Property Tax-Facts or Fiction?

I read this article by Karen Francisco and Tracy Warner and of course I have a different take on several of the responses which are listed below.

1. Bottom Line: I'm going to owe more on my home's property-tax bill, right?

Yes, you are. The reason is that the State of Indiana will impose a circuit breaker impacting local taxes in 2008. So, Allen County and Fort Wayne homeowners will experience an increase from 47% to 65% increase in there tax bill. And had not the homestead credit not remained at $45,000 the increases would have been at least 15% higher. The original homestead credit was only $6,000.

2. Property tax bills usually come in April. Why are we finding out the amount of the bills so late this year?
The delay in your tax bill is from the assessors, treasure, and the auditor from feeding in the information into their tax calculator to determine how much they have to raise the individual taxes. And they have to raise the homeowners property value enough to capture a similar amount when the State issues new mandates to reduce the tax burden. So outraged was the State that it will introduce income tax option to local government as it begin to reduce the amount of the homestead credit for bailing out local government. The current amount of the homestead credit provided by the State is $45,000 it will go down to $40,000. Local government is incapable of telling the the true because it borders on fraud.

3. Why are taxes going up so much in some areas and not in others?


Because in 2003, the property were tripled in valued throughout Fort Wayne. Trending allowed the assessor to increase those areas in which they were not able to maintain the full amount of the 2003 increase.


4. The average increase in the newly annexed portion of Allen County's Aboite Township is 57%
Aboite folks knew they would have to pay taxes but they expected services to come with the taxes. And some homeowners will find that their tax bill has increased to almost a hundred percent.


5. Who's to blame for higher tax bills?

Fast talking crooks who has mandated the data that available to the public and that is why back in 1996, the Indiana Tax Court Judge Fishers ruled that assessors were violating the Constitution. And guess what they are still violating the Constitution. This is why the Governor has stepped in to shame local government for robbing the homeowners of their hard earned dollars. And the Department of Local Government Finance failure to hold local government accountable to the new regulation promulgated by the State of Indiana.

The man who started it all. This has been almost a 17 year battle for local folks to get it right.

Gomeztagle did much more than lend his name to the class-action suit. He was the one who pushed it along, refusing to settle for a decision that would satisfy St. John residents but ignore statewide issues. Along the way, the northwest Indiana business owners who had vowed to help with the case bowed out, afraid they would be blamed for increases in homeowner bills - the inevitable result of fixing an inequitable system.

Even though businesses were picking up an unfair share of the tax burden, they didn't want to challenge the overall system, Gomeztagle said, because they prefer to work out deals that address their own situations.

For him, there were no deals but great costs.

"I nearly ended up going broke," Gomeztagle said, "I almost lost my house. I lost my job and I was unemployed for several months. I'm good with numbers - I could have left this area and gotten another job, but if I had, all of this would have stopped."

Instead, it led him to a new vocation as a tax educator. He joined forces with Morton Marcus of Indiana University's Business Research Center to launch Operation TEN, for "Tax Education Now." Gomeztagle serves as the project's director, with offices at Indiana University Northwest in Gary.

Now 53, he still lives in the home where his tax battle began, along with his wife, a speech pathologist with the Hammond schools, and two teen-age daughters.

Marcus, who's known for the irreverent and entertaining presentations he makes to business and government groups across the state, has become a close friend and partner in tax education presentations, one of which they presented in Fort Wayne in 1998.

"What he has accomplished is one degree short of revolutionary," Marcus said of Gomeztagle. "He's demonstrated how one person can challenge an entrenched system. It's remarkable that a citizen without legal training could do something like that."

6. What can the homeowners do?

They can file an appeal, file lawsuits. Write to your legislatures, and especially the governor matter of fact send them a copy of your property tax record.

Background on Fort Wayne taking advantage of Homeowners

Joe Gomeztagle found his babysitter crying, and asked her what was the matter. . I interviewed Gomeztagle and discovered that the babysitter was going to lose her home because of the taxes, as for the reason why she was crying. Gomeztagle decided to help the babysitter and little did Joe know he would turn property taxation on its head in the process. (See also Journal Gazette June 27, 2004. Indiana Tax Court’s Judge Thomas Fisher ruled against the good old boys network way of valuing property by cutting deals for friends and overtaxing the masses. And the good ole boys have been resisting every since the ruling and has even cost some in the masses to lose their homes. Indiana assessors were notified that the reassessment process would start May, 1999. New rules promulgating property valuation were put placed to be used by assessors on June 2001. Guidance for following the new regulations was to be completed by the assessment date of March 1, 2002.

All of the changes were to insure that property owners paying the new market value rate on May, 2003 would go uninterrupted. In Fort Wayne, it the May 2003 date was not met. By the end of September, 2003, the new market rate was not received to issue tax bills.

Judge Fishers deemed had we followed the law in the first place, perhaps, we might not have found ourselves having to meet the deadline for reassessing property value. Judge Fisher is referring to requirement that the property tax to be a tax on property wealth, The old ways of assessing property were in violation of the provision that the “general assembly shall provide, by law, for a uniform and equal rate of property assessment and taxation and shall prescribe regulations to secure a just valuation for taxation of all property, both real and personal. ” Fort Wayne was not interested in the Constitution, it was all about money.


There was big money to be made and Fort Wayne was going to make that money. The State had increase the homestead credit from $6,000 to $35,000. The increase in the homestead credit was to buffer the change to market value for property owners. Fort Wayne decided to take advantage of the homeowners and tripled the values of homes before applying the increase in the homestead credit. This would keep the guarantee locals would receive the full benefit of the reassessment had the state increased the homestead credit from $6,000 to $35,000.

Those who had never filed for the exemption at $6,000 which was increased to $35,000 were hit the hardest by the triple increase in property value. These homeowners without the homestead exemption could apply for it but would not get the exemption until a year later. The first bill for property owners with the stick shock increase were not mailed until after February 2004. Not only was the increase a surprise, but the next bill was due to come out in May 2004, and the dateline for filing the homestead exemption was March, 2004. This allowed Fort Wayne to take advantage of those who did not file a homestead exemption for two straight years. The delaying of the tax bills for two years only served to confused the public on just what was occurring under the new assessment and who was responsible for the mess.

The delay served another purpose and that was to prevent homeowners from meeting the timeliness of filing for appeals. The assessor office supposedly has completed the first phase of the reassessment as ordered by the State of Indiana. The State’s order for the assessor office was to determine new values on property located in Indiana. The assessor office decided to notify homeowners of the new values with a tax bill and notify businesses with the mailing of form 11. This notification is an important part because it starts the second phase of the reassessment. The second phase involves a review process by the property owners on the accuracy of the assessment. Any property owner wanting to challenge the accuracy of the assessment must file an appeal in writing for review of the assessment on form 130 or form 133 within 45 days of the notification.


But a meeting was held among the wealthy of the land. The purpose of the meeting was to give the wealthy more time to express their grievance about the reassessment than the normal allotted time of forty-five days after receiving form 11 with the tax bill. The wealthy were granted invitation to explain that their assessed value would be increased and local officials were willing to negotiate for a deal.


After winning the support of the wealthy of the land, the second stage of the manipulation of the masses was to convince the middle class homeowners that their assessed value of their homes would increase but so would the low income homeowners whom property had consistently depreciated in value over the years. So by increasing low income homeowners' homes to market value that would reduce the amount that middle class homeowners property would increase. The scheme sounded good to the middle class homeowners who bit the bullet for the increases in their property value. After seeing the increases on their tax bill, they believed that it could have been worse. Not having to fully to share the bear the burden of taxation alone, the middle class homeowners were silenced into complacency believing the lies told to them by the assessors.

What was forgotten during this manipulation of the masses was the fact that generally during a reassessment the homeowner tax rate will be reduced and the property tax bill will remain the same, go down slightly or rise slightly. However, because the tax rate has not been set, the middle class homeowners' belief was that their tax bill would go down but it didn't. Now here it is 2007, the taxpayers are being screwed once again as their property value has increase again.

You can appeal. The appeal process is the state’s oversight of the assessor office that gives a voice to property owners in the reassessment process. This is one reason why little information on the procedure for filing has been provided by the assessor’s office to property owners. The court argues that no one knows the property better than the property owners, in granting the property owners a say in the second phase of the reassessment. I filed in 2004 an appeal. This is what I did, but things may have changed since, so you may need to read the law on how to file an appeal. Three copies of the appeal form were required but the appeal itself did not cost me for filing. Property owners should obtain their property record card and a digital photo of their property from the county assessor office or the township assessor office.

