"I never said it was FAIR"

From Indiana Barrister:

Marion County lawmakers got a briefing tonight on the property reconciliation bills that are going out this week and when it’s all said and done homeowners will wish their property was under 10 feet of water.

According to one lawmaker, “this is not going to be pretty.”

The briefing was conducted by Marion County Treasurer Mike Rodman. Residents will see very little, if any relief in most cases.

The lawmaker, who asked not to be identified said, “the people who were the most vocal last summer will be the ones who see the least amount of relief.”

Abdul Hakim-Shabazz, June 9, 2008

This is a most interesting comment, and unfortunately I think I can attest to its veracity. Consider the following case:

In 2007 5 homeowners in the Cottage Home Neighborhood on the Near Eastside saw assessments increase approximately 4 times the previous years assessment. We were understandably upset. In fact, that was the spark that breathed life into this blog.

One of our neighbors saw their assessment jump to $225,000. Ours jumped to $256,000.

I attended all the rallies, filed an appeal, and spoke unkindly about the ability of the Center Township Assessor's Office to assess their way out of a paper bag. Our neighbors did none of these.

Now comes the reassessment.

My assessment dropped from $256,000 to $232,000.
My neighbors dropped from $225,00 to $141,300.

Futhermore, I can point to two other neighbors who exprienced similar decreases, one for $193,00 to $114,000 and another that went from $254,400 to $170,200.

So, did the petty little tyrants choose to drop the hammer on my wife and I for speaking up?

You bet they did.

BTW the title of this post is a comment my wife received from someone named Frank in the Center Township Assessor's Office when she pointed out the inequities of the original 2006 assessment.

If at First You Don't Succeed Fail and Fail Again

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"

Albert Einstein

I'm not really sure who this applies to more, the Indiana General Assembly, or the voters who keep electing the same two parties over and over again. The Republicans and the Democrats have shown that they cannot be trusted to enact policy that provides meaningful property tax relief. It does not matter one bit which party is in control, it almost always devolves into petty partisan bickering while the Indiana taxpayer gets left holding the bag.

The worst part of this present scenario is that the lawsuit that triggered our current problems was filed in 1993. The court opinions that imposed upon us a "fair market value" system occurred over the time span of 1996-1998. Our legislature has had over 10 years to ensure that a system was in place that would provide for a truly "Uniform & Equal" system of assessment and taxation.

In 2007 the citizens of this state took to the streets to demand true property tax reform, and barring that, repeal. Our governmental units took notice. Those who continued to pretend that the sky was not falling saw their political careers left in a shambles, whether they had the power to affect property tax reform or not. Then came the May 2008 primaries, which conveniently occurred prior to the mailing of the RECONCILIATION BILLS, and the voters, dazzled by the media attention of a suddenly meaningful Presidential primary, forgot the lessons of last summer. In fact many believed that the "tax reform" package passed by the General Assembly this spring and touted as the best they could do, was the real tax relief we needed. Regardless of cause we saw no change in the school boards that account for over 50% of our property tax burden. The same big spenders or the chosen replacements for the big spenders were carried to victory by those who think the school house is the major factor in our children's education. Incumbent legislators survived every primary challenger.

We are headed down a path to nowhere.

This week the reconciliation bills are being mailed, and much the dismay of many, there is little change for the better. Many homeowners have seen major increases over last summer's bill. Once again we will see Hoosier taxpayers marching in the streets.

'Cause the summer's here and the time is right for fighting in the street, boy.

The Rolling Stones, "Street Fighting Man"

The 2008 election year is supposed to be all about change, but as long as the two parties that now control our government are continually reelected, there can be no change.

Calling All Libertarians - Volunteers Needed

I have obtained a booth and parade entry for the June 14th Indy Pride Festival. Now we need volunteers to march and man the booth.

The parade begins at 10:00 am at Mass Ave & College Ave. This would be an ideal opportunity for our Marion Co and State-wide Candidates to gain some visibility. We will need a banner (I think Marion Co LP has one). Individual candidates are encouraged to have something to pass out, business card etc. A volunteer should march with each candidate to help carry resupply cards and possibly a sign identifying the candidate. There is a meeting on June 6th, which I will be attending, to get the details about the parade.

