"The Official Portrait of Miss InDiana"

"The Official Portrait of Miss InDiana"
aka "Miss Victory"

Friday, October 19, 2007

Tax Panel Explosion Largely Overlooked

Tax Panel Explosion Largely Overlooked
Friday, 10-19-07
Editorial by Paul Wheeler

Looking for an update in the Star today on the tax panel self-destruction news earlier this week; sadly none. Despite the brief Star article, the Ft.Wayne and S.Bend papers via Associated Press (AP) carried several quotes and revealing comments from lawmakers regarding this story, which the Star did not carry. It seems odd that the hardest taxed property is Marion County; in particular Broad Ripple and Meridian-Kessler neighborhoods, which especially would be interested in these reasons, excuses, and irresponsible comments from this panel. Indy was not told the whole story, but Ft.Wayne and S.Bend gave wider coverage which revealed a spectacle of sarcasm, negligence, and kicking the can back to the Governor, knowing the lawmakers will still have to deal with it on the rebound. The fact that comments were made that little, if anything would be done in the upcoming legislative session because it will be a political year, is info we as residents should have been informed. I have to wonder why we have to go to secondary papers to get the top story of the month, and that residents care about most; even ahead of crime and the economy in the polls. Is this negligence, a news blackout so residents aren’t alarmed and want to protest 2 weeks before election, or a poor editing dept. Blackout or not, we deserve better. Further, there should have been investigative reporting and follow-ups with each panel member to account to the people why they hold their fellow members in such low esteem and wasted fruitless weeks resulting in a blank piece of paper to the Governor.

The Star has too many resources to take a back seat to S.Bend and Ft.Wayne reporting.
Even worse, it’s taken right off the AP wire, so what’s the excuse of editing valuable info on the foremost story of the year and one that we have waited weeks to hear.

The Star has too many resources to take a back seat to S.Bend and Ft.Wayne reporting. Even worse, it’s taken right off the AP wire, so what’s the excuse of editing valuable info on the foremost story of the year and one that we have waited weeks to hear.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is true. The star only prints articles that agrees with their editors point of view and not the real truth

Patriot Paul said...

The Journal Gazette reports Sen.Meeks(La Grange)told Eric Miller, advocate of property tax elimination, that "we've had dozens of people wanting, wanting, demanding more services-you've got to help them. As long as those demands continue to grow-and they've grown exponentially in the time I've been here-WE'RE NEVER GOING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM."!
There is also an aversion to a constitutional amendment. Why? Because lawmaker's would be handcuffed in furthering expenditures. On Saturday,19th, WISH 8 wrote of Indiana House Speaker, who kicks the ball to the Governor, "Bauer also said that lawmakers have the power to solve the property tax crisis WITHOUT AN UNSPECIFIED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT that the Governor PROMISES".
Finally, Jim Merten with the City Securities Corp.,Indy, also testified to the panel and claimed property tax revenues support bonds that finance schools, libraries, etc., which are more 'reliable and stable' write the Ft.Wayne JG.
Even some speakers such as Dist.86 Orentlicher at a recent Broad Ripple tax forum put elimination of property tax as not part of his plan.
Bottom line:
Any way you slice it, property taxes which threaten and invade the sanctity of homeowners each year with seizure and eviction will be an ongoing struggle on moral and ethical grounds, regardless of money shifting ideas from those who pass the ball and those whose self interest remains above those to whom they are accountable. Property Tax Hell will continue into next year with weeping and gnashing of teeth.