Rialto purpose revisited

Jeff:

Thank you for your response. The gist of my post was that some nonprofits are allowed to do nothing and it is a shame that the city uses tax payers dollars to support such nonprofits. And it is wrong to hold photo ops sending a message that great things are being done under the stated purpose of the nonprofit. Reclamation of the building and reclamation of people lives are two different things, and I suggest the two are commingled in this project.

I understand that The Rialto building is a huge undertaking.And you knew that at the time, you took on this project. But, the law did not say, therefore, because it is a huge undertaking, we extend such and such nonprofit to sit on the building until funding comes along. Nope, the law did not say that. I pointed out in my post what the law did say, and the fact that all nonprofits are not treated the same and the city is wrong.

Second, I don't view our international community as needy. Just folks who are in transition and need certain resources and support. I have befriended many, (I am not a nonprofit, and I am shocked at the limited support they receive from those who say they are helping these folks. Katrina (in Louisiana) really put the spotlight on nonprofits ineffectiveness in fulfilling their stated purpose. I think this was a wake up call to those donors who give their money to nonprofits expecting them to do the right thing.

Third, nonprofits receive certain tax breaks because of a stated purpose. So, the word nonprofit has a legal meaning rather than its literal meaning, some of these non profits do make a profit. Some receive donated land, donated buildings, tax payers dollars, and donated labor by volunteers,little if any comes out of the organizer pocket. And I am going to go out on the limb with this one. The restoration of the Rialto will increase the value of the property which will benefit the nonprofit. And I would suggest that the purchases of the homes benefits the nonprofit, and the tenants are not living in these homes rent free. I would go one step further and suggest that these homes are probable subsidized. The greedy tends to feed off the needs of the less fortunate. This would not be your organization structure now would it?




There are many businesses on that site that are committed to the development of that area and very little is said about these businesses, Finder's Keeper, Alberto's International Grocery Store, the car lot, La Margarita. These folks are taking a risk with their dollars and not waiting on the magic of the Rialto building. But no one is applauding them for saving the neighborhood, where the Rialto sits abandoned.

My surprise will be to see folks being served by the office that will be housed in the small office space of the old tobacco store. So do surprise me and the international community.


Below are earlier post and comment.

pussyfooting around? hardly.

for over three years, volunteers have been hard at work within the building, on the roof, and in the back alleyways digging trenches for new utilities.

this is a huge undertaking. the building was neglected for 15 years and suffered incredible water damage to the interior. much of the inside has needed complete demolition.

you're right when you say that our non-profit has little or no money; obviously the building would have been done long ago if we had it. quite the contrary, we do what we can with what we have and we're thankful for hundreds of volunteers who have come out to bring this building back to life.

while you claim that we're doing nothing, you fail to mention what the non-profit (who owns the building) is actually doing in the community. did you know that The Reclamation Project is engaged in assisting the international refugee community on a regular basis? did you know that TRP is a Community Housing Development Organization, actively engaged in purchasing and rehabing properties so that the needy can move into affordable housing? The Rialto is secondary to the lives of those being served --yes, it's important, but we can only move so fast.

You'll be excited to know that the Tobacco Road side if 95% complete and more workers will be there this weekend getting it ready for TRP to move in its offices. then you be surprised just how often that section of the building is used for a variety of purposes.

and yes, getting to the gist of this post, the City has worked with us, but do you blame them? we need their help!! we're trying to bring back a cherished landmark that is incredibly important to the South Calhoun corridor.

there is no profit in this (ergo, non-profit).. and things have not gone as quickly as we would have liked. i'm happy to enter into a conversation, though, if you want to learn more about us and what we're doing.

you can contact me at

jeff@thereclamationproject.org.

Jeff Jacobson

Yet, those who have little or no money are still pussyfooting around with renovating the Rialto. A nonprofit required to be made up of members of the neighborhood was to receive a year to renovate the building and years later the building is still under construction.

In October of 2003, The Reclamation Project finalized the purchase of the theater and the adjacent Tobacco Road store. Three additional vacant lots were also purchased for parking behind the building.

This place is to offer housing assistance to international folks (sounds a little like Centlivre). It changes everyday, but nothing including, the hole in the wall Tobacco Road Store is being used for its purpose. Nothing.

Is Obama black enough to get the black vote?

Franz Fanon and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr wrote about the dilemma of having to choose whether one is black or a citizen. Why could not you simply be both? Critics appears to be demanding such an answer from Senator Barack Obama. Critics wants to know is Obama Black, African, African-American, HalfAfrican, or bi-racial? Critics seems to think the answer to the question will determine if Obama will get the black vote to be the first black President of the United States. Earl Ofari Hutchinson writes

in the eyes of many blacks, Obama departs from past black presidential contenders such as Shirley Chisholm, Carol Moseley Braun, and Messrs. Jackson and Sharpton. They were readily identifiable, urban-bred, African-Americans who spoke out boldly on civil rights, poverty, and economic injustice. On the other hand, the racially mixed, Harvard-trained Obama, as the so-called postracial candidate, has soft-pedaled these issues. It's no accident that his appeal among whites seems stronger so far than among blacks.

Read more click here.

TIF Brain dread-Who Benefits

Hmmm Leo Morris writes:

The downtown baseball-plus project is not likely to cost me very much directly -- the taxes it uses will mostly be tax money already taken from me that will be used for something else if it isn't used for this.

That something else, school improvement according to Morris

Fort Wayne Community Schools' massive building rehabilitation project, on the other hand, will be money out of my pocket that wouldn't be taken without the project -- and a substantial increase over what I'm paying now.

Which comes first, the egg or the chicken? Property taxes will increase either/or. The question becomes when using tax payers' tax dollars who benefits from which project, the tax payer or the private developer? The answer the tax payer benefits from the public benefit of schools and the private developer benefits from the increases in his ownership of property paid for partly by tax payer dollars.

Here's another example: If in your neighborhood all property is taxed at S100. But your neighborhood becomes a TIF district. Well after the neighborhood becomes a TIF, your property values increases. Well guess what? If your property values increases so will your property taxes. So instead of paying a $100 in property taxes, you and all your neighborhoods are now paying $200 dollars in property taxes. But, because it is a TIF district, only $100 will go into the budget to support schools. So what happens to the extra $100. Well, it could have gone to help repair the school, but.. The Mayor's friend has a house in your neighborhood. So, the Mayor decided to give the extra $100 from all your neighbors to his friend to fix a vacant house owned by the Mayor's friend. Simply because it is in your TIF district instead of supporting your school. But that's okay you say, because it will improve the neighborhood and it will create a job for the handy man.

