Comments on Advance Indiana™: Now Democrats Want To Eliminate Township Government

2:20 Is that you posting anonymously again, Wilson...

2007-08-01T10:30:00.000-05:00

2:20 Is that you posting anonymously again, Wilson?

Here is Mark Tony "The Constable" Duncan's property card:

Parcel Number: 1038930
Property Address: 02604 BROADWAY ST
Owner(s): DUNCAN, MARK ANTHONY
Year Built: 2006

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Assessment Information
Land Value: $8,400
Structural Value: $443,300
Total Assessed Value: $451,700
Value Deducted as Exemptions: $0
Net Assessed Value: $451,700

"and the Center Twp Constable's home is valued at ...

2007-07-28T14:20:00.000-05:00

"and the Center Twp Constable's home is valued at almost 1/2 MILLION DOLLARS!!!!!"

I was told that Duncan's home was assessed at $120K.
Something's wrong here.

So funny. Fourteen out of fifty, twenty eight perc...

2007-07-28T00:02:00.000-05:00

So funny. Fourteen out of fifty, twenty eight percent (28%) of the comments so far are from Wilson46201.

Corruption IS as Corruption DOES!

Welcome to South Detroit! Hope you like our crime rate, courtesy of TAX & SPEND DEMOCRAPS!!!

9:27, Great point! The Democraps know that their ...

2007-07-27T22:37:00.000-05:00

9:27, Great point! The Democraps know that their TAX & SPEND philosophy is going away in November, when voters get to make their decision!

TRUTH is that the Small Claims Courts are independ...

2007-07-27T22:19:00.000-05:00

TRUTH is that the Small Claims Courts are independent and NOT part of the Superior Court system (yet). If they were, they would share administration as the Superior Courts do.

Small Claims courts are (currently) separated from the Superior Court.

Marion County is the ONLY COUNTY IN INDIANA to have a constable...and the Center Twp Constable's home is valued at almost 1/2 MILLION DOLLARS!!!!!

Now, where else, except from the public dole can an ignorant and incompetent fool make so much money & live in a mansion valued at 1/2 Million Dollars? Only in Center Twp, Marion County, Indiana...and his job is totally worthless and performed more efficiently by the civil sheriff!

Remember what Ronald Reagan said: "Governing least is governing best!"

So funny. Fourteen out of fifty, twenty eight perc...

2007-07-27T21:27:00.000-05:00

So funny. Fourteen out of fifty, twenty eight percent (28%) of the comments so far are from Wilson. The Marion County Democrat party must be sweating this one. Sick 'em Wilson Sick 'em. I can hear the rally call now. Is Center Township getting tired of the wicked witch and her flying monkeys? Time will tell. Sick 'em Wilson before it’s too late.

In some townships, the small claims court rent, ut...

2007-07-27T15:31:00.000-05:00

In some townships, the small claims court rent, utilities and office supplies are paid by the taxpayers, or at least partially.

Still, it is an efficient system.

I wasn't aware they were considered a "part of" the Suerior Court system. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure that isn't true. If it were true, Lord Bradford, when he was Chief Judge, would've made all the Small Claims employees serfs.

Appeals Court Judge Bradford. I still can't get over that.

Small Claims Courts are already technically a part...

2007-07-27T12:19:00.000-05:00

Small Claims Courts are already technically a part of the Marion County Court system. The judges are elected by township and the "Court Clerk" is the elected Township Trustee. The elected Constables are fee-based and provide the bailiffs for the courts. The Small Claims Courts are basically economically self-sufficient from filing fees. Taxes aren't needed to operate them.

Well, 8:08, all I can say is, the negotiators are ...

2007-07-27T10:28:00.000-05:00

Well, 8:08, all I can say is, the negotiators are evidently telling different post-war stories.

And as for a definition of "small," the point was, large or small crowd, the conversations were fairly heavy, with some smart people from both sides. Wilson was nowhere near them, as he implied.

