Loading ...Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money
The numbers are in for Mitch Daniels and Jill Long Thompson. In the interest of trying to keep this as consistent as possible I’m including what they started with, raised this year, spent and how much is in the bank. That way you can draw your own conclusions.
Daniels
- $6.7 million at the beginning of 2008
- $3.37 million raised this year
- $7.3 million spent
- $2.8 million on hand
JLT
- $437,690 at the beginning of 2008
- $2.5 million raised this year
- $1.46 million spent
- $1.04 million on hand
July 15th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Much better for JLT than I expected.
But Mitch has fogged the mirrors with his ridiculous advertising…he’s done a good job.
“The best property tax reform since Otis Bowen,” says one ad.
And THAT was surely some good tax relief we got in 1973, wasn’t it? Double the sales tax, create the Property Tax Replacement Fund, continue that sligiht-of-hand for 35 years.
Not bad for a bumbling coun try doc. A tremendous legacy to duplicate, huh?
How soon we forget.
July 15th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
That shows me that Mitch “The Spork” has the ability to do with money as the birds do to my windshield.
July 15th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Yes, all the people in this state that support Mitch are so inferior in intellect than TA that we can’t see the forest for the trees. I wish Think Again was running for Governor so that he/she could keep us ignant foo’s in check.
(The preceeding was SARCASM)
July 15th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Think Again - I was around when Bowen’s plan took effect. Those who put it together knew that levy controls and the control boards would have to be adjusted within 10-12 years. The problem was that by that time Bowen was out of office and all the “adjustments” went the wrong way and the education lobby was in control again.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Oldtimer, I was too, and one of the main architects, an amiable guy named Bill Watt, said exactly the opposite from you’re saying now. He told legislators the plan ought to be good without tinkering “for a generation.”
Whatever was said, the results are obvious. The education lobby had nothing to do with the creation of the Property Tax Replacement Fund. That little game did the following (pay close attention–it’s trickery of the highest form):
Doubled the sales tax. Put most of the new sales tax revenue into the PTRF, and gave it back to local governments as a way to hold down their property taxes. With very, very loose controls and checkls-balances to make sure that’s what happened. The Property Tax Control Board-State Board of Tax Commissioners, now the Dept. of Local Govt. Finance, were all bark and no bite.
The education lobby was nowhere to be found–Bowen and the powers that be in 1973 detested the ISTA. It’s clear you still do. Which is, of course, your right, but you ought to at least get the history right.
The Farm Bureau was front-and-center on this ruse. They were screaming that families were losing farms because of property taxes.
A pox on their house.
The PTRF became a sugar teat that allowed legislators to ignore the effect of rising property taxes and increasing local govt. expenditures.
It was a cruel and ridiculous joke, played on all taxpayers, and it lasted 35 years.
Nonetheless, it was bad economic policy, and THIS is the “property tax reform” Mitch chooses to emmulate in his TV ads?
Pshaw.
Statler, I didn’t say you were inferior. I just said there are a lot of folks–frankly, more Republicans than I’d expected–who don’t buy Mitch’s story as put forth by his ads. Wander Indiana. They’re in places like Rochester, Winamac, Rising Sun, Paoli, Winchester…
He may win. But he’s no Otis Bowen. For that, in some small respect, I’m thankful.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
‘The best politicians that money can buy’ is an old saying, but oh so true. Mitchell bought his first term as governor for $17.8M.
Oldtimer hits on a key technique in politics - Don’t be afraid to make a big splash, because you know you’ll be far removed from the scene when the tidal wave rolls through and flattens your village. The time in between, you can brag about how you parted the sea and people will get the notion you are a miracle worker.
July 16th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
I had forgotten, John Howard, how much Mitch spent in his first campaign. Was it really $17.8 million? I honestly don’t remember, except I saw enough of that damned motorhome to make me vomit.
July 17th, 2008 at 2:05 am
im just plain confused. im waiting for my 2008 prop tax bill, so i know how much i can give my son for college!!! mitch lost his cherry when he sold out the retirees!!! and if u think he didnt knw wht was going on, i dont know why i think tomorrow will come!!! I am confused between the the 2-jill/mitch and mccain/obama…they have had all this time to effect change, yet, they choose to do it when they want to move up the chain. am I confused, or, do I have some of that good hoosier common sense!!!
July 17th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
“all the people in this state that support Mitch are so inferior in intellect”
typical liberal thinking again… always saying they are smarter than everyone, yet never do anything.
How’s our new superior Congress doing? 9%???
July 17th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
TA, that’s what was reported in the news in a story about the current fundraising efforts for November.
July 19th, 2008 at 7:07 am
Think Again - I have no wish to get into a “shouting match” so this will be my last comment on the Bowen property tax program. Bill Watt was an administrative assistant to Bowen. I have no memory of his saying that the program would last for a generation as you quote him. He may very well have said that in making efforts to get his boss’s program enacted. But I do know that he was in no way a “main architect” of the legislation. Bowen had direct input from a group of men respresenting several local and statewide business organizations. If, in later years, that program into a slush fund for the spenders, it was not the fault of these people, nor of Bowen. As is currently the situation, public officials, public employees and their unions - and yes, specifically the education lobby - are most frequently in the forefront of any fight against spending controls. It is a little disappointing to be accused of hate for having pointed this out. Thanks for the space, Abdul.