Who is the benefactor? Who paid for the project? And was this the best choice in spending your tax dollars?

This is TIF gone wild, no different than the Harrison Q project.

Tax incremental financing

Karen Goldner quote from the journal-gazette on TIF dollars.

While not claiming to be the most ardent supporter of the proposed Harrison Square project, Goldner said she believed it was a responsible development that doesn’t cost the property-tax payers of the city any money. The public-private $125 million proposal calls for a new downtown hotel, new shopping, new condominiums and a new city-owned baseball stadium. Goldner said that while people may be opposed to a new baseball stadium, it will serve as an incentive for other development.

It's obvious it is easy to spell TIF, but harder to understand that does involve property tax dollars. I care if other folks don't understand TIF you can keep on saying it won't cost the property tax payers, instead of explaining how the doggone thing really works.

I'm Black and I'm Proud

James Brown, dubbed the father of soul, may have sung a song so titled, but with an elevated arm with a fist, this silent gesture shouted the message much louder. When Tommie Smith and John Carlos, Olympic track stars thrust theirs arm upward during the singing of the national anthem of the United States after receiving their medals, it was a message of hope. That silent gesture spoke to a condition of the people: recognize we are proud people.

These were symbols," Smith said. "And I think people remember symbols much more than anything else. We didn't have time to talk, because we were on the victory stand, but the hand (fist gesture) didn't represent so much black power as it did just power, social power, social equity. … And on the stand it was a prayer, a cry for freedom. It was very simple, but people made it so big because it was two black athletes on the victory stand and in an Olympic game, a sporting event. This was the big problem with America.

Read more about Smith.



Kevin Craig, local Fort Wayne Track Star

More Candidates filing

FWOB reports Karen Goldner has filed her candidacy for 2nd district. From Goldner's website,

From 1996 to 2000, I managed the Community Development Corporation of Fort Wayne which makes loans to small, growing businesses. From 2000 to 2003, I was Fort Wayne’s Director of Economic Development. Prior to working for the City, I worked for the State of Indiana’s Job Service and helped people find jobs, including skilled trades positions at General Motors when it opened the Fort Wayne Assembly plant.

.


Hmmmmmmmm, I wonder how many African-Americans benefited from Goldner's help in getting loans to grow their small businesses during her tenure from 1996-2000 or employment at General Motors, hmmmmm?


But it does not matter, Goldner is not running for Mayor, only for the 2nd District. Did Don Schmidt signal a retirement in the horizon? FWOB reports Schmidt signed on again for reelection to the longest held seat by a council person. Schmidt does even have a website. So what, the man is a lecturer in the engineer department of IPFW. Sitting on boards compared having the knowledge how things work and how to build them is a huge difference.

Wait, the Dems still have not announced a candidate for Mayor. Maybe Goldner could change her mind, because a woman can, you know, and run for Mayor? Linda Buskirk did,and she didn't have quite a thimble full of experience as compared to Goldner.

Can we get some new blood here.

Daily Surrender Requests

Jen:

Thank you for reading my

ramblings

. First let me address the math part of your response to shut me down.

No, I didn't have to use a calculator, because it's basic math. Also, I see that you fully understood, later why I was not going for the 9 hours round up instead of 8.57. Because that number after the decimal tells me it was closer to an half hour rather than an whole hour. LOL But you were not going to give me that , now were you? Nope, you just went and got that calculator and got a reality check.

The number 57 played a little visual trick on ya. .57 does not mean half of a dollar but a little more than a half of an hour in this equation huh? Which mean .57 is a litle more than 30 minutes which is less than 60 minutes. But using minutes we do not round up to the next hour. That's okay, you got it after you checked and compared the facts.

Because if we used your new math, we would have paid the good officer an excess of probably somewhere in the range of a 24 more extra hours of overtime pay...pretty cushy huh?

The gentlemen is getting paid for his time, not beyond his duty..he is not volunteering. When the man jump on to the platform and saw the train acoming, but he did it anyway, that's beyond his duty. Can you visualize the difference ? Can you see clearly through the glasses at the issue before you rather than my writing that has language that offense your way of thinking?

Do you know how to calculate overtime, vacation pay, I am telling you the brotha is getting paid for his time. Plain and simple.

My point is let's share the wealth and second let's not focus on one part of town to target your enforcement. Don't be selective in where you are going to perform your job. In other words, the officer working so many hours covering the whole city would help get drunks off the road. Or more officers being able to work the whole city will be able to get more drunks off the road. And if you are not doing that you are targeting a select part of town, where over 90% of African-Americans live work and play.

So, if you want to take your hat and tip it to the officer so be it. Do it. But me questioning, the accountability and the efficiency of a program that allow the one officer running the program to be the only officer benefiting from the grant money, is legit. Which explained my title to the post. If it is not a conflict of interest, please give me some reasons why I should not think that way. But calling me a racist, does not silence the conversation.


Second, I never called the officer a racist. Never. And yes, I do use the term raced whites and I use the term racialist. One speaks of the lack of identity and the other behavior. Plain and simple, and my use of the term and understanding of the terms in noway shape or form makes me a racist or racialist. But, you didn't know, so I forgive you.

I am posting your comments, because, it is obvious we are not talking about the same thing, and if not folks will lose their way in trying to communicate with one. Let's seek clarity. Peace

You scream for equality, which you have and then some, and yet you are the first to throw a fit and in doing so keep racism alive.

Nope not screaming or asking for equality. Nope not keeping racism alive. But I am writing my point of view.

Ok, I'll bite just this once, though I question what good it will do.





Racism Vs. Racialism

Racism is the act of one or a collection of many whom feel they are superior to others and openly discriminate against what they consider to be the inferior race or group of people.

Racialism is the belief that a race or group of people are inferior based on their appearance and/or genetics. So to say that someone is a racialist would require knowing them and speaking with them to gain an understanding of their beliefs, however to say someone is a racist one need only to view their actions and/or written statements in your case.

I've also noticed in your ramblings, I mean writings that you often use the term "raced whites" quite often. This simply means the white race and does not refer to racism nor racialism, it also says to me that you are in fact a racist and against anybody with pale skin. You scream for equality, which you have and then some, and yet you are the first to throw a fit and in doing so keep racism alive. Let me give you an example; If I go out to eat and a waitress who happens to be white is in a bad mood and gives me horrible service she's just a b*tch, but if you eat at the same restaurant and she is rude to you, you scream she's a racist. Do you see the problem here? You are being exactly what you are claiming to fight against. A good friend of mine, who just happens to have dark skin by the way, once said to me "It's ok to be irate and it's ok to be ignorant, but it's not ok to be irate and ignorant". Once again I invite you to let go of your hatred and/or educate yourself and join the Human Race.

