Courier Press disagrees with Governor: Plans DO exist to replace property tax

While our Governor tries to placate us by saying "our hearts are in the right place", we don't understand why he continues to tell Hoosiers that there are no workable plans to eliminate property tax. Yesterday the Evansville Courier Press had this to say about the vast number of workable property tax elimination plans.

Governor Daniels, We are worth the effort to find a way to cut spending, reform our 19th century government and repeal property tax! Let's set an example here in Indiana for the rest of the nation to follow!

p.s. We know it is the bond debt, not essential services, that caused this mess. We support your motion to make capital spending projects subject to referendum.

Dave Bond of STOPIndiana.com weighs in on bond indebtedness

We received this message today from Dave Bond and our friends over at StopIndiana.com about bond indebtedness.

For release:
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Indiana State House, State of the State Address

See for yourself, check these numbers!

Subject: Diversions, distractions and WASTED TIME

Some legislators are complaining that their time is being wasted trapping mice (township govt.) rather than herding elephants (excessive, unconstitutional bond debt).

Department of Local Government & Finance (DLGF) numbers for 2005 show that of the total $15.3 billion allocated and budgeted for local government statewide, only 2.17% were attributable to townships or $332M. This is the area of government spending that now consumes and many say diverts attention from the state's real spending problem which is it's bond indebtedness.

In the state's capitol (Marion County), only 3.5% of the county's total budget is attributable to the total fixed or operating costs for all township governments or taxing units. While it may be a good idea, a 20% savings through consolidation would yield .7% savings; more mouse trapping than elephant herding.

So where are the elephants? The elephants are Indiana's out of control bond indebtedness that some predict has grown by 500% during the last five years. Look at the state's bond debt and you'll notice the elephants, currently herded by a curious coalition of lobbyists: educrats, Chamber of Commerce, Manufacturers, Farm Bureau and bond manufacturers (niche law, niche development, etc.)

BEST RALLY SIGN: "Hello? It's The Bond Debt!"

How many legislators whine that eliminating property tax is going to cost citizens essential services like trash pickup, police, fire, roads, and other emergency services? Didn't we have all those things in place BEFORE the huge property tax increases?

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In fact last night we heard State Representative Peggy Welch interviewed whining (scroll down for "state of the state" video) in typical democratic fashion about losing essential services if we do away with property tax. We are not one bit surprised that she made no mention of the bond debt, which is the state's dirty secret and the real reason property tax has skyrocketed.
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Don't listen to their rhetoric.

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The real truth behind property tax increases is the increased spending and refinancing of the bond debt. Increases statewide can be over 100% per year. You will never hear them mention that their out of control spending is the culprit, will you? Instead they try to scare citizens into thinking that without property tax we're not going to have police and fire services.

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By the way, whenever they raise sales tax they never take it away. Case in point: Indianapolis still pays a one-penny tax on Market Square Arena that was imploded a decade ago.

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Keep the pressure on. Never forget that heat and pressure is what is required to make a diamond. And the citizens of Indiana are worth diamonds.

HUGE THANKS: Hoosiers statewide attend property tax repeal rally at Governor's address

We cannot thank enough the folks around Indiana, including a lot of senior citizens who travelled by the bus and van loads in the cold, to make the sacrifice to attend this important rally. Many also went to the post rally chili supper at Ken Morgan's Meridian Kessler home. We're sure they didn't get home until well past midnight. We appreciate their sacrifice to speak for all of us who want property freedom.

As the Governor and his entourage made their way to the house chamber, crowds shouted "REPEAL REPEAL REPEAL" as they formed a path for him to walk by. The shouts for property freedom could be heard by legislators and guests waiting in the house chamber.

Here are some photos from last night's state house rally.
Again, thanks to all that attended.

Ken Morgan of Indiana Voters League leads rally at State house

Activist Ken Morgan is interviewed by the Indy Star at last night's State House rally in support of property tax repeal.

CALL TO ARMS

If you love your home, if you love Indiana, you need to be there
State House, South Entrance

This Tuesday evening, Jan 15, 2008, gather at 6:30PM

You really do need to be there. Now is the hour.

Consider Rosalie. She is eighty-five and has an income of twenty-four thousand a year. The governor wants eight thousand of it for property tax, this year. She is going to have to sell and move away from the friends and neighbors she has known for forty years. Why must she do this? Because the school board wants a new pool.

