tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post1677537285222851773..comments2024-03-25T13:42:25.771-05:00Comments on Advance Indiana™: Fighting BackGary R. Welshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15185079937305083438noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-65451287255242868742007-07-05T03:35:00.000-05:002007-07-05T03:35:00.000-05:00I am not sure how bringing the city "to its knees"...I am not sure how bringing the city "to its knees" will make your taxes go down. If the city takes in less, it will simply push tax rates higher and higher to make up for the deficit.<BR/><BR/>Also, the only cities I know of which have gone into receivership are undesirable places like East St. Louis,IL--a bunch of crack houses, casinos, and burnt out lots and nothing else. Why would you want to turn Indianapolis into a place like that? Furthermore, do you think anyone will actually stay in Indianapolis if it becomes like East St. Louis? Will you stay? No, you and everyone except the ultra-poor would pick up and move--and your idea to effect "structural" government change would collapse.<BR/><BR/>Finally, the sales tax for the stadium has no bearing on the property tax increase. I don't agree with money going to the Colts, but the property tax increases are being used to fund services which are not funded by the special REGIONAL sales tax which was created for the Colts stadium and Convention Center expansion. Spend less if you like, it won't mean you will pay a penny less of property taxes or income taxes.<BR/><BR/>If you are upset about property taxes, how about focusing less on Bart Peterson, etc. and more on the SCHOOLS which take in about HALF of all property taxes. Most people forget the local schools are run by ELECTED school boards. Maybe, you could simply try voting in school board elections and attending school board meetings rather than chasing businesses out of town--so YOU and the remaining property owners end up paying more taxes. Just a thought....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-64552755366627633312007-07-04T21:32:00.000-05:002007-07-04T21:32:00.000-05:00This isn't democracy. We didn't vote for this tax ...This isn't democracy. We didn't vote for this tax increase.Jeff Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04896694141148386531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-67476880276140935122007-07-04T12:25:00.000-05:002007-07-04T12:25:00.000-05:00Democracy is messy and inefficient, isn't it? Muss...Democracy is messy and inefficient, isn't it? Mussolini at least got the trains to run on time...Wilson46201https://www.blogger.com/profile/14214029150233485312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-1054506037367964002007-07-04T11:04:00.000-05:002007-07-04T11:04:00.000-05:00Becky, I said two properties in Franklin Twp...Abo...Becky, I said two properties in Franklin Twp...<BR/><BR/>About 85 overall, totaling over 2 million square feet, in three states, 16 different Indiana townships, albeit concentrated in Marion County.<BR/><BR/>For about 20 years. At times, those totals were far larger. I've seen my share of property tax bills, assessment worksheets, and dealt with my share of township assessors. I've yet to meet one--one--that knew exactly how to properly do his/her job. Or that agreed with his/her fellow township assessors.<BR/><BR/>This mess of a system demands change. We voters can demand that one elected person oversee it. I gaurantee it will get more uniform. It may not lower your tax bill, although I think it will.<BR/><BR/>But it will absolutely make the system more uniform.<BR/><BR/>When I prepare appeals now, I have to prepare multiple strategies for multiple assessors and assessment worksheets. It's a nightmare.<BR/><BR/>What else ya got?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-39263063888177108752007-07-04T10:39:00.000-05:002007-07-04T10:39:00.000-05:00anonymous 8:21 Just because you manage 2 propertys...anonymous 8:21 <BR/>Just because you manage 2 propertys I hardly think that qualifies you as an expert in the assessing field. If you don't agree with the assessment...appeal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-29756584369612943732007-07-04T09:15:00.000-05:002007-07-04T09:15:00.000-05:00AI,Most projects in Center do not receive abatemen...AI,<BR/><BR/>Most projects in Center do not receive abatement, and those that do have a much lower tax impact than those in Pike etc which are more manufacturing based (higher capital investment). Lilly is an exception, but don't tell me you don't support helping our strongest employer grow by thousands of jobs and build new buildings here rather than VA, NC or Ireland. Most projects in Center, especially downtown, are office deals. They get local abatement because without that, they can't get the far more lucrative state incentives.<BR/><BR/>WellPoint did not receive a tax abatement. Their new facility will be at the airport. They did receive a rent break. But, since we stole the project from Ohio, along with 1,200 jobs, would you rather those jobs be in OH?