Thanks for the update…but did someone seriously tell you that downtown Indy generates $800 million in sales tax revenue? With a straight face? And they were sober?

That number seems awfully high. But the point is sound.

That said, the anti-Indianapolis sentiment in the legislature is ridiculous, but it has been there for a long time. It took on a new fervor when a Democrat was elected mayor…like a sharp stick in the eye of the Senate and too many House members. It’s the red-haired-stepchild argument.

I doubt it’s $800 mil seems a bit high, but there’s no doubt that housing the state capital is a double-edged sword for Indy: increased need for services on land that’s not taxed, and an incredible concentration of convention business that feeds the state coffers.

Other counties have similar non-taxable-land arguments: Brown County is covered by about 60% or more state/federal parks, thus not taxed. Their schools and roads have particularly difficult funding needs not met by the traditional formulas.

We ought to be able to figure out an equitable way to solve thes eproblems without sending it to the legislature for the annual “kids taking their toys home” nonsense.

“the proposal will not only address Marion County but also deal with funding issues from across Indiana”
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Is that the best they could do to get buy-in from outside folks? That must be for the ones who haven’t been drawn into the honey trap.
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For those who haven’t figured it out, this is nothing more than theft. Some folks decided that they could make life better in Indianapolis by taking our money by decree. The result so far are unsustainable unless more of our money is taken. In the meantime, those on the profit end of the deal will continue to maintain their revenue stream.
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Our representatives are robbing us.

The entire FY2009 budget is something like $12 billion…and $800 million from downtown sales tax?

It just doesn’t make sense.

Every county has its non-taxable property – government, schools, churches, etc. – but it is doubtful that any have the percentage of property off the tax rolls for the use of for-profit businesses that Marion County does. Just think, if the Colts were a taxable enterprise, their real estate and improvements alone might add as much as a billion dollars to the assessment rolls.

Does the statewide buy in come from the alcohol tax? Makes sense to do that. If there are a few bucks for the smaller counties around, it could work. And it answers all the whiners about the tobacco tax.

Willy Sutton when asked why he robbed banks had the honesty to say that he did so because that is where the money was. Our modern day thieves have no such honesty.

All this talk of taxes and incremental areas of taxation is very disturbing. Like saying the tax on blue-eyed persons is 3% but the tax on brown-eyed persons is 4% and knowing that brown-eyed persons are a majority, then saying that proves the tax is fair. As Col. Potter(on MASH) would say HORSEHOCKEY.

Government did NOT ask We the Taxpayers if we even wanted the new Colt’s playground. They just did it.
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To get this done, our elected reprobates BRIBED the surrounding counties, and THOSE elected reprobates accepted the BRIBE — except for Morgan County.
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Bribery, coercion, and force. These are the tools of our government.
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Since these elected (and non-elected) bottom-feeders are NOT putting this to a vote to the People, may I offer a suggestion?
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What would happen if hundreds or thousands of people simply deducted the exact amount of the existing food & beverage taxes from their bill?
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I mean, if it only amounts to a few pennies, as advocates FOR the tax say, then it shouldn’t be a big deal.
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You would need to pay cash in the exact amount to make this work. Of course, the person taking the money will ‘protest’ that you didn’t pay your bill. Of course, you would counter that you DID pay the establishment for the items you purchased. You are also paying the State sales tax.
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You are simply deducting the exact amount of the bill that would go towards funding the egregious tax that was passed without representation.
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Of course, the establishment might threaten to call the police. Swell. You can either wait for them to arrive, or simply depart.
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Of course, this would work best with large groups of people descending upon an establishment and agreeing to do this.
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This is called Civil Disobedience.
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IF you decide to challenge the government tax in a government court, don’t forget the following…
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“In all criminal cases whatever, the jury shall have the right to determine the law and the facts.” — Art 1 Sec 19
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The above is quite important. Judges and Persecutors will tell people (and juries) that they can ONLY decide the FACTS. This is clearly a LIE, as our Indiana Constitution states above.
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Juries in Indiana can ‘nullify’ a law that they do not agree with, by returning a Not Guilty verdict.
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Nonviolent Civil Disobedience, folks. However, sit back and watch how ‘nonviolent’ government will be.
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Laws are only words written on paper, words that change on society’s whim and are interpreted differently daily by politicians, lawyers, judges, and policemen. Anyone who believes that all laws should always be obeyed would have made a fine slave catcher. Anyone who believes that all laws are applied equally, despite race, religion, or economic status, is a fool. ~John J. Miller, And Hope to Die
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If… the machine of government… is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law. ~Henry David Thoreau, On the Duty of Civil Disobediance, 1849
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Dare to do things worthy of imprisonment if you mean to be of consequence. ~Juvenal
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Human history begins with man’s act of disobedience which is at the very same time the beginning of his freedom and development of his reason. ~Erich Fromm, Psychoanalysis and Religion

Just maybe Indy is not ready for “big town” situation. If a venue can not pay for itself then it should not be. Is this not what is being told GM and others–if you have planned wrong, produced wrong, then suck it up and fold up your tent and go home. Time for Indy to fest up to big time mistakes, time to realize that raising the cost to whole state is wrong, time to remember old points of supply and demand that conventions will go elsewhere if cost keep going up, etc. etc. Time to face reality.

Robert – excellent remarks. Unless as a society we’ve agreed to become a “managed” population who simply nods “yes” every time we are issued a new tax, we must agree as a society to combat it. That is why our foes in government and false media seek to create a left/right mentality rather than a right/wrong or constitutional/unconstitutional mentality.
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The only thing that can drive lasting change is like-minded unification against unjust government activities.
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Also, your clarification re: jury function is accurate. Judges who instruct juries on what they may/may not find are acting in overt opposition to the law. Potential jurors should be aware of that fact.

“Also, your clarification re: jury function is accurate. Judges who instruct juries on what they may/may not find are acting in overt opposition to the law. Potential jurors should be aware of that fact.” — Shorebreak @ 10
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Shore, thank you for your above remarks. You did a great job distilling my feelings into one paragraph.
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Abdul is taking off to get his CPEs for his law profession. I wonder what they are teaching him about jury nullification (smile).
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Abdul was making ‘light’ of his law degree, and/or the requirement for CPEs to maintain his ‘license’.
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ABDUL: What is your opinion of the following:
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“Every person of good moral character, being a voter, shall be entitled to admission to practice law in all Courts of justice.” — Article 7 Section 21 (1851 Constitution – Repealed November 8, 1932).
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We operated for 81 years with 7-21 in place. All of the sudden, in 1932, it was decided that only BAR-certified lawyer could practice before the bench.
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What else happened in 1932 ??? Why, Article 10 Section 8 happened:
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“The general assembly may levy and collect a tax upon income, from whatever source derived, at such rates, in such manner, and with such exemptions as may be prescribed by law.”