Loading ...Sunday Morning Posts
This is another one of those mornings where there is no real big news, but lots of little interesting tidbits.
Get The Puck Out
- It looks like V.P. nominee Sarah Palin is coming to town next Friday. Hopefully she will get better treatment than last night’s hockey game in Philadelphia.
Township Tales
- Some township officials are determined to keep their jobs and are more than willing to use your money to do it. In a memo to its membership, the Indiana Township Association “suggests” its members pay “Special dues” out of their budgets to the Association and that money can be used to campaign, lobby, and defeat efforts to eliminate townshp government, possibly where the elimination of township assessors is up for a vote. So let’s see if I understand this, the township people want to take taxpayer dollars that’s been allocated for other services, put it in a special fund, transfer that money to the Township Association, and use that money to engage in political activity. Hmmm, I’m seeing a new movie in the works here, “All the Township Trustees Men.”
Out of Africa
- If you haven’t seen much of the Democratic candidate for Public Instruction, it’s because he’s in South Africa. Dick Wood is visiting schools in South Africa as part of a learning program and to see what ideas can be incorporated in Indiana. I thought it was odd he would do this with three weeks to go before the election, but his campaign spokesman told me the trip had been planned a while ago.
Freudian Slip
- During this past Wednesday’s Democrat rally at the State Fairgrounds the speakers were (in order) Jill Long Thompson, Andre Carson, Evan Bayh and Barack Obama. When he got to the stage Barack personally acknowledged Carson and Bayh. He included JLT with all the other officials. Also while criticizing Republicans he mentioned “the acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree.” I would have probably used another analogy.
Money, Money, Money
- Whenever asked about when she is going up on the air with commercials, JLT’s usual answer is soon. I think I finally know what’s going on here. While at the Obama rally, I heard JLT tell someone that her campaign has pledges for cash, but she is waiting for them to come through with the donations. There are only about three weeks left in the campaign so I don’t know what the heck they’re waiting on.
October 12th, 2008 at 7:39 am
Palin and hockey have one thing in common, I think she took one in the head a long time ago. I still think, (even as Iget ready to vote for McCain) that she will be long recognized as the person who tanked McCain’s campaign, even more so than the economy.
October 12th, 2008 at 8:08 am
Abdul this is not the township assessors. I’m president of the Indiana Assessors Association, Inc. and we have not asked for any “special dues”. This group represents the trustees NOT the assessors.
October 12th, 2008 at 9:37 am
The election time is closing in on us fast so here is my prediction of how the election next month will end.
President: Obama He is saying to many things that the people are wanting to hear. But remember, he can not do anything without Congress.
Governor of Indiana: Mitch Denials
My own district will go republican on all State and federal offices except for Carson. As far as the township assessors, they will be out of a job come January 1st.
October 12th, 2008 at 10:47 am
“Mitch Denials” - I can’t tell if that’s intentional or a continuation of the Freudianism theme.
October 12th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Jill Deep-Tanksin’, Acrock (of) Obomination, Joe Jivin’, John BigWane, Nare(worth) Savin’. May we return to the issues, now?
October 12th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
The township assessors sent out letters stating their position and asking for donations to pay for ads against elimination of the assessors in Marion county.
All I can say is bye bye…..
October 12th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
1) We have been and are, suffering the policies and quarter-mastered myoptics of the “professional” political class; crash visioned crisis making, their broken “product” for which they then, perversely impose themselves as “repair” makers, the merchants of misery (as though it’s somehow a destination). We need to recognize true diversity (philosophical, experiential); vs. paper thinned, two dimensional, superficial diversity, spun & marketed on a counterfeit cultured basis of “unity” designed to divide US; more a hyphenation than a country united.