After reviewing the drawing of their property or the description of their property, homeowners can use either form 133 or form 130 to file an appeal. Form 130 requires specification that can be used as evidence supporting your claim that the selling price of your property is not consistent with similar properties should your appeal moves through to the Tax Court. Form 130 has a section for the date and time that your appeal was filed. Also form 130 has a section for a conference. A conference must be scheduled 30 days after the appeal is filed.

The conference is a meeting between the two parties—the assessor and the property owner to work out the disagreement. With sound evidence that support your claim on the selling price, it should be enough for the assessor to reduce your property value and the reduction recorded in writing. If a property owner is not satisfied at this level of the appeal review it will go to the next level of review. But no matter the outcome, agreements or disagreement are recorded on the conference page of form 130.

The form 130 may no longer be available and may have been replaced with a generic form, but collecting the evidence is still the most important issue before filing whatever form that assessor office gives you. This is not legal advice.

Shaming-District Attorney David McDade of Georgia

This comes from skeptical brotha

Hat Tip: By SHANNON McCAFFREY, Associated Press Writer

District Attorney David McDade has handed out some 35 copies of a video of teenagers having sex at a party.

McDade says Georgia’s open-records law leaves him no choice but to release the footage because it was evidence in one of the state’s most turbulent cases — that of Genarlow Wilson, a young man serving 10 years in prison for having oral sex with a girl when they were teenagers.

McDade’s actions have opened him up to accusations that he is vindictively misusing his authority to keep Wilson behind bars — and worse, distributing child pornography.

“This has been a ferocious, vindictive prosecution of Genarlow Wilson,” said state Sen. Vincent Fort, an Atlanta Democrat. “What is going on is a vendetta.”

McDade, who is district attorney in Douglas County, in suburban Atlanta, did not immediately return calls Thursday.

He has said that while the law required him to release the video, he also believes the footage helps his case — by showing that Wilson is not the squeaky-clean football star and honor student portrayed by his supporters.

“Most of those who do not want people to see the tape know that it’s damning to their position,” McDade told The Associated Press.

He released the video after receiving an open records request from the AP, and said he has given it to about three dozen people, including reporters, lawmakers and several members of the public who requested it.

It shows Wilson, then 17, receiving oral sex from a 15-year-old girl and having intercourse with another 17-year-old girl. It was shot at a 2003 New Year’s Eve Party at a hotel room by another partygoer.

Earlier this week, Georgia’s chief federal prosecutor, U.S. Attorney David Nahmias, said the video “constitutes child pornography under federal law,” and he called on McDade’s office to stop releasing copies.

“These laws are intended to protect the children depicted in such images from the ongoing victimization of having their sexual activity viewed by others,” Nahmias said.

Nahmias’ office refused to say whether he would bring criminal charges against the D.A.

Critics say that at the very least, McDade should have obscured the faces of the underage girls to conceal their identity, or sought a protective order to keep the material under seal.

Such steps are common in sex abuses cases, especially those involving underage victims, said Diane Moyer, legal director for the Pennsylvania-based National Sexual Violence Research Center.

“The bottom line is we need to have respect for the victims in these kinds of cases,” Moyer said. “To release this kind of thing, to me it’s prurient and it takes the open records law too far.”

Several Wilson supporters likened McDade to disgraced Duke lacrosse prosecutor Mike Nifong and called on Georgia’s attorney general to investigate.

“Mike Nifong lost his license, and if he lost his license, then certainly a district attorney that distributes child pornography ought to be investigated,” the Rev. Raphael Warnock, pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, said Thursday.

State Sen. Emanuel Jones said he would introduce legislation to block district attorneys from handing over photographic images in sex cases.

“I’m going to call it the David McDade Act,” Jones said. “Sometimes we have to protect our kids from district attorneys.”

Wilson was convicted of aggravated child molestation for having oral sex with the 15-year-old girl. He has served more than two years of a mandatory 10-year sentence.

The law Wilson was convicted of breaking made consensual oral sex between teens a felony. It has since been changed by the Georgia Legislature. But the state’s courts have held that the new law cannot be applied retroactively.

A judge last month called Wilson’s sentence “a grave miscarriage of justice” and ordered him set free. But prosecutors are trying to block his release. The Georgia Supreme Court is set to hear the case next week.

McDade fought a bill in the Legislature earlier this year that would have helped Wilson. Some lawmakers who were on the fence changed their mind after seeing the tape.

This Weekend

Fort Wayne will be celebrating another Three River Festival-enjoy the elephant ears!!

Attention: My Man Attorney General Steven Carter

Excuse me Indiana Attorney General Steven Carter, but where is Allen County? I spent quite a bit of time on the telephone talking to ILene about the problem here in my fair city, that I briefly mentioned to you. A.G. don't you find it interesting that the citizen who are lying on a gurney from over assessment just might be some of the same folks who have suffered over appraisals?

In case you did not get a chance to read the article:

Breakdown by county

About 6,000 people from 32 Central Indiana counties could receive funds of at least $1.9 million. Here is a breakdown by county:

Bartholomew, $33,067.66
Blackford, $12,029.93
Boone, $44,814.58
Brown, $9,631.40
Cass, $16,972.41
Carroll, $11,730.94
Clinton, $23,444.62
Decatur, $8,677.09
Delaware, $38,460.48
Fayette, $12,200.52
Fountain, $8,439.18
Grant, $39,145.61
Hamilton, $149,229.10
Hancock, $50,284.14
Hendricks, $65,734.20
Henry, $32,201.61
Howard, $33,961.81
Johnson, $99,874.30
Lawrence, $14,398.28
Madison, $128,303.01
Marion, $824,291.46
Monroe, $48,941.14
Montgomery, $21,534.84
Morgan, $77,546.29
Miami, $21,117.05
Owen, $11,851.06
Putnam, $19,566.32
Randolph, $13,038.51
Rush, $9,133.20
Shelby, $38,759.71
Tipton, $12,334.43
White, $17,157.07

Mr. or Ms. Mrs. Anonymous

This article is for you. It's not that I don't know nothing it's really that what I'm interested in addressing and what you're interesting in addressing is two entirely different things. Enjoy, it's the words of the Tennis Stars' father:

WIMBLEDON, England - Once, Althea Gibson was barred from the grounds. A half-century later, the Williams sisters have won six singles titles.

Once, Gibson won two singles titles and had no prize money. Saturday, Venus Williams earned more than $1.407-million. Yet, said her father, Richard, not enough has changed.

"What it means to me, from the way I see things, is that blacks are treated the same way here at Wimbledon as when she (Gibson) was coming along in the '50s, " he said. "I don't see it any different than now. I will always see it that way."

Minutes after his daughter won her fourth Wimbledon title, he was talking as usual outside Centre Court. The Times asked about the significance of Gibson's breakthrough win in 1957, and he was off and running.

"If you're past 10 years old, you know what I'm talking about, " he said. "I turn on the TV here, and you can't find one black player, not one black man or woman or child, on TV that does a commercial. And we came here four days before the tournament. Why don't the English have one black (person) doing a damn commercial? I'm not saying they don't, but I've been here three weeks, and I haven't seen it, and I've taped everything. Not one. What 50 years are you talking about?"

Throughout the careers of daughters Venus, 27, and Serena, 25, Richard Williams has been outspoken, often amusing and often controversial. As he talked Saturday, his voice rose.

"I don't think there has been progress anywhere in America. In America, (George W.) Bush was the governor of Texas, and they pulled a black man down the street with his neck separated from his head (the James Byrd Jr. murder in 1998 in Jasper). Nothing has changed, and nothing's going to change. The only way I can see things changing is for the black people in America to do the same thing the Iranians are doing, and that's to fight until the s--- is over with. And this interview is over with."

Tom Henry

Tom Henry, the Democrat who is running for Mayor declined to get into the property tax debate until he has more factual information. It sure has not stopped many of those who are currently in office. All really all the facts that Henry would have needed would have been his own tax bills from last year and this year.

I think the fact that Jill Long Thompson has entered the Governor's race for Democrats has energized the locals and placed Henry into the spotlight. But once again, Henry was found to be out of touch with the issues impacting the community.

Henry, bringing in an outsider who does not know the community is not going to help you in this campaign, Matt Kelty, the Republican candidate learned that during his grassroot campaign.

Thompson is running for Governor of the State, Henry you are just running to be Mayor of small town Fort Wayne.

The American Dream

Home ownership is as American as homemade apple pie. However, local government property taxation and predatory lending is eating away at that dream. Many organization have worked tirelessly to teach your people about home ownership, saving for their homes, and demanding for affordable homes to be built in their current communities. Now, Governor Daniels is taking a stance in recent days is to remove jut one more of those obstacles from future generation from having a slice of this American dreams, and that is the outrageous increase in property taxes.

