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Reality Checks and Balances

If there was ever another reason to get rid of township government, this is it.  The Wayne Township Board is voting on the following  tonight…

  1. A pay increase for board members.
  2. Payments into the Public Employees Retirement Fund for board members.
  3. Health insurance for board members.

Right now board members make about $8500 a year.  That’s about $700 per monthly meeting.

I know of at least one board member who is voting yes.  Democrat Anna Peay.  In an e-mail I obtained she writes, and I am not making this up…

“I am voting yes on the pay increases and the option for benefits.  I do not want to end up like the city county council [sic] who hasn’t had a raise in 20 years.”

To the best of my knowledge, Republican board member Lisa Bentley is a “no” vote.  I’m not sure where all the other board members are, but if you’re a Wayne Township resident you might want to contact the township office and voice your opinion.

I think it’s damn foolish the  township board would vote itself these benefits in this economic climate where most regular people are lucky to keep their jobs, let alone retirement plans and health care.  Not to mention the property tax caps that fully kick in next year as well.

Refresh my memory, what purpose does township government serve again?

The Board Meeting is at 6 p.m. at the Wayne Township Government Center, 5401 West Washington Street.  (317) 241-4191

Posted: 12|10|09 at 6:00 am by Abdul Hakim-Shabazz
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  • Dave
    In every conceivable way, billions of dollars in ways, a Constitutionally disinterested, Indiana GA, has completely ignored the Reality Checks & Balances of debt limits as established in Article 13; from public corporations which slalom this existing Constitutional cap (our law since March, 1881), to Hallmark quality, special interest drafts called referenda...

    Along with the distraction of township spending problems (yes, Wayne Township sounds like yet another problem), there are gimmicks like 1 / 2 / 3 tax caps; stomping mice while ignoring an oncoming stampede of elephants.

    Packaged or bracketed divisiveness, 1 / 2 / 3, is a product of hate-crime-styled "logic," the grotesque profits of abuse excused, via trumped up class envy.
  • malercous
    I'm not sure what townships govern in Indiana, but in Illinois they cover township parks, water (and sometimes sewer) in unincorporated areas, fire protection and road maintainance (again in unincorporated areas), LIHEAP and other general assistance programs, property tax assessment and the relevant property tax exemptions/reductions.
    So they actually do have a purpose, albeit one that has grown more attenuated as urbanization increases. In rural areas they are still an important form of government.
    By-the-by, did you notice that that old bastard Vince Immel finally died? Pure spite and the ability to intimidate, discourage & fail law students must have kept him alive for at least 2 decades. (No, he didn't fail me)
    I know that if one can't say something good about the dead, one should not say anything at all, so let me just say this; Vince Immel is dead, and that is good.
    Reason's Grettings.
  • Think Again
    Or better yet, Jon, do away with townships and their testosterone-driven FDs altogether.

    Without proper oversight, township government buys buildings they don't need. And leases space for long terms. And raises tax moneys they don't need to raise.

    A larger county-wide entity can do the same thing. At least the oversight body, the City-County Council, has other duties to justify their salaries.
  • joneaster
    Ummm.....this discussion started about the township board.

    I have friends on that board, but I must say that if I were on it, I would reject the pay raise and benefits and vote no on this proposal. The Township Board should not be a salaried job anyway, IMO. It should operate like the Decatur Township Fire Merit Commission does...on a per meeting payment. If you meet 10 times, then you get paid for meeting 10 times.

    Township Advisory Board positions don't strike me as the types of positions that need an 8.5K salary or benefits. Let's reserve that dough for firefighters.
  • melyssa
    TA...you've got way more power than you know. We all do. One person can change the world. Just look at Dr. King, Ghandi, Rosa Parks, Mother Teresa, and Princess Diana for starters.
  • Think Again
    Many thanks, Melyssa.

    No time to write my own blog. I have tremendous appreciation for those who do. It's a lot of work.

    I prefer to drop in regularly and snark/leave. It's much easier.