Sen. Merritt consistently asked for elimination of all township govt. I believe, but could stand to be corrected, that he exempted the Small Claims Courts. Most folks believe the Superior Court system could not handle the Small Claims caseload if small claims courts were eliminated. And I use the SC Courts; they're efficient and relatively quick.

The Democratic House position, supported mostly but not entirely by the Mayor, was a Super Trustee, conveniently Center's, to handle all county trustee functions.

As if rewarding his ineffiincy would somehow help.

The position was faulty from the outset in January, but the negotiators worked forward, hoping against hope that the weight of the rest of the reforms would make the House Ds collapse on the Super Trustee. They should've, because their position was not consistent.

At the last minute, negotiations broke down because the trustee's office was a drop-dead position for the House Ds.

For those of you playing the home version of this game, that's a small preamble to the next big fight, which is 3-7 years away: absorption of IPS by the township school systems. The Center machine views IPS as their last big chit. It'll go down hard, butit wil go down.

To set the record straight: Dr. Benjamin Osborn p...

2007-07-27T10:03:00.000-05:00

To set the record straight: Dr. Benjamin Osborn purchased the former Mayflower Building with a federal grant to house the offices and a training center for poor relief recipients. He had a GED program and graduations ceremonies there...and NEVER had a surplus in the bank!!! (Hear that Corrupt Carl (D) Drummer? Someone actually performed their job function, instead of creating a patronage system and wasting tax money like you do now.)

-The funds were spent for the PEOPLE IN NEED OF TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE! (Corrupt Carl Drummer now has a patronage payroll over over 100 employees).

Dr. Osborn served as many people as he could without predjudice and would exhaust his budget many times.

Julia Carson (Our "Fool on Capitol Hill") purchased the former Standard Life Building at 300 Fall Creek Pkwy. N. Drive for #350,000.00 of TAX MONEY at auction, and went to the state TAX commission for $18 Million Poor Relief Debt Bonds to fund the $8 Million renovations and retired the debt of Center Township with the help of Atty. Lacy Johnson (D). Let us emphasize that Atty Lacy Johnson (D) is part-OWNER OF THE BAR now located in that same taxpayer owned building!!!

Until the bonds are repaid, Center Township has to maintian $5 Million of tax dollars in the bank to support the bond rating of the city.

Julia "Our Fool on Capitol Hill's" Carson's plan as Township Trustee was to have the building named after her when she ran for congress (how arrogant!).

The one story Mass Avenue Building also housed an expensive boutique in the one story building adjacent to the main building where poor relief recipients purchased clothes for the school friends. The store was listed in the name of her associate Louis Morse and his wife. They made a fortune in the short time they were there.

Only the bookkeeping department of the Center Twp Trustee was moved from Mass Avenue to 300 East Building leaving the fourth floor VACANT on Mass Avenue, and Corrupt Carl Drummer's (D) collection of expensive cars were housed in the taxpayer owned building for free.

Corrupt Carl Drummer (D) with the help of Rep. Bill Crawford (D) purchased the former Fall Creek YMCA for $1 Million of TAX money with the promise to renovate the HOTEL for "homeless" people.

Both Carson and Drummer CUT SERVICES to poor people but spent funds for THEIR PERSONAL MONUMENTS!

-It was allowed and overlooked like everything else in Center Township.

Drummer has and $11 Million surplus in the bank which indicates his budget for this year should be cut! The Center Twp board went along with the program ("Machine Politics"). Not one of the board members stood up to them. If you asked questions, you are black- balled and defamed throughout the Democrat Party.

The time is long overdue to ELIMINATE TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT in cities. In addition to having no need, it has become a TAX & SPEND corrupt political Machine.

7:30, Merritt absolutely did insist on the Assesso...

2007-07-27T08:08:00.001-05:00

7:30, Merritt absolutely did insist on the Assessors thing. That's from sources inside the negotiation room (which according to some folks was a "small" crowd). It may have been part of his temper tantrum when he realized Crawford wasn't going to give up on the Trustees, but it occurred.

Not hard at all to determine where Drummer gets a ...

