Archive for the ‘Property Taxes’ Category

From the Indy Star:

Legislators take steps toward property tax compromise
March 6, 2008

Gov. Mitch Daniels praised the proposal laid out this morning by House and Senate Republicans, saying it represented bipartisan compromise by giving more help to low income people to address concerns raised by Democrats.

“In the spirit of compromise, I’m prepared to sign this bill,” Daniels said of the GOP version of House Bill 1001. “It reflects the best thinking of both sides and a very fair, meet-in-the-middle solution that’s very much in the interests of Hoosier taxpayers.
He used strong words, though, for any lawmaker who might not support the plan.

“If this isn’t good enough for somebody, then they don’t want to cap property taxes,” he said.

The latest proposal on how to deliver property tax relief was made this morning by Senate and House Republicans, who stood together on the steps of a Statehouse staircase to support a plan that they said would deliver immediate and permanent relief to homeowners.

The proposal picks up some Democratic ideas, including raising the earned income tax credit for the working poor to 9 percent from the current 6 percent and giving additional property tax relief to senior citizens.

“I don’t think there’s a deal-breaker here at all,” said Senate President Pro Tempore David Long, R-Fort Wayne.

He and House Minority Leader Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, both said they hoped Democrats would join them in embracing the plan.

“This is not a partisan” plan, Bosma said.

(Read the rest of the Indy Star article here)

I don’t want to get my hopes up on this, but it looks like meaningful property tax relief may actually happen this session.   It may not be complete repeal, like many wanted, but I think this is the best thing we could have ever received short of repeal (which couldn’t happen anyway).  Governor Daniels will get his constitutionally added tax caps on residential property while the Democrats will get increased relief to the poor and to Senior Citizens. This looks like a win-win, but with “The Hair” in charge, nothing is for sure.

The real question for these legislators is, if this legislation passes, how many elected officials will have just saved their jobs. (Obvious answer here is, not elected assessors.)

Here’s a quick video the Governor just released regarding property taxes.

[youtube JgXem4GOH7M]

There has been a poll in the field recently from American Viewpoint for the House Republican Campaign Committee.

AV is a generally Republican pollster that did polling for George Bush’s reelection campaign, Dick Lugar, former senators Phil Gramm and Fred Thompson, Roy and Matt Blunt in Missouri, the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Campaign Committee, and (surprisingly) the Log Cabin Republicans.

The results from the poll of 800 Hoosiers, unsurprisingly, show a state that is looking rightward and is angry about taxes.

If the 2008 election for Indiana State House of Representatives were being held today, would you be voting for the Republican candidate or Democratic candidate?

37% Republican
32% Democrat
6% Other
23% Don’t Know
2% Refused

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mitch Daniels is handling his job as Governor?

56% TOTAL APPROVE
39% TOTAL DISAPPROVE

Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Republicans in the State Legislature are handling their job?

46% TOTAL APPROVE
38% TOTAL DISAPPROVE

Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Democrats in the State Legislature are handling their job?

37% TOTAL APPROVE
48% TOTAL DISAPPROVE

The mirror of the prior question; just how much does their gerrymandered map compensate for this among Democrats?

Which of the following issues will be personally most important to you in deciding your vote for the Indiana State House of Representatives?

20% Providing Property Tax Relief
15% Creating jobs and keeping the economy strong
9% Reducing wasteful government spending
7% Controlling illegal immigration
6% Increasing Funding for K through12 Education
6% Reforming health care
6% Holding the line on taxes
5% Insuring honesty and integrity in government
5% Improving the Quality of Education
5% Protecting traditional family values
3% Fighting crime and drugs
2% Daylight Saving Time
2% Increasing Funding for Post Secondary Education
1% Improving Indiana’s roads and highways
6% Other
2% Don’t Know
* Refused

This is interesting, but unusual in that they tend to usually allow an inclusive ranking system, rather than one where people have to pick a single option.

Now I am going to read you names of several people who are active in politics today and have you tell me if you are aware or not aware of each one. For those you know, I would like you to tell me if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of them…

Mitch Daniels

57% TOTAL FAVORABLE
37% TOTAL UNFAVORABLE

Pat Bauer

20% TOTAL FAVORABLE
18% TOTAL UNFAVORABLE

Jill Long Thompson

22% TOTAL FAVORABLE
11% TOTAL UNFAVORABLE

Only one Hoosier in three even knows who Jill Long Thompson is; not an auspicious sign after so long campaigning.