<BR/><BR/>Local tax abatements follow a policy adopted by the MDC in 2001. High wages are one component. So if there is a gripe about a particular abatement, let's look at the deal and talk about it. But unless you want Indy/Indiana to start losing jobs/deals, there have to be state/local incentives for job creation projects.<BR/><BR/>You leave out any discussion of state incentives, which add up to far more dollars, by the way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-49236183026716605062007-07-04T09:07:00.000-05:002007-07-04T09:07:00.000-05:00Alright, after too many years of right-wing biblio...Alright, after too many years of right-wing bibliots saying the MAyor wanted a tax increase for the stadium, I've decided that EVERY time that you lie to your readers Gary, I'm going to correct it.<BR/><BR/>Peterson has a funding plan with NO tax increase.<BR/><BR/>Daniels had (and implemented) a plan with MULTIPLE tax increases.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-66970472461966325752007-07-04T08:42:00.000-05:002007-07-04T08:42:00.000-05:00One other note.How much disposable income has the ...One other note.<BR/><BR/>How much disposable income has the property tax and soon to be income tax increase will be taken out of the Marion County consumer economy ? If on average a family household pays $1,000 more in property taxes and $1,000 more in combined income tax increase that is $2,000 per household NOT being spent in the economy. Multiply that by 100,000 ? 200,000 ? and it comes out to a pretty big chunk of change.<BR/><BR/>Pike VoterAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-43652837507249982522007-07-04T08:41:00.000-05:002007-07-04T08:41:00.000-05:009:20 wants a plebicite...like California, where th...9:20 wants a plebicite...like California, where their elections are clogged with maybe 15-20 ballot initiatives. It takes a master's degree to wade through their ballot. <BR/><BR/>Yeah, let's figure out more thing to keep people AWAY from the polling place. (No jokes about the Marion County May primary, please)<BR/><BR/>Jen's right. The entire system needs imploded.<BR/><BR/>Starting with township-level government. It's wasteful, and the human odds of consistency between jurisdictions, are voided.<BR/>Logic should tell us that.<BR/><BR/>Oh yeah, one other thing--I manage two commercial properties in Franklin Township. If the previous poster thinks they did a good job of trending and assessinbg, comparied to other townships in this area, well...there's this bridge in New York...<BR/><BR/>No township assessors in this county practice consistency regarding commercial assessments. None. Zero. If they want to delude themselves--and you--into thinking that they do, it's one more nail in the coffin of township government.<BR/><BR/>It's a matter of time. It will crumble. Because it costs money, it's duplicitous, and it's not efficient or consistent.<BR/><BR/>The sooner the better.<BR/><BR/>Kinko's, get ready for the Akers and Drummer resumes...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-76533971836284987832007-07-04T07:40:00.001-05:002007-07-04T07:40:00.001-05:00"You chose to live in a hot area of town, which is..."You chose to live in a hot area of town, which is increasing in value, partly out of demand, partly out of speculation. That's the capitalistic system. That system of rising assessments, not tax and spend politicians, caused your taxes to rise."<BR/><BR/>No offense, but Gary lives within a mile of "the swamp." I am sure folks that live in Woodruff Place get screwed even worse. You live like a mile from 10th-Rural where the VP there (maybe it has closed) got robbed weekly, yet your home in this ghetto is $350K. This is nothing more than taxing the rich to bailout all the poor fools who live in the more run down areas. You know why you don't see homes in Lockerbie burning down like you do in the hood? Simple, it is called intelligence. Folks like Gary who can afford these $250K+ homes don't overload their outlets, they don't use kerosene heaters and place them right by light cotton curtins, etc. etc.. Folks like Gary are being used to fund services for the idiots who don't have the money to pay their 'fair share.' Gary is also needed to pay his 'fair share' for the taxpayer funded Blockbuster known as the library.<BR/><BR/>The solution is simple: A 1%, not 2%, cap on property taxes. Add with that a _true_ market value based on sales disclosure data. Since my county is on-line, I have went through and gotten all the info I need to fight my assessment if I think it is too high. I paid $128K for this home and added a $2,000 paved driveway. Basically, if my value is said to be over $130K, we are going to have a fight. Hopefully we can settle on the $130K figure. What I also noticed was that people who updated their 1960s home were nailed due to building permits. Those who do their own work don't get updates noted on their property. As such, I may redo my own bathroom and kitchen. I will not be adding any additional water outlets, so it really shouldn't matter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-33354556564207741762007-07-04T07:40:00.000-05:002007-07-04T07:40:00.000-05:00Gary and Wilson you're are both wrong. Not ALL the...Gary and Wilson you're are both wrong. Not ALL the assessors did a "shitty job". Franklin Twp did trend commercial/industrial properties. If there are assessors not doing their job, please don't lump me in with them!