As for my math....LOL. You said 8.57, good for you, you can use a calculator. I said and I quote "Working ALMOST 9 hours a day". Forgive me for using basic 3rd grade math and rounding up to the nearest hour. I suppose I could have rounded down to the nearest half hour and said 8 and a half hours a day seven days a week. Or perhaps I should have rounded up to the nearest quarter hour, as employers do, which would have made that 8 hours and 45 minutes. I just figured in the fact that unless this officer lives at the station, thereby eliminating his drive to and from work, and assuming that he doesn't end his shift precisely at a given hour that he probably gets a bit more time in. Generally a shift at any job is 8 hours a day 5 days a week. That tells me that this gentleman is going above and beyond his call of duty, and once again I tip my hat to him.

Regardless, assuming he gets exactly 60 hours a week, working 8 hours, 34 minutes, and 2 seconds, seven days a week still does not sound cushy to me

Tax Time=EITC

For the working families check out the earned income tax credit. This credit is based on money earned from working and not just any income.

For the 2006 tax year, the maximum credit is $4,536 for a family with two or more children; $2,747 for a family with one child and $412 if the taxpayer does not reside with children.

The maximum amount of earned income allowed is higher for tax year 2006 than it was for 2005. Please see Fact Sheet 2007-13 for all eligibility requirements. Generally, a taxpayer may be able to take the credit for tax year 2006 if the taxpayer:

has more than one qualifying child and earns less than $36,348 ($38,348 if married filing jointly),


has one qualifying child and earns less than $32,001 ($34,001 if married filing jointly), or


does not have a qualifying child and earns less than $12,120 ($14,120 if married filing jointly).
The maximum amount of investment income also increased to $2,800 for tax year 2006.

Indianapolis Colts' Coach Dungy

Doggone it. I tell you can not help but love the coach. Dungy and team member 33 goes to Disney World. Dungy refuse to take the ride alone. Go
Coach, can't wait to see you and the members on Oprah.

Entitled to our opinions

Clarence Thomas Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court received an A.B., cum laude, from Holy Cross College, and a J.D. from Yale Law School in 1974. Justice Thomas served as Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 1990, before reaching the highest court. President Bush nominated Justice Thomas in 1990. Read more click here.

Oprah- Living History

In South Africa, Oprah Winfrey built a school for girls. The cost of the Leadership Academy, $40,000,000, controls the news headline. On Good Morning America, Diane Sawyer talks to Oprah about why invest in a school in South African rather than in the United States.

The opportunity already exist for such education in the United States and Oprah expressed her support of education in the United States.

Ministry of Education addressed the criticism of the cost of the school for educating those who have so little. But Oprah understood the difference the school will make in the future of the children. The expense of the school "just enough for now", Oprah expressed, suggesting that more is too come.

For the young girls who were selected for the South Africa, Henlep-on-Klip School, on girl stated, education is the bridge to independent. Some wanted to attend the school to help their families. Other because of the opportunity because they considered themselves poor girls. The school provides living quarters for the students of the school. Oprah is taking care of the future of South African, the young girls who will birth the future.

Oprah began her broadcasting career at WVOL radio in Nashville while still in high school. At the age of 19, she became the youngest person and the first African-American woman to anchor the news at Nashville's WTVF-TV. She then relocated to Baltimore's WJZ-TV to co-anchor the Six O'Clock News and later went on to become co-host of its local talk show, People Are Talking.

In 1984, Oprah moved to Chicago to host WLS-TV's morning talk show, AM Chicago, which became the number one local talk show—surpassing ratings for Donahue—just one month after she began. In less than a year, the show expanded to one hour and was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show. It entered national syndication in 1986, becoming the highest-rated talk show in television history. In 1988, she established Harpo Studios, a production facility in Chicago, making her the third woman in the American entertainment industry (after Mary Pickford and Lucille Ball) to own her own studio.

The Oprah Winfrey Show has remained the number one talk show for 20 consecutive seasons*. Produced by her own production company, Harpo Productions, Inc., the show is seen by an estimated 48 million viewers a week in the United States** and is broadcast internationally in 126 countries.

Dee McKinley, local radio program

We are soldiers on the battle field

Chaplain Garland White fought for the right of African-Americans to live as citizens in the United States. White may have been motivated by Frederick Douglass who was encouraging men to fight for their right to serve and citizenship. Harriet Tubman, during war time joined, not leaving our women's demands to be recognized as citizens, too.

The story of Garland White appears in the records of the Twenty-eighth USCI. He was a slave belonging to Robert Toombs of Georgia. White, who was literate, studied to become a minister while still a slave. According to documents in his file, he was licensed and "authorized to preach the Gospel" on September 10, 1859, in Washington, Georgia. In 1860 Toombs, with White as a house servant, was living in Washington, D.C. The Toombs’s residence was two doors away from William Seward’s, at the time a senator from New York. It is apparent from correspondence in his record that White enjoyed a friendly relationship with Seward.

During his time in Washington, White became a fugitive and made his way to Canada. According to his records, he was appointed to the "Pastorial Charge of London mission. The said mission being under the jurisdiction of the B. M. E. Annual Conference." It is not known how long he stayed in Canada, but he was very aware of the Civil War and knew that Seward was President Lincoln’s secretary of state. He wrote to him from Canada and told him of his desire to serve his country in any way he could. Garland White returned to the United States (the exact date is not known) and began recruiting for the new USCT. He went to New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Indiana. He raised most of the men of the Twenty-eighth USCI. He petitioned Seward for help in obtaining the chaplaincy of the regiment. In his letter to Seward, White wrote, "I also joined the regiment as a private to be with my boys and should I fail to get my commission I shall willingly serve my time out."

On September 1, 1864, the Field and Company Officers elected Garland H. White chaplain of the Twenty-eighth USCI, subject to the approval of the secretary of war. On October 25, by order of the secretary of war, Garland H. White was appointed chaplain of the Twenty-eighth USCI. He was thirty-five years old. All the previous correspondence was found in his compiled military service record.

H.L Gaulden, member of the Tuskegee Airmen

Dungy's Colt's Defense Stomps Da Bears

It's their time.. Indianapolis Colts goes to the Super Bowl..naptown comes alive..29-17 for the win.

Conflict of Interest-running the program and working the program

Story in this morning Journal-Gazette..

Not a surprise that the central city is targeted, raced white folks will have your badge and jobs if you stop them from having a quick drink before going home. Let's see how many on the northside get arrested this weekend while Officer Bonar is working all that overtime.