The Festival itself is in University Park and runs from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. The booth will need to be set up by 10:00 am. The festival is providing us with a table and two chairs. I can supply an additional 6’ table and an artist’s 10’ x 10’ open tent. There will be vehicle access to the site until 9:30 am. Our space (#38) is close to the corner of Meridian and Vermont.

We will need two people staffing the tent at all times from set-up to closing. Tents may not be taken down until 7 pm. Ideally, we can do this in two-hour shifts.
We will need literature from the candidates as well as general Libertarian brochures. We should also have a cooler with soft drinks and water for the volunteers and candidates. (Actually we need a volunteer to handle logistics.)

Please respond via my website:

http://www.edangleton.com

The Hat is in the Ring

Last year during the protests and rallies surrounding the 2007 property tax crisis I came to the realization that as long as we continued to return the same career politicians to the legislature nothing would ever truly change. I watched with great disappointment as tax reform took a back seat to partisan politics and the desires of special interest groups. It is therefore not any surprise that the tax package that has been labeled as the "best plan we could devise" falls far short of providing all the relief that Hoosier taxpayers need and deserve.

It is for this reason and others that I sought and received the nomination of the Libertarian Party of Indiana for Indiana House of Representatives District 100.

I will be officially launching my campaign on May 9.

Be sure to visit my Campaign Website:

http://www.edangleton.com/

Potential menu item:

Bacon Dogs!

http://reason.tv/video/show/392.html

For What Shall A Man Profit?

There have been many complaints of late regarding Libertarians “stealing” elections from Republican candidates. That we agree in principle about 80% so we shouldn’t be fielding candidates. It has even been suggested that the Libertarian Party should simply fade away and its members and activists return to the parties from whence they came and work within them to effect change.


I have but one word for these sentiments.


BULLSHIT.


Last evening I had the misfortune to meet a most disagreeable man who voiced these very points. I shall, therefore, endeavor to dissect his “logic” and present a case as to why third parties, and specifically the Libertarian Party, are necessary. JP, this is for you.


Let us begin with the charge of “stealing” elections. Locally the biggest complainer is the old-line Republican Party and it is directed at the Libertarians. This is where the 80% idea comes into play. The Republicans claim that since the Libertarians and they are so similar in their beliefs, what we have is basically two Republican candidates running against each other dividing the vote to such a degree that the Democrat is elected even when he or she would not necessarily be.

What these ideological arguers fail to take stock of is that it is the other 20% that makes all the difference. For example, I can agree for the need to have a balanced budget. I can agree that government spending is out of control. I can agree that we are paying too many taxes. I can agree as to the need for a strong defense. But, I disagree with need for a constitutional amendment defining marriage which many Republicans insist is necessary.


Third Parties are highly necessary. Consider the citizen, who after years of watching his party drift further and further from the ideals that bound him to it in the first place, can no longer support the creature it has become. Some would argue that one should not leave the party in question, but should stay and work within the party to effect change. I’ll give this an “A” for theory but an “F” for practicality. When the rift has grown to great and the party so insulated from new ideas or change, those who control the workings of it will jealously guard their influence and do everything in their power to maintain the status quo. I give you the Carson Machine and the Center Township “gang”. So what is a Democrat with conservative economic values, but who treasures the civil liberties guaranteed to us by the US Constitution and Bill of Rights to do other than become a Libertarian? Without that third party individuals capable of thinking for themselves instead of regurgitating “party” rhetoric would have no voice. But then that is the goal of those who would impose their ideology on us. It was true in the time of George III and it is just as true in the time of George W.

Red Staters Seeing Red

Is it just me, or have several of the Republican leaning local websites been experiencing various minor and major meltdowns for the past couple of days?

(Now if only the Dems would do the same.)

Name That Politician!

His most significant grandparent was a successful politician who held a seat in the US Congress.
He was an average student.
He scored low on exams for his first public service job, barely passing.
He has had his entire early career spoon fed to him due to his family ties.
He has always championed increased funding for education.

Name That Politician!

Give Up? Check your answer here.