tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post3866088480842147829..comments2024-03-25T13:42:25.771-05:00Comments on Advance Indianaâ„¢: Ballard Reaffirms Support For Property Tax RepealGary R. Welshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15185079937305083438noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-26559883528527697512007-12-05T09:38:00.000-05:002007-12-05T09:38:00.000-05:00It's easy for Ballard to support total repeal sinc...It's easy for Ballard to support total repeal since he has absolutely no power either way in the matter.<BR/>Total repeal AND the 1% cap are both disasters waiting to happen.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-23371307357144947822007-12-05T09:34:00.000-05:002007-12-05T09:34:00.000-05:00I am in the scintilla of a minority here... but I'...I am in the scintilla of a minority here... but I'm with buzzcut.<BR/><BR/>Trading property taxes for sales tax is a RAW deal for most of us. Property taxes are deductible on my income tax returns- both state and federal. Every dollar I pay in property taxes is only really about 70 cents! Every dollar I pay in sales tax is a dollar. If my sales taxes go up so my property taxes go down, my income taxes go up too!<BR/><BR/>I would trade property taxes for state income taxes (also deductible on the federal return, where most of the benefit is), but then what about the state income tax reduction for property taxes? That goes away? There is no need to further complicate the total mess, but what IS the plan for all this? The state cannot grant a federal deduction for property taxes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-20880323959107476852007-12-05T06:21:00.000-05:002007-12-05T06:21:00.000-05:00He can use his bully pulpit, but, there is a stron...<B>He can use his bully pulpit, but, there is a strong anti-Indianapolis bias in that nuthouse called the General Assembly.</B><BR/><BR/>Good. Then those idiots can do nothing and Indianapolis _will_ turn into the ghetto. All those folks who lived in the heavy hit areas for decades will sell their homes at 65% of what the government says they are worth. Even with that much of a cut, they will still double or triple what they paid years ago. They will move to the suburbs and maybe even be able to bank $50-$100K. Then those left stuck in the area will then file lawsuits when the government refuses to lower their assessed value. We will have factual proof that values have now decreased 30-40% thanks to the retiree flight to the burbs. After these folks win, taxes will go up for even more people, hitting the upper middle class. Then folks in homes worth about $200K will follow the same path as those in MK, BT, Broad Ripple, etc.. Eventually you will have "The Ruins of Indianapolis" which will look exactly like "The Ruins of Detroit." The the elected anti-Indy hacks can wear their Kevlar while in the city.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-47602881300710592672007-12-05T00:40:00.000-05:002007-12-05T00:40:00.000-05:00anon 10:23, once again having all the courage to s...anon 10:23, once again having all the courage to speak his mind as an anonymous commenter. Put your name to your words instead of posting like a gutless coward. Using the Andrew Sullivan example provides too good of a clue to your identity. Would you like me to name you?Gary R. Welshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15185079937305083438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-12114081377155146272007-12-04T22:23:00.000-05:002007-12-04T22:23:00.000-05:00I agree with 7:02, Gary. Since the election, you'v...I agree with 7:02, Gary. Since the election, you've become shrill and unreasonable, and you continually make excuses about being "a free thinker" etc. And you have hardly tried to learn from the criticism. You're clearly very defensive about it. One of the things about Andrew Sullivan is that he claims to learn as much from his readers as he teaches them. You could do with a bit of that humility. And, the fact that you were simply, clearly off-base in your premature criticism of Ballard is proof positive that you need to be more prudent.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-5749941206927031172007-12-04T22:04:00.000-05:002007-12-04T22:04:00.000-05:00GaryW knows that wasn't me - but it did express my...GaryW knows that wasn't me - but it did express my sentiments rather verbosely. For me just a simple<BR/><BR/><B>F L I P - F L O P ! ! !</B><BR/><BR/>would be sufficient...Wilson46201https://www.blogger.com/profile/14214029150233485312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-62044055953366541992007-12-04T21:40:00.000-05:002007-12-04T21:40:00.000-05:00Advance, why would you trust these people to "fix"...Advance, why would you trust these people to "fix" the property tax problem?<BR/><BR/>They created the problem in the first place!<BR/><BR/>1) they repealed the inventory tax<BR/><BR/>2) they instituted trending, which has transferred the tax burden from commercial to residential taxpayers.