Assessing a Possible Conflict of Interest
The incoming Center Township Assessor may be sitting on a potential conflict of interest. Eugene Akers was elected November 7 by a 12-thousand vote margin. However, Aker’s new job may conflict with his old job. He currently oversees custodians in the Indianapolis Public School District. He officially takes office on January 1st. By holding both positions Akers would be responsible for assessing property in the school district while still being on IPS’ payroll. IPS makes up about 48 percent of the average Center Township property tax bill. Numerous calls to Akers have not been returned. However a district spokesperson says Akers has told the IPS the Assessor’s office is a part-time job and he plans to stay. The Assessor job pays about $65,185 per year. That number does not include a possible three percent pay raise that may be voted on by the City-County Council.
Current Center Township Assessor Jim Maley was elected back in 1984. Up until recently he says he easily put in 40-60 hour work weeks. He says health problems have slowed him down. He would not comment on Akers.
Outgoing Lawrence Township Assessor Paul Ricketts says it’s odd that an assessor would hold two jobs which require full-time commitments. He also says the potential for ghost employment is also there.
Under Indiana law certain office holders can only hold one office at a time. It is a violation of the Indiana Constitution for an office holder to hold two jobs that are so incompatible with each other that they “create a conflict of interest or go against public policy.”
December 4th, 2006 at 3:58 pm
Whoa, since when is a job that pays over $65,000 a year part time?? The council (part time and receiving $14,500 plus)should give serious consideration to a major reduction in the salary if the official puts in less than a 40 hour week for the taxpayers of Center Township as their Township Assessor.
The legislators of our State, even with benefits, don’t make $60,000 a year and they are PART TIME with a 24/7 commitment of public service.
December 4th, 2006 at 7:04 pm
Let’s propose to reduce the assessors pay to that of a city-county council member.
Oversees custodians?
December 4th, 2006 at 10:36 pm
To call the assessor’s position a part-time position is the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever heard – Ok, maybe not the most, but it is darn close! It would only be a part-time postion if he did not do the job he was elected to do. It is irritating to think that someone so idiotic could get elected; of course, he is but one of many.
December 5th, 2006 at 7:06 am
Akers is the newest member of the Ghetto Mafia. This is what happens when the local media does not do its job with reporting candidates profiles and their commitment to serving the public.
Now that the November elections are over. Just in time for Christmas parties.
The local Ghetto Mafia do not care what the tax payers think. Mapleton Fall Creek Neighborhood Association has not voted for this bar yet. They have ignored each of the violations. The Mayor and City-County Council races are going to be very interesting in 2007.
Government center tavern goes for vote Wednesday
December 5, 2006
A controversial plan to open a tavern and family restaurant with outdoor seating in the Julia Carson Government Center comes up for a vote Wednesday before the Metropolitan Development Commission. The commission will vote on whether to grant a zoning variance for the project. City planning staff has recommended approval, as long as there is no live entertainment, outdoor speakers or dance floor, and closing hours are restricted to 10 p.m. on weekdays and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Critics have said that space in the government-owned center, 300 E. Fall Creek Parkway, North Drive, shouldn’t be used as a bar.
The project has several influential investors, including Indianapolis Airport Authority Chairman Lacy Johnson, businessman Bill Mays and Teresa Gray, wife of City-County Council President Monroe Gray.
Money! money! money! Just more abuse of power in government by the Democrats.
December 5th, 2006 at 9:27 am
Abdul,
Are you trying to say that an IPS employee who is also in charge of assessing property taxes might actually use his tax collector position to bring in more revenue to the school district?
The problem with your thinking is that it requires the publics ability to add 2 + 2 and come up with 4 as an answer. From my understanding, the IPS school district has a poor record in teaching math, and very few of it’s graduates have studied logic. Do you really expect an under-educated population to make a logical decision? The expectation is unreasonable.
Here’s what will happen: Property taxes will increase. If there’s an outcry, the media may report it but not on the front page. And IPS along with the City-County Council will remain silent or will rally behind the increases. After all, there are raises to pay for and there are programs needed to make sure that IPS students are further diverted from a real education.
And we have camera’s to pay for. If the citizens ever decide to rally together, the police will need to know about it before too many people are encouraged to stand up for themselves. Large public gatherings are a threat to the social revolution.
December 5th, 2006 at 3:05 pm
The above commenter must be one of those awful IPS graduates – in American English one does not make a plural by using apostrophe S. More than one camera is “cameras”, not “camera’s” – but thanks for playing!
December 5th, 2006 at 8:10 pm
Hey Mr. Hinkle, how many free steak dinners, drinks, cigars and tickets do you get? Do you add that to your salary? Oh, and don’t forget that pesky 401(k) plan where you get $4 taxpayer dollars for every $1 you contribute…that’s a get rich off the public dime scheme if I ever saw one!
Finally, we know you don’t care about saving taxpayer dollars anyway so what do you care?
December 5th, 2006 at 8:11 pm
By the way Hinkle, are you running for mayor? Do you think you might finish better than 3d in the republican primary this time?
December 5th, 2006 at 8:12 pm
and how do you like being in the minority, Mr. Non-Chairman? That’s right, no need to show up. We don’t need you anymore.
December 6th, 2006 at 6:31 am
The Democrat dogs are barking again. Attack! attack! attack when they get caught with their hands in the cookie jar. When is our local government going to be cleaned out with these crooks? No accountability!
December 6th, 2006 at 9:07 am
And by the way, it is a criminal offense for a public employee to commit Ghost Employment i.e., get paid for hours working on another job when that employee is to be working for the govt.
December 6th, 2006 at 11:42 am
The above commenter must be one of those awful IPS graduates – in American English one does not make a plural by using apostrophe S. More than one camera is “cameras”, not “camera’s” – but thanks for playing!
Posted by anonymous at December 5, 2006 03:05 PM
No, I’m not an IPS grad – who aren’t awful, although the schools are.
But I can see that you obviously graduated from the school of “dodge an deflect”. I must have hit a soft spot. Thank YOU for for the added insight.
December 6th, 2006 at 2:43 pm
It’s not just barking dogs, friend.
It’s Phil Hinkle saying ANYthing about good government, that is hilarious.
He personally stuck a wrench in the wheels of IndyWorks last session, along with Rep. Murphy…just because they didn’t want the mayor to get a victory.
They both know government has to find ways to spend less. Elimination of the township government system in bigger counties, is just a natural progression toward that goal. Duplicitous government is expensive.
Mr. Williams: methinks thou doth protesteth too much.
December 9th, 2006 at 5:36 pm
Basic property tax arithmetic: assessments have nothing whatsoever to do with what a govt entity receives. The various entities ask for a fixed amount: it’s called a tax levy. The assessor provides a number for each taxpayer which is actually like a percentage – each individual’s share of paying that levy is what the assessor provides. The schools get the same total amount, no matter what the total assessment is. Of course, school property (like any government property) is not assessed or taxed. What’s the assessed value of the Statehouse or Monument Circle? Or of School 101 or Attucks? The assessor has nothing to say about that.
Once again, the thwarted Marion County GOP is desperately trying to whip up a tempest in a teapot. An elected official has no timeclock whatsoever. Anybody seen Brizzi’s or Mitch’s pay timesheet? Officials have been severely impaired for years and rarely could go in to work, yet got a full paycheck. Deputies did the work, no questions, no problems.
The only real question is between IPS and Akers – there he’s got a time sheet.