The Time for Liberty

If you believe in the ideals of the Founding Fathers...
If you hold the blessings of Liberty dear...
If you honor the scarifice of the millions of US servicemen and women...
If you are concerned about the erosion of our precious Civil Rights...

Then you must watch the following video.




(Thanks to Mark W. Rutherford's Electing Libertarians for posting this previuosly)

Thank You Mr. Hobbs

The local blog world is abuzz with the news that Lawrence Township Trustee Mike Hobbs is considering withholding or delaying aid from parents whose children aren't in school when they should be. (Advance Indiana and Indiana Barrister, see links sidebar) This is an interesting idea, that perhaps needs to be expanded upon. I believe that all forms of "unearned" (unearned being non-pension etc.) governmental assistance should be subject to reduction if the receiver does not uphold certain basic duties such as ensuring that their children are attending school. This should be a statewide program not limited to one particular county or township, and would apply to both parents and guardians. By doing so, we can avoid charges of discrimination because the rules would apply in both urban and rural areas. The only way to ultimately break the cycle of poverty is through education.

Andrea Neal Gets it Right!

Andrea Neal is probably my favorite columnist at Indiana Policy Review. Her latest submission echoes to a large degree my feelings about the current state of the property tax problem.

Long-Term Property Tax Solution Is Not Yet in Sight
http://inpolicy.org/

Visit my website to get my views on how some of these issues can be fixed.

http://www.edangleton.com/PropertyTaxReform.html

I also favor the payment of a "compensation" by the state to counties that are home to significant state owned properties (parks, governmental buildings etc.)

'Nuff Said

If you want a very interesting study in probable self-interest look at the following:

http://cms.indygov.org/myassessedvalue/result.aspx?Parcel=1081021
http://cms.indygov.org/myassessedvalue/result.aspx?Parcel=1046648

Another Victory for the Bill of Rights

The Associated Press is reporting that U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker has overturned Indiana's new leigislation on sexualy explicit material for being too vague, too broad and potentially applicable against "unquestionably lawful, nonobscene, nonpornographic materials being sold to adults."

"A romance novel sold at a drugstore, a magazine offering sex advice in a grocery store checkout line, an R-rated DVD sold by a video rental shop, a collection of old Playboy magazines sold by a widow at a garage sale ... would appear to necessitate registration under the statute," Barker wrote.

Plaintifs in the case included the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and several bookstores and publishers.

The author of the legislation, Rep. Terry Goodin, D-Crothersville, said he would confer with the state attorney general on next steps, but the options included taking the matter back to lawmakers in the 2009 legislative session.

Given Rep. Goodin's intent to not let this unconstitutional law die the death it deserves, it is more important than ever that we elect legislators and a governor who will abide by the US and Indiana Constitutions.

The Spirit of 2008

Last year July 4th saw Marion County homeowners protesting en mass in front of the Governor's Mansion. A year later many of us have seen our property tax bills increase by 100% or more. All of us are paying an additional 1% sales tax. The legislature has passed a tax relief plan that will not give us real help until 2010 at the earliest. So what do we do? Do we sit down and allow our elected officials run roughshod over us with a system that's anything but "Uniform and Equal", or do we do what we did last year when we let our voices be heard as one and demand accountability?

Regardless of my candidacy for public office, I will be there. For while many of those in Cottage Home who were cruelly assessed last year, have seen their reassessments drop by an average of$80,000 (which for some represents a 40% drecrease), my assessment only decreased $20,000(about a 10% decrease). This still leaves my assessment at slightly over a 300% increase. Couple this with a 3.75% tax rate my total tax liability is about $4500/year, still a 680% increase over last year. I have also noted that the reassessment has increased the over all tax liabilty of many of my neighbors and friends. The tax rate approximately doubled going from 2005 to 2006. Add to this, a doubling of the assessed values of many of the homes, and the overall result is that many of you have experinced a total increase of about 400%. One would have thought that the higher assessed values would have significantly drecreased the tax rate, but it didn't. So come on out and join your voice to what I hope will be the beginning of a true call for change in the way we tax the citizens of Indiana.

Who: Friends of Liberty and Justice for All
What: July 4 Celebration, as properly done
When: Friday, 4 July, 2008 from 10-11am
Where: In front of the Indiana Governor's Mansion at 4750 N. Meridian,Indianapolis

The Angleton for State Rep Campaign Potential Upcoming Fund Raising Events

My friends and supporters,

I'm in the process of organizing two major fundraising events for my campaign.

The first is a golf outing, probably in late August at either Pleasant Run or Sarah Shank golf course. The probable donation will be ~ $100. This includes green fees, cart rental, prizes for longest drive and closest to pin, a cookout- type meal and drink tickets for the beverage cart. I will need approximately 32 players to make it work.

The second is an Indian's ballgame in either late July or early to mid August. I hope to be able to include the picnic buffet prior to the game. The donation will be $40. In order to have the buffet 50 reservations will be required.

I will post more details when they become available.