Income Tax

The Governor has given cities time to apply for the income tax option. The income tax option is based on your income as a property relief. To further reduce your tax bill, an taxpayer will be able to reduce their property tax bill along with the homestead credit.

Or the income tax option can be used to raise revenue instead of increasing property tax for increases to the budget.


Or a combination of both of the first two if cities wanted to raise additional funds for public safety.

Governor Mitch Daniel means business

Too accommodating, Governor Daniels has discovered the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance may have been and so he is putting a end to it, by appointing a new Commissioner to IDLGF. It obvious the Governor Daniels is listening to the voters, who are demanding that the Governor do something and do something now.!!!


Fort Wayne, what are you waiting on? In the meantime is some reading for you:

INDIANAPOLIS (July 13, 2007) – Governor Mitch Daniels today appointed Cheryl Musgrave, president of the Vanderburgh County Commission, as the new commissioner of the Department of Local Government Finance. Musgrave replaces Melissa Henson, who resigned effective June 29.

“Cheryl is a former assessor who knows a quality assessment from a botched one. She's a current county commissioner who understands the role schools, libraries, municipal and county governments all play in pushing up total local spending, and she shares my view that aggressive reform and streamlining of local government is the only long-term solution to excess property taxes,” said Daniels.

“I have asked Cheryl to be as aggressive as possible in using the powers and information-gathering capabilities of DLGF to bring down property taxes wherever possible. It appears that DLGF has been too accommodating in some past cases; with her appointment, those days are over,” he said.

Musgrave, 49, has more than a dozen years of public service experience, currently as president of the Vanderburgh County Commission. She began her term in January 2005 and became president of the commission in November 2005. Musgrave has been instrumental in providing the public with Internet access to government information, restructuring economic development groups in the county, and she managed the response to the November 2005 tornado in the unincorporated county.

As Vanderburgh County Assessor from 1995 to 2005, Musgrave was the first assessor to complete the 2002 reassessment cycle as well as the first in the state to create an assessment and property sales Web site. She first became involved in county government as a citizen board member to the Vanderburgh County Board of Review where she worked for equitable application of the state’s tax laws. Musgrave is a 1979 graduate of DePauw University.

Musgrave’s appointment is effective July 16. She also will resign from the Vanderburgh County Commission effective on the same day.

River City Harley-Davidson welcomes the traveling Vietnam Wall

River City Harley Davidson Motorcylces in New Haven, Indiana I've visited this wall several times. I visited the wall in Indianapolis. But, I especially remembering visiting the wall in Fort Wayne, I remember several vets that I worked with at United States Post Office who were extreme emotional seeing the names of their fallen comrades. I always look for one friend from the neighborhood, and this post is to remember him.




In honor of Moses Haywood, a Vietnam Vet MIA.

Another Quote by Outgoing Mayor Richard

Good progress is being made as we continue our commitment to build a better city to retain and gain jobs and provide a great quality of life for residents and businesses,” said Mayor Richard. “We encourage everyone to get involved as we work together to create a great destination place north of the river for residents and visitors to enjoy.”

Hello Mr. Mayor Dick or is that Dick Mayor:

Let's reduce your spending for folks can enjoy their homes and the qualify of life they are trying to establish for their families.

I talked to a man today who is working as hard as he can, but he is seeing his quality of life slipping away. He's not looking for a destination place north of the river to enjoy, he just wants to be able to get a little rest and enjoy of his home and family.

Or how about another man who has placed over $20,000 worth of work into his home and that he may lose it because of the increase in his taxes.

Or how about the retired senior citizen who is wondering with the increase in taxes whether or not she will have to sell her home.

Here's some suggestion in reducing the increasing in taxes before you leave office in the next five months:


File the application to delay payments.

Allow all home owners who did not file for the homestead exemption to be granted the exemption immediately

Do not allow the current trending assessment amounts to be used.

Use last year reassessment amount to be used.

Reduced the tax rate to 2.5

Apply for the third income option for property tax replacement credit that will set aside future for public safety by the October 1 deadline.


Join me on Monday at 12:00 p.m. for a peaceful property taxes protest in front of Freimann Square to encourage folks to file appeals.

***Blogoshere ALert***

***This blogosphere alert is going out to the bloggers. I am seeking John B. Kalb. Please let Mr. John B. Kalb, know I would like for him to contact me at : dowdells@comcast.net. ***

Local income tax options delayed to reduce property taxes

The local income tax options will save cities and counties tons of money. But Fort Wayne wanted to wait until it can collect even more than they are collecting this year. This billing cycle for taxes 2006-2007 is not capped at the 2%, so the city leaders went for the gusto and collected as much as they wanted. I said whatever they wanted, I did not say what was necessary for their budget. The budget would somehow just add up to the total they scammed from taxpayers with help from trending.


At assessing property higher than the appraised value, the officials will have to place the cap on the next property tax bill which will be due in March or May 2008. This will be when they will know how much they will be able to collect from the 2% cap. So they want to stall and wait before they buy into the income tax option.

But the State Government is telling the local government not only will you have to place a cap on how much you can collect in property tax, it is also giving them another option to further reduce homeowner property taxes during the same time period with the use of the income tax option.

This is the income tax option that Fort Wayne wants to wait and see how much they collect before they offer their citizens additional saving on their tax bill!!!!!!

The original date that the cities had to sign on the dotted line was August 1. Now Governor Daniels is giving those cities who thought the folks would not rise up and demand that the government to do something another chance to sign on the dotted line by extending the deadline until October 1.

This is just one solution that is available for cities and counties to remedy the problem of the over assessing of property that news reporters are unable to explain to the citizens who read their newspapers

Fort Wayne Mayor Dick Discussion on Property Tax

Fort Wayne Mayor Graham Richard said the city is working on its budget for next year, which will likely have some increase to cover the cost of inflation, rising health-care costs and increased fuel prices.

“Every year, we’ve been able to come forward and present a fiscally sound budget,” Richard said. “We’ll do it again this year.”

Richard also noted that Daniels is proposing nothing more than a band-aid solution and not a comprehensive review of what types of taxes are available, when they are collected and how budgets are set.

He said Indiana cities and towns have lobbied the state for tax reform the past two years.

This year the legislature gave local governments the ability to increase income taxes to offset property taxes, which Richard called a step in the right direction, not a long-term fix.

“The issue is that the property tax system is no longer effective,” he said. “The governor, in my estimation, has not provided the kind of leadership that we need.”

Let's see did Mayor Dick provide any solutions to our local property tax problems? No!

Is this the same Mayor Dick who is leaving office and leaving the property tax problem to the new incoming Mayor to provide solutions? Yes!!!!!!

Total Civil City Budget 2006 $ 173,985,130 2007 $ 194,013,610 11.51%


The tax rate has continued to increase in the City of Fort Wayne. The City that saved itself from the floods will have to become the City that saved itself from overtaxing by elected city officials.

It's not Governor Daniels that lack leadership Mayor Dick it is the City of Fort Wayne, you know the one that wants to build a baseball park downtown without any spectators.

Property Tax Reform-Greater Scrutiny by Taxpayers

Governor Daniels statement regarding Indiana's property tax discussion.

I kept in close touch with events during my week of family vacation, and like everyone am dismayed about the size of residential property tax increases in Marion and some other Indiana counties. Obviously, increases of the magnitude some homeowners are facing are unacceptable and we must look for immediate help and long-term reform.

Let's start with the basics: property taxes pay for local spending and local borrowing. They are collected by and for local government, schools and libraries. When, as in Marion County, local spending goes up 10 percent per year, taxes are going up with it. Local assessment that claims Marion County home values grew 19 percent faster than commercial property is another obvious factor in Indianapolis' acute problem.

Although the cause of the problem is local, state government has tried repeatedly over 35 years to relieve the property tax burden on Hoosier citizens. Through sales and income taxes, the state already provides more than $2 billion annually -- a quarter of total property taxes -- to subsidize local government spending. The recent legislature dedicated another half billion dollars to this purpose, and also gave localities major new flexibilities to reduce property taxes and replace them with income taxes. This new power to reduce property taxes has not yet been used in Marion or any other county.

As governor, I will take every step I have authority to take to help Hoosier homeowners. First, I have directed the Department of Local Government Finance to approve any county's application to permit homeowners to pay their property taxes in installments and to extend bill due dates. I have ordered the Indiana Bond Bank to facilitate short-term financing by local governments that need cash while awaiting these installments.

