A TALE OF TWO PROPOSALS
Two measures were introduced at last night’s City-County Council meeting; one would reduce the Public Safety Tax by 0.5 percent. Sponsor Vernon Brown says part of the tax was increased to cover the pre-1977 police pension debt, but since the state has now picked up that burden, Brown says the money should be returned to the taxpayers. Mayor Greg Ballard says he wants to repeal the entire tax increase, however he wants to do it as part of government reform and overhaul.
I always said the tax increase was a bad idea at the time because Hoosiers were facing massive increases in their property taxes. In the wake of events at the Legislature, I would rather keep the tax in place and use it to ease the burden on property taxpayers. Officials continue to look for ways to cut spending and find efficiencies.
The second proposal (actually there are two versions pending before the Council) would alter the city personnel code and allow the Mayor to name a fire chief from outside the Indianapolis Fire Department. Currently the chief must come from within IFD. The Mayor wants to change the rule and do a nationwide search. The fire fighters union is very skeptical of the plan, saying the best candidates for chief would come from within the department because they would understand the culture of IFD. My thought, the best person should be hired for the job, regardless of where they are from.
