Reference is to the headline on a section of "Behind Closed Doors" in last Sunday’s paper. It said, "A win for Brainard." (Mayor of Carmel, as a spender of taxes rather than a payer of taxes.)
A bill was introduced by the senator from our northern neighbor county which was intended to put a brake on the virtually unlimited power of Redevelopment Commissions to commit huge expenditures of public funds with little or no oversight by elected officials. This is the same type of activity that has contributed to the "$5 billion debt portfolio" of Indianapolis.
This bill, which passed the Senate by a vote of 49-1, failed to get out of committee in the House. The chairman of the appropriate House committee, who refused even to hold a hearing on the bill, is a member of the Indianapolis delegation. When the subject matter was added to another bill which had already passed the House, that bill was killed when "House Leaders" refused to accept that change and let it die. The head honcho of House leaders - Speaker of the House - is also from Indianapolis.
We find it intriguing that legislation to alleviate a problem in Hamilton County, introduced by a resident of that county, which would also have the same benefit for Indianapolis, was killed by legislators from Indianapolis.
Instead of "killing two birds with one stone," one in Hamilton County and one here, we find the stone rejected and the vultures and buzzards encouraged to continue circling the mutilated carcass of the taxpayer.
Our thanks and congratulations to Indianapolis legislators for their ever vigilant protection of _________! (Add your own word - anything but taxpayer.)
Not only do we have 5+ billion in debt but we keep adding TIF districts. TIF districts directly impact school capital improvement funds as the tax dollars are diverted to the TIF. We roll over debt from the Dome and Market Square into the next 'super palace' and never ever pay off the bonds. Now we find that the excess TIF funds aren't being used to pay off the TIF but are used as a city slush fund like paying the Pacers 30+ million or funding the ICVA.
We have the second highest sales tax in the country before we add the 2% additional to pay for our sports palaces.
When do we, the taxpayers, get a break? When will we ever pay off any off our bond debts?
Posted by: Vox Populi | May 23, 2011 at 06:30 PM