I am also exploring some ideas with legislative leaders about how a special session might provide immediate relief directly to property taxpayers who have been especially hard hit. I have instructed DLGF to probe the unexplained disparity between residential and commercial reassessment in many counties, taking follow-on action if warranted. The state will not approve pending budget orders until commercial and industrial real estate assessments have been further analyzed. DLGF also will notify localities that upcoming budgets that spend above the rate of inflation will be rejected until spending is under control. Pending and future bond issuances also will be held in problem counties.

Looking ahead, some costs now borne locally, such as the child welfare levy, can be shifted to state government, never forgetting that the money all comes from the same taxpayers. The bottom line is there can be no solution without greater control of local spending and borrowing.That means greater scrutiny by taxpayers and by state government, and it means fundamental reform for the long term.

We have far too many layers, elected offices, geographic units, school districts and overhead. I will have more to say on this subject in a week or so.

1967 Chevrolet Nova-my man Roach

Pro Street Car

Police Chief Rusty York Senority vs. Junior Allen County Sheriff Ken Fries tough on crime election ploy

The Final Version

(Fort Wayne - WANE) Wednesday morning, law enforcement officials from several different agencies announced details of a Gang Unit being formed in Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne Police Chief Rusty York will be joined by Mayor Graham Richard, an ATF agent and a representative from the Allen County Prosecutor's office.

A press release issued by the FWPD describes the main objective of the Gang Unit will be to fight gan violence within the city. This will be accomplished through various investigative techniques which include targeted enforcement, surveillance, undercover operations and interaction with community leaders.

"Our officers have a tremendous amount of information and will continue gathering more to make sure gangs do not become a problem in Fort Wayne," Police Chief Rusty York said.

The Gang Unit will be made up of a Fort Wayne Police Department supervisor, four uniformed FWPD officers and an ATF officer.

Police say of the 15 homicides in Fort Wayne this year nine of them are gang related. The police also say they are on pace to confiscate nearly 700 weapons in 2007.

The Misstep

A revival of a joint county-city police task force that would target gun crimes in Fort Wayne is off the table for now.

Allen County Sheriff Ken Fries had planned on requesting permission to apply for a U.S. Department of Justice grant that would have paid for teams of sheriff's officers and Fort Wayne police officers to target areas that have seen high rates of gun violence. The Project Safe Neighborhoods grant request was scheduled to be on the County Council agenda for its monthly meeting Thursday.

But Fries withdrew his request and told the council, the county's fiscal body, that he would not seek the grant money now because the city police department would not sign off on a memorandum of understanding.

The proposed task force, known as the Metro Squad, has been met with strong opposition from residents on the city's southeast side, including many blacks. The area was targeted by another Metro Squad in the 1990s.

Police Chief Rusty York said he did not sign off on the memorandum of understanding because the proposal as written did not meet all of the requirements of the grant.

To be eligible for those federal dollars, county and city police departments must work with the prosecutor's office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The program must also target gang activity, not just gun crimes, York said.

The grant called for using intelligence and to focus on individuals when addressing gun crimes and gangs, he said. Fries' grant did not include those elements, he said.

Fries said part of the reason to drop the grant request was because more money would be available if the departments applied for 2007 grant money. If he applied now, he would be seeking leftover money from a 2006 grant.

He said he was hoping to receive about $50,000 through the grant. Less than that would limit the effectiveness of the task force. If the program is seen as not effective, Fries said, residents would question why it should continue.

Taking the Metro Squad off the table had nothing to do with concerns of residents. Despite residents' concerns, they still want safe neighborhoods, Fries said.

On Thursday, however, County Councilwoman Maye Johnson, D-1st, told Fries that those concerns have not gone away. She asked to meet with Fries to get a better understanding of the program before he would come before council again to ask permission to apply for the grant.

Residents are worried that the task force would target black men and that they would be harassed when stopped by police, she said. She also worries about excessive force being used, she said.

Residents don't want police to jump out of cars and point guns at people as that happened with the original Metro Squad, she said.

"This is very fresh in the minds of people," she said.

Johnson agreed that residents throughout the city want to feel safe. But collaboration between police and neighborhood associations and relationship-building has had a positive effect in southeast Fort Wayne, she said.

Programs like Fries' Metro Squad are more effective when the community understands what police are doing and what they are trying to accomplish, York said.

"You need to ramp up for these efforts so nobody is surprised and so everyone knows what's going to happen," he said.

There is a need for this type of program, York said, and the city police department looked at applying for the same grant previously. Because of that need, Fries' vision could still become a reality, York said.

The Result:

Democrats get credit for being tough on crime.

What was the different? Look for the bold highlight

Fort Wayne Police Chief Rusty York will be joined by Mayor Graham Richard, an ATF agent and a representative from the Allen County Prosecutor's office.

Funding for pretend home land security

Mayor Graham Richard and Public Safety Academy of Northeast Indiana Director Brent Johnson today were joined by first responders, area educators and government officials to view the progress being made at the Public Safety Academy at Southtown Centre.

The first-of-its-kind facility is on schedule to open in November. The $27 million academy will provide police, fire, emergency medical services, and homeland security training and education for professionals and students from Northeast Indiana and across the Midwest.


Funding Sources:


Local education partners, Ivy Tech, IPFW, Indiana Tech, Taylor University, the University of St. Francis, Tri-State University, and Fort Wayne Community Schools (Anthis Career Center), have committed to leasing space at the academy. The educational institutions will use classroom space at the academy to teach and train students to become public safety professionals. An academic and professional training coordinator has been hired to develop training programming for professionals and students.

“Homeland security is hometown security. That’s why it’s so critical to be a leader in developing public safety programs to protect local communities,” said Mayor Richard. “We must have high trust, high performance partnerships to protect residents and businesses in emergencies. We are committed to providing excellent services to be a safe community.”

who gets the taxpayer dollars
Hagerman Construction is the general contractor for the project. The project is financed through a City Council approved bond. Additional funding comes from the Indiana General Assembly through Ivy Tech. Property taxes are not being used to finance the academy.

Who is this Gladiator called Epicus?

Epicus, the Gladiator has been spotted around town riding in a convertible. Epicus, has made several appearances throughout the city, it was seen at the Fort Wayne Allen County Zoo, the Memorial Coliseum and the Allen County Main Library typing at an express Computer.

Is he a viral marketing ploy created by Boyden and Youngblutt?

It is claimed that a satisfied customer tells an average of three people about a product or service he/she likes, and eleven people about a product or service which he/she did not like.[3] Viral marketing is based on this natural human behaviour.

I sure would like to know exactly who is Epicus?

Domestic Violence-not Gangs

Violence is occurring in many homes. But the police department during the budget cycle is blaming the violence on gangs. The police department is making a request for a budget increase, so make sure you attend the budget hearing on June 24, 2007 at 5:30 p.m. I gave you the numbers for the padded budget. I told you about the increase in the property tax that is unfair to home owners. But, no one dare criticize the police department!! Give them whatever they want, because of the risk of their jobs and having to deal with gangs. If it cost you your home, you are not to cut back on the police department. Wrong.

Police say of the 15 homicides in Fort Wayne this year nine of them are gang related. The police also say they are on pace to confiscate nearly 700 weapons in 2007.

Nine homicides are gang-related , so says the story. But more than likely it from cliques, folks who know each other, at least that is what studies say about murder victims. Some studies say that murder is generally not a random act of violence committed by a stranger, but generally committed by someone you know.

In domestic violence cases it is generally women and children who live in a home where abuse occur at the hands of a male who can escalate to the point of killing his whole family. In the news lately we are hearing about males killing themselves after killing their families. We recently read or hear about the professional wrestler who killed his family. Many in the community were surprised that such a successful male killed his son and even more shocked about the fact that the father was injecting the young son with growth hormone. It's okay in society to harm family as long as you don't talk about it.

We, Fort Wayne, had one of the most violence killing of family members. And guess what, the police did not form a gang unit. No gang unit, do you know why? Because Simon was not a gang member, he was a violent person who was allowed to escalate until he did the unthinkable. He raped a young female,, killed her and then killed his family. One individual not a gang, just a man who was known to be abusive by the system. The system did nothing.

No gang unit, Mayor Dick.

The public wondered what could have been done to prevent such tragedies. The first thing is not to believe the lies that families are safe as long as they have no interaction with youth from urban areas who automatically belong to gangs because they are African-Americans. When in fact many women and children are living in homes, abused and scared to tell.

Domestic violence victims' real numbers are unknown because police don't like to get involved in matters that involve a man beating his woman. As a person who has studied the criminal justice system, I believe there is greed in local government before I will believe Fort Wayne has a real gang problem. But, how do we get an increase in the police department budget? Scare the public and implement targeted enforcement in your neighborhoods.

