Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard is testifying this morning before the House Ways & Means Committee on the Governor’s Circuit breaker plan which would put hard caps on property tax assessments.

Ballard told the committee he supports the caps in the wake of eliminating property taxes.  However, he also said the best thing the state could do is give Marion County the tools it needs to solve its own problems.  Those tools include government consoldation (particularly the township fire and trustee offices).  

State Representative Peggy Welsh asked if the Mayor would support an increase in the Local Option Income Tax to offset the tax caps.  Ballard told her it would not fly in Marion County.  Ballard also told the committee he is also looking at saving from not renewing some large city contracts and reviewing city processes.

Ballard also said the state could help out by picking up the costs of the city’s police and fire pensions which cost the taxpayers about $26 million last year. 

Committee Chairman Bill Crawford pointed out the revenue losses from a number of city agencies such as Indy Go, the Library and Health and Hospital.  The agencies would lose about $16 million under the tax caps, however a more telling story is that the Mayor does not have direct control over each of these municipal corporations which are allowed to spend the taxpayers money with no real direct accountability.  This, in my opinion, is an even bigger issue.

And despite the “cuts” Representative Jeff Espich pointed out that government will still grow at an average four percent a year, so over a three-year period, with an average of a five percent cut in government funding, the locals would still come out ahead with seven percent more of the taxpayers money.   The cut, Espich says, is a one time loss.

The committee did not take a vote on the bill. 

In retrospect though, all this continues to prove to me that there is too much government in Indiana and it’s time for sharp cuts and bigger consolidation and let the chips fall where they may.

City-County Council Minority Leader Joanne Sanders has penned an editorial in today’s Indianapolis Star calling on fellow Councilors Ben Hunter and Lincoln Plowman to abstain from voting on tonight’s proposal to transfer IMPD from the Sheriff to the Mayor.  She says the vote will be a test of integrity because the Republicans pledged not to cast votes where there is a potential conflict of interest.

Excuse me while I bust a gut laughing. 

If Sanders is going to talk about members abstaining from votes with a potential conflict of interest, then she may want to think twice about the next time she offers up a proposal supporting unions when she works for one.  I also did not see her call for fellow Councilor Marty Adams to abstain from voting because her husband works for IMPD, nor Councilor Vernon Brown who is a firefighter and the Mayor, who would get the department,  is his boss.   There was no call for anyone to abstain two years ago when this first came for a vote.

And don’t even get me started on Monroe Gray.

I also find it ironic that Sanders says she respects Hunter and Plowman for the sacrifices they make for public safety, but just a couple weeks ago, Saunders told a gathering of fellow Democrats that there needs to be more oversight of the police to “diffuse the arrogance that comes along with carrying a police badge.”

I am not a fan of  government employees serving on the boards they work for, but until the system is changed, this is the hand we are dealt.   And if the pot is going to call the kettle African-American, it should take a good look in the mirror first.

A number of Mayors from across Indiana are going to testify this morning before the House Ways and Means Committee about the impact of Governor Mitch Daniels’ proposed caps on property tax assessments. 

Most of them will complain that the caps will hurt their budgets and they will have to cut police and fire.  As much as I respect local officials, I truly wonder if any of these guys get it sometimes.   The purpose of the hard caps is to protect the taxpayers from huge shifts in their tax bills. 

And the money the local officials spend is the taxpayers’ money.  It is not their money!  When property taxpayers were up in arms and many seniors were afraid of losing their homes over high tax bills, where were these officials?   What were they doing to stem the tide of fear and dissent?  A lot of them were nowhere to be found.  But now they are crawling out of the woodwork (especially the schools) to keep their hands on the taxpayers’ hard-earned money. 

Here’s a thought.  If these hard caps which are designed to protect the taxpayer, will do so much damage then pass them.  If the human outcry for the loss of these services will be so loud, then pass the caps and wait and see how long the taxpayers come back and demand these services be restored. 

I get the feeling a lot of people will be waiting for a long time.

I was out last night and picked up quite a few tidbits of information that I think are worth sharing so here they are.

There may be an issue in Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson serving on the Merit Board as part of the deal to turn over IMPD to the Mayor. The word is the Merit Board is supposed to be composed of civilians and Anderson is a merit officer, thus creating a conflict of interest so he may not be able to take the seat offered to him by the Mayor’s office.