Bonar’s base salary is $54,070, but he more than doubled it primarily by earning overtime while working grant-funded drunken-driving patrols. Bonar said he was proud of the money he earns because he works for it.

“I work every weekend,” he said. “I use my vacation time. I work 60 hours a week.”

Although Bonar runs the city’s DWI grant program, York said he gets no special treatment in being selected to work overtime. The shifts are filled based on a bid system that rewards officers with the most seniority. Because Bonar has 18 years on the force, he is able to work almost any shift he desires.

Bonar said other officers could work the extra patrols, but they choose not to.

Unless Bonar ratchets up his overtime this year, he will unlikely be the highest-paid city employee again. The City Council last December approved raising the mayor’s salary to $120,000, although the mayor had requested raising the salary to $130,000. Even without the raise, Mayor Richard was the highest-paid mayor in Indiana.

Let's see 7 days into 60 hours equal 8.57 hours a day. Pretty cushy you think?

Black History Month Super Sunday 2007

Today is kickoff for the Super Bowl XLI in the Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida.
However because this month is Black History Month , today the game takes on more of a significant meaning as well as the football teams headed by, for the first time ever, two African-American coaches. Two teams have made it to the Super Bowl coached by Anthony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts and Lovie Smith of the Chicago Bears.

For years, the African-American males has been viewed as a "player" in sports, but limited in certain positions, not as the shot caller or owner of a team. Today, it still something to celebrate a player's accomplishment beyond the stereotype.

Douglas Williams quenched the myth that an African-American could not lead a team as a quarterback. Fans celeberated when Williams became the first African American quarterback to win the Most Valuable Player Award in Super Bowl XXII.

Dungy and Smith will be celebrated,also. Not only for being a first, but the among the first African-Americans to reach the Superbowl as coaches, but one will be recorded in history as the first African-American coach to win the Super Bowl.


Fort Wayne Johnny Bright, Roosevelt Barnes, Vaughn Dunbar, Trai Essex, Bernard Pollard, Kevin "Rod" Woodson, retired NFL football player will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in Canton in 2009

Say my name-Fort Wayne

When Coach Tony Dungy uttered those words, about going to play the Superbowl in Fort Wayne, would forever connected the XLI Superbowl to the city anyways.

The Sport Illustration wrote about the utterance of Dungy. Read here and here.

The New-Sentinel reports,

Fort Wayne native Shlomo Goltz fell short in his bid to have a commercial he created be shown during Sunday’s Super Bowl telecast.

Goltz, 22, is a visual communications student at Washington University in St. Louis. He and college classmates Hubert Cheung, originally from Canada, and Nathan Heigert of Chicago were finalists in Chevrolet’s first Super Bowl College Ad Challenge.

But that won't stop the football fans who will be glued to their small, big and large television sets watching the game, from listening for anything connected to Fort Wayne.

I wonder if any of Fort Wayne's potential candidates will air an ad during the most watched program? Probably one, the one who is designing a new Fort Wayne won't miss this opportunity. Hat tip to Reverent and Free.

But Indianapolis takes the cake with a song; Superbowl Sway.

Even Indiana Supreme Justice Randall T. Shepard gets in the act.

Prediction Bears over Colts--defense will win.

When Coach Dungy uttered the words....

Spicing up the debate

Sometimes folks like to play stupid..and you just have to play stupid back.

A new charter school to experiment with our children

This was the second time Arlington, Va.-based Imagine Schools filed an application for a charter school with Ball State. The first time the application was rejected over concerns that the governing body was too connected to the company running the school. Those issues have since been cleared up, Gabbert said.

Just checking.

A little child shall lead them

Who has not heard of Brown vs. Board of Education? Linda Brown's parents wanted her to attend her neighborhood school. The problem schools were white only in her neighborhood. Brown declared schools could no longer discriminate by having all white schools only. It was Charles Hamilton Houston, the architecture of the strategy for the case of Brown v. Board of Education. Houston, was the mentor of the former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Houston used his intellect to help his people. Houston loved his people.


Fort Wayne did not love its African-American children. It was not until 1989 that Fort Wayne Community Schools and a group of parents agreed to an out-of-court settlement to racially balance its 53 schools. The settlement would end in the 1997. Race would be used as a factor to remove African-Americans from their neighborhood schools.


Dr. Wendy Robinson would become the first African-American Superintendent of Fort Wayne Community Schools.

Red heart day vs. Black History Month

No contest.

Where in the world are the local Democrats?

The republicans are slowly manning up (yet to hear a female name) in filing their candidacies for political positions.

The race for the three at-large seats on the Fort Wayne City Council got a lot more crowded Thursday as three more Republicans filed to run, including a former member of the council.

Democrats are almost at a no show, if not for the few holding offices. Can't believe a large pool of candidates are missing in action in the the second largest city in Indiana.

No Democrat has filed yet to run at-large, but Councilman John Shoaff has said he will seek re-election.

Councilman Tim Pape, D-5th, said he has not yet decided whether he will seek re-election.

Madame C.J. Walker

Indianapolis, Indiana was the home of Madame C. J. Walker. Walker was born in 1867 and died in 1919. Walker became the first self-made female millionaire in America. Besides the fact that she was a woman and amassed such wealth, she was also an African-American. Walker was innovative and creative in marketing and producing products for African-American hair. Madame C.J. Walker created wealth doing things her way from the bottom on up.






Fort Wayne Stephanie Cozart Burton doing things her way, make up artist and actress.

Kelty for Mayor TV Ads

Folks waking up this morning and watching the news, woke up to Matthew Kelty television ads. Kelty has several ads one focusing on troops and family in the military. The other ad clearly focuses on Kelty's ability to beat the other candidates out of the gate in moving his campaign to the people. Kelty firsts.

Blackonomics

James Clingman

Are you ready to Bring Back Black?

I know I am. I am ready to connect with brothers and sisters who are unwavering and unapologetic when it comes to who they are and what their obligation is to our people. I am ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with Black folks who are unafraid and unflappable when attacked from without and from within. I am ready to work with a new cadre of Black leaders, not new in experience but new as it relates to their current unsung status, their active youth status, and new in respect to what they have done and are doing “under the radar screen” so to speak. There are many “new” leaders out there, and I am ready to follow them as we Bring Back Black.