2) Township Tales are an insecurity problem that’s been handed down, from state (DLGF, General Assembly) to county to township; tossing back & forth the too hot for them to handle, blame potato. The state has absolute responsibility for oversight of the assessment system & therefore has played a MAJOR ROLE in creating the problem, by failing to account for its oversight responsibilities in the property tax mess; much like the crash making federal government insists that we ignore better, free market solutions, & let them do “repair” work (bailout), on the damage they created. Likewise, the scape-goating of local assessors by a state that doesn’t own up to its failed oversight, of a problem that it helped to create (8 DLGF commissioners in 10-ll years ?!?), is divisive and predictably puts local assessors “on the defensive.” Coaching staff (state/ GA), blaming (Kernan Shephard CYA report) the property tax crisis (unconstitutional losing streak) on township assessors (the team), using “familiarity breeds contempt” tactics, is not solution making, but itself, tale spinning, artificial baiting that doesn’t make for citizen centered policy making. General Assembly Gimmicks, like CINO’s (acronym for something other than a fashionable pair-o-pants, CAPS IN NAME ONLY) can be understood by a six year old; by taking them to the State Fair on opening day (where only last year, the Farm Bureau had a booth promoting its long held position for the Elimination of Property Taxes), for the annual kickoff event, the hot air balloon race. Pick a balloon (the one you think will win the race) & explain that it represents something called the “market value assessment system.” Then identify one of the several cables which connect the balloon to its basket, where the balloonist rides; one cable to which are tied three ribbons or telltales (wind and / or metaphoric indicators). Tied highest is a red ribbon, representing a 3% cap (commercial property), next is a white ribbon representing a 2% cap (income property) and a blue ribbon is tied lowest representing a 1% cap (home owners). Once the race has begun, as the balloon rises out of sight (annual trending of the “market value” assessment system), ask the six year old to explain what happened to the caps… Property tax paying adults are destined to struggle with the concept, should it be made into flaw.
October 12th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Dr. Woods is in Africa. Makes you wonder if he really has inerest in the job or was the only one willing to say yes? Well at least Dr. Bennett has worked like he wants the job. Another R that gets the vote from this D.
A thank you out to Mayor Ballard and Rep Venessa Summers for taking the time out of their schedules on Saturday to drop by the Down Syndrome Indiana 11th annual Buddy Walk at Celebration Plaza. Well done you impressed many of the over 3,000 folks at the walk. And I also saw the Campo Campaign working the crowd.
Peace
October 12th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Very good posts for a Sunday morning. Abdul. Don’t you sleep?
Dr. Wodd’s trip was likely planned a long time ago. Foreign trips like these are not quickly-organized; still, it does beg the question, doesn’t it? I know both candidates–Indiana cannot lose. They’re both strong.
I’ve given up observing and reacting to observations about JLT. The campaign has been odd, and the reaction to her campaign has been even more odd. Except to say: If Obama does win Indiana, which is still possible, she may creep in.
Becky, the township assessors, or a loose-knit group of Marion County township assessors, did solicit Realtors, appraisers, friends and others, a few weeks ago. I saw their potential talking points. Very, very pathetic. Buh-bye.
Sarah can come to Indiana anytime she wants. She’s still a dimwit, and now, a bipartisan Alaskan legislative commission has concluded such. Fact: the 14-member Alaskan Legislative Council (8-6 Republican) voted unanimously to commission their report in July, before she was a national nincompoop, and similarly voted unanimously Friday to release the report.
(Is Dave the same one who calls your show? I read his post twice and it’s even more disjointed than his calls)
October 12th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
I’d like to think we have more class than Philadelphia. The fans there should be ashamed! How did a town of such rich historical heritage become such a mess? Answer: It’s run by libs. In fact, every major city in America run by liberal Dems is facing the same plight.
By the way, I too would have used another analogy than the ‘acorn’ one. I happen to think it was a calculated decision to use ‘acorn’ rather ‘nut’. I think it was a bad decision. How often have we really heard the word ‘acorn’ used in that metaphore? Since Barack was with over 21,000 of his flock(if you believe that number), I believe he thought the crowd would love it.
October 12th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Another damm conspiracy there Rico my man. A damm conspiracy.
October 13th, 2008 at 6:01 am
In the descending standards of MSM investigative reporting on political history of major political figures, the good news is there’s coverage of ONE of the inexperienced candidates on the tickets. And no, absence of the other candidate does not equate to “there must be nothing to report”. A clean political history of ascension from Chicago would indeed be something to report.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:53 am
No conspiracy here, arnie. Obama’s a slick politician who’s words are chosen very carefully (when they’re written on a teleprompter). It is highly unlikely that saying ‘acorn’ was a slip of the tongue.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Here’s one for you Arnie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA6_k3NtXZs
October 13th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
It’s Philly. If someone doesn’t come out wearing a Philly jersey, carrying a cheesesteak, and asking for “street money”, they get booed. That’s just Philly.