Jim Schellinger

7% TOTAL FAVORABLE
4% TOTAL UNFAVORABLE

Only one Hoosier in nine knows who Schellinger is; no wonder he fired his campaign team. If all of that money can’t at least buy you better name ID than this, then it can’t buy you anything.

If the election for President were being held today and the candidates were (ROTATE) Mike Huckabee (huck-a-bee), Republican and Hillary Clinton, Democrat for whom would you vote?

53% TOTAL HUCKABEE
35% TOTAL CLINTON

If the election for President were being held today and the candidates were Mike Huckabeee (huck-a-bee) Republican and Barack (ba-rock) Obama, Democrat for whom would you vote?

49% TOTAL HUCKABEE
36% TOTAL OBAMA

Why no polling on how McCain or Romney might do?

If the election for Governor were being held today and the candidates were Mitch Daniels, Republican and Jill Long Thompson, Democrat for whom would you vote?

53% TOTAL DANIELS
34% TOTAL LONG-THOMPSON

Interesting that they didn’t bother to poll on Schellinger (or publish it, if they did).

Would you support or oppose a change in state law that would require all tax increases approved by the General Assembly to pass with at least a 2/3 super majority vote?

76% TOTAL SUPPORT
15% TOTAL OPPOSE

They passed something like this in Colorado some years ago; it didn’t go over so well in the long run, at least for Republicans.

Would you support or oppose requiring a vote of the people by referendum on any school construction project that would be built with property tax dollars?

69% TOTAL SUPPORT
25% TOTAL OPPOSE

Referendums are made of win.

Would you favor or oppose allowing parents to enroll their child in any school they wish if their child is currently enrolled in a “failing” school as defined by the federal No Child Left Behind Act?

71% TOTAL FAVOR
22% TOTAL OPPOSE

I want to know who would tell a pollster that they want to keep children in failing schools.

Would you support or oppose a change in Indiana State law which would require that school districts begin their school year after Labor Day?

58% TOTAL SUPPORT
24% TOTAL OPPOSE

Why?

Would you favor or oppose awarding a merit pay bonus to teachers who voluntarily take a standard competency test in their core subject area every five years and publishing the list of those teachers so that parents will know which teachers are committed to continuous improvement?

74% TOTAL FAVOR
20% TOTAL OPPOSE

The teachers’ union is going to just *love* this.

As you know, the General Assembly has reconvened in Indianapolis and will consider a number of pieces of legislation over the next several months. I would now like to describe for you several of the topics the General Assembly might consider and have you tell me if you favor or oppose each one. The first is… (random order)

An amendment to the State Constitution that would define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

72% TOTAL FAVOR
23% TOTAL OPPOSE

The continued use of the death penalty in Indiana.

72% TOTAL FAVOR
21% TOTAL OPPOSE

Withholding welfare dollars to parents of children that are truant from school.

68% TOTAL FAVOR
25% TOTAL OPPOSE

Increasing penalties for drivers convicted of a traffic violation while using a cell phone.

66% TOTAL FAVOR
29% TOTAL OPPOSE

This isn’t very conservative.

A statewide smoking ban in public places.

61% TOTAL FAVOR
37% TOTAL OPPOSE

Nor is this.

Eliminate the position of township assessor and replace it with a single elected assessor for each county…meaning that all 1008 elected township assessors in Indiana would be replaced with a single elected assessor for each county.

59% TOTAL FAVOR
29% TOTAL OPPOSE

Hah! So much for the more popular form of government being the more local one.

Governor Daniel’s has proposed a property tax relief plan which will reduce the property tax every homeowner pays by at least one-third by 2009 and caps property taxes at 1% of your home’s value in the future. To fund this property tax cut, the Governor is proposing a one-cent increase in the state sales tax. Now that you know a little bit more about the Governor’s plan, do you favor or oppose this property tax relief plan?

75% TOTAL FAVOR
19% TOTAL OPPOSE

Do you consider yourself to be pro life or pro choice on the abortion issue?

58% TOTAL PRO-LIFE
34% TOTAL PRO-CHOICE
(more…)

The Howey Political Report reports on an interview Jill Long (shot) Thompson gave to the media recently. One question happened to stick out though and it was the very first one.

-Q- Matt Tully, Indianapolis Star: Do you favor raising sales or income taxes to solve the property tax problem?

Matt Tully. Decent reporter, decent guy, decent question. It’s fair and it’s by no means a soft ball since this particular question is a big deal in the General Assembly right now. JLT’s response?