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-44700104917371484212007-07-04T06:34:00.000-05:002007-07-04T06:34:00.000-05:00Ignore Anonymous.Ignore Anonymous.Wilson46201https://www.blogger.com/profile/14214029150233485312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-33031191474333298582007-07-04T05:57:00.000-05:002007-07-04T05:57:00.000-05:00Ignore Wilson.Ignore Wilson.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-28639274919128739862007-07-03T22:08:00.000-05:002007-07-03T22:08:00.000-05:00One can disregard anything Wilson46201 writes in h...One can disregard anything Wilson46201 writes in his/her many posts on blogs. Wilson never met a tax increase he didn't like. Wilson swould support anything Bart does. Wilson adds nothing new, just defends the outright theft of tax money for perilous wasteful ventures like the new Colts stadium.<BR/><BR/>Hoosiers are idiots and Wilson46201 is their online leader.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-12762949381351477272007-07-03T22:03:00.000-05:002007-07-03T22:03:00.000-05:00This one of the few times I agree with Jen. Kind o...This one of the few times I agree with Jen. Kind of spookey. The system needs revamped. However Jen doesn't take it far enough. <BR/>We also need to cut spending. Office holders spend surplus moneys unnecessarily just to keep their budgets at an artificially inflated level.<BR/>This is a common practice in school districts and in city government. The CCC is charged with monitoring but do a poor job.<BR/>Cut non-essential services 5 to 10%. Transfer that money to law enforcement, and then talk about a tax increase if it’s needed. <BR/>Wilson and others will say it can't happen ...but anything can happen if pushed hard enough.indyerniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03817373902728915873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-50809391011724148452007-07-03T21:32:00.000-05:002007-07-03T21:32:00.000-05:00Tax & Spend Democrats are forcing the working clas...Tax & Spend Democrats are forcing the working class to LEAVE Indy...let the Ghetto Mafia tax the indigent to pay for their leftist programs!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-65754349533320695532007-07-03T21:20:00.000-05:002007-07-03T21:20:00.000-05:00This tax situation is Kafkaesque. All we know is t...This tax situation is Kafkaesque. All we know is that what we pay for our property taxes have gone up. No one seems to really know why. Assessments, taxing bodies, etc. It's inexcusable that it's gotten to this point.<BR/><BR/>Most states -- notably Ohio, Pennsylvania and California -- require that new taxes, tax increases or bonding measures go through a public referendum. In those jurisdictions, when school boards or city councils want to raise taxes, they have to place it on the ballot for the public to vote on it in the next election. Then, the proponents of the tax would have to make their case.<BR/><BR/>In Indiana, thogh, there is no such requirement. The library board, which is <I>unelected</I>, can actually raise our taxes with us havng no say in it. In Fort Wayne, a $500 million bond issue passes by the school board was only defeated <I>by dueling petitions</I> for crying out loud. The stadium initiative was passed in Indianapolis and the doughnut coujnties even though polls indicated the vast majority of the population opposed it.<BR/><BR/>This is intolerable for a representative democracy. We need to be able to vote on this stuff in Indiana like they do in most states. No taxation without representation.<BR/><BR/>Happy July 4th.Jeff Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04896694141148386531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-60175437649383707372007-07-03T20:55:00.001-05:002007-07-03T20:55:00.001-05:00I'm pretty sure I've posted three property tax-rel...I'm pretty sure I've posted three property tax-related threads in the last week. Perhaps the trolls should visit more frequently and pay attention to the details.<BR/><BR/>The tax bill on our new house went up 300 percent. I'm just as upset about this as the next taxpayer.<BR/><BR/>The system itself needs to be blown up and reworked from the inside out. Patching it here and there won't solve the overall problems.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-54497228737027256122007-07-03T20:55:00.000-05:002007-07-03T20:55:00.000-05:00...and another thing: Yield House is hardly a loca......and another thing: Yield House is hardly a local small business.<BR/><BR/>...and Carl Drummer is wasting tax dollars right and left, regardless of his high school pedigree. Nice Corvette tho, Carl. Boys and their toys.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-41718682757416783122007-07-03T20:53:00.000-05:002007-07-03T20:53:00.000-05:00I'm not going to comment on the property taxes. T...I'm not going to comment on the property taxes. There's enough disinformation and half-truth already posted, to make me dizzy.