This will be accomplished through various investigative techniques which include targeted enforcement, surveillance, undercover operations and interaction with community leaders.

Why don't they join the military and fight the real terrorist instead of harassing children?

Analyze This!!!!!

This is a repost. I attended a meeting last night that barely mentioned the tax increases. There will be a public hearing on the June 24, 2007 at 5:30 p.m that will be the only time for folks to voice their opinions about the unprecedented increases to the property taxes and the local budget. The City Council is not having any hearings to discuss the budget before that date. Somebody need to tell somebody and that includes all the folks who were complaining about the smoking ordinance. The budget will pass with little to no input from the public. Ain't that sad, but you elected them, but your vote can unelect them.



Governor Mitch Daniels is talking taxes. But what is Fort Wayne talking, smoking and mirrors? No smoking ordinance and Harrison Square financing ordinance, that keeps the folks from asking about where in the heck is all this money!!!

The Zen Of Motorcycles- Ms. Denise

Just take a Guess?

Stand up and Speak for yourself-do not allow others to speak for you

Correction on John Goodman-the tailback

This posting is to supplement an early posting where one of my loyal readers was mislead into thinking the picture I posted was John Goodman. The reader let me know that the male pictured was really Will Hill. Thank you loyal reader Fetchy, and thank you for clicking on to the link that I provided for my readers to do the same in checking out the information that I provided.

As you know Fetchy, (since you are a loyal reader) that not only do I enjoy providing my readers with information that I've read. I trust my readers can discern from reading the material that I've researched and formed my own opinions and reached a conclusion that I share on this blog that is not spoon fed to me. Sometimes I am multitasking to bring the information to my readers in a timely fashion. And it's readers like you who are able to read the same information and provide additional information to correct me if I misstep and improve this site for my readers in which I collected this information. So it is at this point that followed up on the information that you provided.

So here is the rest of the story:

The state of New Jersey has had its share of big time blue-chippers over the years and this season is no different. In fact safety Will Hill (Jersey City, N.J.) may be one of the top skilled players the state has produced in some time. “The Garden State is very deep this year, lead by one of the best players in the nation in Will Hill," said Bob Lichtenfeld, Midwest and East Recruiting Analyst for Scout.com. "Hill is as good as it gets and could push for the top spot in the nation."

Dion Jordan
When it comes to the Class of 2008 it has to be regarded as one of the deepest years ever in the state of Arizona. This class is blessed with some great skilled prospects and a few big guys. Regardless of position it’s a good year in the desert. "This year's crop is as deep as ever,” said Jason Jewell, Arizona Recruiting Analyst for Scout.com. “I have not seen this many kids hold double digit offers in this state this early. Ever. 34 players in the Grand Canyon State held offers with 10 players holding 10 or more offers. Schools such as Boston College, Florida, South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Michigan and Nebraska are coming in and going after the state’s top recruits, a trend I think is sure to stay after players like Everson Griffen and Kris O'Dowd put Arizona on the map. Covaughn Deboskie (Chandler, Az.), Gerell Robinson (Chandler, Az.), Dion Jordan (Chandler, Az.), Ray Polk (Phoenix, Az.), Zach Schlink (Peoria, Az.) and Jamal Womble (Sierra Vista, Az.) are getting looks from across the country."

De’Anthony Curtis
The South is loaded at the wide receiver position this season and that also includes the state of Arkansas, where Joe Adams (Little Rock, Ark.), Jarius Wright (Warren, Ark), Cruz Williams (Little Rock, Ark.) and Greg Childs (Warren, Ark.) occupy four of the top five spots. The other spot goes to a running back with a ton of talent. “It is a great year for wide receivers all across the Southeast,” said Miller Safrit, Southeast Recruiting Analyst for Scout.com. “That is still very much the case in Arkansas as four of the top five prospects in the state are wideouts and the fifth is versatile running back De’Anthony Curtis, who also put up some big numbers through the air.”

> Indiana is has some quality kids this season, especially at the top, where three of the four top prospects are headed to South Bend or Ann Arbor. Headlining the class of 08 in Indiana is wide receiver John Goodman (Fort Wayne, In.). “Running back depth is the story in Indiana this year as five of the top twenty players in the state are tailbacks,” said Lichtenfels. “John Goodman could be another potential Jeff Samardzija type wide receiver down the road. He has a chance to be special." Coming on Wednesday will be the preseason state rankings of Illinois

The Distractors

July 10, 2007 City Council Meeting issues (some )up for discussion

1. A-07-07-07 AN ORDINANCE appropriating monies into certain accounts for the 2007 Budgets of various funds and departments of the City of Fort
Wayne, reducing the unappropriated and unobligated balance of the
particular fund involved as required to meet obligations for the
remainder of 2007

PUBLIC HEARING – 7-24-07 – 5:30 P.M.


2. R-07-07-17 A RESOLUTION proposing An Ordinance to the Allen County Income
Tax Council to adopt an Option to provide property tax reform to Citizens of Allen County

3. G-07-06-38 AN ORDINANCE amending Chapter 35: Fire Department of the City
of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Code of Ordinances to establish the Fort Wayne Fire Department Merit Commission Establish a system for employees based on merit and
Qualification.

3.R-07-07-08 A RESOLUTION authorizing the transfer of funds between
certain accounts within the 2007 budgets of certain CityDepartments

Genarlow Wilson Update

Genarlow Wilson is on his way out out prison. Wilson, 21, was convicted of aggravated child molestation for having consensual oral sex with a 15-year-old girl when he was 17, during a 2003 New Year's Eve party in Douglas County, just west of Atlanta, Georgia. Indiana passed a law that will prevent young folks from having being charged as sex molester under a Romeo and Juliet law.

Here Al Sharpton sounds like Exodus Menatlity.

Indiana Class of 2008

Fort Wayne's John Goodman, a tailback, is a member of Indiana class of 2008

Circuit Breaker-Tax Relief

Fort Wayne blogosphere and other bloggers are real quiet on the property tax increases that had hit the mailbox or are being sent to the printer as I type. Fort Wayne blogosphere are talking about things like an interview with Sam T, Mitch Ditched his opponent, and TIF.

I've already addressed Mitch, so let me move on to Sam's interview: Sam tells all should be the title of this interview. Sam contradicts himself over and over again. The most telling part of the interview for me was this statement:

Talarico: It’s kind of interesting, I don’t know how long you’ve been around Fort
Wayne, but I almost viewed it as an 8 year process. About 6 months after I was elected there had been an ongoing dispute that went on for a couple of years about whether or not to approve $38 to 40 Million to expand the Coliseum. It got caught up in the court system because of a lawsuit over the food and beverage tax and everything else. I wrote an editorial about 6 months into being on council that said if we’re going to spend $40 Million to renovate the coliseum why not build a new arena downtown like every other community has done? People were saying, and they ended up being right, we’re adding 4000 bad seats and for the same amount we might be able to build something brand new.

Well that took off and it became a huge movement and unlike Harrison Square it was
extremely popular. I would say the pros and cons ran just about opposite of Harrison
Square.

The thing was the idea just came too late – it was at the 11th hour. The county council and commissioners basically just said “you’re out of luck, it’s too late” and sent us on our way. And I’m not going to mention any names, but after that county council vote I went up to one of the county council members and I asked him why he didn’t consider a couple of issues. And his response to me I can’t even repeat, but it was rather juvenile and basically he said get out of my face we’ll do things the way we’ve been doing it for a long time. Well I left that meeting and met with some other people and we came up with the idea that we were gonna put a slate of candidates together to go after the incumbents in the primary election. Everyone said we were nuts, said that none of them would get beat, that we’d be lucky if one of them won, and they all won.

I felt momentum from that because they were all people connected to the downtown
arena debate. And only because of them getting on board have we been able to have
discussions about consolidated government, 1362, and it’s kind of flowed all the way
through the 1362 discussion into the Harrison Square debate which we wouldn’t be
forming a committee to study consolidation, we wouldn’t have Harrison Square, if not for this whole batch of new people that had been elected, including Tom Didier as well.

Does this not scream Sam T is bragging on hoodwinking the people all in the name of "democracy"? And did he really believe Tim Pape had a change of becoming Mayor, running for Mayor yeah, but having a hail Mary change of winning?

Tim and I, on the whole Harrison Square thing, we both put party aside. We told each other we would do that early on because we both felt so strongly about it. I have a lot of respect for him and I actually think he would’ve been by far the best candidate the Democrats could’ve put up for mayor this time.

The interview confirmed for me my suspicious that there was a group of people who did not have the voters best interest at heart.


