmakers.

Our money goes to mall developers and foreign corporations, yet we have to pay extra for our day in court. School taxes pay for sports stadiums and half-million-dollar-a-year college coaches, but not for books.

Our police don’t investigate property crimes anymore, yet they have time for speed traps and road blocks. They make parents drug their kids, yet they kick in your door if you don’t “Just Say No.” And your home or business will be taken from you if a campaign contributor wants it. All of this is unconstitutional, not just immoral.

So it’s frustrating to see how many of us have become convinced that abolishing the property tax would, by itself, solve anything. It would only make the other taxes worse, while filling the coffers of the dangerously corrupt.

The problem is that our government is ungoverned. We must either demand that politicians obey written laws as written, or quit whining about the anarchy we permit.

MAGUIRE AWARDED ATLAS! LIBERTY SCHOLARSHIP

Atlas!Liberty has announced its 12 scholarship winners. Four of them have ties to Indiana.

The scholarship is for the Campaign & Elections Politics Magazine annual seminar "The Art of Political Campaigning". The scholarship covers the registration fee, transportation to and from Washington, DC, hotel and some incidental travel expenses. It costs approximately $1500 to send each scholarship recipient to this Washington, D.C. program. Your gift to Atlas!Liberty will help send these outstanding Libertarians to Washington, D.C.

The four with ties to Indiana are:

Whitney Allen, Plainfield, Indiana. Senior business major at IUPUI. Hired by MTV as part of a special program the network is launching to cover politics through the 2008 presidential elections. Created web site for Libertarian Timothy Maguire for Indianapolis City-County Council At-Large in 2006.

Jaenelle Antas, Rochester, Minnesota, part-time employee with Libertarian Party of Indiana. Full-time student at IUPUI in Indianapolis. Plans to attend law school in Wisconsin. Volunteer co-coordinator Timothy Maguire for Council 2007.

Allison Maguire, Indianapolis, Indiana, administrative assistant, candidate for Libertarian office, At-Large City Council in 2007, key volunteer for Timothy Maguire campaign.

Timothy Maguire, Indianapolis, Indiana, financial planner and small business owner, candidate for Libertarian office, including At-Large City Council in 2007. His visible campaign was noticed in the Indianapolis community, and his vote totals more than doubled the party's municipal achievements from four years ago.

Last year, Atlas!Liberty sent Andy Wolf, the chair of the LaPorte County Libertarian Party, and Mark W. Rutherford, Immediate Past State Chairman of the Libertarian Party of Indiana, to this program.

Washington Township property tax $$$: Spent on education or architectural firms?

Recently educrat, James Mervilde (Washington Township Schools Superintendent) was interviewed by the Indianapolis Star. In the interview he attemps to make readers believe that it is necessary to increase their property tax dollars to cover EDUCATION or else their children will become "victims" of tax reform!

Missing from the article are interviews from the other side of the argument....namely the tax payers and the persons with the inside knowledge of how Washington Township's School Board racket is set up.

We know that property tax reforms are not going to make victims of Indiana's children, but we thought we should give you some insight so that you can connect the dots for yourself. Today we introduce you to Mrs. Cid McNeilly.

For at least the past eight years, CSO Architects, Inc. has helped Washington Township’s school board spend millions of dollars of taxpayer money. CSO has received plenty of help from Cid McNeilly.

Please start to connect the dots yourself:

A valuable property on Allisonville Road near Castleton Square Shopping Center was sold by the Washington Township Schools and the proceeds were used to help finance the construction of the Superintendent’s current offices. Then school board member and architect, Cid McNeilly, supported the measure. Her husband’s firm, CSO Architects, did the work. CSO helped sweeten the deal by discretely designing a private restroom in the superintendent’s office. Locals refer to the opulent building, completed in 2000, as the Taj Mahal.

Fact: Mrs. McNeilly was President of the Washington Township school board when she personally negotiated and signed the employment contract with current Superintendent, Jim Mervilde.

Fact: Mrs. McNeilly and Superintendent Mevilde appeared before the School Property Tax control Board a few weeks later on February 16, 2006 and asked for approval of a $50 million bond issue for Facilities Improvements. Page 13 of the report states, “All educational facilities rate good to excellent”, and ”(requested) HVAC and roof projects will increase education facilities with good ratings to excellent ratings.” CSO's president, Jim Schellinger, was shown on page 28 of their presentation as the Architectural Advisor.