2007-07-27T08:08:00.000-05:00

Not hard at all to determine where Drummer gets a good chunk of cash to live the lifestyle he does.
For some reason, nobody seems to understand that just how deep people like Drummer are tied into black organized crime and the illegal numbers racket that continues to operate in Center Township.
Does anyone really believe that these so-called black leaders are making all that money and living as they do off taxpayer money alone.
The thousands of inner city blacks that receive "poor relief" money are VERY important to the illegal numbers racket. The Center Township Trustee provides one hell of a lot of customers to the people running the multi-million dollar numbers racket in Indianapolis.
There are two CASH HOUSES in Center Township where the gambling money goes under police escort to get counted everyday. Anyone care to speculate on just exactly who owns these homes?

8:30 pm:The Mayor actually held a press conference...

2007-07-27T07:49:00.000-05:00

8:30 pm:

The Mayor actually held a press conference the last days of session to publicly state his support for township consolidation...no secret agendas there.

Could be, 7:23, but your source is partially wrong...

2007-07-27T07:30:00.000-05:00

Could be, 7:23, but your source is partially wrong. Ricketts was already history when this legislation was negotiated. (And, again, good riddance)

Sen. Merritt, a smart man, is, for me, wrong on most issues. But he never insisted on the assessor thing.

Here's another question, just for giggles: how can a township trustee, on $87K a year, afford so many Corvettes, child support, a large home, and a travel schedule that would make Ross & Babcock swoon? (Who pays for that travel?)

Quick math tells us that after-tax income would be about $52,000...to support all those expenses. Hmmmmmm.

Nice try, Wilson, but the trustee has bragged to too many people that all those Corvettes are his. And he has other vehicles, too.
Either he lied to them, or this is another smoke screen.

I'm amazed that Merritt's getting a free pass on t...

2007-07-27T07:23:00.000-05:00

I'm amazed that Merritt's getting a free pass on this... He wouldn't give in on consolidating all of the assessors, which was a non-negotiable for Crawford. So, to lay this all at the feet of Crawford is not fair. I know that the talking points put out say to lay it at Crawford's feet, but Merritt's got to get some blame in this as well.

I'm not sure why Merritt wouldn't give up the assessors, since 5 of the 9 are Dems know, but, what do I know? I think it was Paul Ricketts influence on Senator Merritt.

I've got a really simple idea for poor relief, one...

2007-07-27T06:53:00.000-05:00

I've got a really simple idea for poor relief, one which has absolutely no overhead and puts money directly into the pockets of ALL the poor people in Center Township without them having to grovel to anyone..... it's called cutting taxes.....

True, the Mayor has no vote in the legislature. B...

2007-07-27T06:47:00.000-05:00

True, the Mayor has no vote in the legislature. But Democrats statewide look to him for leadership on multiple issues. He is greatly admired. That's a fact.
You needn't agree with his policies to recognize it--the capital city's mayor, whatever the party, is always a major player in legislative debates.

All four legislative caucuses worked hard on the consolidation bill. Each had to give a little. The final caucus that would not, was House Dems, largely because Crawford-Porter-Summers would not bend on Center Township govt. elimination.

(Notice how Wilson no longer insinuates he was "in the know" about these negotiations? Amazing what happens when a little truth is broadcast...)

The gig's up. Property tax revolt was the final nail in the cofifn of wasteful and shamefully corrupt township government.

Good riddance.

I am so glad that when I was house shopping, I did...

2007-07-27T05:50:00.000-05:00

I am so glad that when I was house shopping, I did NOT move into Marion Co./Indy. With all the corruption from both parties in years past and in years to come, I see Indy becoming just like Detroit. The east side has become a vast wasteland. Don't let the building boom of retail fool anyone. All those shops are going to be closing up shop after their 10 year tax abatement goes bye-bye. The building of the new Section 8 cesspool right next to Washington Sq. Mall will pretty much kill the entire east side. The positive thing about Marion Co. corruption is that at least now I have some really hard facts and figures to show why any future "regional tax" should be voted down in my county. The food and beverage taxes for Ir$ay are one thing. Taxing me to help keep the corrupt Marion Co. hacks in power is another.