The new book by W.D. Wright, The Crisis of the Black Intellectual, which I highly recommend you read, contains the following passage on page 311. (Get your copy from Third World Press, Chicago, IL)

“Today there is no general Black leadership and the Black political body is fragmented isolated, individualistic, fanciful, delusional, susceptible to posturing, and has no real sense of engaging with Black politics that are designed to help Black people in America, specifically those millions still ‘stuck at the bottom.’ What could interrupt this situation and force Blacks back to a general leadership and to a consciousness of Black politics would be the emergence of new and differently oriented local Black leaders. This would include some individuals drawn from those ‘stuck at the bottom.’ There are enough Black local leaders, community organizers, and activists who could initiate this new and different leadership across the country and who could consciously and actively seek to recruit and train individuals ‘up from varied misery’ for local leadership.”

The weekend of December 8, 2006 was the first step on a journey some of us have taken before. It was the weekend when strong, dedicated, determined, and consciously Black brothers and sisters gathered to begin the Bring Back Black movement. We came together because we know W.D. Wright is correct in his assessment of Black leadership. We came together to find one another, to meet one another, to connect with one another, to support one another, and to work with one another.

The Bring Back Black gathering comprised stalwart and resolute Black folks, some of who have been working for decades empowering our people. No need to name them; they are not looking for the spotlight. No need to number them; they are not looking for accolades. This group, as well as those who wanted to be there but could not, simply works to overcome the psychological barriers that now prevent Black people from moving forward together as well as individually.

They do their work quietly and without fanfare, in the same manner that Frederick Douglass described Harriet Tubman and the work she did. They work by building their own businesses, opening their own schools, and being serious about their political involvement. They do their work by meeting payrolls from which their Black employees take care of their families. They do it by standing up and speaking out against injustice and inequity. They do it by sacrificing their time and their resources for the collective cause of Black people. That’s why they came to the Bring Back Black gathering, which was held in the city Kwesi Mfume called “ground zero”: Cincinnati, Ohio.

I want to publicly state my gratitude to all who came, and those who could not, for your trust and confidence in me. Yes, I made the call, but you came, and it was all of you who made our gathering a milestone in the annals of our history in this country. It was you, all of us, who have etched a new thought into the minds of our people, a thought that if nurtured and promoted, will surely take root and spring up as the movement we have searched for during the past 40 years.

In the 1960’s we had the Black Power Movement, in which our songs, our products, our language, our clothing, our hair, our gestures, and our love of self, displayed a new thought, a new resolve, and a new dedication. What happened to it? Those were the first stages of what could have been a most powerful movement for Black people. The remnants are still with us, but the substance of collective progressiveness and prosperity are far lacking.

Shortly after Martin Luther King’s death it seems Black folks were more susceptible to being bought off; they were more pliable and, thus, easy targets for political and social program positions and handouts. During that period, in which strong, fist-in-the-air, Black men and women capitulated to the temptations of betrayal, we heard the death knell of our movement. It was sad to see strong Black voices silenced by the lure of “jobs” “grants” “sponsorships” and appointments to “Advisory Boards.” But to many in 1960’s, I suppose, it beat the alternative of being ostracized like Tommy Smith and John Carlos were, or even murdered like Fred Hampton was.

So what do we do now? We seek and follow new leadership; we take more control of our children’s education; we get serious about politics by playing to win rather than just playing to play; we take better care of our bodies; we use technology and commercial media, to its fullest, to tell our own story, because he who defines you controls you; we connect with our brothers and sisters in Africa, in Haiti, Jamaica, and other Caribbean islands, and in Brazil’s Bahia, and in London, and throughout the world. And finally, but importantly, we pool some of our money and invest in our own projects.

Those are the things we did at our Bring Back Black meeting. Now, I ask you again: Are you ready to Bring Back Black? See www.bringbackblack.org for more information

Wilbert Duke Brown

Wilbert Curtis Duke Brown has registered to run for Mayor in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Brown ran for Mayor in Ponchatoula, Louisiana in 1998, and two years later ran for Mayor of Hammond, Louisiana. Brown lost both races, but he didn't lose his interest in becoming Mayor. Brown is now being Mayor in the city he now calls home.

Brown brings his education, a bachelor degree from Southeastern Louisiana in Business Technology and a master degree in Business Administration from Saint Francis College. Brown is currently working on his Ph.D. in Business and Scientific Decision-Making.

But education is not all that Brown brings to the growing number of republican candidates for Mayor. He brings his expertise and political savvy to the job that require someone with vision. Brown suggest that he is the best man for the job of Mayor.

Black History Month : Celebrating the Love of African-American people

February begins the celebration of Black History Week.

Dr. Carter G. Woodson born in 1875 and died in 1950 began Negro History Week in 1926, chosen in the second week of February between the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, which evolved into Black History Month in 1976. Dr. Woodson authored the book, The Miseducation of the Negro. Dr. Woodson was known as the Father of Black History and the love of his people.

Obama wins Indiana

Senator Hilliary Clinton and Indiana Senator Evan Bayh did not go to Iraq for nothing. Senator Bayh can you buy the Indiana African-American vote with less than a $1 million dollars?

Joe Biden in oops out

First it was Senator Hilliary Clinton declaring she knows how to handle evil men. Even going so far as threatening to deck her opponents. So much for a more motherly Clinton.

But, on the first day Senator Joseph Biden takes the cake. Senator Biden must have been searching for kinds words to describe the inexperienced Senator Barack Obama. Senator Biden is still searching.

City of Fort Wayne steals private property again (Southtown Mall was the first) for economy development without just compensation

AARP is deeply concerned with the preservation of home equity, the availability of affordable,safe, decent and stable housing and the elimination of discrimination in housing.


AARP is deeply committed to ensuring that its members are not forced out of their homes and communities except as a means to remove blight or for a needed traditional purpose use and to ensuring that when such displacement occur that older homeowners receive compensation that recognizes the unique cost of their dislocations.

In the summary, of a Kelo's amicus brief, the attorneys representing AARP and other groups argued that Connecticut constitution does not support the government taking private property from one owner and giving it to another private property owner for mere economic development. The Constitution requires a true taking, if not it can be dangerous and will disproportionally harm racial, ethnic minorities, elderly and economically underprivileged.

To allow government to take property through eminent domain for economic development purposes, would in essence eliminate judicial review, a check on the overreaching by government on citizens private property protections on such takings from the overbearing elites.

It is no accident according to former Attorney General of Minnesota in Downtown, Inc. Negro Removal is not just a thing of the past. During the 1960s whole communities of African-Americans were bulldozed from their homes, and under- compensated for their homes. In Alleging Race-Based Condemnation, African-Americans are targeted for such removal.

Statics suppose that the taking of property impact certain groups, specially the elderly, Hispanic and African-Americans. The reason why government target such groups because more than likely these groups are the weakest politically and lack the resources to fight in the court system that is dominated by folks who do not look like them. In addition, the government reaps a much larger windfall from an area that it has depressed and sell at a higher market value.