Speaking of Mayor, Greg Ballard, when he goes to testify Monday before the House Ways and Means Committee on the affect of the Governor’s tax caps, he’s expected to tell the committee that Indianapolis will survive if it can get the tools it needs to reform local government.

By the way, it also looks like Ballard raised quite a bit of cash at his inaugural ball. My sources tell me it was more than $1 million.

Speaking of cash, Lawrence Mayor Paul Ricketts won’t be accepting a proposed $15,000 raise for taking over the Water Company. Ricketts says the law doesn’t allow an elected official to change his or her salary during their term in office. He says he’ll still assume the duties of controlling the water company, but the money should go to the employees.

There is also word this morning that State Senator Mike Delph has a hearing this morning with the military. The Army Reserves is investigating Delph and Lt. Colonel Ray Meija, who appeared in uniform while advocating Delph’s illegal immigration bill that would crack down on employers who hire illegals. It is a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice to engage in political activity while in uniform or on military duty. Delph is a reserve Captain.

And Andre Carson has unveiled the first television ad in the race for the 7th Congressional District.

Hope your weekend is just as interesting.

This just in.  Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard has accepted an invitation by House Democrats to testify Monday before the House Ways and Means Committee on the impact of Senate Joint Resolution One about the potential impact of property tax reform on the city.   The meeting is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in Room 404.

Indiana House Democrats have invited Mayor Greg Ballard to come testify before the Ways and Means Committee about how the Governor’s plan would impact the city of Indianapolis.   Many municipalities say they will lose millions under the Governor’s circuit breakers and property tax caps, and Democrats would expect the Mayor to say the same.

I spoke to Ballard Thursday night.  He told me he hasn’t received the invitation but he is communicating with the Marion County delegation about property taxes and government reform.  He also says he has no desire to be used as a political football against Governor Daniels.

Stay tuned.

I’ve been running some scenarios on the 7th Congressional District and it will be interesting how the vote will split.   If there is an anti-incumbent mood Andre Carson wins because the other candidates split the anti-establishment vote.  David Orenlichter can also score a victory if Carson, Carolene Mays, and Woody Myers split the African-American vote.  I think Carolene Mays can pull off a victory if Carson loses in the special election, she can tap into the African-American community which would be crucial to any victory in the 7th District.  Your thoughts. 

The anti-gambling people are up in arms because the Legislature is moving forward with a plan to legalize pull tabs in bars, taverns and resteraunts.  When it comes to gambling, the Libertarian in me takes a seat at the front of the bus.  I don’t have a problem with it as long as it’s regulated and kept in perspective.

A Cherry Master (it’s not in the legislation by the way) at a local bar is no big deal.  A pull tab in a bar is no big deal.  I have yet to understand this continued puritanical opposition to a voluntary activity.   And please spare me the “this will destroy families because people will drop their entore paychecks into a slot machine.”  The person who is going to drop ther paycheck into pull tabs is doing it already.

The anti-gambling folks need to get a grip,  grab a drink and relax.  Gambling is a voluntary activity and as long as it’s regulated, I could really care less.

State Representative Carolene Mays says the support is there to back her run in the May primary for the 7th Congressional District.  Mays lost her party’s nomination for the seat vacated  by the late Julia Carson.  Mays called it an “inside party vote” so she was not surprised at the outcome.   She says she’s running in the May primary because the people should decide who gets to represent them and not the powers that be. 

 Mays also says she’s worried Democrats could lose the March 11 special election because of the timing of the election.  She doesn’t worry about splitting the vote in the primary, saying democracy is not a bad thing.

She promotes her experience in the legislature, work in the community and cross-over appeal as a the reason why voters should support here.  She also said an independent poll she conducted had her more competitive against Republican Jon Elrod than any other Democratic candidate.

The Indiana primary is May 6.

As someone who is in the talk radio business, I find it deliciously ironic that the conservative chatter class is freaking out over a John McCain nomination for the Presidency.  McCain emerged Tuesday as the clear front runner in the Republican race.  The Limbaughs, Hannitys and Ingrams of the world are going crazy like R. Kelly at a girl scout camp.

They have never liked McCain and don’t trust him and questioned his credentials.  They did everything in their power to derail his nomination by pushing Mitt Romney who is on a quest to spend his children’s inheritance on a race for the White House.

And then the voters took the microphone for a while. 

While McCain has some faults and some work to do if he is going to be his party’s nominee, especially when more than half states on Super Tuesday choose someone else.

But for now, there is nothing more beautiful than watching the chatter class have to eat their words.