Phase I of the Facilities Improvement project was for $20 million and included the famous $14 million swimming pool and $1.5 million for artificial turf on the athletic field.

Fact: Superintendent Mervilde submitted a report to the school board On October 22, 2007: “Current Condition of Facilities and Future Facility Needs”. This report was prepared by CSO Architects at the request of Mervilde. He often refers to CSO Architects and Skillman Corp., a contractor, as his “professional partners.” Many of the meetings leading up to the report included teachers, parents and members of the community and were held at CSO Architects headquarters. Based on this specific report, Mervilde’s own Strategic Plan requested $150 to $200 million to rebuild or replace most of the district’s elementary and middle schools.
Fact: The October 22, 1007 IBJ article by Tracy Donhard, “District tests anti-tax mood” noted the inconsistency between the Feb. 16, 2006 Facility Improvement report and the Mervilde Strategic Plan.

The 2006 report to the Tax Board stated essentially that the facilities were “good to excellent” and – just 18 months later – the Strategic Plan said that he needed $200 million to repair the facilities. According to the IBJ, “Mervilde said work done on that study was flawed.” He was asked in the Dec. 12, 2007 school board meeting to clear up the matter; however, he did not answer the question.

Fact: The Dec. 12, 2007 school board gave approval for Phase II of the Facilities Improvement project remaining $30 million which includes a $2.1 million stand-alone locker room. You might recall that this plan was described as “flawed” by Mervilde.

Fact: The Dec. 12, 2007 school board gave approval to proceed to implement the $150 to $200 million Strategic Plan construction projects. The same architect, CSO Architects, was used even though the earlier work was described as “flawed.”

Fact: Following her board presidency, architect Cid McNeilly has continued to be very active with school parent groups, and meets regularly with Superintendent Mervilde.

Very few school board members of the Washington Township school board have NOT been endorsed by Parent Council officers. Four of the five current school board members were endorsed by the Parent Council.

Only rarely is anyone elected to the school board without its endorsement. Most insiders believe that its officers are the “shadow” school board and where the real power lies.

Fact: Architect Mrs. McNeilly, currently is Chairman of the Parent Council school board candidate selection committee. She personally interviewed its May 2008 candidate slate, and remains in a very important position to help influence the board approved $200 million new construction at Washington Township.

Will Cid McNeilly help perpetuate the selection of its “architect of choice” to remain Jim Schellinger’s firm?

Connect the dots.

Ballard shows Thanks Throws Good Will Party

Saturday, 1-19-08
It was a family afternoon open Luau despite 20 degree weather that saw many Hoosiers greeted by newly elected Mayor Ballard of Indianapolis. Plenty of hot food, games for children, and stage entertainment Hawaiian style with neck lays and drums went non stop from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm. at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Pavillion. A waiting line for Hoosier well-wishers remained constant for those wanting photo-opts, offer their hopes, and wish he and his wife Winnie and children their support. Not a politician but a man of the people, this Marine made himself unselfishly available and was not the time for speechmaking or political rhetoric.

Tax Repeal Activists, new City Council members, the Mayor’s newly appointed team, and neighborhood associations together with grass roots supporters agreed it was a new chapter in Indy’s life. Among those:

Dave Bond-‘StopIndiana.com (Stop taxing our property)
Kent Smith- Vice President of City County Council
Greg Wilson- Director Minority affairs
Ryan Vaughn- City County Council
Tim and Allison Maguire, both recent recipients of Libertarian Scholarships to Washington DC.
Caroline Farrar, director of Meridian Kessler Neighborhood Association
Penny Bigelow of Washington Township.
Chris Spangler of Radio
Bob Grey, Republican supporter
Ken Morgan, Founder and Chairman of the Indiana Voters League
Laura Chastain, tax repeal activist.
Patriot Paul with Hoosiers for Fair Taxation
Joanna Franklin, Secretary, Crooked Creek Community Council
Jeffrey Cardella, Deputy Public Defender

Article contributed by Paul Wheeler

Melyssa Donaghy receives honorable mention on Howey Political Report's Top 50 List

Melyssa at one of the City County Council rallies
she organized during the summer 2007

Melyssa made honorable mention on Howey's 2008 Top 50 list of political influencer. Here's what The Howey Political Report, a subscription based periodical said about her work: " The Peterson administration cracked down on her home based Central Avenue dominatrix business. She channeled her anger into the earliest stages of the tax revolt last June - she organized the first demonstrations at the Governor’s Residence and Monument Circle in July. She’s our citizen activist of the year.