Have you seen the boarded up buildings and the “for rent” signs around this town? That is property tax at work. St. Louis and Detroit miles and miles of abandoned buildings. Need proof, click this link. Six thousand people left Marion County last year. It’s simple. Taxpayers and businesses tend to move away from high property tax and toward low property tax. Property tax is bad policy. It destroys our communities and people like Rosalie.

Property tax is corrupt. The Circle Center mall, downtown, doesn’t pay any property tax. Our constitution requires the legislature to “provide, by law, a uniform and equal rate of property assessment and taxation.” Instead, our legislature appoints commissars who pick and choose who pays tax. Why? They claim those ten-dollar an hour jobs in the Circle Mall are somehow going to benefit Rosalie.

Are you content to let our politicians shrug and say it’s sad about Rosalie but the state needs her money more than she does? A few powerful people are standing in the way of immediate relief and permanent reform. Our friends in the legislature tell us that public pressure makes a real difference. It keeps the crooks honest, it persuades the wavering, and gives courage to our friends.

We sing about the land of the free and the home of the brave. Now is the time to prove it. Be brave and act. Take an hour of your time to show the legislature we are watching. We must pack the State House for the governor’s State of the State speech. Whatever Governor Daniels has to say, we must show him and the media what the State of the State is. Crisis!

This message is being sent to every neighborhood organization and every tax activist group we know of. Send it on. Tell your neighbors. It seems to be the only way to humble our government officials to behave like servants rather than rulers.

Be there. We need you.

Bring your kids and tell them why you are there. Patriot Paul will be handing out little flags.

Ken Morgan, Chairman
Indiana Voters League
317-260-1828
for more information see
Indianavotersleague.org

TUESDAY: A CALL TO CIVIC DUTY

A CALL TO CIVIC DUTY!
Be there: Tues, Jan. 15, 6:30 PM

Now more than ever, Hoosiers need each other

State of The State RallyState of The State Address
Gov. Daniels to General AssemblyState House, House Chamber
Indianapolis, be earlyEnter South Entrance (Wash. St.)
More info: Indianavotersleague.org

Dear Fellow Hoosiers: The state of our state is CRISIS! This week is it! We have an opportunity to win the repeal of property taxes in this legislature (SJR8) and establish Indiana as the economic sunshine state. Please join your fellow Hoosiers for the Governor's State of The State Address (begins at 7PM & expected to be 30 minutes long). Bring your families and share with them, history in the making.

You've relied upon this website and others, for updates on the property tax crisis. As you read this, be assured that friends in the legislature have made it perfectly clear, that, public presence on Tuesday will make all the difference, and bolster the confidence of legislators to do what is right (open discussion and vote on the floor of both houses, of repeal). For better or worse, history is made by those who are present. One group that's been missing from the public debate and therefore consideration, isn't a lobby or special interest group. It's a "general interest group" of citizens, who call themselves Hoosiers, who have been missing for far too long.

This is one of "those moments" in history, a destinational crossroads that will be viewed retrospectively; from either a vibrant altitude of possibility, or a condescensive platitude of the status quo (can't do attitude). That very decision, concerning the destination of our state, will be charted this week. Please come on Tuesday and show yourselves to be the people they've forgotten.

PRESS RELEASE: "State of the state is mistaken"

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday January 15th, 6pm
Indiana State House
3rd Floor, Outside House Chamber

Media Contacts:
Dave Bond 317-446-6435
STOPIndiana.com

Melyssa Donaghy 317-938-8913
HoosiersForFairTaxation.com


Press conference by the People, for the People
Immediately after State of the State Address

Citizens from around the state, some with families in tow, will arrive as early as 6pm outside the House Chamber to hear the "State of the State" address. Citizens will speak to the press to emphasize the need to rebuild our antiquated government, cut spending, eliminate pork projects, and permanently repeal property tax.

Indiana's citizens are worth the effort to rebuild state government. We deserve better access to government, access to the decisions that effect our lives, and access to vote on SJR 8, the property tax repeal bill which was headed for a secret death in committee until the citizens staged two rallies last week bringing light to the fate planned for the People's opportunity for property tax repeal.

The People deserve full respect as the bill paying power that lawfully controls our government. On Tuesday, we, once again, claim our power.

Patriot Paul receives standing ovation for speaking at last night's tax forum

Government as Protector; not Predator

My name is Paul Wheeler with Hoosiers For Fair Taxation. Over 50% of Hoosiers want permanent elimination of Property Tax according to a November poll through Advance America, and we are tired of being threatened every year by our local and State government. We are tired of watching some Senators and Representatives talk about reform, and instead posture, circumvent, and stroke their own egos while sending us a band aid for THEIR immoral legislation that put us all in Property Tax Hell. Anything short of repeal does not stop the government from seizing your home, farm or business, then foreclosing and evicting your family into the street. It is IMMORAL. Legislators who preside over a broken system send out property tax assessments that are nothing more than RANSOME NOTES for kidnapping what we have spent a lifetime to own.