    But I am an equal-opportunity snarker. I fought for a long time to make my party the majority in this county, and I'm proud of some of the current officeholders. But the township folks ought to hang their heads in shame. It's a pitiful display of raw power...just because they can.

    We labored too long as a minority to behave like that.

    But, I'll admit, I'm not in a position of power to do anything about it. Except lament the actions, and vote.
  • Think Again
    LMAO Thundermutt.

    The WashTwp board is out of control, too. They rasied millions via levies, that they did not need once they lost their fire department to the IFD merger. Now they're ensconsed in new nice offices on a long-term lease that obligates taxpayers long beyond the functional life of township government.

    Yeah, it was Dmeocrats who did it. Of which I'm ashamed.
  • melyssa
    TA...I wish you would start a blog. You could be the democrat version of Welsh and Ogden who tattle on the citizen usery and absusery that goes on within the Republican Party.

    Sadly not a single democrat blogger (that I've seen) is anything but partisan D.
  • Taxpayer 834512
    Agreed
  • Mel, Pat over at Had Enough Indy is a Democrat, as well as the guy who runs IPOPA.
  • melyssa
    I like the IPOPA blog and think he's the best of the bunch. However, does he dole out the criticism equally to the Democrats as he does to the Republicans?
  • That's something you'd have to decide for yourself. I honestly haven't read either long enough to have an overall judgement. I just know I enjoy their writing, their biases are upfront, and they aren't just a mouthpiece like say Frugal Hoosiers or the Indianapolis Times are.
  • Thundermutt
    I have to agree with TA on this one re M-K. (I owned a house there from the mid 80's until a couple of years after the first property-tax jump.) We did underpay for years and years, compared with friends in the Townships and suburban cities with comparably-priced houses.

    It was a nice indirect taxpayer subsidy for the North Deanery Catholic schools, though.
  • Think Again
    Uh, Disruptive Element, you might want to check reality:

    The very reason MK is now paying unfairly more than ever before, is because for decades, they paid LESS than their appropriate share.

    Pendulums have a way of swinging back and forth, ultimately ending in the middle where they belong.

    You and some other posters here won't like hearing this, but for the approx. period 1965-2000, do you know which segment overpaid their property taxes? Commercial property.

    It was a crude ruse on taxpayers, crafted by wiley legislators. By 1973, they saw the handwriting on the wall: this is going to crash and burn. So they adopted Bowen's 73 tax plan, which began the Property Tax Replacement Fund.

    That disgusting new grab-bag was funded with a doubling of the sales tax. Some of that new sales tax went to residential property tax relief, or MK and other neighborhoods would've seen bigger increases sooner.

    I gotta hand it to Republicans. They saw the problem early. And they feathered their own nests with a solution that disguised itself for the better part of three decades. Then it all came tumbling down.

    This entire lousy system of assessment/taxation was based on that unequal rationing. And a horribly inefficient townshipa ssessment system that was, at best, mediocre and inconsistent. Now it's unraveled big-time.
  • Nick
    How about higher residential water and sewer rates that subsidize lower rates for high volume commercial users?

    That is getting out of control with the unfunded EPA mandates.
  • Nick
    Bottled water plants are some of the worst offenders.

    Get discounted municipal water and resell it for a huge profit to consumers that fear the municipal water coming from their water tap.

    Heck, its the best scam since pet rocks.