The city select the area and secretly goes in an offer compensation only for the value that a home would sell for in that area, but fail to include the trapped value in which they are aware when purchasing the property. If home owners are not adequately compensated for the cost of a similar home in a different area, during this secret process, many will be unable to afford to purchase homes in the higher priced neighborhoods. For families displaced, their ability to transfer their wealth to their children have been transferred to elite families. They hurry and moved into these areas in anticipate of the City's planned scheme of things.

The City purchased the property and now is selling land to the Wizard owners, a more refined taking of property for an economic development. The City is hiding under the debate of whether or not to build a hotel and stadium. The City is not answering when they got authority to use taxpayers dollars to enter the real estate business with their tax dollars.

No wonder Hardball is only paying $5 million, this is not their idea. The City says I have some land for you dirt cheap (no pun intended).


Indiana law blog writes about urban renewal today, too.

Grand Opening of the Allen County Main Library

Who is Duke Brown?

Wilbert "Duke" Brown is the newest candidate to file for Mayor on the Republican field. The field is growing, if you can't beat up, the candidates is suggesting you might as well join them.

The party of the small business, hmmmm?

Update: Wilbert instead of Gilbert.

Consolidation Fall out and market value trending

The City Council and the Allen County Commissioners have discovered what the taxpayers were already cognitive about when it came to total consolidation. The need to study the impact of consolidation on the whole community. The group meeting came out with a decision to form another yellow ribbon committee outside the law governing consolidation. The cautionary yellow ribbon committee does not need the public hearings as it discusses merging certain departments.

More than likely, the latest action by the city council is to quiet the public as it attempts to do what the law forbids without the public input. Remember, the two authors of the proposal were Republcans, Dr. John Crawford and Sam Talarico. Talarico is not seeking reelection, which may explain why City Council and its' members are moving this merger without the public permission.

Here is a suggested reading, by the Indiana Policy Review Foundation on Marion County consolidation, that was forwarded the to me, after blogging about consolidation.

The Indiana Policy Review Foundation,in turn, conducted research on the effects of consolidation on the efficiency and effectiveness of providing local public services. It had a different task and focus. The commission asked the foundation to summarize what experts thought about local government consolidation.

From Sam Staley's finding, I find limited consolidation as the best fit for communities like Fort Wayne which is so fragmented. Fragmented in the different constituents needs and interest. Below are some of the issues in limited consolidation.

Focusing on police departments, the biggest obstacle is overcoming attitudes.
Attitudes surrounding pay inequity, choice of jobs, wealth building, and union muscle during negotiation.

Economy development departments, decision makers who are more in favor of growth in hopes of influencing new money into the city as well as in anticipation of new ideas bubbling up from the newly formed government. The cost laid at the foots of those in the outlaying communities.

The biggest interest for me is the diluting of the African-American representation. And the second reason is the cost of merged operations that would involve more specialized skills, from the cost of a more professional staff for governing the merged departments would fall more heavily on the the taxing of African-Americans living in the under developed and depressed areas.


In order to shush the more affluence tax base, a lower tax rate will be used to reduce the ticket shock of the merger. While the tax rate will be increased to subsides the lower rate given to the outlying areas.

This increasing in property tax has been cushioned with the replacement tax, but the
Governor is talking about doing away with it. The fact that many assessing units are uniformity assessing property, trending to increase property tax is on the horizon.

The township assessors wants the county to hire a private company, GNA, to assess property next year utilizing a new system called "trending." Instead of going out and assessing property like the assessors should have, they will attempt to match similar properties. Trending is what caused the over assessment of property in the
City of Fort Wayne, because homes were estimated rather than actual assessed. Houses were priced at amount that similar houses in other neighborhoods. But because neighborhoods is a factor on the selling price of a piece of property, this was an unfair comparable assessment. This is a time saving as well as it compensate for those who are not trained in assessing properties.

State officials mandated counties adopt market trending this year in an attempt to make anticipate the cost of increases in property taxes. This way, the officials can determine how they will skew the increase in favor of the more affluence taxpayers.

This does not benefit the tax payers in the city if the assessed values were what properties would be sold for rather than what the property would actual be sold for.

Furthermore, in the news media, comments have focused on the need for a Property Tax Board. When in fact, the taxpayer should pay more attention to the one lone representative in their district who goes to Indianapolis and draft laws that are not in their district interest. The tax board that is proposed is to reduce the tax rate. Where as the time to protest inaccurate property tax bills remains on the tax payers. And the legislators have reduced the time to protest tax bill.

Under SEA 362 reduces the length of time taxpayers have to protest a tax bill and file a suit in tax court. To protest a tax bill, taxpayers will have 45 days. Previously, taxpayers had 60 days. In addition, taxpayers will have 60 days to file a suit in tax court, a change from the previous 180 days.

The shortening of the time will prevent folks from protesting on mistakes made by the auditors and treasurer office.

Serena-the body of a woman in the tennis world

Serena Williams can not help that she is well-endowed with assets in front and in back.

Williams suggest because, she is well-endowed does not means she is unfit. Critics should not compare her size to lessor endowed peers in tennis when determining fitness. And she proved that in winning her third Australian Open Championship going from 81th place to 14th place.

At the age of 25, Williams body screams I am not a teenager, but an eye-popping WOMAN. So those who can't deal with seeing men watching those assets on television, they are probably pushing for these less-breasted women. Williams is not apologizing for what nature has given her. This is totally difference from Janice Jackson's breast exposure malfunction that caused such an uproar during the super bowl halftime that the Federal Communications Commission demanded an apology.


Prime time is just not ready for a real woman physical presence.

Mandatory physical fitness

The new sheriff in town, Ken Fries is gunning for a mandatory fitness for his charge, according to the News-Sentintel

Initially, he’d have every officer tested in categories such as the mile run, sit-ups and pull-ups. It would be an annual test, and according to Fries, there’d be a standard for each exercise based on an officer’s age. That officer would have plenty of time after being initially tested to work and meet those standards if he or she failed the first time.

Well fellows tighten your pantbelt, that just one step away from mandatory drug testing. Yes siree, Bob, I can see it coming. The no smoking ban will taking on a whole different meaning.

Political Fallout

The candidates are slowly falling out of the woodwork. Republican Ivan Hood joins Nelson Peters and Matthew Kelty in running for Mayor. Frederick Steinke, the lone Democrat must feel like the Lone Ranger in representing the Democrats in the primary so far for Mayor.