-A- Thompson: I think too often the discussion is you can take it over here and put it over here. You take it from property taxes to sales taxes and income taxes. I think those are the wrong questions. The right question is what is the best tax program we can have that works for families, that works for homeowners, that works for Hoosiers, and also works for business and helps businesses make decisions that not only are good for that business, but also for growing the state’s economy.

To quote a friend of mine who emailed me today about this: “Um, duh Jill, you are the candidate. You’re supposed to offer answers, not questions.”

I’ve found that the Democrats this year, whether running for President or running for Governor, respond to questions, not with ideas, but rephrasing the question to throw it back at the media to oooh and ahhhh over.

As it stands, these yahoos who call themselves Democrat contenders for Governor keep on throwing out tripe that passes around as ideas in some circles, but are empty and void of any substance. This should scare Democrats at 1 North Capitol as Mitch continues to travel around the state touting his property tax plan. When the Democrat candidates for governor can’t even come up with an answer to which tax would they prefer to raise to help offset property taxes, you know they’re chances are shot!

By the way, just in case you missed it, the numbers of a Mitch vs. JLT matchup are in. Check them out below the fold. (more…)

This was released yesterday by Eric Miller and Advance America:

Legislative Tragedy – SJR 8 –
Repeal of Property Taxes!!

On Tuesday, January 22nd at approximately 5:40 pm the Chairman of the Senate Rules and Legislative Procedures Committee, Senator David Long, started a public hearing on SJR 8, the Constitutional Amendment to Repeal Property Taxes and a new bill, Senate Bill 100, which would set up a study committee on the repeal of homestead property taxes. Senator Long is also the leader of the State Senate.

 

Committee Hearing Shuts Out Public!
Senator Long held a committee hearing on January 8th on SJR 8 that permitted the public to testify both for and against SJR 8. This was the right thing to do.

However, on January 22nd Senator Long refused to let the citizens who came to the committee hearing to testify on either SJR 8 or the new bill, Senate Bill 100. After a long opening statement where he demeaned those who wanted to repeal property taxes, he proceeded to discuss the new bill, Senate Bill 100, which would set up a study committee. This bill had never been discussed in a public committee hearing prior to January 22nd. Senator Long abused his position as the Chairman of the Rules Committee and refused to allow any of the more than 20 citizens who came to the hearing to testify on Senate Bill 100.

(Read more of this below the fold) (more…)

Posted in General Assembly, Legislation, Legislature, Property Taxes, SJR7/Marriage Amendment | 1 Comment » | Read more..

Governor Daniels is set to hold a townhall meeting on Thursday, Jan. 31st, in Kokomo, Indiana to discuss his property tax plan with Hoosiers.  The event is to be held at the Oakbrook Community Church.  The meeting starts at 5:30pm and is scheduled to end around 7pm (all times are eastern).

House Joint Resolution 1was the proposed Constitutional amendment that contained permanent caps on property tax rates in Indiana.  The measure was part of Gov. Daniels’ solid plan for dealing with the current property tax crisis.  Unfortunately, HJR 1 effectively died last night when Speaker Bauer failed to call it down for a vote.

Some are reporting that the move by House Republicans to try and insert the language of SJR 7(the marriage amendment) into the property tax amendment is what killed the measure.  However, a House source has clarified that Rep. Tim Harris’s proposed amendment to HJR 1 was what really made Bauer kill the measure.  Rep. Harris’s “controversial” amendment proposed the complete elimination of all residential property taxes.

Note that Rep. Harris’s proposal was not that we eliminate all property taxes or immediately eliminate residential property taxes.  It merely set in motion the legislative ball on the process to eliminate residential property taxes, something that the House Republican Caucus has seriously considered, and the Governor has shown open-mindedness towards should it be shown that the numbers work with current revenue levels.  Further, the Governor’s plan will still be able to pass the General Assembly this session without the passage of HJR 1.

House District 50, comprised of Whitley and Huntington Counties, is currently represented by Republican Dan Leonard.  As you may recall, Leonard is the prime mover behind the House amendment that seeks to insure that standardized blueprints for schools are used to save local school boards and taxpayers money that would otherwise be spent on expensive architects. 

Leonard is facing two primary challengers, one of whom, Gary Snyder, seems to be bent on running a campaign aimed at Dan Leonard and not ideas for good government.  Here is what Snyder had to say in a recent op-ed piece (that we may actually be the only ones to run):

[Read more below the fold]

(more…)

One of the few good quotes to come out of the rather sorry Star Wars prequels (and, big surprise, from Yoda).

