Showing posts with label Property value. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Property value. Show all posts

Monday, February 11, 2008

Wind of Change is blowing in VIrginia calling for Obama

Mason Simms


The email blasts went out that a ticket only event would take place in Alexandria, Virginia. I did not get the email! Over 3000 red tickets were gone by the time I discovered that the tickets were being given out, and by 6:00 p.m. I did not have a ghost of a chance of getting a ticket.

I decided that I would at camp out early on Sunday, to at least be a part of the Obama phenomenon. I talked two new comrades, Gerald and Fred, to take part in this moment of Obama fever. Fred was a little reluctant. I think it was because he had exprienced my driving skills and he did not have a lot of faith in me driving him on I-495. Nevertheless, I talked the two into going, and it was only after I got Fred on the road that I revealed we did not have tickets.

But I believed, we could get ticket based on the conversation that I had with one of the Obama campaigners. Fred was a skeptic, as I told him we are going to get in. I wanted to leave by 8:30 a.m. but the fact that I had to wait on Fred, we did not get to T.C. Williams High School until about 10:00 a.m. This made me worry about our chances of getting inside to see Obama.

There were about 100 folks already standing in line. So much for being the first folks there. Now, I had to get my beg on. As I asked campaign workers if there were extra tickets. No, No extra tickets. So the next step was to get the message into the crowd that this woman was in line looking for a ticket to get in.

Maggie would come to my rescue with a red ticket. .
I gave Maggie a big hug. But, I had two comradres with me, it would not be fair to go in without them. I still needed two more tickets.

John who was standing in front of me tells me that his wife and 2 children would be joining him and if his children would not need tickets to get in, he would give us his two tickets. Cool, we were almost in, until one of the campaigners came out to announce that no one would be able to get in without a ticket, including children!

It was at this point that Cassandra came forward with two tickets.  Me, Cassandra, Gerald
Cassandra stated the tickets were orginally for her parents, but they would not be attending. By the time the announcer was ready to kick out of line Fred, we had our three red tickets. Now we are ready to go in when the doors open at 12:30 p.m.Monica FikesMekayla and Mom

John gave me a little background about the school as we wait to go in.

John, informed me that T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia was the topic of a movie called "Remember the Titans", starring Denzel Washinton about a school that was desegregated.Noah Belkhayat,Anna Moeser, Christopher Wong, me and Zack Neurohr

Interesting. John had been to other Obama events and was very helpful.


The doors opens and we have to pass through a metal detector. Fred is traveling with a cane. After they checked Fred's cane for a hidden sword, Fred is ushered in and gets a front row seat! Of course Gerald and I do not know this until after the event, because we were trying to get though the metal detector when Fred received special treatment.

Yes, this is the same Fred who was reluctant to attend the event!


Anyway, I decide I do not want to sit in the benchers and I finally get one of the campaign workers to allow me to sit on the floor. I get to sit right behind the VIP section. This means I will not get a chance to touch Obama, but I would get an upfront and eye contact view. It will have to do.

I am in the room, even if I did not get into the press room..Alex Lorman and M.E. Sprengelmeyer

Monday, January 29, 2007

A Lie can't live forever

Leo Morris writes,
By maintaining secrecy, the city avoided paying highly inflated prices for the properties. And eminent domain was not necessary.


Mark Brown writes
In terms of assessments, we found almost a systematic inconsistency,” said Mark Brown, the institute’s research director and author of the equalization report. “There were some homeowners with assessed valuations as little as 65 to 75 percent of market value, others with 130 to 135 percent of market value.”

Tremendous inconsistencies were found between the state and counties. Within counties, assessors and auditors often used different data procedures and systems, resulting in the flawed values. Because a property owner’s tax levy is determined by the total of a taxing district’s assessed valuation, under-assessed or over-assessed properties skew the base figure and, in turn, the tax rate. Under-assessed properties result in a higher tax rate and higher tax bills.
Even more troubling, the inconsistencies occurred within and across townships, even those townships in the same county!


The Indiana Constitution declares,Article X, Section 1 that
“[t]he General Assembly [to] provide, by law, for a uniform and equal rate of property assessment and taxation and [to] prescribe regulations to secure a just valuation for taxation of all property, both real and personal.” IND. CONST. ART. 10, § 1(a). This provision has long been held to require: (1) uniformity and equality in assessment, (2) uniformity and equality as to the rate of taxation, and (3) a just valuation for taxation of all property.


The Indiana Tax Court, declares that is the law, not secrecy to steal from its citizen. No surprise white collar criminals are supported by mainstream. It's the other criminals we want to throw under the jail and yell we fight crime. yeah right.