My Democratic friends are circulating a Night Before Chirstmas parody that mentions yours truly.  So not to be out done, and to show I’m a good sport, I took a sneak peak at the Marion  County Democratic Chairman’s Christmas carol collection and noted the following titles. Enjoy

• All I Want for Christmas is a Tax Increase
• Little Dummer Boy
• Did You Hear What I Hear (On Abdul’s radio show)
• Oh Kennedy, Oh Kennedy
• O Little Town of  Greg Ballard
• Here Come Democrats
• I’ll Have a Blue Pant Suit Christmas Without You (tribute to Jill Long Thompson)
• Up on the Pea Shake Rooftop
• Simply Having A Wonderful Taxing Time
• Run, Run Rudolph.  Just Not For Mayor
• God Rest Ye Precinct Committeemen
• Grandma Got Run Over By Minton-McNeil
• White Christmas*
• Rudolph, the Red-ink Reindeer
• O Come Peterson Faithful

You can create your own lyrics and with the White Chirstmas remark, I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.

I’m on “vacation”  for the next couple weeks.  The following is a guest column by Kevin Teasley, The President of  the Indianapolis-based GEO Foundation.

The state’s call for savings in education combined with the public’s on-going need to improve schools can appear to be quite a challenge and indeed it is.  However, this challenge isn’t anything new to the state’s public charter schools.  Most charter schools already operate on funds equal to half the total funding traditional schools receive.  Public charter schools don’t receive funds for their buildings—yet they have them—and they don’t receive funds for transportation—yet many provide bus transportation to their students.  They also don’t receive extra dollars for debt retirement (like traditional schools), either, yet they certainly have debt.  On top of this, some charter schools actually go beyond a traditional K-12 school and pay for their students to earn college credits while they are still in high school.  How do they do this?

Check the administration costs at charter schools and compare them to traditional schools.  You won’t see many people not in the classroom.  Check the transportation expenses, too.  You will see many schools have contracted out for this service and/or they are using used buses.  And the bus drivers don’t just drive a bus and call it quits for the day.  Some drivers actually spend their days in the schools they serve helping out with other school needs.  Some schools share their buses with other schools to save even more money.  Check the health insurance plans, too.  Some schools saved money by not using a broker.  Most don’t offer a gold plated package.   I don’t know of any charter school superintendent (they don’t exist) or principal getting a car allowance, or professional memberships paid for by the school, either.

Charter schools don’t have empty buildings on their expense sheet, either.  They don’t have to maintain empty buildings—that saves money. In fact, many are trying to obtain existing empty public school buildings (without much success).  And when they do get buildings, they do everything they can to keep the interest rates low.  Many have gone the New Market Tax Credit route saving thousands of dollars in lower interest rates.  Traditional schools pass bonds and these expenses onto the taxpayer, charters don’t.

Several charter schools don’t even have a gym.  Herron and Fountain Square Academy don’t have gyms.  Both made AYP last year and both were among the city’s top schools in PL221 improvement last year.  Both are located in buildings that served different purposes prior to being converted to their current school purpose.  Fountain Square Academy has one of the highest levels of at risk student populations in the city, too (the school is located just blocks away from Manual High School).

Fall Creek Academy and Charles A. Tindley Accelerated school are among several charter high schools that provide college access to their students.  Fall Creek Academy has more high school students taking college level classes at Ivy Tech than any other charter school in Indianapolis.  Tindley students can earn college credits from Anderson University free of charge on the Tindley campus.  Both schools have seniors graduating with more than 30 college credits in 2010.

The state’s schools can cut costs AND improve education outcomes—public charter schools already are.

Although I’m in “vacation” mode I still intend to do some blogging.  And from some reading I’ve done in the local blogosphere lately, I couldn’t do it to soon.

Some of my Democratic friends are screaming bloody murder over the Governor’s announced $300 million cuts to K-12 education funding.  Nevermind the fact that state revenue forecasts (which have a worse track record than the Chicago Cubs last season) showed Indiana coming in with $1.8 billion less over the course of the biennium.  Nevermind almost every other area in state government is experiencing budget cuts.  Nevermind average people are having to make due with less.

