Loading ...OOPS!!!
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels says Marion County’s Township Assessors made a $4 billion mistake which helped result in higher property taxes for homeowners. Daniels said today that the initial reassessment of Marion County’s commerical and industrial property was off by $4 billion. Commercial property was under assessed by $3.8 billion and industrial property was underassessed by more than $206 million.
Because of the reassessment, the Governor argued that residential property owners should see a drop in their tax bills. Daniels also used the opportunity to reiterate his call for the elimination of township assessors.
Becky Williams, the head of the state township assessors association declined to comment, saying she wanted to take a closer look at the Governor’s figures and would respond accordingly.
February 28th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
And it cost us $1.3 million to find this out. Abdul, you should talk with assessors around the state. In particular people who used to work in assessors offices.
February 28th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
I used to be pretty a-political because I figured he politicians were gong to do what they wanted and we, the people couldn’t do anything about. Well, when we got our property tax bill last July I couldn’t sit back and ignore the situation anymore. That’s why I got involved in the fight to get Greg Ballard elected and to get property taxes repealed.
-
The ones that heed to ‘business as usual’ need to go. If they don’t realize that we, the voters are serious about this then they are behind the times and they need to be sent packin’. Obviously with the lollygagging and pussyfootin’ around that those guys at the state capital are pulling they think that they are untouchable. There is only one way I guess we can change things and that is with the vote. Lets prove once again that we the people mean business. It is our money they are messing with, not theirs, and we aren’t going to take it anymore.
-
This thing with the incompetency of the assessors is mind-blowing and unfortunately it just scratches the surface of the buffoonery that is present in our government. It all makes me want to give up……no……wait…..we beat the system last November and…I think…we can do it again.
-
REMEMBER NOVEMBER
February 28th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Let’s see…hmmm, if those ‘bipartisan’ ‘incumbent’ politicians use the DemoRats’s plan to can the 1% cap on property taxes and replace it with 1% of a property taxpayer’s income, we won’t need Assessors at all.. think I heard that before somewhere…. but I thought the Rats’ wanted to ’save’ the Assessors?!?!
On the other hand, the Rats’ must be counting on income always increasing to grease their pockets… but I keep hearing them say that income isn’t going up… guess the IRS’s most recent reports on Income Tax are just plain ‘wrong’.
Vote ALL incumbents out of town.
February 29th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Four billion is a familiar number; important to the state’s fiscal fortunes a few years back, when toll road leasing resulted in an ~$4B turnaround. It was a significant number then (a time when property taxes were ramped 50/300/500%+ in Marion Co), in statewide terms, so imagine the significance to one Marion County.
Maybe it’s just me, but $4B off assessment (whatever an assessment is, oh yeah, I remember now, it’s a guess), seems like a hard to square, rounding error, making well the case, for the constitutional lawsuit filed last summer. And for the record, which standard are we paying on now? And for how have we been paying under the plus er minus $4B assessment “method?” -just something a guy asks. What “moral” or just authority, now exists, to continue this baseless system? Ever notice how a $4B private sector error equivalent, is handled within that sector, responded to by the public sector & the fourth “rail” medi-uhh? Vertigo?
On yesterday’s show, Steve Johnson (IN Fisc.Policy Inst.), acknowledged that you CAN, eliminate property taxes, but expressed concern (related to repeal / replacement scenarios) about the distribution or redistribution of sales tax, to cover local units of govt., which may point to the state’s aversion to sharing that revenue. In Dr. Styring’s blunt proof known as the 2/2/2 plan, the final 2% is a statewide average of the COIT or LOIT, to proportionally cover local civil units of government. While I prefer sales tax as a revenue source (transparent, transactional reality), income is at least far more transparent than is the obscure by design, property tax. Folks will see with far greater frequency (they’ll notice), adjustments to their income to pay directly related to changes in COIT rates, and hence better monitoring of local spending. Capisce?
As economist Bill Styring makes clear, after decades of Indiana policy making and experience, the only rational solution to property taxes is elimination & replacement, everything else is a radical idea. They can’t, they can’t, but after a constitutional lawsuit is filed and reassessment ordered, they can, find a $4B error based upon an undefined assessment system / method… an amount that’s 65% of the state’s annual property tax collection (~$6B). And what of the state’s culpability, or certification (DLGF anyone) of the county’s assessment, wherein the commissioner cites concerns about uniformity (absence of a standard), but agrees to certify it anyway, because, translation: we know you (county) “need” the money (whose money)??? What kind of “system” is this really?