Charles Langley, a Democrat so far is uncontested in the 4th District. So is Mitch Harper, as the sole candidate for the Republicans. Did Karen Goldner, a Democrat filed to up seat Don Schmidt, Republican, in the 2nd district? Goldner still has time to file, the deadline is February 23, 2007.

No need for eminent domain

The Constitution protects owners'property. If the government takes a person's property the Constitution states it must be for certain reasons. And if the property is taken for those certain reasons the Constitution states that person must be compensated. Of course those whom property is being taken may not believe they one can be fairly compensated for property that is called a home.

But, the government sees it as just a house and wants to purchase the property at the lowest cost. The City knew the owners of the Wizard would be looking to relocate their team to a bustling city. So the city decided to build this city, with promises of free money. Money from the taxpayers.

The City knew when it failed to fully disclose to residents in the area that the stadium would come to their neighborhood. The City knew when it gave the residents low ball offers for their homes.


Because of this conflict between the government and private property owners, government legislators have devised ways to circumvent the constitutional protection to harm innocence private property owners. Legislators have made it so much easier for private property to be taken without calling for eminent domain through constructive condemnation.

Constructive condemnation discouraging development in targeted areas which in turn depresses the value of the other properties in that area. The areas becomes blighted from abandonment and from the restrictive development. However some property owners remain in these neighborhoods but to oust these property owners, some states have devised others way to claim the property.

In July 2003, Indiana provided government with House Bill 1378, for taking property. The twist to this new land grab, it is not government that is taking the private property. It is the citizens claiming land in the blighted areas.

The new law encourages certain community organizations to take over deteriorating properties in their own neighborhoods.

IC 36-7-9-2
Sec. 2. As used in this chapter:
"Community organization" means a citizen's group, neighborhood association, neighborhood development corporation, or similar organization that:
(1) has specific geographic boundaries defined in its bylaws or articles of incorporation and contains at least forty (40) households within those boundaries;
(2) is a nonprofit corporation that is representative of at least twenty-five (25) households or twenty percent (20%) of the households in the community, whichever is less;
(3) is operated primarily for the promotion of social welfare and general neighborhood improvement and enhancement;
(4) has been incorporated for at least two (2) years; and
(5) is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The concept is urban homesteading allowing a group rather than a single individual to take abandoned property and make the property usable. The nonprofit establishes a receivership of the property.

IC 32-30-5-7 Receiver's powers
Sec. 7. The receiver may, under control of the court or the judge:
(1) bring and defend actions;
(2) take and keep possession of the property;
(3) receive rents;
(4) collect debts; and
(5) sell property;
in the receiver's own name, and generally do other acts respecting the property as the court or judge may authorize.

The nonprofit goal is to repair unsafe buildings in their neighborhoods. that is in violation of the city's neighborhood code.

Sec. 20. (a) A court acting under section 17 of this chapter may appoint a receiver for the unsafe premises, subject to the following conditions:
(1) The purpose of the receivership must be to take possession of the unsafe premises for a period sufficient to accomplish and pay for repairs and improvements.
(2) The receiver may be a nonprofit corporation the primary purpose of which is the improvement of housing conditions in the county where the unsafe premises are located, or may be any other capable person residing in the county.
(3) Notwithstanding any prior assignments of the rents and other income of the unsafe premises, the receiver must collect and use that income to repair or remove the defects as required by the order, and may, upon approval by the court, make repairs and improvements in addition to those specified in the order or required by applicable statutes, ordinances, codes, or regulations.
(4) The receiver may make any contracts and do all things necessary to accomplish the repair and improvement of the unsafe premises.
(5) A receiver that expends money, performs labor, or furnishes materials or machinery, including the leasing of equipment or tools, for the repair of an unsafe premises may have a lien that is equal to the total expended.

The nonprofit incentive for expending money in such building are to save the building prevent further abandonment of the neighborhood, prevention of demolition of historical building and a profit if the building is sold later after repairs.

A receiver appointed to sell an unsafe premises may sell the property:
(A) to the highest bidder at auction under the same notice and sale provisions applicable to a foreclosure sale of mechanic's liens or mortgages; or
(B) for fair market value if all persons having a substantial property interest in the unsafe premises agree to the amount and procedure.
The transferee in either a public or private sale must first demonstrate the necessary ability and experience to rehabilitate the premises within a reasonable time to the satisfaction of the receiver.

after investing in these property can petition the court for sale of property. The nonprofit is given a year to bring the property into compliance with the city's code. (

d) The title to real property may be conveyed to a community organization purchasing the property as a determinable fee, with the language of the granting clause in the deed of conveyance to include the language: "The property is conveyed on the conditions that the purchaser:
(1) will list the property for sale within twelve (12) months of taking possession;
(2) will bring the residence up to minimum code standards in twelve (12) months;
(3) will carry adequate fire and liability insurance on the dwelling at all times; and
(4) will comply with any additional terms, conditions, and requirements as the agency requires before __________ (date of the deed) under IC 36-7-17.".

After that year, the nonprofit can sell the property and recoup their cost of renovation from bring the property into compliance.


The deal protects government from charges of eminent domain and prevent property from further deterioration. Individuals and their families can get into this deal as long as they remain in the property for three years.

IC 36-7-17-5
(a) A person or community organization may apply for the program by completing a bid application.
(b) The following An applicant is applicants are qualified and shall be approved to receive real property offered under this chapter: if he:
(1) A person who:
(A) is at least eighteen (18) years of age;
(2) (B) possesses the financial resources to support a loan, the necessary skills to rehabilitate the property, or a combination of both; and
(3) (C) has, including immediate family, not previously participated in the program.
(2) A community organization as described in IC 36-7-9-2.
(c) Approved applicants are entitled to receive a list of all properties
owned by the unit that are available under this chapter.
(d) Approved applicants may apply for each dwelling in which they are interested. A drawing shall be held to determine those persons applicants receiving the dwellings. Persons applying under this chapter shall receive priority over community organizations if both indicate an interest in the same dwelling. Each approved applicant person and his or her immediate family may receive only one (1) dwelling in the drawing. Each approved community organization may receive as many dwellings as the agency considers proper.

IC 36-7-17-6
The conveyance of a dwelling to an applicant under this chapter shall be made in return for a fee of one dollar ($1) or more and the execution by the applicant of an agreement with the following minimum conditions:
(1) The applicant must:
(A) if a person, reside in the dwelling as his the person's principal place of residence for a period of not less than three (3) years; or
(B) if a community organization, agree to list the dwelling for sale within twelve (12) months after possession.

