Allen County County Tax Adjustment Board

It bothers me that the Allen County Tax Adjustment Board will appoint members. It sounds like another group determining where money will be spent rather than meeting the needs of the community. According to FWOB Mitch Harper

Last month, the County Council asked Harper and Bill Fishering, the County Attorney, to address the board regarding the history and statutory basis of the Tax Adjustment Board.

If readers remember, Attorney William Fishering was alleged to have made a comment in regards to the county auditor,lack of swiftness.

Ladies and Gentlemen before I move into the Bridge Bond issue I have a matter
I need to address. Last night we had a joint City County Council meeting; during that meeting I was engaging in a debate with Councilman Pape over certain finances. I made a comment with respect to the Auditor’s office which at best may have been considered a slight and at worst been considered a direct attack. I wanted to say that I have the utmost respect for the Auditor’s office they are doing a wonderful job through extremely difficult times with the reassessment,

ALLEN COUNTY COUNCIL MEEETING MINUTES
TUESDAY, MAY 18, 2004
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cash flow shortages as well as our overall lack of money because of the falling COIT. The comment had to do with their ability to get their hands on the numbers quickly. In many instances the Auditor’s office does not have the ability to put their fingers on numbers quickly, it is not their fault it is the system that we have in county government with various claims andfunds. I was trying to emphasize that claims are against certain funds and you can’t necessarily
tell who get them and who had what and you have to go through and hand do all of that
reconciliation and was trying to tell Mr. Pape that it just not possible for the Sheriff to come up with an exact number. With that said I want to apologize to the Auditor; I do think she is doinga wonderful job; I think their staff particularly Tera are implementing new systems that mayactually easy to do some of those things that Councilman Pape wanted done we just don’t currently have it. That also is not a slight of the Auditor’s office because they have been working hard at that but they have been overwhelmed with these other developments, they truly have and have been doing a wonderful job. To the Auditor and to anyone else who thought I did that I do apologize it was not my intent.

This board sounds like a group of folks who will be the auditor's tag team.

Side note: I also remember Attorney Fishering, as an attorney for the County, in the chamber of Judge Norman Baker when Baker was trying to determine whether or not to have officers of the law in the courtroom during a hearing. Judge Baker decided that the officers were indeed not needed as he was being told. Also, Judge Baker was surprised to learn that my legal training was not from being a paralegal as he was told. Judge Baker had the sense enough to listen and investigate and not simply believe those who first had his ear. (Correction: I earlier stated it was Judge Paul Cherry).

The reason I say this is because the board that is to listen to the tax payers serve more as bullies in avoiding correcting errors rather than accountability toward the taxpayers.

. A clique of pals so to speak.

Photo used with owner's permission

Harper is due to make his announcement for running in the fourth district,today. How convenient, right after County Council approved the Tax Board. Timing or Photo Op?