<BR/><BR/>3) they underfunded the homestead and PTRC.<BR/><BR/>This "reform" is just more of the same.<BR/><BR/>BTW, anyone who wants to do away with property taxes is ignorant and does not understand how government works. Property taxes are the best, most fair taxes around. They're clear, understandable, and transparent. They're raised locally, for local spending.<BR/><BR/>Income and sales taxes are opaque (how much of your income do you pay in sales taxes? Where does the money go?) They're not clear at all (what is adjusted gross income anyway?) You don't get a detailed bill with your sales tax telling you where your money went, unlike your property tax bill.<BR/><BR/>I think that we should go in the exact opposite direction. Lower the sales tax back to 5%. Get rid of the homstead and PTRC. Keep the cap at 2%, which will limit how much you pay in property taxes. And then let the municipal chips fall where they may.<BR/><BR/>On my blog, I have posts relating to how much Lake County municipalities spend in excess of the 2% cap. It's frightening. My plan would bankrupt Gary, East Chicago, Hammond, and maybe Whiting. Maybe a couple of other towns, too.Buzzcuthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04842955268141684744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-44665197757817974452007-12-04T21:20:00.000-05:002007-12-04T21:20:00.000-05:00flipflop flip flop flip flopWho knows what his pos...<I>flipflop flip flop flip flop<BR/>Who knows what his position tomorrow will be?</I><BR/><BR/><B> Hi, Wilson!! I was wondering when you would stop by!</B>garyjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18141621101828080762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-6466228302273471652007-12-04T20:07:00.000-05:002007-12-04T20:07:00.000-05:00flipflop flip flop flip flopWho knows what h...flipflop flip flop flip flop<BR/><BR/><BR/>Who knows what his position tomorrow will be?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-52297652557525287442007-12-04T19:42:00.000-05:002007-12-04T19:42:00.000-05:00Here's the problem with all this demagogery...The ...Here's the problem with all this demagogery...<BR/><BR/>The mechanisms that put property taxes in place, or repeal or cap them, are outside the purview of the Mayor. He can use his bully pulpit, but, there is a strong anti-Indianapolis bias in that nuthouse called the General Assembly.<BR/><BR/>How much clout do you think a newly-elected Republican Mayor will have in the Democratic House? Or, for that matter, in the Republican Senate, where Robert Garton was the major domo for way too long? The whole place needs a thorough flushing every couple of years, and we're overdue.<BR/><BR/>Get back to me after sine die on that.<BR/><BR/>The bruhaha during the last mayoral campaign about PROPERTY taxes was and is a paper tiger.<BR/><BR/>The bruhaha about spending controls is real and important.<BR/><BR/>The bruhaha about the COIT is real and important.<BR/><BR/>I'm wagering that fewer than 5% of the voters know that fact.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-23171656772475786212007-12-04T19:40:00.000-05:002007-12-04T19:40:00.000-05:00Gary I don't think Ballard will disappoint us. We ...Gary I don't think Ballard will disappoint us. We may not like everything he does but in the end he will do what he thinks is best for Indianapolis. I have a good feeling about this man, a feeling of trust. I never had a feeling of trust from Mayor Peterson.indyerniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03817373902728915873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-88773652494755206092007-12-04T19:12:00.000-05:002007-12-04T19:12:00.000-05:00That may be how you see it, anon 7:02, but I think...That may be how you see it, anon 7:02, but I think I'm just trying to keep him honest. He told me himself that's what he liked about me. My father taught me to listen and learn from people's criticisms of you rather than simply getting mad. It goes both ways. I put my thoughts in writing with my name attached to them and accept the consequences. I don't do as people like you do who are more than willing to sting people with your comments as long as you can remain anonymous, the way of a typical, back-stabbing political insider.Gary R. Welshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15185079937305083438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-21370693219345828782007-12-04T19:02:00.000-05:002007-12-04T19:02:00.000-05:00Oh, so now he's a good guy again, huh? He never c...Oh, so now he's a good guy again, huh? He never changed his mind; you just inferred he did from one thing he said in the media. You need to stop jumping on everything the man says. Just because he says he's for one thing doesn't mean he's against something else. That seems to be all you're criticizing him for since he got elected. Give the man a chance to make good on what he said, for heaven's sake.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com