Get A Clue Bob Cockrum

There is a quote from CCC President Robert Cockrum in this morning's Star which should have every taxpayer up in arms. Recall that Cockrum and all but two of the GOP councilors last year voted against Mayor Bart Peterson's $90 million annual increase in the county option income tax to provide funds for public safety and pay off the public safety pension liability. Mayor Peterson planned to use about $30 million a year from those new revenues to pay for a billion dollar bond issue for the pension liability. Under the property tax reform and relief plan adopted by the legislature, at least $65 million in annual costs in our city-county budget are being absorbed the state, which is using a 1% increase in the state sales tax to pay for those costs. Tax caps the legislation imposes on property taxes will shave from the local property tax collections close to $40 million in 2009 and 2010 combined. Here's what Cockrum said to the Star about those lost revenues:

Council President Bob Cockrum, a Republican, said finding $40 million in cuts over the next two years will be a challenge.

"It's too early to say whether we can find that money without a tax increase," Cockrum said. "Filling a budget hole usually means service cuts or tax increases unless we can find some efficiencies."

Let's get something straight. The people who put Mayor Ballard into office and the Republicans back in control of the council expect them to not only find those $70 million in cuts Mayor Ballard promised us but also expect them to find a way to either roll back that county option income tax increase or direct savings to even more property tax reduction. To hear Cockrum whine about how difficult it's going to be to squeeze out $40 million in savings when the state taxpayers just bailed the City of Indianapolis out by picking up $65 million in annual costs is an outrage to say the very least. If you can't get the job done, we'll find someone else who can. We expect Ballard and the Republican council to live up to the promises they made.