AWB learned a new word

AWB comes over and hates it when I used the term, raced whites. Because,I've spent a lot of time informing him that it is no such thing. So to give him a visual image, during Black History Month, I thought I would put a story up about Carol Channing that would sent him over the top. Of course it did.

He couldn't handle the truth so he went to the dictionary and pulled out a word, Oxymoron, to call me a moron. But we ALL know who the MORON is in blogosphere, Thanks for the clicks fans of AngryWhiteBoy, and keep coming home to learn the truth about African-Americans rather than the caricature that ANGRYWHITE BOY AND FRIENDS appears to totally enjoy.

an African-American raced white, like many African-Americans who chose to take advantage of white privileged based on skin color

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It amazes me how many in the community support AWB negative depictions of African-Americans in the year 2007. AWB I mean Lucy must have called up all his republican friends, I mean her friends because quite a few have checked out Ms. Channing picture. But you would think that these upstanding citizens would already know that African-american blood might be in their lineage, just go get that DNA. Go on now and prove me wrong.

You think I am writing about African-American history for my health, I am writing it for all of y'all too. Go on take a deep look into that mirror, what you see?

Snow pile up-room for more

Raced White-Carol Channing

Carol Channing, a famous actress played in Gentlemen prefer Blondes and Hello Dolly. Channing is an African-American who never disclosed this fact until she wrote about this fact in her book, Just Lucky, I Guess, that her father was an African American who passed by adapting to living in two worlds, one black and one white.

Her father learned to portray himself one way in public that was different from who he was at home by changing his speaking mannerism. Channing herself, was famous for her mannerism, which more than likely was art imitating life. How fitting.

Channing decided to race herself white to take advantage of raced white privilege. Channing was nominated for many awards and won a Tony Award. Channing taught us that as a society we are not colorblind. Looking at a person color we assume ethnic background, when in fact we are simply guessing based on skin color.

Here is a picture of Carol Channing, an African-American raced white, like many African-Americans who chose to take advantage of white privileged based on skin color. This practice continues today.

Jennifer Hudson-Sense of Self

Ms. Hudson appears on the March issue of Vogue. March is women history month and women are the biggest consumers, how subtle the ad.

House bill 1007-no sales

Local political leaders will need to run for cover to avoid having to explain how come the annexed areas again are paying for the lifestyles of other folks with another increase in their property tax bill.

According to Nikki Kelly of the Journal-Gazette

INDIANAPOLIS – An attempt to swap income tax revenue increases for property tax relief failed to receive a majority of votes Tuesday when the House Democratic caucus couldn’t persuade all of its 51 members to push the measure forward.

The 49 members of the Republican caucus refused to provide any help, still bristling because dozens of amendments they offered were turned away on party-line votes.

“I can’t believe that every one of those ideas was bad,” said Rep. Jeff Espich, R-Uniondale. “I think what you were shunning was any effort by the minority party to have a role in this legislation.

“Don’t ask me to vote for a bill that I didn’t get to have any say in.”

The tally was 49-48 The bill is not dead yet because it didn’t receive a constitutional majority of 51 votes to either pass it or defeat it. Two Democrats joined the Republicans in voting against the measure and three Republicans were absent.

It can be called again for another vote.

The property tax relief provided in House Bill 1007 would have been financed by a local income tax increase on individuals and corporations, and by having the state take over responsibility for growth of the family and children’s fund levy.

The initiative was the only significant property tax legislation moving this session and focused on reducing local government’s reliance on property taxes by giving them an additional income tax option.

“We’re trying to accomplish true property tax reform; something substantial and something long-term,” said Rep. Robert Kuzman, D-Crown Point, author of the bill. “There is something in it for everybody.”

Overall, the legislation would have allowed local government to raise local income tax rates by 1 percent. Sixty percent of the new revenue – or $732 million statewide in 2008 – would have gone to property tax relief. The remaining 40 percent – or about $487 million in 2008 – would have been available for new spending.

The local income tax option would have been tied to a 1 percent corporate income tax, the proceeds of which would have gone toward property tax relief as well.

Espich said the Democrats have provided no data on the effect of the bill to individual counties or average taxpayers.