Any “reform alliance” that dismisses repeal as an option, is a reform in name only alliance. Reform is an open minded concept to explore best possible outcomes, not results, however witting, engineered to serve Myopia and narrow, special interests.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Proof: That a million monkeys, with a million calculators, can’t spontaneously come up with an accurate assessment…
February 29th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
This is a colossal victory for property tax protestors, prompted in no small part by the Repeal Alliance and John Price, attorney who filed the lawsuit on behalf of homeowners last summer. It transferred to Hancock County where
Keeping the heat on were mass protests and tea parties and the unfolding saga of incompetent assessors and a DLGF who rubberstamped with wide discretion these township assessors paperwork as gospel. 4 billion is a giant oversight. How could that happen and who will fall on their sword over it. How will this impact our mind numb General Assembly who is too busy trying to pass caps that will be immediately constitutionally challenged and they know it, but the spin for them is that they can be seen to do something they call a tax break until they rejuvenate their election campaigns for this November. Afterall, this session expires in 2 weeks, the Governor will sign ’something’ that will be seen as superficially historic, and then the gotcha bills will come and the continuing horror story of an inempt government that contributed to this nightmare. While a victory for homeowners and property tax protestors, it is bittersweet. No immediate relief. No moratorium, no dipping into the rainy day fund, and a rolling tragedy to be felt for years while vacant homes continue to escalate and residents migrate from Marion County to anywhere else.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Jon G….if you vote for either Carson or the Elrod in the 7th district you are voting for an incumbent.
Sean Shepard led the property tax repeal rallies with me and Andy Horning.
.
My job was to get the press and the crowds there, Andy and Sean talked about the issues.
.
Sean Shepard is not only the 7th district candidate that is not an incumbent, but he has proven over and over that he works on YOUR behalf. Where were Carson and Elrod during the property tax crisis?
.
Everyone should pay attention to the debates. Sean Shepard blows both candidates away with his knowledge of policy and what needs to be done to fix the problems.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
As a followup, do not be misled by the emphasis on only assessors. The DLGF in large part should be held directly accountable. The spin has already begun that it was all the assessors fault. Not so. Just count the multiple heads who took over the DLGF became a revolving door during the last several years, turning the office into a political machine that did not lessen the confusion and became so irresponsible when victimizing homeowners that all credibility has been lost, including the faith of their employers- the citizens of this state.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
By the way folks, the Property Tax Repeal Alliance (discussed earlier by Patriot Paul) and organized by John Price would not allow Hoosiers For Fair Taxation to join. We were summarily ignored even though we brought together the crowd that choked off Meridian Street, got the attention of the Governor, and brought a coalition of activists together that helped unseat the well funded incumbent Bart Peterson and turn over the city council.
.
The reason?
.
Well, I’m a disgusting whore in the eyes of Eric Miller and John Price, of course. And the work I founded does not deserve to be part of the Repeal Alliance.
.
Don’t believe me. Call either of the opportunistic judgemental zealots and ask them why HOOSIERS FOR FAIR TAXATION was not included in the repeal alliance.
.
You’ll know the whole story on March 12th.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
By the way, both Eric Miller and John Price have asked time and time again for your “donations” for your money.
.
You never heard myself, Andy Horning, Sean Shepard, or any of the other activists who worked on your behalf last summer for countless hours ask you for a dime for our time or reimbursement for supplies and materials we purchased to do what we did.
.
Even the 4 Sale by Owner signs were sold at cost, thanks to the arrangement we made with Sullivan Hardware.
.
My time and the time of every other activist who funded their own work and gave countless hours of personal time is just as important as Eric Miller’s and John Price’s time. Yet it is both Miller and Price who constantly insist they should be paid and stick out their hand for your money.
.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
A whore gets paid for services.
.
Melyssa gave it away - Eric Miller and John Price want cash!
February 29th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Wilson…the real reason is that Eric Miller and John Price know I’ve got their number. You think they aren’t afraid of me? I bit my tongue for months and months. Said nothing. Even though I watched Eric Miller’s property tax repeal machine swing into high gear within 72 hours after Meridian Kessler protested. I knew his real agenda and said nothing….FOR MONTHS!
.
