Home

Join

Main Menu

IB HOT LINK

Listen to Abdul in the Morning on WXNT 1430 AM

Recent Comments

Links

FOLLOW IB

Indiana Barrister Facebook Page

Indiana Barrister Twitter Feed

Get your own Widget
«
»

Marion County Township Trustee Wants $1.7 Million Tax Increase

The Wayne Township Trustee in Marion County wants to raise taxes nearly $1.7 million to pay for fire protection.

David “King” Baird has filed notice in this past weekend’s Court and Commercial Record that the township will hold a meeting on April 9 to formally ask the Department of Local Government and Finance to increase the fire protection levy by $1,675, 696.  You can see a copy of the notice at the end of the post.  It’s unclear at this time why Baird is raising taxes, but the likely scenario is avoid consolidation with IFD and continue to pay for fire protection.

The irony in all this is that Baird opposes consolidation, having argued, in part, it was a tax increase.  Joining him in his political tomfoolerly was also State Senator Mike Young.

I wonder if Wayne Township is sitting on any surplus funds?  Because I wonder if the Trustee realizes how wrong it would be to try to raise taxes while sitting on a big stack of cash?  I hope he’s ready for torches and pitchforks.

And isn’t it also funny that all this time Mike Young has been protecting the Center Township Trustee’s office when he should have been protecting the Wayne Township taxpayers from their Trustee.  Oh well, that’s what you get from a politician who can’t keep a promise.  Remember when he said Tom John would be Marion County GOP chairman over his dead body?  Well Tom’s been elected twice and Mike is still here.

Tax Increase Notice

Posted: 03|23|09 at 6:37 pm by Abdul Hakim-Shabazz
Follow this entry via RSS 2.0. Comment | Trackback

  • jumpsuit trustee
    From what I remember the only one to make the claim that the volunteer corporation owned the equipment (which he was technically correct) was Larry Curl, the last of the volunteer chiefs. I will give you more tomorrow after I have some sleep because this may take a book to go through.
  • Think Again
    It could be, Trustee...honestly, I cannot remember his name. I only remember the outrageous claim that the incorporated FD owned the equipment, instead of the taxpayers who had been funding it for decades.

    It was the most outrageous claim I'd ever heard on this subject. And I am pretty sure the incorporated FD was represented by a legislator, but I just cannot remember which one...probably Bosma. He has no ethical trouble representing folks who have legislative agendas.

    Harrison Ullman was right.
  • jumpsuit trustee
    TA are you referring to Gammon? If so let me know and I will expand further on what happened during his tenure.
  • Retired
    Maybe he and his brother can turn in their Fire Department issued cars and save a couple of dollars.
  • Think Again
    Thanks, Abdul...nice pickup. Combing legal ads now? My God, they'll soon call you a "reporter" ! Horrors!

    A few yrs. ago, the Wayne trustee, whose name now escapes me, tried to meddle in the fire department. It's a little fiefdom out there...they have their own training academy, a huge office building...all the trappings of a Territory Worth Protecting.

    Anywho: that trustee campaigned on fire department reform, got elected, and then the fire department "incorporated." Their internal leadership actually had the gall to tell taxpayers the property and equipment were not owned by taxpayers, but the corporation.

    I could be wrong, but I believe their attorney was a legislator.

    The Wayne FD grows huge cajones. Always has. Baird likes the big cars he and his brother get...and he learned township budgeting at the knee of Center's master tutors.

    In short: it's an attitude, Abdul. They're entitled. Ask them.

    As for Young--when will Republicans realize he's only one shade brighter than the Burtons?
  • me
    SAY IT AINT SO AGAIN!
    Abdul, do some research on this. 2,3,4 yrs ago...they go by so quick. We had what was suppose to be a one time property tax (take it like a man, no doesnt mean no) hit for a fire bond or something for wayne fire. It was a 200.00 hit for most. When twnshps were twnshps wayne fire was the best...but...times r tough! Fire and Schools in Marion Cty need to consolidate! It is ridiculous to have so many school, fire, twnships. Its called community...Marion Cty community. Ok, better wake up from my dream.
  • Alex Ralston
    Abdul-

    Not to be picky, but this is a request for a spending increase, not necessarily a tax increase. At least (maybe) not this year.

    The key will be whether or not this additional appropriation will be made from an existing fund balance in the Fire Protection Territory Fund (surplus funds).

    Nonetheless, it's clear that the township's fire department is more expensive than the 2009 appropriation (and likely the 2009 property tax levy, whenever the state gets around to certifying it).

    Bottom line: this doesn't bode well for future township fire protection tax rates in Wayne Township. Rates that already went up something like 160% just a few years ago.
  • Concerned Taxpayer & Citiz
    I believe if you check, you will find they have approximately $3,000,000 cash in two or three different funds (excess).

    Money they are "saving for a rainy day."
blog comments powered by Disqus