Now let me discuss the article about TIF. Remember Sam T. strategy of slating candidates this can applied to the group interviewed for the TIF article by Ben Lanka.

Tax increment financing, or TIF, allows governments to capture property taxes from new development in an area

Is that really how Tax incremental financing (TIF) work? Is that how the groupies, explained it to Ben? YOu know the groupies, the ones in the article, let's see Karen Goldner, Jim Lindsay, Mike Sylvester, and John Stafford. I would have loved for Ben to interviewed the folks in Indy to explain how TIF really works.

For example, TIF is not complicated when you know what you are talking about and don't have to remember the lies. My understanding of TIF is that it freezes the property tax in a specific area. And if there is an increase about the property freeze, that money can be used for specific improvements. The improvements to the specific area is to attract new development into the area. And with new development will generate additional funds to improve the area and attract even more development. A sort of snowball effect from the first revenue received from the TIF district.

Did you notice I did not say anything about giving tax dollars to build condominium or a hotel? Did you see anything in the code Ben about TIF dollars building hotels, motels or anything else? Ben did you talk to legislators? Just talk to somebody other than the those who hit on boards to hide the ball, that's all I'm asking!

These folks can't blame Fort Wayne Community Board for the increase in their current tax bill, so now they want to blame it on TIF. TIF DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CURRENT INCREASES!!! IT IS TRENDING-THE OVERASSESSMENT OF PROPERTY VALUE AND NOT LOWERING THE TAX RATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sylvester had his assessed value reduced last year and this year he will pay $210,100 $3,611.56. I could not find Karen Goldner, but I did find a Stafford John R & Linda K 2207 Owaissa Way $126,200 $1,560.78 .

Have you figured out the arbitrariness of the taxing of these folks yet. Folks are real quiet on the current increases to their tax bill. Too quiet

Public Law 216 -Teenagers engaged in the act

This law went into effect for the State of Indiana, July 1, a great law to protect young folks who do stupid things.

From the Journal-Gazette:

Law allows defense for teen sex
By Joe GerretyLafayette Journal & CourierFor years in Indiana, the age at which a person could legally consent to have sex was 16.

But lawyers for young defendants accused of having sex with 14- and 15-year-olds now can pose a defense against charges of sexual misconduct with a minor.

Public Law 216 creates a legal defense, nicknamed the “Romeo and Juliet defense,” against charges of sexual misconduct with a minor. The law went into effect July 1.

“The change in the law decriminalizes consensual sex among teenagers in a dating relationship if they are within four years’ age difference,” said Larry Landis, executive director of the Indiana Public Defender Council.

The Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council supported and helped write the new defense. Executive Director Stephen J. Johnson said the change doesn’t lower the age of consent.

It modifies a 1994 law that made sexual misconduct with a minor a separate offense from child molesting as a way of dealing with teenage sexuality, Johnson said.

“We did not view the new defense as a radical change in the law; rather it created what we believed was a relatively narrow defense for certain sexual acts among young people over the age which would qualify for child molestation,” Johnson said.

The defense can be asserted if the person accused of having sexual contact with a 14-or 15-year-old is no more than four years older than the alleged victim and was involved in a dating relationship with the victim at the time.Landis said the law change arose from concern that the ever-widening set of crimes that force people to register as sex offenders was having unintended consequences.

Fort Wayne Wizards Player and Pitcher of the Week

From The Mad Frairs:

Fort Wayne, IN – Wizards third baseman Rayner Contreras and right-hander Andy Underwood were named the Midwest League’s Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively for the week of July 2 through July

Steven Shine Out

Well rumors had it that Mitch Harper would replace Steve Shine or even Sam T. but the word on the street: John McGauley. But you didn't hear it from me.

Delagrange Housing LayoutFor Renaissance Pointe

Housing Models

Our Man Mitch-Mitch Harper that is

Yes, Fort Wayne Our very own Man Mitch--Mitchell Harper is as slick as Indianapolis,Governor MMM. No need to rent a bus to campaign, M.Harper City Council 4th District contender, Charles Langley has "thrown his hands up in the air like he just don't care"!

Sigh.

I have just one question, do we really have elections in Fort Wayne? Or is everyone appointed a seat? Or is the Democrats really just a fake party in Fort Wayne, Indiana?

Arthur Scott Wims the rainmaker

From the Nebraska University Track & Field website: São Paolo, Brazil – The day after capturing bronze in the 100-meter dash, Husker

sprinter Scott Wims turned in an outstanding time of 20.80 to take home the gold medal in the 200-meters at the 2007 Pan American Junior Championships in São Paolo, Brazil.



The Fort Wayne, Ind., native topped second-place finisher Tyrell Cuffy of the Cayman Islands by just three-hundredths of a second (20.83). Cuffy came into the finale with a semifinal-leading time of 20.84, while Wims drastically improved from his qualifying time of 21.09.



The Husker sophomore-to-be nabbed the U.S. title in the 200-meters with a time of 20.86 in June and added his first Pan American title on Sunday to give the United States a total of 11 gold medals for the junior championships. Wims also ran the lead leg of the gold-medal-winning 4x100 relay team, which turned in a top time of 39.43 for the title, giving the U.S. 22 medals overall.



Fellow Husker sprinter Dax Danns joined Wims on the medals stand by finishing third for the bronze medal in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.20. Danns, who is competing for his native Guyana, earned his country’s only medal at the 2007 Pan Am Junior Championships. He is one of three Guyanese athletes competing at the event.



Wims and Danns recently completed their freshmen seasons at Nebraska in 2007, where they were both part of the school-record setting 4x200 relay team. Wims also garnered All-America honors in the 4x400 relay and the 200-meter dash, and took home the top spot in the 200-meters at the Midwest Regional.

Holiday World and Splashin' Safari Theme Park Death

From Indy Channel 6 News

Police have identified the woman who died after she collapsed into a shallow pool at Holiday World and Splashin' Safari theme park as Bonnie D. Hollon of Fort Wayne, Ind.

Hollon, 29, was standing on the edge of The Wave pool, where the water is only inches deep, when she collapsed Wednesday morning. Lifeguards pulled her from the water and, along with paramedics, tried to revive her, but she was pronounced dead after being taken to Jasper Memorial Hospital

Zion Lutheran Church investment in the neighborhood

Rainbow Community Org Inc 2110 S Hanna St $1,600 $0.00
Rainbow Community Organization Inc 2114 S Hanna St $1,300 $0.00
Rainbow Community Organization Inc 2120 S Hanna St $1,100 $0.00
Rainbow Community 2122 S Hanna St $2,200 $0.00
Project Renew 2125 S Hanna St (n Of) $200 $5.08
Fort Wayne Urban League Inc 2135 S Hanna St $0 $0.00
Fort Wayne Urban League Inc 2135 S Hanna St $9,500 $241.08
Fort Wayne Urban League Inc 2135 S Hanna St $35,700 $0.00
Fort Wayne Urban League Inc 2135 S Hanna St $0 $0.00
Healthvisions Midwest Inc 2135 S Hanna St $7,100 $0.00
Allen County Public Library 2215 S Hanna St $0 $0.00
Rainbow Community Organization Inc 2302 S Hanna St $1,000 $0.00
Essex Lizzie 2308 S Hanna St $1,100 $27.90
Essex Ernest Jr & Etal 2310 S Hanna St $50,600 $504.96
Zion Lutheran Church 2313 Hanna St $42,700 $0.00
View Zion Evangelical Lutherna Church 2313 S Hanna St $607,500 $0.00
Rainbow Community Organization Inc 2314 S Hanna St $50,600 $0.00
Washington Willie J & Jessie M 2324 S Hanna St $57,100 $320.74
Dearinger Jeffery A 2326 S Hanna St $1,200 $30.44
Dearinger Jeffery A 2330 S Hanna St $75,600 $754.44
First Investment Group Corp 2336 S Hanna St $56,400 $1,431.26
First Investment Group Corp 2336 S Hanna St $0 $0.00
St Johns Missionary 2337 S Hanna St $0 $0.00
St Johns Missionary 2403 S Hanna St $2,900 $0.00
St John Missionary Baptist 2421 S Hanna St $109,300 $0.00
View Pancake Timothy & Leann 2406 S Hanna St $91,400 $1,364.98

Courting Marriot Hotel cost Fort Wayne $2.5 million more dollars

Hardball Capital declared the Harrison Square Park is a no deal without a hotel. The White Lodging says no deal on a 11-story hotel and go with a 6-story deal and a subsidy of $2 million dollar. Now raise your hands if you did not think the city was not going to have to cough up some more money? No hands raised, no surprise, and this what your Mayor Graham Richard had to say:

A Courtyard by Marriott will be a great asset for our community and region as we move forward with Harrison Square,” said Mayor Richard. “A successful privately financed hotel complements the overall Harrison Square development that will strengthen our community and enable us to retain and gain quality jobs and businesses.”
Hotel highlights
* Six-story, 250-room hotel

* Approximately 6,000 square feet of meeting room space

* Signature restaurant, bar and coffee shop

* Room service during restaurant hours for hotel patrons

* Indoor pool and fitness center

The Courtyard by Marriott will feature an urban design that will enhance downtown’s visual landscape. Its welcoming façade will add energy to the street-level experience.