But Espich told the group that statistics run by his fiscal staff show a median family making $65,000 a year and living in a $115,000 home would pay more in income taxes than they receive back in property tax savings.

“That is not substantial property tax relief and it gets worse as time goes by,” Espich said, noting one GOP friend told him over the weekend that he couldn’t afford any more of the property tax relief the legislature was promising.

The bill also contains nothing to address the hit property owners are expected to see this year, an average 14.5 percent increase in tax bills statewide.

One of the biggest contentions in the bill is a provision that would direct 25 percent of the new individual income tax revenue to a person’s county of employment.

Snow

After pushing snow away from my front porch three times and the wind pushing it back, I let her have her way. I peeked out at her steady shower of snow, no longer caring when she would end. I decided to prepare myself for her subzero temperature, as I gathered up unfinished reading material. As quickly as I gathered them, was as quick as I fell asleep, chapters still unread.

Surprised that the room was still warm, I woke to a silence of no cars traveling the main street. The wind was no longer recovering the street, but my walks she left me with inches if not feet of snows. The trees were no longer bowing to her blows or the branches waving its bare arms. The smoking puffs of cloud passed overhead pass the bright sun.

A sea of drifted snow awaited my shovel for the fourth time. In other places ice packed hard snow would be a challenge. This time it would not take me only one trip to clear my walkway. It would take several trips this time as my back and my hands screamed pain and it's cold. And still the waves of snow laid immobile as I wearily moved to retreat back to the house to warm up once again. The beauty and power of snow.

Malcolm X

Malcolm X, former leader of the National of Islam. My youngest daughter was in the fourth grade and brought home a book about Malcolm X and wanted to know more about him. Learning about Malcolm X started me on a journey about learning about African-American history. Not only African-American history but other history that was not written in school books.

Malcolm traveled to Mecca and found our their were people who did not look like him but shared his religious belief. This knowledge had a profound impact on way of thinking and transformed his life path. Malcolm taught empowerment and self-educating. Happy Valentine's Day.


Foundation, a local community activist.

Reservoir Park Hill Fans love a Wintery Blast

In the words of a true LaRez Fan, bring it on, baby !!!

Double V for Victory

In 1775, African-Americans in Virginia were declared free, if they were willing to bear arms and join the British Army. This was in totally contrast to indentured servants role that thrust upon African-Americans trying to make it to the new world. George Washington military had no desire for fighting African-Americans who was providing free labor in developing the new world.

However, as many African-Americans began slaying their masters and joined the British lines and at the same time Washington troops were deserting the Army, African-Americans were allowed to participate in patriots battle for independence. Crispus Attack took a shot in declaring his loyalty to the new world signaling the battle for independence included African-Americans.

Just as George Washington troops were battling from Britain oppression, African-Americans were making their demands for freedom in the new world. African-Americans were to learn later that give me liberty or give me death did not include African-Americans after or during the celebration of independence on July 4, 1776.

Nevertheless, African-Americans would continue their battle to end slavery among the conflicting Americans. During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln would have to revisit the issue of whether or not to allow African-Americans to serve in his military. It would be a strategic move by President Lincoln in allowing African-Americans into the military, and destroying the morale of land owners by giving their property to the newly freed African-Americans.



Colin L. Powell, four state General of the United States Army and former Secretary of State of the United States. who was considering running for president of the United States as an independence.

9/11 hero

As I was making my way to class on September 11, 2001, I stopped by the bank. Concerned about the distraught look on my favorite teller face, I asked if anything was wrong. What she shared with me, at the moment, jolted me into total awareness. I was unwilling to process or accept that the World Trade Center Towers had been attacked and the Pentagon. The words were not enough to convince me that unthinkable had occurred. However, Jason Thomas, and ex-marine upon hearing the news made his way to ground zero. Thomas was on a mission to save lives.

The monumental task before him was to help rescue two police officer that were tracked under hundreds of floors of debris. Thomas risked his life as an American willing to give his life to save others.

After spending weeks working in the most unimaginable devastation, Thomas simply walked away knowing that he did what he should have as a former marine.