Our founding fathers found taxation without representation revolting and abusive. If they knew that all taxes combined in OUR society TODAY equal citizens working 1/3 of their working life just for our government, they would consider today’s legislators as traitors and our current system an abomination. Our government was designed to be a PROTECTER; not a PREDATOR and I assure you that immoral eviction of citizens from their property is NOT the common good.
We just removed one Mayor who had a 70% approval rating and was the president of the league of cities, and a giant Tax Tea Party is waiting this November for every incumbent misrepresenting the will of the people and failing to observe our Constitution which says power is inherent in the PEOPLE. There is no bill being considered, except total elimination that would make this evil kidnapping of our property go away. ** And I will fight for Hoosiers, their families, homes, farms and businesses until I draw my last breath and these snake-legislators have to slither over my cold smoldering body.

That is all

CHOIR PREACHING OFFERS HOPE FOR TAX REFORM

A Tax forum, hosted by Light of the World Christian Church, Indianapolis, In. on Thursday, 10th, featured three speakers, Eric Miller, founder of Advance America, John Price, Chairman of the Indiana Property Tax Repeal Alliance, and Dr. Henry Karlson, professor of law. Providing an update on Statehouse progress for reform and workable numbers for property tax replacement, their survey indicated over 70% statewide Hoosiers want total elimination. Several groups from around the state sent their delegation head to hear or participate from the floor.

In attendance:
Ken Morgan, founder of Indiana Voters League, who spoke of the inherent evil of property tax that impoverishes and corrupts the State which demeans the individual.

Paul Wheeler (introduced as Patriot Paul) of Hoosiers for Fair Taxation, promised a massive Tax Tea Party in November for every incumbent failing to abide by the will of the people and failure to obey present laws.

Greg Wright of Washington Twp.Board spoke of streamlining the School system as did Penny Bigelow, whose research reflected money savings.

Senator Delph and Representative Cindy Noe encouraged the audience for more public voice, along with Chris Hiatt of Citizens of Delaware County for Property Tax Repeal, and David Coker, Vanderburgh Co. Taxpayers Association.

Activist and newly appointed Minority Business officer, Greg Wilson, represented the Mayor.

Activist Dave Bond of Stop Indiana.

Among other announcements, Steve Keltner will run for State Senator against Teressa Lubbers.

Abu Henderson, tax repeal activist for Hoosiers for Fair Taxation and the Indiana Voters League, will run on the Democratic ticket district 98 for State Representative against Bill Crawford, currently Chairman of Ways and Means Committee.

Repeal of homstead property taxes is getting legs in the legislature

Well, we're starting to gain ground. Our long hard efforts are beginning to see payola, but is what they are offering enough? Is this another pacifier to put The People back to sleep?

Several lawmakers now are backing repeal of property tax on homesteads only. This would mean that farms, businesses, and landlords would still pay property tax.

Law makers like it because it only requires a little more than $2 billion in replacement costs instead of the $6 billion collected from all property tax. But ask yourselves, why are they so adamant about finding replacement money? The answer is because they don't ever want to stop spending your money lavishly.

Where is the debate to implement the 27 recommendations of the Governor's commission headed by Justice Shepard and former Governor Kernan? There is no way to know exactly how much would be saved until the steps are implemented, but we can be pretty sure it would cover a lot of the property tax replacement.

This is where The People have to start being savvy in our watch over our legislators. This is where the game gets interesting. More than anything they want us to go back to sleep, leave them alone, and stop showing up at the Statehouse so they can continue their fleecing of us without oversight.

Do you know that there are many legislators that laugh at you and I behind our backs. They laugh about how stupid and gullible we are and what easy marks we are.

They are going to raise other taxes if they repeal homestead property tax. Be careful. It's possible to repeal homestead taxes without raising other tax. They can find a way to save $2 billion by implementing a 21st century government rather than the 19th century government we have in Indiana.

It's up to us to oversee our government and hold their feet to the fire.

Miller bundling property tax repeal with SJR7 (gay marriage bill)

At noon on Friday February 1, Eric Miller will lead another rally at the State House in continued effort to push repeal for property tax. The theme of the rally is "Let the People Vote".