<BR/><BR/>But I will tell you that I, too, have given AT&T the boot. And just last week they started stringing new lines underground in my neighborhood. About 15 years overdue.<BR/><BR/>Since 1990, every time it rains, or as my neighbor says, every time a dog pisses on a rock, the phones get foggy and difficult. <BR/><BR/>Calls to AT&T are an exercise in futility. A recently-retired AT&T (nee: Indiana Bell) employee told me the lines in my neighborhood are 1959 original cooper lines, built for party lines. They've been pushing new services and charging us for it, but not delivering it.<BR/><BR/>My customer service Triple Play: Comcast, AT&T and IPL. Someone needs to give them all a Nordstrom lesson in true customer service.<BR/><BR/>Off with their heads. How I long for Indiana Bell...<BR/><BR/>Another savings suggestion: daily Indy Star. It saves about $200 a year. I get Sunday only, and read the rest online. Lazy ass reporters and lousy editing aren't worth the cost.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-35537909321987358032007-07-03T20:33:00.000-05:002007-07-03T20:33:00.000-05:00We feel for you, Gary. We're trying to only eat an...We feel for you, Gary. We're trying to only eat and shop at locally owned establishments, and not so often at that. <BR/><BR/>I know of several local business owners who are closing up shop this year because they can't afford their rising rents and taxes, and their customers are losing their spending money. Yield House, for one, in the Fashion Mall area is closing for tax and rent reasons after 22 years in business.<BR/><BR/>Small business in this city is suffering at the altar of corporate welfare and greed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-35769005723497154042007-07-03T20:18:00.000-05:002007-07-03T20:18:00.000-05:00Same old cut-and-paste hysterical rant used earlie...Same old cut-and-paste hysterical rant used earlier in this thread from that discredited anonymous nobody...<BR/><BR/>The voters rejected firmly her bullshit by re-electing Drummer better than 3-to-1. Get over it, child!Wilson46201https://www.blogger.com/profile/14214029150233485312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-30663184181711618792007-07-03T20:07:00.000-05:002007-07-03T20:07:00.000-05:00World Class City? More appropriately: Tax & Spend ...World Class City? <BR/><BR/>More appropriately: Tax & Spend City!<BR/><BR/>The Ghetto Mafia Mayor is making deals with the rich!<BR/><BR/>The Julia Carson Government Center has a TAVERN...in a building paid for by TAXPAYERS!<BR/><BR/>The Center Twp Trustee has over 100 PATRONAGE, make-work, do-nothing jobs on the TAXPAYERS payroll! He also has a "Wellness Center" not permitted by state law, 3 GIANT office buildings...and a $90,000 salary for himself (although he is uneducated). <BR/><BR/>Tony Duncan, Center Twp Constable, has a mansion...anyone seen the pics? Why does an IGNORANT civil process server make so much money from TAXPAYERS?<BR/><BR/>Our property TAX bills went up in an OBSCENE manner under the DEMOCRAT Ghetto Mafia flag! <BR/><BR/>TAX & SPEND is truly the motto of the DEMOCRAT Ghetto Mafia! <BR/><BR/>It is obscene! <BR/><BR/>TAX & SPEND Democrats are making our city corrupt, giving tax money to millionaires & billionaires!<BR/><BR/>ELIMINATE CORRUPT TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT! That is why we have the GIANT increase in our taxes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-65219133573297448372007-07-03T19:53:00.000-05:002007-07-03T19:53:00.000-05:00FYI: yes, the Mayor appoints the members of the Ca...FYI: yes, the Mayor appoints the members of the Capital Improvements Board and the Bond Bank. The Metropolitan Development Commission has 4 members appointed by the Mayor, 3 by the Council and 2 by the County Commissioners (Assessor, Auditor & Treasurer). Until 2004, the GOP controlled the Council and the County Commissioners so the M.D.C. was Republican-controlled. They issue the tax abatements. ALL tax abatements issued before 2004 were approved by your friendly neighborhood Republicans ... if you want to play partisan blame-games, now you know!Wilson46201https://www.blogger.com/profile/14214029150233485312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-78815182142054663632007-07-03T19:37:00.000-05:002007-07-03T19:37:00.000-05:00anon 7:00, I never said tax abatements were handed...anon 7:00, I never said tax abatements were handed out by the assessor. The assessors are to blame, however, for the shitty job they did at assessing property. I've been studying different residential properties in the downtown area. Townhomes in Lockerbie selling for as much money as the condos in my building are all assessed about 25% less. A friend of mine owns an older renovated home on 11th Street. It was appraised at over $400,000 last year. The assessor placed its value at $149,000. Townhouses in Fire House Square are assessed higher than restored older homes on the Old Northside worth twice as much. The assessments are atrocious.Gary R. Welshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15185079937305083438noreply@blogger.com