Rick Stevenson, current Wayne Township Trustee

The Hands

Dr. Ben Carson is a neurosurgeon who challenge students to discover their talents. Dr. Carson was not a great student. Not because he did not have the ability, but because of outside and unknown factors. In spite of of his slow start in school, Dr. Carson went on to become a great doctor. Education would guide Dr. Carson to reaching his goals. Read about Dr. Carson overcome adversity including his own lack of self-discipline.



Dr. Charles Coat, local medical doctor

Taxes, Taxes. More Taxes

The state is relieving itself from the local blame game of increased property tax. And in the meantime locals are scrabbling to find places to generate the needed revenue, so the tax payer won't learn that it was locals who skewed their property values and in doing so increased their property tax. One proposal is a corporation tax of 1% to fund fire and pension funds. But the chamber of commerces will be on this one before the ink dries. Fort Wayne, has another place to raid its citizens rather than businesses. It has it Allen County Food and Beverage Tax that was to serve one purpose to pay off a debt but now serves many purposes.

In 1986, the Indiana Legislature enacted the Allen County Food and Beverage Tax, which allowed a qualified “fiscal body of a county” to “adopt an ordinance to impose an excise tax, known as the county food and beverage tax,” on certain transactions according to Allen County versus Wayne Stellhorn.

The county treasurer was required to establish a “coliseum expansion fund” and to deposit all funds received from the tax in that fund upon receipt. I.C. § 6-9-23-8(a). The purposes for which the funds could be appropriated were limited to “the acquisition, improvement, remodeling, or expansion of an athletic and exhibition coliseum in existence before the effective day of an ordinance adopted under section 3 of [chapter 23]” or “to retire any bonds issued, loans obtained, or lease payments incurred under IC 36-1-10 (referred to in this chapter as “obligations”) to remodel, expand, improve, or acquire an athletic and exhibition coliseum in existence before the effective day of an ordinance adopted under section 3 of this chapter.” I.C. § 6-9-23-8(a)(1), (2).

In 1992, a request was made to build a baseball stadium. Part of the funding would come from the coliseum expansion fund, about $2 million. Constructing a baseball stadium was not the same as repairing or expanding the coliseum. This was in violation of the the 1986 legislation. The county was warned, but greed driven, the county drafted an ordinance giving themselves permission to do what it was forbidden to do under state law.

According to the News-Sentinel,

Since then, however, the tax has paid for other projects too, most notably the $30 million expansion of the coliseum’s arena in 2002.

Although details are still being worked out, the legislation would further enlarge the tax’s scope, making its revenues available for projects not on coliseum property.

Sound like a path to digging into the coliseum expansion coffer again, this time to support the Harrison Square. Especially since, taxpayers were lied to, when told that their tax dollars would not be used to build the hotel or new baseball stadium. If they are able to build the hotel, additional revenue from the innkeeper's tax could help offset the cost of the hotel, reducing the increase in property tax. To further reduce the burden on the tax payer, the new stadium will need to be built to capture the food and beverage tax to help pay for the stadium.

With all that revenue tied up, the property tax will have to be increased to support our public schools. But of course, the repairs of the schools will be blamed for the property increase. When in fact, all other revenues that could have been used for the schools are being diverted toward private developers, and that's called TIF. TIF equals millions and millions of tax dollars that could be used to improve our schools.

Now you know why Johnny and his school are so needy.

Obama-Touchdown

Senator Barack Obama will jump in. Obama will make an announcement today in Springfield, IL.

Senator Obama challenge to the people seeking change in Washington is to get him there. Text of his announcement.

Having their say-African-American women in the political arena

“The [African-American] woman has occupied a unique if unenviable position in the United States. Historically she has borne the weight of inferior status ad prejudice derived from her [gender] as well as her color.” Treated as less human, viewed as servant and not woman, yet the breeder of enslaved children, laws were not created to protect her. Although she suffered humiliate right along with the African-American male, she fought to secure his freedom, but was relegated to remain in the male shadow. Not willing to remain behind, the African-American women had to step from the shadows and seek her own protection for her existence within the society that had casted her simply invisible. Read more click here.

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.