My counterpart at Indy Democrat is demanding to know “where the money went”?  The answer is real is  it’s going to keep this state running.  Some Democrats think this is some grand conspiracy to cut public education, here’s a news flash people,  Indiana has managed to hold out a lot better than other place for a lot longer, but it’s not immune to the national economy.

Think of it this way.  Your job has been kind of iffy lately, sales are down and your boss starts cutting back hours in various departments.  Your department is more efficient than most, but you’re still not immune so you put money in your savings account.  You and your wife debate about whether you should tap into it to pay day to day expenses.  You say yes, she says no, because things could get worse.   Everyday the news gets worse, and you still debate whether to tap into your savings.  However one day your boss comes in and says you’re taking a pay cut, ironically, one that’s equal to the amount in your savings account.

That’s “where the surplus went.”  It’s going to help this state meet it’s budget obligations for the rest of the budget cycle.   Frankly I think some of my Democratic friends should stop talking about the budget.   If my memory serves me correctly, had the Governor listened to his critics,   he would have tapped into the reserves a long time ago and Indiana would really be up a creek without a paddle.

Luckily no one took them seriously then, seems like good advice to follow now.

I wanted to give you a heads up that I’m going to be taking a few days off.  It’s the end of the year and it’s “use them or lose them” vacation time.  I’m not going anywhere, but I’m giving Indiana Barrister a little rest.

I’ll do some postings during the week on a few items I’ve had on the back burner for a while (my upcoming visit to traffic court, charter schools, education funding, the perpetual whining of some people, end of year stuff, etc.)

The posts will be about every other day so check back regularly.

Enjoy your weekend.

I’ve got some other work to do today so this post will be real quick.

Like I hinted at weeks ago, the city is naming Frank Straub, the former Public Safety Commissioner of White Plains, NY as the new Public Safety Director. 

Indiana Superintendent Tony Bennett says teachers unions may have renegotiate local contracts and forego pay raises and pay more for health insurance in order to avoid layoffs.

IPS Superintendent Dr. Eugene White actually said in an interview that IPS’ money problem would be solved if they were made exempt from the property tax caps.

Governor Mitch Daniels says Indiana is still an island of growth compared to other Midwestern states, however the sea levels have risen.   The full interview will be up later this weekend.

City-County Council Presidential nominee Ryan Vaughn says any proposed smoking ban will be put on hold indefinitely.

Local attorney/blogger Paul Ogden got a smackdown yesterday from the Courts.

Editor’s note:  For all you people who obsess over Article 8, 13 and any other provision of the Indiana Constitution might I suggest you start your own blog, get your own radio show, hire your own attorney, sue the State and move on, because you guys are getting real old and wearing out your welcome.   And I am five seconds from removing your comments because you guys  are really annoying.

Okay, we all know that the state revenue forecast has Indiana in some pretty dire straits and Governor Mitch Daniels is calling for $300 million in cuts from education.   Now while some people may argue that the dark clouds have finally hit, I maintain there is a ray of  sunshine in all this.

Maybe, just maybe, we can use this opportunity to talk about consolidating the ADMINISTRATIVE,  NON-CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION functions of schools.  I put that in all caps so there is no confusion as to what I’m talking about.   How many human resources, janitorial services, lunchroom cafeteria, supply purchase people does a school district need?  Couldn’t some of that be consolidated or outsourced?

And instead of laying off teachers, how about school districts share them to teach classes which they could not afford on their own?  And how about using the latest technology to teach multiple students in multiple districts.

This financial crisis is the perfect opportunity for educators to unlock their creative potential and deliver education in an effective and efficient manner.

Think of this as a teaching opportunity.

*My apologies to Bill Withers and The Capitol Steps.

Indiana lawmakers got the bad news today.  The state faces a $1.8 billion revenue shortfall by the end of the biennium.  Governor Daniels talks about it in the link below.  If the forecast is true not only is the $1 billion “surplus” gone, but the state is $800 million in the hole.  I doubt there is anyway schools (K-12) can avoid the pinch any longer.  Of course, they could start seriously looking at consolidation and more sharing of non-educational resources.  The same goes for local governments with property tax caps and caps on assessments.  Maybe there is a silver lining in all this.  I’ll have more analysis tomorrow.  But  here’s the link for now.

