Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Taxpayer-Financed IDI Promotes Passage Of Wishard Referendum

The continue use of taxpayer-supported groups to promote passage of the November 3 Wishard referendum is escalating. I've pointed out how the IUPUI Chancellor is using the university's website and e-mail system to promote the approval of the more than $700 million bond issue backed by a property tax levy on Marion Co. property owners. The Health & Hospital Corporation's top officials have been campaigning non-stop for the referendum's passage, although they claim they aren't urging anyone to vote for the referendum, at least on the taxpayer's dime. They've used HHC's e-mail system to encourage workers to support the referendum and work for its passage. Materials promoting the referendum's passage are being distributed at Wishard's facilities. Mayor Greg Ballard used the city-county e-mail system to promote passage of the referendum. And now the taxpayer-financed Indianapolis Downtown, Inc. has sent out a message in its latest e-newsletter promoting passage of the referendum. The statement reads:

Vote YES on Wishard. Wishard Hospital is a key Central Indiana life sciences and health care resource. It is one of only two adult Level 1 Trauma centers in Indiana, is our state's busiest emergency department, region's only adult burn center and our state's largest provider of indigent primary care. A new Wishard is desperately needed in our community. Aging facilities are requiring more than $25 million a year in repairs. Soon, repairs will become impossible causing Wishard to close. Renovation is not a viable option. Wishard's 4,000 jobs and the $1.2 billion in economic impact - including $719 million in wages generated by Wishard and HHC activities are important to Marion County's economic health. IDI is pleased to join the bipartisan effort to support a new Wishard. Learn about the Wishard project here and vote YES by Nov. 3.
The law be damned. The powers that be are using every available tax dollar and resource to force this referendum down our throats. The government advocates have blatantly lied about what the referendum means, claiming it presents no new taxes. The language of the referendum question doesn't even tell us a new hospital is being proposed, let alone how much money it will cost or where the money will come from to pay for a new hospital. The truth is that approval of the referendum will authorize HHC to levy up to $54 million a year in property tax levies to ensure repayment of general obligation bonds that are being issued to finance construction of a new county hospital. We are facing what could be the largest property tax increase in Marion Co. history.

8 comments:

Stop Indiana said...

Neal Boortz is perfectly making the point on air this evening. Force fed, hyper-taxation is DEVALUING AMERICAN LIFE, tax increase upon tax increase, percent upon percent.

The lives of citizens are literally being consumed by the morbid largesse of a no longer credible government; having abandoned legitimate or familiar form. Sustainable?

Paul K. Ogden said...

The council needs to pull the plug on subsidizing Indianapolis Downtown. The organization getting involved in the Wishar Referendum is yet another reason why. They are simply a taxpayer funded shill for whatever the administration wants.

IDI is an organization which puts its officers and top employees first, paying themselves lavish salaries and benefits using taxpayer money. IDI literally has millions stashed away in investments, money which originated as taxes paid by you and me.

Had Enough Indy? said...

Can't you take just a little pity on IDI? If they do not show their worth to the 'powers that be', they are on the chopping block for future taxpayer gravy. Yes, my friends, the gravy train just might be losing steam for our high-salary friends at IDI!

They showed up to the MDC to advocate for Tadd Miller... they showed up to the Council to advocate for the CIB and the ICVA... now they advocate for Matt Gutwein and H&H... and they hope that these folks return the favor and advocate for the awesome job they do - squandering taxpayer money replicating the effort of other organizations downtown. Its all about the gravy train.

Please, show just a little compassion for IDI here.

dcrutch said...

I'm out of words and very discouraged. Thanks for the coverage, Gary. I wish our money was as vast as our imagination.

artfuggins said...

Every responsible community organization, board and entity is supporting the Wishard referendum. Some of these are groups that never agree on anything. There must be some compelling reasons for the wide wide support.

Gary R. Welsh said...

"Every responsible community organization, board and entity is supporting the Wishard referendum."

All of the groups rely on taxpayer dollars for funding. That should tell you something.

M Theory said...

How else can Tamara Zahn afford Prada?

Anonymous said...

Stop Indiana,

Your post is 100% correct. All we hear from government is that "It is only an extra $25. It is only an extra 1%." We are being taxed to death in small increments. The government has now gone so far to just magically increase the money supply with Wall St./Bank bailouts 1 and 2.

The future doesn't look bright at all. I foresee a one world currency on the horizon, as that will be the only way to have some stability. This will only cause friction between nations because some nations will still want to make money out of thin air and build things on debt. However, if we don't have some sort of world currency, the US dollar is going to collapse and FRN are going to b worthless. I seriously recommend buying silver coins on a regular basis. Eventually I think the people of the world will laugh at the idea of "money" as we know it now, and actual physical goods are what will be used to buy things.

This Wishard deal is no different than the Stadium deal, the IPS bond issues, etc.. It is always a little here, a little there. What happens is what we saw with the property tax fiasco a few years ago. All the state did was delay the inevitable. All units of government, including privately held taxpayer subsidized companies like IDI and the Colts, can't stop the greed. Schools are finally laying off teachers, but even some are suing because of greed. These entities _always_ want more. They can't understand the concept of frugality.

The crash is coming, and I hope the rich elite have their passports in order, because once the crash comes, this country will turn into a third world cesspool overnight. Now some will say that we will be just like China or India, with vast slums where the majority of the population lives. That is true, but the rich elites won't be able to be safe here. There are enough guns in this country for every single person to have one. Look at what our vets are doing under stress combined with alcohol consumption: Three young vets have had issues in the last two weeks. All involving war, drinking, stress, and guns.