While we greatly appreciate the successful work of Eric Miller to pressure our legislators toward the goal of repeal, is it really necessary to dillute the issue by bundling it with the gay marriage bill? This will only distract from the repeal issue as many pro-repeal homeowners are sickened by government intrusion into our personal lives and marriages. We have not forgotten that our legislators gave SJR 7 a great deal of time during the 2007 session, while putting off discussion aimed to avert the looming property tax crisis.

It is past time to separate religion and personal beliefs in God from our government. With the track record our government has, do you really trust them to legislate the will of God too?

Does Eric Miller not have enough faith in his omnipotent personal God to find a way intervene in the lives of humankind without government intervention?

Property Tax Repeal Study from Eric Miller

Press Release January 8, 2008

Advance America Releases Property Tax Repeal Study

[Indianapolis, IN] Eric Miller, Founder of Advance America today released the results of a professional study of their Property Tax Repeal Plan conducted by a respected professor at Indiana University, Dr. Craig L. Johnson.

Miller was joined by the following Legislators who support the Constitutional Amendment to Repeal Property Taxes: Senator Phil Boots, Senator Dennis Kruse, Senator Brent Steele, Sen. Greg Walker, Senator John Waterman, Rep. Jim Buck, Rep. Woody Burton, Rep. Eric Koch, Rep. Cindy Noe, and Rep. Jackie Walorski. Also in attendance were individuals representing numerous taxpayer groups around the state and Attorney John Price who is the Chairman of the Indiana Property Tax Repeal Alliance, Inc.

Prior to discussing the study Miller stated, "It’s time for a change in Indiana government." He pointed out that Repealing Property Taxes is the only way:

1. To let someone finally own their own home, farm or business;
2. To let Hoosiers vote to Repeal Property Taxes;
3. To stop future property tax increases;
4. To save over $100 million in administrative expenses;
5. To stop incorrect assessments and
6. To not repeat history by raising existing taxes or creating new taxes in exchange for temporarily lowering property taxes.

Miller stated that the opponents of our effort to Repeal Property Taxes have used scare tactics to try to stop this effort. "The opponents have said that in order to Repeal Property Taxes the state would either have to raise the sales tax to 13% or raise the income tax to 9%. These opponents are intentionally trying to mislead the public. They didn’t consider the impact of controlling state and local government spending in our proposal or the time it would take to Repeal Property Taxes with a Constitutional Amendment."

Dr. Craig L. Johnson served as the Consultant to review Advance America’s Property Tax Repeal Plan. He has been at Indiana University since 1992. Dr. Johnson is an Associate Professor of Public and Environmental Affairs at SPEA-Bloomington. Dr. Johnson received his Master of Public Administration and Ph.D. degrees from The University at Albany, State University of New York. His primary research interest focuses on improving how government finances are managed.

Dr. Johnson’s Study shows conclusively that Advance America’s Plan is fiscally sound and doable. The Study points out that if property taxes are repealed with a Constitutional Amendment, property taxes can be replaced:

1. By controlling government spending at the state and local level;
2. By setting up a Property Tax Elimination Fund to receive state money over and above the state spending control. This fund will also serve as a rainy day fund;
3. By enacting a 2% sales tax increase and a 1% income tax increase and business replacement revenue of $951 million only after the voters vote in 2010 to Repeal Property Taxes; (This amount for business replacement revenue is not a tax increase. It represents a reduction of over 50% in the amount businesses would be paying in property taxes in 2012 according to Dr. Johnson.)
4. By using over $100 million in administrative savings from Repealing Property Taxes.
5. The figures supporting our plan do not include any growth in state sales or income taxes from economic development that occurs from the Repeal of Property Taxes.
6. Additionally, the figures do not include interest on the Property Tax Elimination Fund which is estimated to be in excess of $250 million in 2012.

The entire text of the Study including a resume on Dr. Johnson is available at www.AdvanceAmerica.com.

Miller restated, "It’s time for a change in Indiana government. It’s time for the Senate and the House to have a fair, full and open debate along with a vote on the floor of the House and Senate so that all 100 Representatives and all 50 Senators can have the chance to vote to Repeal Property Taxes."

More information on Advance America’s plan to repeal property taxes, as well as upcoming events, can be found at www.AdvanceAmerica.com or by calling 1-800-448-8683.
Advance America is a non-partisan educational organization that does not endorse any candidate or political party. Advance America was founded by Eric Miler in 1980.
Miller is an attorney and the Founder of Advance America, a conservative pro-family and pro-tax reform organization started in 1980.

