Comments on: The Government You Deserve

By: IndyAries

IndyAries — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:06:54 +0000

The government we deserve is government that cherishes and obeys Constitutions. We do NOT have that in our Indiana government, and we do NOT have that with our national government.

By: IndyAries

IndyAries — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 07:06:54 +0000

The government we deserve is government that cherishes and obeys Constitutions. We do NOT have that in our Indiana government, and we do NOT have that with our national government.

By: Taxpayer 834512

Taxpayer 834512 — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 23:57:12 +0000

Based on “…corrupt, dysfunctional, and politically untouchable..”, I think the Burtons were best example. We needed the right mant for the job and found him. Thank you.

By: Think Again

Think Again — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:09:44 +0000

Some of us live in an are served by as many as nine of these ridiculous artificial boundaries. The administration of these boundaries is itself an antique, and costly.

Taxpayer, what local Republican examples do you need specifically?

If it's lack of, uh, intellectual curiosity, I'd say: Phil Hinkle, Woody Burton (actually either Burton suffices), Cindy Noe, Sen. Murphy, and about half the City-County Council GOP caucus--do you need more?

If it's an example of squandering leadership potential, the hands-down decades-over winner is Mayor Ballard.

If it's brains even though I disagree with them, I nominate Rep. Bosma, Sen. Kenley, City-County Councillor Barbara Malone.

And in my "go away forever, please" category: Dan Burton, Lincoln Plowman, Patricia Miller.

Is that complete enough, Taxpayer?

It's Sunday--Woody's turn to use the Burton brain.

By: Abdul

Abdul — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:37:46 +0000

Shorebreak, you forget lot of these district overlap.

By: Puzzled

Puzzled — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 09:53:57 +0000

I agree with Shorebreak. The number of taxing districts is not the issue. No one wants to pay taxes for a service that is not available in their area. I have no desire to pay Wayne Twp, Sewer district taxes as I dont live there or any of the other taxing districts that provide services in some part of the county but not in my area. There could be consolidations though but the TAXPAYERS do not want them. For instance, there could and should be ONE school district in Marion County. That will never happen. Fire and library services are 2 more examples. IFD would be crazy now to take any more townships and assume their debts. These township fire departments will be in major financial problems now that we have a property tax cap. They had their chance to consolidate and were too provincial to do so. Let them deal with multi million dollar shortages when the tax caps begin.

By: Shorebreak

Shorebreak — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 05:14:05 +0000

Wow Abdul. Why not just make your case by list all of the tax districts in the US? To the non-thinker it looks like your trying to say “Look at how many districts are reaching in or impacting your costs.”

In reality, each of us is only impacted by one tax district. The issue isn't the number of tax districts. The issue is how YOUR tax district is performing. Your list has no value except to shock people into thinking “That's way too many!” In reality, if there were 1000 tax districts in Marion county, it wouldn't be a problem if they were managed correctly. This list seems to be nothing more than spin to attract more people towards more centralized, less representative government.

By: jerry

jerry — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:55:46 +0000

don't forget the marion county health and hospital corporation with their grandiose new $900 million Wishard Hospital that won't cost the taxpayers anything

By: Taxpayer 834512

Taxpayer 834512 — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:35:26 +0000

It's right up there with parenting. Theoretically, anybody and everybody should be able to be one. "Don't you dare tell me I can't!" Yet, we're suppossed to always, ALWAYS be there with wallet in-hand when they need a hand-out (not just a hand-up).
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We want and sometimes really do benefit from government closer and more attuned to the people- until it proves over, and over, and over again to be corrupt, dysfunctional, and politically untouchable (see IPS school board, Indiana Speaker of the House, Marion county Library board, Washington Township board). I ask myself- why do we need four or five corrupt and inept levels of govenment, when we could have three or four corrupt and inept levels of govenment? So I can watch a guy steal my money six feet away from me instead of on televison or in the paper?
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We get enough riled citizenry to make local government accountable- I'm with you. For now- we've chosen to forfeit the game.
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TA- I need some Republican examples. I know they're out there.