TIME TO GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE
Okay guys, you knew this one was coming, it’s time to pick the person or persons most responsible for the first real meaningful tax reform in Indiana in 50 years.
You can pick Governor Mitch Daniels, Sen. Luke Kenley, State Representative Bill Crawford, etc. You can also pick the tax protesters, Eric Miller, whomever.
My nominee, former Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson. Had he not lost his election which sent shock waves throughout this state and gave every elected official a major wake up call about how angry the voters were, this would not have happened to the extent that it did.
I’ll gladly take your nominations over the weekend. Enjoy your relief.
March 15th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Enjoy your relief? My property tax bill will go up by 300% from what it was in 2006. BECAUSE 40% of my tax bill is for school building projects. The 20 million threshold on referendums means there is no limit to school building projects. Current property tax relief funds will be eliminated. Result? My property tax is going to be 2.5 to 3% of my assessed value, which will be three times what I paid in 2006. 300%. This tax bill has more holes than swiss cheese.
March 15th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
The award that Bart gets is the “Flying Fickle Finger of Fate” Award.
March 15th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Wilson Allen gets my vote. HE is the reason people hate politics so much.
March 15th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
http://www.republicansforralph.com/
March 15th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
I would say the aware should go to all the people who showed up at the first rally at the governers mansion and KEPT showing up and fighting. What a grassroots effort. That is what percipitated the fall of Peterson.
March 15th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
the tax protesters
March 15th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
The way I read it, my “relief” will consist of — eventually — an increase in my property taxes of just 80% instead of the 110% for which I was originally billed in July. That, of course, will happen by 2010, IF the next legislature hasn’t figured out a way to slice and dice it even more. Any bets on a group of legislators NOT figuring out a way to do that?
Oh, and don’t forget to factor in that my “relief” also includes a sales tax increase and a variety of projects NOT subject to referenda, plus the fact that in the unlikely event the tortuous process of amending the Constitution to include the caps actually takes place, it will be years down the road. There are senior citizens who can’t wait that long. We’ve been given an appetizer, but it’s anybody’s guess whether the meal will ever be served.
March 16th, 2008 at 12:18 am
Melyssa Donaghy for getting that first tax protest on July 4 organized. She rode her bike for 10 hours to get the word out and it started the visible outrage. Mr. Rowe gets honorable mention credit for the “Black Rally”.
March 16th, 2008 at 1:16 am
I second the nomination for Peterson. Hard to top raising city-county taxes 65% immediately after property taxes go thru the roof, while denying protesters their say, as the city-council leader carries on like Huey Long Jr.
March 16th, 2008 at 6:17 am
Guv Daniels is the man.
March 16th, 2008 at 9:13 am
I credit for anyone. We are STILL burdened with the cumberson, expensive, township government. The person who elimiates this will get my vote and money!
March 16th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Sorry, I mean “No credit for anyone.”
March 16th, 2008 at 9:34 am
I hate to tell you folks this but I do not see a great tax relief here in this property tax relief bill. If you look at the bill it caps your property tax at one percent of the asset value, which is the good thing about it. But, most people were at this mark or above in 2006, at least I was. They are saying that we will save about 30% from our property tax bill. If this is based on the 1% cap and 2007 bills that we received, That means I will be paying more then I did in 2006. Add the 1% sales tax, the business tax or 3% and the rental tax of 2%, the state will be taking in more money then it did before this saving bill. Prices will go up on rental and the price you pay for goods to offset their higher taxes. So where is the savings?
March 16th, 2008 at 11:05 am
David,
You are forgetting the state is picking a number of levies that your property taxes currently pay for. In Marion County alone that’s about a $65 million savings. Caps are only part of the equation.
March 16th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
my vote is for the tax protesters, otherwise known as attention starved and tax nuts on other blogs. think about it. if people hadn’t taken to the streets, this never would have been addressed.
please, please consider adding jen wagner to your list of losers abdul. she’s not only nasty, she’s totally out of step.
March 17th, 2008 at 1:41 am
This isn’t tax relief just smoke and mirrors to silence the serfs. They just shifted more taxes to the lower, lower middle, and fixed income seniors brackets. A 17% increase in sales taxes is practically nothing to someone making $100,00 – 150,00 per year, but is a back breaker to the person making $20,00-30,00 per year. But if I have to choose I nominate the tax protesters.