ALERT: Senate still trying to avoid property tax repeal discussion

ALERT – ALERT - ALERT !

Senator Long will hold a meeting of his Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday, 1/22/08 at 5:30 pm. The purpose is to take a vote to send SJR 8 to a ‘summer study committee’, i.e., to kill repeal for this session.

Why? To buy the cowards time of course. The reality is that the longer they can put this off before the election, the better their chances of re-election and the better their chances are that the People will get tired and go away.

We have news for the legislators: WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY!

We all need to be there to express our opinions to the Committee on this killer move by Long/Daniels/Kenley/Bauer.

Could Bart & Co. be next on Feds list? What documents were shredded?

With the recent sentencing of corrupt city councilors in Lake County, you would think that someone here in the media would be looking further into the shredding of the citizens' documents that was carried out non-stop by Bart Peterson's administration during the week before Mayor Ballard took over.

On a previous blog entry, we asked a lot of questions. We're not the only ones that want further investigation. The folks over at Indy Tax Dollars are also irritated that no further investigation seems to be underway.

Rumor has it that bushels of documents were copied and slipped out of City Hall during Bart's administration by insiders who are taxpayer advocates and that the documents are stashed away somewhere safe in the city.

Over at Digital Farmers blog, it is reported that an unnamed local blogger was recently contacted by the FBI wanting information regarding circumvention of federal laws. Could that be a blog exposing corruption by Marion county public officials?

Will the dirty politics on the taxpayer dime never end?

This Saturday: Mayor Ballard's Community Luau

Here's a party anyone can attend who supports Mayor Ballard's efforts to turn our city around.

Mayor Ballard's Community Luau
Saturday, January 19, 2008
2:00-5:00 PM

Join Mayor Greg Ballard and Winnie for his welcoming Luau open house and party for the Greater Indianapolis community. Bring the entire family! There will be food, music, children's activities, and lots of fun for everyone. And who doesn't appreciate a hint of the tropics in Indiana in January?


The Pavilion at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The Pavilion is located just behind the Pagoda in the Infield.
Enter at the Main Gate off 16th Street (Gate 2) towards the IMS Museum and follow the signs.

Guests are asked to bring a $5.00 donation, to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Indianapolis
or a canned food item to benefit Gleaners Food Bank.

A rock for Mayor Ballard to look under

We are grateful for the person behind Indy Tax Dollars who wrote this analysis after reading the city's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.


Quick questions - Part II
December 31, 2007

Here are two more items from the city's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (Dec. 2005) which we recommend to the attention of the new mayor's transition team.

First, under the general heading of "Notes to Financial Statements" on page 49, the following paragraph appears as a footnote to "Section A. Lessee Arrangements."
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"The City entered into an agreement with the Marion County Convention and Recreational Facility Authority (MCCRFA) to lease a portion of land located at the airport over a 25-year term expiring in 2016. This land was being used for a major aircraft maintenance and overhaul center for United Airlines, Inc. ("United") prior to United's bankruptcy filing in 2003. The lease requires the City to make annual payments equal to the MCCRFA's debt service requirements." (Our emphasis.)
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We presume the dollar amount required of the city is specified at some other point in the pages and pages of numbers making up this full report. More important, it seems to us, is the question as to why a "Convention and Recreational Facility Authority" owns land involved in the UAL fiasco at the airport. We pointed out a few days ago that this agency was created to provide certain financing for projects of the CIB. Governmental bodies linkage designed to obscure who owes how much and to what purpose?
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Second, with the same general heading, but under "Section C. Other Financing Transactions," we find this wording on page 50.
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"Circle Centre Mall "
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In January 1994, the City entered into a long-term operating lease with Circle Centre Development Company, an Indiana general partnership. The lease extends through December 2027 and provides for seven options to extend the term for 10 years. No rental payments are due under the lease." (Our emphasis.)
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We plead ignorance here. The land under the mall is owned principally by the city and is therefore not on the assessment rolls at all. The improvements are the responsibility of the owners/tenants and are supposed to be taxable. Since the land is not taxable, it is our understanding that the city was to receive revenue in lieu of taxes through leases of the land.
If this is the case, then one tends to be curious about what is being leased and why a lease would be required where no payments are to be made. Most importantly, does the lease affect city revenues?
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Once again, we're just pointing to some of the rocks that the new mayor might want to turn over as he attempts to determine exactly what he has gotten himself into.