The dumpster diver is at it again.No admission of ...

2007-07-27T05:30:00.000-05:00

The dumpster diver is at it again.
No admission of the obvious greed and corruption in the Democrap Party.

For the record Carl Drummer and his wife and child...

2007-07-27T04:44:00.000-05:00

For the record Carl Drummer and his wife and children lived in Lawrence Township and he used the address of Julia Carson's house on Park Avenue at the time to run for trustee. 30 days in the township qualified him to run and the Democrat Party knew it at the time. Ask Kip Tew who was county chairman at the time. It was all a set up to name the 300 building after Julia Carson. The board did not know this was going to happen in advance as reported in the Star. The sign in front of the building with her name on it had already been ordered before he took office. Ask the board members. Check out the facts, it was all a coverup to allow Carson to remain the overseer. The trustee bond was filed at the Recorder's officelate because they forget about it. The plan continues. A lawsuit was filed in Circuit Court.

We need to ELIMINATE the 9 townships in Indianapol...

2007-07-26T21:40:00.000-05:00

We need to ELIMINATE the 9 townships in Indianapolis. Townships only serve rural areas, and have no place in a city.

Center Twp is the best reason to eliminate townships completely...full of patronage and corruption. With over 100 patronage make-work, do-nothing jobs, it is obscene! Let's also remember that Center Twp owns 3 giant taxpayer bought buildings, but has no need for them. It put a bar that stunk of political corruption in one of the taxpayer owned buildings, where city codes were not followed, and zoning variance was granted by the WIFE of the city-counil majority leader.

The Center Twp Trustee uses one of the taxpayer owned buildings to store his car collection...doesn't he?!

And what is more obscene is the fact that an uneducated Center Twp Trustee makes $90k/taxpayer paid salary!!!

Now, the Center Twp Constable, (ONLY Marion County has any constable) who lives in a 1/2 million dollar home...does anyone think that perhaps the fees for the small claims court are too high?????

Center Twp has $11 million tax dollars in the bank!

Shouldn't we just eliminate the township as a taxing entity, transfer constable function to the civil sheriff, small claims court as inferior court under the Superior Court, no township trustee at all, and selling all those taxpayer owned buildings (especially the one with the bar inside)!

Geeeezzzzz, Carl Drummer (D) Center Twp Trustee thinks his job is to TAX & SPEND and become a property manager and have a bar in the taxpayer owned building that is owned in parts by the wife of the city council president, airport authority croney (D), and a local wealthy democrat who owns a chemical business. It is wrong to tax us for this. We need to eliminate the taxing entity and make any needed functions accountable to the proper official.

Hey, leave Judge Judy alone! She rocks! I wish s...

2007-07-26T21:15:00.000-05:00

Hey, leave Judge Judy alone! She rocks! I wish she were here in Indy to hear all this crap going on, she would put this city on its ear.

To some people the poison pill was "just consolida...

2007-07-26T21:14:00.000-05:00

To some people the poison pill was "just consolidating assessors and fire departments".

Why not go all of the way with consolidation.

Bart Peterson is a mayor - he has no vote in the L...

2007-07-26T20:55:00.000-05:00

Bart Peterson is a mayor - he has no vote in the Legislature. He may have personally desired to ditch the Trustees but if the actual elected legislators wouldn't agree, Bart's vote counts for nothing. He's a smart cookie politically - he knows he couldnt override Crawford's veto. Simple as that. Merritt wouldnt agree to just consolidating assessors and fire departments, he had to throw in that poison-pill which he knew would be rejected.

Recall the famous remark by Bismarck about the analogy of legislating being like sausage-making: the process may be disgusting although the results are often tasty...

Hey! Stop making fun of Julia! She's one classy da...

2007-07-26T20:51:00.000-05:00

Hey! Stop making fun of Julia! She's one classy dame!

In a previous job, we brought a group of constituents to meet with her regarding health care issues.

I've seen bag ladies in Hollywood with better fashion. While talking to us, she munched on a tuna fish sandwich and shoved fritos into her mouth, with some even falling out and onto her well-worn track suit.