The Mayor was probably talking when Kroger made it's announcement about closing 5 stores.

K.I.S.S. -I got your back

Sometimes you wonder why it is so quiet in the blogosphere about certain important issues. I would think state and local taxation would be on the top of the list wouldn't you? But sometimes the news can offend friends. See for yourself, if your friends house is valued at close to the same amount, how come one pays more than the other? Value determine tax, not the sides of the rooms, so let's not go there, if you please?

Harper Mitchell V & Wilson Daw 5207 Hopkinton Dr $0 $0.00
*Mitchell Harper Law Office 5207 Hopkinton Dr $3,200 $102.86
Harper Mitchell V & Wilson Dawn E 5207 Hopkinton Dr $226,300 $4,128.00
Leininger Kevin L & Vicki L 5328 Hopkinton Dr $0 $0.00
**Leininger Kevin L & Vicki L 5328 Hopkinton Dr $268,600 $5,176.80
* Built in 1986 assessed at 122,000 by 200 jumped to 213,000 and 2006 jumped to 226,300] appraised value between 171,000-186,000.

**Built in 1999 assessed at 160,000 by 2001 jumped to 252,900 and 2006 jumped to 268,600] appraised value stated as 224,000.
Or this

Hunter Gary A & Liesa H 505 Windrift Ln $334,300 $6,355.14
Hunter Gary A & Liesa H 505 Windrift Ln $0 $5.00
View Stuart Daniel O & Cynthia A 510 Windrift Ln $234,300 $4,130.66
View Stuart Daniel O & Cynthia A 510 Windrift Ln $0 $5.00
View Parrish William A & Mary Jo 521 Windrift Ln $0 $5.00
View Parrish William A & Mary Jo 521 Windrift Ln $290,800 $4,847.42
View Karena J Sylvester Cpa 625 Windrift Ln $2,600 $80.64
View Sylvester Michael L & Karena J 625 Windrift Ln $0 $5.00
View Sylvester Michael L & Karena J 625 Windrift Ln $210,100 $3,611.56
View Taraschke John & Ponesak Lori 636 Windrift Ln $221,800 $3,853.50
View Taraschke John & Ponesak Lori 636 Windrift Ln $0 $5.00
View Windrift Community Association 917 Windrift Ln (n Of) $22,000 $594.52

Fort Wayne $11 billion property valuation

Fort Wayne it does not say 12%-14% change; it states 50.45% change!!!! And you thought it was just Aboite residents.

Fort Wayne 47- 63% Property tax increase

This sign could start appearing on lots of lawns throughout Fort Wayne Indiana. Aboite residents probably have already started purchases their signs from the hardware stores. Fort Wayne residents and Aboite residents need to immediately contact the
State Tax and Financing Policy Commission and demand an investigation into this year skyrocketing tax bill. Hopefully a busload of folks could travel to give testimony at a public hearing.

Indianapolis has had it second protest meeting staged in front of the Governor's House. I think we should stage a noon time protest in front of the City County Building on Monday and another in the City Council Chamber at 5:30 on Tuesday.

Are you with me?

Venus Williams-Tennis Star

Venus Williams, the 23rd seed from the U.S. won 6-4, 6-1 on Centre Court at London's All England Club against Marion Bartoli. This was V. Williams fourth Wimbledon title, in 2000, 2001, 2005 and now 2007.


Serena Williams lost her match, who played with an injuried thumb.

Harrison Square Park Courtyard Hotel Done Deal

Ben Lanka of the Journal-Gazette reports:

The board overseeing the Grand Wayne Center Friday approved giving $2.5 million to the Harrison Square project.
The Fort Wayne Allen County Convention and Tourism Authority Board unanimously supported providing $250,000 annually over 10 years to help subsidize the Courtyard by Marriott that will anchor the $130 million downtown development

.

Where is the money- it sure isn't in the schools?

Folks are fixated on the sheer numbers of blue code remonstration petitions that were collected to prevent Fort Wayne Community Schools from spending millions of dollars to improve its school buildings. Its does not matter that many of the signatures will be discarded after certification, just so school administration understand the taxpayers does not want their money spent on improving public schools. The reason is because many signers believe taxes are already too high. And the main reason they believe taxes are too high is because of the vast majority of the taxes they pay go toward schools.


The argument become that the administration is ineffective and the school budget needs to be cut to reduce homeowners property tax. Because the education of children are secondary to the lives of the those who send their children to private school. The more wealthy do not want to pay their fair share and look for ways to reduce their tax paying burden and that becomes blaming the school, those who run the public schools and those who attend the public schools.


It much safer to blame the school for the increase in taxes, rather than place blame directly on the auditor or assessor who increases property values and tax rate to capture large amount of revenue to support special projects and bloated departments. These same folks whom children more than likely do not attend public schools are afraid to confront those who are driving up their tax bill by increases the tax rate after the homestead credit, local credit, and exemption have been applied to reduce the burden of high taxes. These homeowners don’t get it. Even when trending was employed by officials to increase the value of their homes yearly, knowing these homes would not be sold at the assessed value refuse to tell the auditor or assessor no more.

The City of Fort Wayne's budget for 2007 is over $200,000,000. That is $200,000,000 for just one year! Over $51 million is spent alone in the police department budget of public safety. Mayor Graham Richard likes to state that the city has the lowest tax rate under his administration, when in fact the tax rate has remained around the same amount after a 10% increase in 1997. The tax rate has remained steady around an increase in the tax rate to 3.33 percent or more from 1997 to 2007. The tax rate should have gone down, with the increases in the amount of the levy, the increases in the homestead credit. But taxpayers do not check the number cruncher as close as it inspect funding for school buildings.

To hide the windfall, it was not buildings that were changed numbers. In 1960 the City of Fort Wayne Property Tax and Assessed Valuation History record showed that property assessed value was slightly less than $300,000,000 but in 2002 the 1960 figure was changed to $898,433,400.



The property was not valued at the 1960 actual amount of $898, 433,400 to hide the fact that taxes were collected on the huge increase in the property value from 2002-2007.

In 2002 taxes were collected on properties valued at $5,606 420, 503 after the previous year the property was valued at only $1,725,238,130. But to hide this increase, the value for 2002 was changed to $5,175,714,390. Instead of showing the acutal value of a $3, 881, 182, 373 increase in property value the auditor office revealed only an increase of of 8.32% in property value and this was after the exclusion of business inventory.

So where is the money collected from a jump in property value in almost $4 billion taxed at 3.3 percent? In 2007, the record show Property tax and assessed valuation of over $11 billion dollars taxed at the average rate of 3.3 percent.

This does not count the amount of money that is collected in COIT or CEDIT millions of dollars. Both the COIT and The CEDIT amounts have shown an increase until 2003 and the amounts have gone down. In 2002 COIT was $14, 535, 078. In 2003 just in time for the property assessment the number dropped to only $10, 703, 146 in 2004 $10, 478,580, in 2005 $9,781.044, and in 2006 $9,781,044 the exact same number. Come on give me a break!

But it's the schools that's drive up our taxes you say. The City of Fort Wayne has assessed property value at over $11 billion dollars to collect in its levy at over 3.3 percent where is the money?

Thanks for all the help in helping me find out why I could not find the circuit breaker on my bill !

The circuit breaker became law in 2006 with the passage of House Enrolled Act 1001. It is aimed at helping Hoosiers by ensuring they don’t pay more than 2 percent of their property value in taxes. The goal is to provide predictability in tax bills and equity among Hoosier taxpayers.

The Circuit Breaker is slated to become mandatory statewide for residential property in 2007.

Homeowners will not see the potential Circuit Breaker impact until their 2008 tax bill. The circuit breaker expands to include all property types in 2009. Taxpayers will not see the impact of the expansion until their 2010 tax bill.

Market value and Trending -inconsistencies

First set of number is home assessed value, not appraised value and last set of number is the amount of taxes based on assessed value.