My silence ended when the two of them put their high and mighty money-grubbing hypocritical morality ahead of the people.
.
They failed the test.
February 29th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Hey Wilson, some of that don’t care what Melyssa does/did know that she NEVER SOLD SEX. Give it a rest will ya?? I saw through everything when the news reports came out.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
I never said she did. She knows what’s it like to be slimed and smeared - she should be equally as careful with other folk.
February 29th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Red-Headed Step-Child, I believe you have finally revealed how our property assessments were calculated. There’s no other way they could have come up with the ludicrous amount they tell us our house is worth — and then tax us over and over on that amount, which we could only get by selling our home… possibly on Second Life. No one in THIS universe would pay that much for it.
March 1st, 2008 at 8:37 pm
By the way, who was the first person to recommend getting rid of the township assessors…..yes, thats right: Bart Peterson.
And who protected the township assessors in 2005, 2006 and 2007….yes: Mike Young, Phil Hinkle, Brian Bosma and Jim Merritt.
Dont even bring up the Bill Crawford stuff. He was protecting trustees. Merritt was protecting assessors. If you dont remember, check some of Abduls past blogs.
At least Crawfords patrongae didnt cost us 4 billion.
March 1st, 2008 at 10:04 pm
PIR,
Just so you know, Merritt was in favor of getting rid of the assessors, he just wanted to do it on a statewide level. Much like the way Bill Crawford now wants to address the township trustee issue. Thought you should be reminded of that fact.
March 2nd, 2008 at 1:13 pm
God bless Abdul, for doing that which others in media are either unqualified or afraid to do- REPORT news that’s relevant to, and has impact upon the lives of citizens. What’s up with the current and conspicuous news blackout on a $4,000,000,000. ERROR in one county ?!?
[insert sound effects] Knock-knock. “Hello, is anybody listening? Hello?” Hey newsies, four billion is the number four, with nine zeros behind it. An under or over assessment is akin to an under or over charge, where the wrong amount is charged (that’s less than good) on what is supposed to be a standard or basis, which if you haven’t noticed, WE DON’T HAVE.
Sparking the comprehension gap requires commitment. Other than Abdul, there’s no commitment to work product by other media, thereby minimizing their impact and importance, by failing so profoundly to do so. Advertiser dollars are better spent with the bloggery. Citizens don’t want someone to blame; they want transparent policies, methods & government. That’s not too much to ask. Drive-by neglect of the media is destructive to our liberty.
NO CAP will protect taxpayers from: the systematic abuses of over or under assessments (subjective guesses, vs. objective transactions or realities like sales), hyper / neighborhood factoring, or all too permissable increases (like doubling) in what are supposed to be “maximum” permissable levies. This latest $4B DLGF (8 commissioners in 10 years?), assessment debacle, makes clear that caps are not protection but an ill advised, over-sold gimmick. Is aluminum siding, always the answer, or might there be better ideas out there (repeal / replace)?
Under the baseless property tax assessment system (devoid standard), we’re in for many more years of electioneered, roller coaster rides; with homeowners and business property owners trading highs and lows, to minimize any damage to incumbents at the polls. Yeah, it’s about service alright, self service.
So we’re going to keep this “can’t imagine a better system,” the only basis for which is GREED (not nostalgia)? Greed is a standard of degradation, not progress (which requires transparency). Keeping the assessment system and standard that produces $4B errors is an answer to what, exactly? “Hello, is anybody listening? Hello?”
March 3rd, 2008 at 8:00 am
[...] me ask you a simple question. If you made a mistake at your job which cost your company $4 billion, how long do you think you would be able to keep [...]
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Being off by $4 BILLION is not a mistake, it is a crime.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:58 pm
It shows you where the priorities lie in Marion county. Yes folks with the business people. The only problem is when their taxes go up they will either raise prices or lay off employees. No real winner here until we find a way to cut government spending.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:36 pm
“Wilson46201
February 29th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
A whore gets paid for services.
.
Melyssa gave it away - Eric Miller and John Price want cash!”
That, from someone who writes things like:
“Good citizens discuss issues.
Good voters discuss candidates.
Anonymous gossips discuss me.”
“Non-anonymous” gossips: They seem not to be any better.
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Abbie, show us the numbers that were 4b off? Just words to keep your blog and radio show going.
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Don’t forget, Daniels OK’d that so-called four billion dollar mistake. He is in deep doodoo!