Justice Served: Corrupt Lake county city councilors and attorney headed to federal prison

We hear rumors often of a federal investigation here in Indianapolis of our own crop of immoral government thieves. Justice was served in Gary with stiff sentences given to two of their city councilors and a Gary attorney. Let's hope the feds are looking into the dirty water deal that Bart and Burt hatched behind closed doors. We also hope they are looking closely at Monroe Gray and Aaron Haith, our local duo of corruption. Below is news of the sentences handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Philip Simon blogged by our friends at Team Hammond Taxpayers' Group in Lake county. BRAVO FEDS, BRAVO!


Willie Harris, former Gary attorney, was sentenced to 55 months in prison, nearly the maximum sentenced recommended. Harris, along with former County Councilman Will Smith, Jr. and Roosevelt Powell, was convicted last September of tax fraud and skimming $50,000 from the profits of a secret real estate deal between the corrupt Gary Urban Enterprise Association and the Gary Historical and Cultural Society.

U.S. District Court Judge Philip Simon handed down the stiff sentence. Judge Simon ruled Harris not only betrayed the legal profession, but he also betrayed the Lake County taxpayers. Harris will serve out his sentence at the federal work camp in Oxford, Wisconsin.

Last week, former Lake County tax collector, Roosevelt Powell, received a sentence of 37 months. Will Smith Jr. will be sentenced on January 18. Given the fact that Smith was not only a county councilman but council president as well, it is very possible that Judge Simon will also impose a harsh sentence on Smith. If he does, may it serve as a reminder and a deterrent to all elected officials in Lake County that this kind of unlawful behavior will NO longer be tolerated.

PROPERTY TAX INACTION-NO EXCUSES LEFT

Essay by Patriot Paul
Governor Daniels has pulled the rug from Legislators who used a ‘short session’ as an excuse for wanting to go home early and for not finding a permanent solution to the property tax crisis. By telling them to look harder until they get it right begs the question that what is right must then be moral, and that is the crux that both Daniels and Legislators don’t want to address. Putting Humpty Dumpty back together again by interchanging arms, legs, and broken back will not make him walk upright with head held high. It forces a cripple to remain a cripple in a perpetual wheelchair, bound by a patchwork quilt sewn from the 1800s that now embraces Hoosiers like a straight jacket.

Like other states founded in a relatively short time, Indiana built itself with structures to protect citizens from governmental abuse, yet had to provide protections from tyranny. Raising taxes through property to support that became a part of the Indiana Constitution.
If Daniels wants a Constitutional amendment, why offer a cap or reduction onto an already broken system based on old agrarian colonial day methods that will force us to address the issue again in a few years. Indiana has awakened into a manufacturing age and is stepping into a technological and service oriented economy.

Compounding this is the fact that we have legislators who are completely out of their element and follow in lockstep partisanship that offers lip service and excuses for their inaction. Hearings offered to the public have been manipulated with Legislators’ and lobbyiests’grandstanding speeches in Indianapolis, South Bend, and Evansville, with citizens’ horror stories and suggestions minimized by time constraints or discounted by legislators’ counterproductive predisposition to hear but not listen. Referring to elimination:

Speaker Pat Bauer: “There’s always people who want to shoot for Pluto but Pluto doesn’t exist anymore. We need to do what we can do here on earth.” (Kevin Rader, Eyewitness news 13 Indy)

Sen. David Long: “To try and do it in this session-I think it’s not only not a good idea, but really might do harm to the Indiana economy.” (Channel 6)

Gov.Daniels: Supports the ‘spirit’ of elimination but impractical (Evansville Courier press). “The question has to be:’ What can the taxpayer afford?’”(Star news 1-17).

The wrong questions are being asked by leaders operating within a failed system and who will kick Humpty Dumpty down the road for another generation to address unless an awakening citizenship tells them they have no excuses left and that intellectual dishonesty is transparent for all voters to see. The crux is the moral issue. What plan eliminates the annual threat of families being evicted from homes, farms or businesses for failure to annyup a tribute to keep what they already own? There is no plan except elimination, the numbers are there, and two independent statewide polls favor the majority of Hoosiers wanting this grotesque system put into the shredder. Set the wheels in motion to amend the Constitution once and for all applicable to the 21st century, be a part of history, and never look back at a system that is not fixable.