Hirsty Andrew J & Kathy J 5417 Autumn Woods Trl $455,600 $8,003.38
Gillig Edward J & Catherine K 5422 Autumn Woods Trl $264,600 $4,253.02
Johnson Ernest L Jr & 5423 Autumn Woods Trl $266,100 $4,282.48
Howell Jay H & Sara J 5429 Autumn Woods Trl $266,300 $4,345.32
Tsakas Bill & Lois 5509 Autumn Woods Trl $202,000 $3,082.76
Simpson John W Jr & Rhonda S 5520 Autumn Woods Trl $327,000 $5,478.28
Shambaugh Stephen H & 5521 Autumn Woods Trl $205,800 $3,157.36
Jehl Gregory J Und1/2 & 5530 Autumn Woods Trl $315,000 $5,301.56
Talarico Samuel J Jr & Danielle M 5533 Autumn Woods Trl $311,800 $5,179.82

Litchin Christopher V 2713 Chichester Ln $279,200 $4,539.70
View Dunkelberger Kirk A & Karen M 2717 Chichester Ln $270,500 $4,368.88
View Patel Hitesh M 2721 Chichester Ln $256,200 $4,088.08
View Mitchell Verne V Iii & Janis L 2727 Chichester Ln $284,100 $4,635.92
View Culp Dr William M & Patricia L 2804 Chichester Ln $416,300 $7,290.62
View Crawford John N Md 2805 Chichester Ln $386,300 $6,642.66
View Culp William R & Patricia L & 2808 Chichester Ln $38,900 $965.68
View Oross Stephen P & Dorothy M 2811 Chichester Ln $249,000 $3,760.56
View Ruffolo Joseph D & Linda L 2820 Chichester Ln $310,800 $5,219.08

Cava Raymond A & Joann R 2009 Forest Park Blvd $582,200 $10,662.02
Mayers Lawrence J & Margaret M 2016 Forest Park Blvd $396,900 $6,966.36
Waterman Kathryn J 2020 Forest Park Blvd $281,400 $4,658.40
Aaland Mary O 2021 Forest Park Blvd $360,000 $6,556.60
Pappas George & Elisabet 2102 Forest Park Blvd $539,700 $9,876.08
Martin John P & Tracie J 2103 Forest Park Blvd $427,000 $7,564.40
Schmidt Donald J & Pamela 2110 Forest Park Blvd $227,200 $3,636.50
Ceccanese Joseph M & May Rose 2111 Forest Park Blvd $232,000 $3,732.30
Wood Patricia A 2120 Forest Park Blvd $558,500 $14,173.14
Thomas Michael F & 2121 Forest Park Blvd $273,500 $4,560.60
Shoaff Thomas M & Eunice S 2130 Forest Park Blvd $380,800 $6,645.56
Grinsfelder Alan R & 2131 Forest Park Blvd $434,100 $7,766.00
Ferro Thomas G & Margaret A 2204 Forest Park Blvd $284,200 $4,716.98
Grinsfelder Alan R & 2209 Forest Park Blvd $54,600 $1,385.58
Hoog Rebecca L 2214 Forest Park Blvd $433,100 $10,990.84
Kemp William M & 2218 Forest Park Blvd $458,400 $8,251.00
Swope James E & Penny L 2219 Forest Park Blvd $366,400 $6,354.90




Circuit Breaker Maximum?

View Price Freddie Lee 6801 Richfield Ct $0 $0.00
View Price Freddie Lee 6801 Richfield Ct $140,600 $1,866.98
View Hines Glynn A & 6804 Richfield Ct $101,300 $1,072.36
View Hines Glynn A & 6804 Richfield Ct $0 $0.00
View Dunning John W & Delvia E 6807 Richfield Ct $116,100 $1,371.86
View Dunning John W & Delvia E 6807 Richfield Ct $0 $0.00
View Peterson Martha 6810 Richfield Ct $0 $0.00
View Peterson Martha 6810 Richfield Ct $83,100 $522.98
View Abouhalkah Malek & Kelly M 6813 Richfield Ct $0 $0.00
View Abouhalkah Malek & Kelly M 6813 Richfield Ct $104,900 $1,147.70
View Brown Robert E & Chinita L 6816 Richfield Ct $119,600 $1,441.02

Circuit Breaker Maximum

Richard Stanley 302 Blue Jacket Run $262,900 $4,329.12
View Hanzel Susan Lee 305 Blue Jacket Run $246,800 $4,075.34
View Sanner John A & Janet E 308 Blue Jacket Run $303,800 $5,069.30
View Pape Timothy D & Angela J 311 Blue Jacket Run $210,600 $3,175.78
View Welling Douglas D & Sandra J 314 Blue Jacket Run $146,600 $1,925.78
View M & D Automotive Llc 314 Blue Jacket Run $0 $0.00
View Leatha Trs 317 Blue Jacket Run $152,600 $2,101.56
View Jacquay Albert E Ii & Rebecca S 322 Blue Jacket Run $181,200 $2,639.46
View Hughes Jerry D 325 Blue Jacket Run $239,700 $3,744.14

Circuit Breaker Maximum

Masanz Kristen A 4716 Tacoma Av $103,300 $1,104.26
View Williams Jane M & Matthew R 4717 Tacoma Av $86,500 $863.22
View Deininger Llc 4718 Tacoma Av $124,300 $1,582.74
View Pape Timothy M & Rebecca D 4722 Tacoma Av $119,100 $1,419.08
View Smith Clarence E & Hazel L 4723 Tacoma Av $156,800 $1,982.30
View Fryzel Gregory S 4801 Tacoma Av $104,800 $1,193.54
View New Media Brew Inc 4801 Tacoma Ave $12,200 $307.28
View Ricker Equipment Co Inc 4802 Tacoma Ave $1,300 $38.80
View Erwin Richard K & Barbara 4802 Tacoma Av $156,700 $2,229.40
View Masanz Maria P 4805 Tacoma Av $103,600 $1,109.70
View Miller Lindi 4810 Tacoma Av $109,400 $1,225.46
View Kleinrichert Kurt A & Linda K 4811 Tacoma Av $100,100 $1,039.86
View Harrington Patrick J & Virginia J 4814 Tacoma Av $75,600 $754.44

I survived the Fourth of July--but what about those taxes

Yes, I survived the bombs bursting in air..fireworks that is. Lots of booms and smokes from the celebration of Independence in the neighborhood. But now I wondered about low volume of noise over the tax bills. I got mines today and I was shocked. Yes, I expected an increase but I am telling you as a seasonal worker, I was S-H-O-C-K-E-D!!

If my bill was to only increase by 12% it should have been no more than $40 but it's not. The increase is more in the range of 47%. So if my 12% increase was really 47% than how much is that 57% increase for Aboite residents really amounts too?

The blogosphere appears to be really quiet on this issue. It appears that they are waiting on the media to tell them why their bill is so high or that if they don't say anything maybe they can get the bill reduced!


Advance Indiana places this article on his site from the Indy Star..which blames it on the schools. The fact of the matter, the school gets a certain percentage of what is collected. So if you collect 200 or 2000, the school percentage does not change only the amount out the total. So folks need to stop blaming the schools and place the blame exactly at the foot of the elected officials.

So let's start with your auditor, assessors, controller and the various department heads when you get that tax bill in the mail on July 18, 2007. Matter of fact why are folks waiting when they came go downtown and find out how much their bill is or go online. What are folks afraid of ?

Advance Indiana or the article says nothing about the circuit breaker that was to be a credit off of our tax bill this year.

UPDATE UPDATE:

OKay, I went back and figured my taxes they did not go up 47% they went up a little over 7%. However, had I not had an increase in the value of my property my taxes would have gone down. So I am still not a happy camper. However, after viewing quite a few other folks bills, I am shocked at some of the bills.

Wait, a minute the amount last year was $87.53 and the new amount is $153.68 so it did go up the 47%.

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE:

Now if I look at the circuit breaker the maximum amount would be $308 so my taxes totaled $307 and some change. In other words I was taxed at just about the maximum with the tax rate. At least folks here get it if folks on the blogosphere don't.

Judicial Game of Hot Potato-Matt Kelty Campaign Finance Report

Allen County Superior Judge Fran Gull to empanel a grand jury to hear testimony surrounding the case. Sigler was appointed by Allen County Prosecutor Karen Richards to investigate how Kelty reported the loans on his campaign finance reports.

, from the Journal-Gazette.

4th of July protest against unfair property tax

Advocates for the Fair Tax are holding a 4th of July protest at the Governor's residence at 46th & Meridian from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Americans for Fair Taxation are organizing the protest, which is intended to promote replacing the property tax with a sales tax.