For example, in Fort Wayne, Indiana a theatre called Rialto has long stood abandoned. This property was not given to a nonprofit with members from the neighborhood. The Rialto was given to a newly formed group a month after the law was passed. This group called itself the Reclamation Project. Don't be scaareed, coming soon to a neighborhood near you.

Taxes 101- Children First

Journal Gazette editorial states:

If Fort Wayne residents had to choose between spending dollars on schools or a downtown stadium, the decision would be a no-brainer – few would argue that baseball is more important than education. But the two ambitious projects aren’t competing for tax dollars – this is no either/or proposition.

To save adults jobs it becomes an either/or proposition. Children don't own businesses in Fort Wayne. Children sit in the dugout waiting for a chance. So when limited property taxes dollars are split between schools for children or building businesses, businesses are given the chance to make it to first base.

Where would tax payers want their tax dollars spent on their children of course,

They should spend their money on schools,and They should do something for the schools instead

.


The voters should be real angry with the misinformed leadership of the Democratic Mayor and its representatives. Is the city not getting ready to rezone an area to place more businesses where folks don't want them while the southcentre area folks remains hungry for more businesses. Can we say TIF dollars, Southcentre is called a Southcentre Community Revitalization Enhancement District. How come no TIF for Southcentre. It's gonna take you a minute, but it'll come. Here's a hint below:

A $30 million to $40 million shopping center could be under construction on Illinois Road by late summer.

Fort Wayne Plan Commission members approved the 275,000-square-foot shopping center planned across the street from Apple Glen with little discussion Monday, despite some neighbors’ concerns about traffic. The City Council still needs to vote on rezoning the site for shopping center use.

The CRED and TIF -Fort Wayne Newspaper

DID said:

CRED
The Community Revitalization Enhancement District is a specific district that covers portions of downtown within which projects may qualify for up to 25% in state tax credits.

The size of the tax credit any project may qualify for is based upon these four criteria:

Condition and Need of the area is which the project is taking place

Return on investment the state will receive from the project

The extent of financial participation in the project from local government of other economic development entities

Whether the project will happen without state support


Review of the project is conducted by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. They have recently changed their review policies to reflect the four objectives stated above and prospective investors are encouraged to contact either the DID office or Sharon Feasel with the City of Fort Wayne early in their due diligence phase.

Woodson spending $500,000 in downtown you would think the motorsport would have not only got the funding from the city, but a lot closer to the field of dream (stadium).

Tax Increment Financing

Much of downtown is within a tax increment finance district. Such districts capture the increase in property taxes created when a new investment takes place. The incremental increase in property taxes can be use in either of two ways:


Public improvements such as streetscaping or parking can be funded by the public sector that uses the increment to payback its front end investment.

Tax relief can be provided on the back end by using the increment to abate the increase in taxes caused by the project.


Developers may use either approach or a blend of both approaches to help fill financial gaps that prohibit a project from proceeding but may not use more funding than that resulting from the project.Press release February 2005 Fort Wayne Newspapers to Construct New Press Facility
$35 Million Reinvestment in Downtown Fort Wayne to be Completed in 2007

Fort Wayne’s downtown Community Reinvestment Enhancement District (CRED), property tax abatement, planning assistance and a $60,000 local training grant are among the areas of assistance offered to Fort Wayne Newspapers in exchange for this $35 million reinvestment. While no new jobs are associated with this project, Fort Wayne Newspapers currently employs approximately 470 workers, with as many as 115 dedicated to the press area and related operations.

Reduced taxes, Reduced taxes, talk about not carrying their own weight. How about the little business person getting such sweet deal. What do they care about funding schools when they are trying to keep a presence in the city?

Write a letter to them about their conflict of interest in the success of building a stadium downtown.

110 W. Berry Street
Suite 102
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
For Release: February 2, 2005

School Funding

School funding Schools funding resources can come from local taxation and from state assisted aid. The burden of education falls mainly on local community. The amount spend per pupil by the community can signals a commitment to a certain quality of education for its students. Sometimes the state and federal government will provide additional revenue for enhancing students' and teachers' performance 2009.



PROPOSED FWCS 2007 APPROPRIATIONS AND LEVIES found on page 3 in the minutes above.


If property is taken from the residents of Fort Wayne and no replacement property, there is less tax dollars to pay for schools.

The disparate funding for public schools and between states and within metropolitan areas has turned some public schools into meccas for affluent students and others into decaying infrastructures with overcrowded classrooms and soaring drop-out rates.

School funding comes from a variety of federal, state, and city money pots. About 46 percent of public spending on elementary and secondary schools is derived from local government budgets. The size of the local tax base is one reason for the large disparity in spending.

Can you name what Mayor or Mayors' accountants currently works, now, for the Parks Department, Allen County Public Library, and Fort Wayne Community Schools? Do you think it was just happenstances that these accountants (with all the accountants that are throughout the state of Indiana) floated to the city's biggest money coffers. And another questions does any of these accountant audit any of these departments? You only get one guess. Let's stop trying to blame the state.

A Second Lie that can't live forever

Protestors marched on the ultimate public square, the White House on January 28,2007. The folks who supported President George Bush entrance into the war of terror declared, you lied. We no longer support your lie, of weapons of mass destruction. Bring our troops home and bullcrap on your "surge."

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.

Consolidation vs gerrymandering

Consolidation goes after Democrats 6th District representative Glynn Hines. The Journal-Gazette reports that democratic packed district will have a Republican challenger, Joe Smith.

Property tax again-the primaries are a coming

This article by the Journal Gazette on over and under assessing of property value.

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!

Sounds like some more suing needs to be taking place and some appealing of the property assessment of some property. Hint: especially in the downtown area. Hat tip to Indiana Law blog for the links to the study.

Select investors buying up low-income property

In October 2006, the Community Housing Concepts, Inc. was seeking the consent from the City of Fort Wayne Indiana to acquire property located in the core of the city. The Community Housing Concepts, Inc. is requesting economic development revenue bonds in the amount of $5,000,000. The group would receive a low interest rate and the interest would be tax exempt alway approved by Council Commission.

The Community Housing Concepts, Inc. group will purchase two low-income, section 8 apartments, East Central Apartments and Centennial Apartments. The group suggest they will spend between $200,000 to $250,000 each for improvements to the apartments.
Allen County would have the authority to monitor whether or not the improvement were made by the group. It is suggested that the deal is to insure that low-income apartment will not be taken over by market rate apartment developers.

I'll give you time to recover from falling down laughing rolling on the floor.

Tiger Wins Again

Jack Nicholas may be the man to beat in golf, but Tiger Woods has pulled off his 55th consecutive win. Woods becamethe winner of the PGA Buick Invitational. The seventh PGA tour win for Woods