    P.S.
    Greenwood and state economic developers just gave $1.2 million in property tax abatments, tax credits and training grants on top of discounted water rates for a new water bottling plant on the Indianapolis southside in return a few minimum wage jobs moving crates of bottled water. At lease Coke, Gatorade, and Pepsi add some value to the water they resell.
  • Taxpayer 8346512
    It would be simpler if the feudal kingdom flailing were limited by party. But, I believe it was exclusively Democrats that voted a 60+% raise at the Washington Towhship board meeting on a very cold night (one year ago?). There definitely was not a would-be economic "recovery" at the time.
    .
    Amen to dissolving townships except a backstop for poor relief distribution. I hope for Becky Williams or somebody as knowledgable for county Czarina. They've got to include market reality in assessments or we've got more items above for John Doe.
  • melyssa
    I gotta admit I've got a soft spot for that Becky Williams.
  • disruptive element
    Not to get off track but John Does' comment=
    "#4: Eventually the state bailout of people in neighborhoods like Meridian-Kessler (basically a bailout of inner city ghetto school districts) will require more taxation."
    State Bailout? Meridian Kessler keeps a good portion of the budget afloat not the other way around, paying taxes higher than Carmel etc. P.S. If it wasn't for MK area getting their usual tax screwing and initiating the property tax fight for all you ingrates you'd still be sitting there complaining without action.
  • melyssa
    Not only do we pay the highest property taxes, most MK residents pay extra for private school tuition so they don't have to send their kids to Dr. White's hellhole of a school system!
  • Think Again
    Abdul, it's too early for this.....the Posse Comatatus nutjob on your show this morning, John Doe's continuing off-subject sky-is-falling rants.....

    Gimme Rico any day.
  • Rico
    Awww shucks, TA. I knew there was a place for me in your heart.
  • John Doe
    Anyone who isn't preparing for the complete collapse of this country had best get things in order. This is yet another example of how damn near _everyone_ wants to steal other people's money. Look at the possible tax hikes we might have coming:
    #1: Wishard will hike property taxes if they have an interruption in their income stream.
    #2: More regional taxes are needed to run the property managed by the CIB.
    #3: Calls for even more regional taxes to fund mass transit.
    #4: Eventually the state bailout of people in neighborhoods like Meridian-Kessler (basically a bailout of inner city ghetto school districts) will require more taxation.
    #5: Lawsuits against the property tax caps could easily destroy the caps, thus once again allowing government to jack taxes.
    #6: The Bush tax cuts are going to be allowed to expire.
    #7: Energy taxes are going to go through the roof, along with costs, if Cap and Trade passes.
    #8: For the "rich," whoever they are, the government wants to tax them even more. (They keep lowering the dollar amount on who the rich are that will be taxed).

    This country is an invalid construct. Total collapse is imminent.
  • John Doe
    Anyone who isn't preparing for the complete collapse of this country had best get things in order. This is yet another example of how damn near _everyone_ wants to steal other people's money. Look at the possible tax hikes we might have coming:
    #1: Wishard will hike property taxes if they have an interruption in their income stream.
    #2: More regional taxes are needed to run the property managed by the CIB.
    #3: Calls for even more regional taxes to fund mass transit.
    #4: Eventually the state bailout of people in neighborhoods like Meridian-Kessler (basically a bailout of inner city ghetto school districts) will require more taxation.
    #5: Lawsuits against the property tax caps could easily destroy the caps, thus once again allowing government to jack taxes.
    #6: The Bush tax cuts are going to be allowed to expire.
    #7: Energy taxes are going to go through the roof, along with costs, if Cap and Trade passes.
    #8: For the "rich," whoever they are, the government wants to tax them even more. (They keep lowering the dollar amount on who the rich are that will be taxed).

    This country is an invalid construct. Total collapse is imminent.
  • melyssa
    I'm preparing for a complete collapse of the country. I think there is a good chance we'll see the complete collapse of the dollar next year.

    Our country is being run by sociopaths. Don't believe me? Research the traits of the sociopath.

    If you expect a tax refund next year, file as early as possible in January. If you recall, the broke state of California issued I.O.U.s last year.
  • Think Again
    A very sad commentary. Shame on them.

    But this township has a history of arrogance. When the Republicans controlled things, the trustee built up the fire department to a huge power base. They incorporated the FD, and when a new trustee came in, about eight years ago I think the FD had the nerve to tell the trustee: "the township doesn't own the FD."

    It was an ugly and costly battle.

    Something about townships, and their God-given fire departments, makes grown adults behave like children.

    The only real solution is county-wide. It's out of control, beyond all reasonable boundaries.

    Another thing--this kind of suggestion by the trustee, endears him to the board. They'll love him for life now.
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