*ahem*

The dual strategy of Speaker Pat “The Hair” Bauer to kill the Governor’s property tax reform initiative has now been revealed.

In the House, as demonstrated by the vote yesterday, The Hair intends to gut important elements of the reform package (like referendums on capital expenditures and a graduated system of homestead deductions) by dealing it a death by a thousand amendments.

The Speaker’s support for his own amendments, however, will likely be tempered by whatever Luke Kenley produces on the Senate side.

Senator Kenley and the Governor do not exactly see eye-to-eye on much of anything (they both often seem to think they are always the smartest people in any room), and they are likely to quarrel over any changes to the reform package coming out of the Senate.

To the extent that Mitch Daniels and Luke Kenley’s egos compel them to be at odds over details of property tax reform on the Senate side, The Hair’s “death by a thousand amendments” effort can basically fly under the radar until the very end, at five-till-midnight on the last day of the session, when the result of the Daniels-Kenley squabble must face the result of Bauer’s amendments.

Both Kenley and Daniels will be playing a game of chicken with the Speaker to see who will blink first, with property tax reform hanging in the balance.
(more…)

This is smart public policy and one of the reasons I like Rep. Dan Leonard’s common sense approach to legislative issues:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, Jan. 22, 2008

Rep. Leonard Fights to Protect Property Tax-payers

(STATEHOUSE) Jan. 22, 2008 – Today, the Indiana House of Representatives debated House Bill 1001, a property tax bill. Rep. Dan Leonard (R-Huntington) authored an amendment to the bill that protects Whitley County property tax-payers.

Last year, three new schools were built in the 50th District, and they were all very similar, but all had separate building plans. Rep. Leonard’s amendment, the Little Red Schoolhouse Amendment, would require the state to have school building plans already drawn up for counties to use. This would save Hoosier taxpayers millions of dollars in design fees.

“School construction is a large portion of local government costs,” said Rep. Leonard. “By moving to pre-designed school construction plans, we will reduce cost to counties, cutting property taxes. Many other states, such as Florida, have already successfully instituted statewide school building plans.”

Whitley County is currently building a new school and estimated costs are $62 million. This bill would help contain costs on construction plans, architect fees and engineering cost. School building costs in Indiana now average 149 percent of the national average for cost per square foot. This is an attempt to lower that and keep spending under control.

HB 1001 received a second reading on the House floor tonight, and representatives were given the opportunities to amend the bill. It is now eligible for a third reading, with the full House of Representatives voting on the bill to determine whether it will move to the Senate.

Rep. Leonard encourages constituents to contact him with questions or concerns through e-mail at h50@in.gov, by calling the Statehouse toll-free at 1-800-382-9841, or by writing him at 200 W. Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46204.

The Indy Star is reporting that there are over 100 amendments to be introduced to the Governor’s property tax legislation (HB 1001). From what I recall from Rep. Bosma’s talk last week, close to 70 or more are coming from Democrats while around 30 are coming from Republicans. This comes after HB 1001 sailed through committee without being touched. The idea was that any changes to HB 1001 should come before the Full House rather than many changes in committee.

The Indiana House will be wading in more than 100 proposed amendments to Gov. Mitch Daniels’ property-tax reform this afternoon.

According to House Democrats, 102 amendments have been filed for House Bill 1001, the legislation that contains Daniels plan. The full House is expected to begin hearing thosee amendments this afternoon.

The House convened for a short period this morning at 9 a.m., and has since recessed. Republicans and Democrats are scheduled to meet behind closed doors separately this afternoon to discuss which amendments they’ll offer before the House will come back in session later today.

Keep a hawk eye on these amendments. At the Federal level, this is usually where good legislation goes bad by being filling with “special interest” amendments and spending increases. I can’t see that happening here as the press would be all over it. But I’m just saying, keep an eye on this.

Check this out -

Daily Clarion/Mark Crowley It’s a break from property taxes… Above, Power Team member Michael Collins shields the head of State Rep. Kreg Battles of Vincennes as bodybuilder Power Team member Craig Lemley swings a sledge hammer, breaking a several-hundred-pound block of ice as Battles lies on a board of nails at the Vincennes First Church of God Friday night. The Power Team is a group of world-class athletes who travel as inspirational speakers. The group has been featured on CBS, CNN, the USA network and several religious networks. Battles took part in the demonstration at the church program while on weekend break from the state legislature’s work on property tax reform.