Mitch Daniels

Okay, here’s the follow up to yesterday.

Contrary to popular opinion, Indiana lawmakers are not stupid and see the handwriting on the wall when it comes to property tax caps by overwhelmingly voting them out of committee.  In addition, the committee also overwhelmingly voted to cap tax bills to the previous year, plus the consumer price index.  That bill will likely get heavily amended on the full floor, but it looks like a race to provide Hoosiers with the most relief and local governments are going to feel it.

Lawmakers also voted out of the Ways and Means Committee to halt any further privatization of FSSA intake.  The measure won’t go anywhere and I doubt it will be a major campaign issue.  After all, while most people may feel sorry for the poor, they have enough problems of their own.

The City-County Council is choosing new leadership.  Council Republicans picked Ryan Vaughn as their nominee (insert Barnes and Thornburg conspiracy here) for President and Marilyn Pfisterer for Vice-President.  The full Council will vote on the nominees in January.  Mike McQuillan was voted Majority Leader and Susie Day was voted Majority Whip.  And in case you were wondering, Vaughn will not sit on the Capitol Improvement Board, McQuillan will likely be the appointment.  And the proposed smoking ban is being indefinitely postponed because there is no room for anyone to compromise.

And Former Mayor Bart Peterson did quietly endorse Melina Kennedy for Mayor.  One Democratic Party insider told me “It’s like the Joe  Kernan endorsement of Jim Schellinger.  Some people will care and it’s a definite plus, but at the end of the day, he lost.”  Potential challenger Jose Evans was more direct.  “That won’t deter me from moving forward.  Last I remember, Bart lost in ’07.”

Today was one of those busy days, it started at 4 a.m. and ended about 10 p.m.  It included an FSSA Privatization moratorium hearing, property tax caps, last meeting of the City-County Council for 2009.  I’m too tired to write, so I’m uploading today’s conversations.  I’ll play analyst tomorrow.  I have another 4 a.m. wake-up call.

AFSCME’s Lettie Oliver on FSSA modernization

House Democrat Scott Pelath on tax caps.

House Republican Jeff Espich on tax caps.

CCC President Bob Cockrum on the Council’s year in review.

CCC Democratic Leader Joanne Sanders on the Council’s year in review.

CCC Libertarian Ed Coleman on the Council’s year in review.

CCC Republican Presidential nominee Ryan Vaughn on the Council’s year in review.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and predict that in 2010, Indiana lawmakers will pass putting property tax caps on the ballot for the November election.

“Wow, Abdul, you really did go all out on that one!”   Tell me about it.

Seriously though, I base this assumption on some new data from the State of Indiana concerning property taxes.   The average Hoosier property taxpayer pays about 30% less in property taxes than he or she did in 2007.

In Marion County, about 90% of property taxpayers saw some decrease in their tax bills between 2007 and 2009, 83% of that had decreases between 20 and 60%.    Because of that I frankly don’t see how lawmakers (i.e. House Democrats) can vote against putting tax caps on the ballot without suffering serious political consequences.

Already Democrats have to deal with the political climate of mid-term elections which doesn’t favor the party in power.  In addition,  Republicans have fielded or will field between 20-30, mostly credible, challengers for the House of Representatives.  And while there may not be much political capital in voting for tax caps, there are consequences for voting against them.

The one ace that I believe House Speaker Pat Bauer does hold in his hand is the desire to put caps on assessments as well.   As much as I have always supported tax caps, I have always thought homeowners could use the extra protection of caps on assessments;  absent the home being recently sold which would determine the new assessed value.

Of course the big criticism of caps is that is puts local governments in a vice.  Although there are a lot of people in local government around Indiana that I respect, I’ve never fully bought that argument either.  The Legislature has given the locals plenty of tools to make up for loss revenue and local governments have dragged their feet on consolidation and reform, which would immensely help them deliver services in a more efficient manner.

A committee vote on the tax caps could could come this week in the House of Representatives.   And as much as some House Democrats may dislike the notion of tax caps, they dislike the notion of Speaker Brian Bosma even more.

*Editor’s note: I did not talk about property tax repeal because that is not going to happen because I live in this place called the real world.