Statewide media coverage of SJR 8 and the citizen victory to keep the bill alive

The Star Press
Muncie Indiana

Wabash Plain Dealer
Wabash County Indiana

The Examiner
Associated Press article quotes activist Patriot Paul

WXIN FOX 59
Tax Talk at the General Assembly -- click video

WTHR Channel 13
Indianapolis, Indiana

The Courier Press
Evansville, Indiana

The Journal Gazette
Ft. Wayne, Indiana

The Journal Gazette - another article
Ft. Wayne, Indiana

WSBT Television
South Bend, Indiana

The property tax activists are winning another battle

Message from Attorney John Price:

Fellow Taxpayers:

Tuesday, January 8th was a good day for taxpayers in Indiana.

1.) For the first time in the last 7 months a legislative Committee actually heard evidence on proposals to repeal property taxes. The Senate Rules Committee listened for 4 hours to legislators, lobbyists, and yes, taxpayers, testify on SJR 8, Senator Waltz’s bill to repeal all property taxes, residential, farm and business.

2.) The original plan by Senator Long was to assign SJR 8 to his Rules Committee in which it would die a 2 ½ month death without a vote. However, Senator Young told us last night that he decided to come up with an amendment to make SJR 8 palatable to Senator Long and the Senate. His amendment took our repeal of farms and businesses, which is unfortunate. Neither Eric Miller nor myself endorsed the Young Amendment in our testimony in the Senate Rules Committee.

3.) The key questions, yet unanswered, are a.) does the Speaker back the Young Amendment, i.e., repeal of homestead property taxes; b.) where is Mitch on all this?

4.) When farmers find out that they will pay property taxes on their farm land, but homeowners won’t, how will they react?
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5.) When business owners find out that they will pay property taxes on their businesses, but homeowners won’t, how will they react?

6.) A bill was moved yesterday requiring referenda on major local spending projects. Will it pass both Houses, with opposition by Counties, Cities and School Corporations?

7.) Thanks to Eric, Dennis, David, Leon, Glenn, Mmoja, David, Jeff, Laurie, Richard, Mona, Paul, David (yes, all 3 of you Davids), and all those who attended and added great weight and testimony to the Tuesday historic events. You are all making a difference!

John R. Price, Chairman
INDIANA PROPERTY TAX REPEAL ALLIANCE, INC.
9000 Keystone Crossing #150
Indianapolis, IN 46240
317-844-8822
Fax 317-844-7766

New Law Enforcement Blog: Indy Blue Roll Call

There is a new blog called Indy Blue Roll Call which is the new place for cops to talk. This could be a great blog to monitor to keep up with how things are going for the police department under Ballard's oversight.

Washington Times Herald on Indiana's antiquated government

Our property tax crisis made the national news again today. The Washington Times Herald explains the 19th century government structure still in place in Indiana and the ideas being discussed to dismantle and rebuild our government. Local activist, Melyssa Donaghy, is quoted in the article.

Patriot Paul interviewed by Channel 6

Patriot Paul in Ft. Wayne

Patriot Paul seems to be everywhere lately! We are grateful. He is a passionate and well spoken supporter of property tax repeal. Here is his interview on Channel 6 shot at last night's city council meeting.

Paul invests his own money to buy his patriot costumes and the gadgets he buys as props. Last night he presented Betsy Ross Flag lapel pins to city councilors.

Until this summer, Paul had never done any activist work. Now he is certainly one of the most effective activists in the state. We're glad he jumped into the Revolution. He's making a difference!

Homeowners statewide gather for repeal press conference

Eric Miller of Advance America, together with attorney John Price led a press conference today on the fourth floor of the State House. They introduced numerous pro-repeal legislators and let them speak to the audience. In attendance were about 100 homeowners. Not too bad considering the hardship of taking off work to be at the press conference. Looks like the rally made the front page of Indy Star.

Evidently pro-repeal homeowners and the legislators that are coming forward publicly for repeal are getting through. The Indiana Senate has postponed its vote and moved the hearing to a larger venue than room 431. We have to continue to push this bill to the house where we can see just who votes for and who votes against.

In the meantime, please remember that great amounts of heat and pressure is what is needed to make diamonds. We expect to win this fight and will continue to send the message to our legislators that "We The People are not going away!"

Melyssa was there with a couple good signs:
"Morality = Repeal"
"We The People Are Worth It"

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

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

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

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

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

To good works and better times,

The Indiana Property Tax Repeal Alliance