Patriot Paul

New Albany, Clarksville, Jeffersonville show us how it is done

Property owners in cities near the Ohio River travelled by caravan to Indianapolis for the Governor's address on Tuesday. Louisville's Channel 3 interviewed members of the caravan as they were setting out to leave for Indianapolis.

We cannot thank them enough for their participation. We know that many took time away from work, family, and other obligations to do their civic duty and tell our legislators loud and clear that WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY and WE WANT TO VOTE ON REPEAL.

Indiana's tax crisis story in Chicago Tribune

Indiana's embarassing tax crisis and fiscal mismanagement has been on national radar since last summer. Yesterday the Chicago Tribune picked up the Associated Press coverage of Tuesday's rally.

At least we are being heard by the media. Too bad many of our legislators are not yet listening. We are sure they will hear us on election day.

Property taxes spooked consumers: caused loss of 50 jobs from closing of 3rd generation Indy business

Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Norm Heikens - Indianapolis Business Journal

Bud Wolf Chevrolet going out of business

Consumer qualms about property taxes and a lingering bad rap about the quality of American cars has prompted the owners of Bud Wolf Chevrolet to close the doors. President Andy Wolf told the 50 employees of the decision Monday. The service operation closed immediately, and about 200 new and used vehicles remain to be sold.
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"With the business and the overhead, I felt this was the time to do it," Wolf said. Wolf is the third generation involved in the car business. His grandfather, Isaac "Ike" Wolf, started selling auto parts in 1913. Ike's son and Andy Wolf's father, Myron "Bud" Wolf, started selling used cars at 2701 E. Washington Street, then landed the Chevrolet dealership in 1972 and moved to 1045 Broad Ripple Ave.
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Bud Wolf Chevrolet is now at 5350 N. Keystone Ave.Bud Wolf turns 90 next month and still discusses the business but isn't active in it, Andy Wolf said.
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The dealership struggled to get customers in the door because of what Andy Wolf said was an undeserved poor reputation about American cars. Then the surge in property taxes last summer spooked some customers to the extent they were unwilling to spend money even on maintaining their cars. The Wolf family owns the five-acre site of the dealership and would like to redevelop it, Andy Wolf said.

Protestors' response to Governor's address

PROTESTORS’ RESPONSE TO GOVERNOR’S ADDRESS IS
‘MISTAKE OF THE STATE’

Property Tax Repeal Advocates descended on Indiana’s Statehouse only to receive a rude awakening that the word ‘Repeal’ is extinct in the vocabularies of both the Governor and many lawmakers. While applauding the noble desire to downsize government to become efficient and less costly, his 9 calls for legislators to become brave in a critical time underscores his attitude toward them as fraidy cats all too beholden to the politics of special interest instead of to Hoosiers. The Governor was no less helpful for repeal and refused to take the lead to repeal a grotesque reality that can, and would, permit the State to threaten homeowners, farmers, and businesses into eviction for failing to pay into an unfair and still broken system. And this he calls a PERMANENT fix?

Roughly 200 Repeal Activists, representing various groups from around the State felt the Governor needed as much Metamucil as he tried to give lawmakers for permanent fiber, should these pussycats need the backbone he thinks they require. Claiming his heart was with the people, this Governor-Shape shifter spun his shell game as the biggest tax break in Indiana history. Signs and repeated chants of “Repeal” resounded through the Statehouse from the 3rd floor to the entrance, according to latecomers. Yes, he and the legislators heard the public, despite every poll indicating the majority of statewide Hoosiers want this immorality abolished.

Protestors are left with 2 things: their voice and their vote. Given the volume of media interviews, the war of prehistoric property tax perpetrated by Indiana politicians upon homes, farms, and businesses, prompts ever increasing unhappy crowds as Hoosiers tire of the ball and chains. Once the reality check kicks in for Hoosiers, the Governor’s speech will be viewed as the biggest ‘Mistake of the State address’ in modern memory. Forced retirement is on the horizon for incumbents who left their Metamucil at home. Word to lawmakers: never leave home without it.

Contributed by Patriot Paul