Comments on Advance Indiana™: Bowen Sort Of Supports Manigault

I daresay that Mr. Manigault didn't have much to d...

2007-08-10T13:07:00.000-05:00

I daresay that Mr. Manigault didn't have much to do with the spelling of his last name. The fact that you would ridicule a senior citizen for not knowing how to exactly spell or pronounce Mr. Manigault's last name is utterly unbecoming. If you want to attack a candidate for office about something, attacking on something substantive like his stand on a particular issue, not his last name.

Making fun of people is just plain childish.

My name is Juan Manigault and I'm running for Mayo...

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

My name is Juan Manigault and I'm running for Mayor of South Bend. I am writing to correct the statement made under the heading "Bowen Sort of Supports Manigault"

Governor Bowen and I first met in Gary, Indiana in 1979 when he announced the formation of the Northwest Indiana Work-Education Council. I was serving as the Executive Director of the Northwest Indiana Office of Career Education and eventually became the director of the Council.

Doc Bowen and I have met on several other occasions. I would not expect him to know how to spell my last name. He is a supporter of my campaign and I welcome his support.

In addition, I am the Republican nominee, not the AFA or American Family Association nominee.

Regards.

I would hazard a guess, that the revered Doc Bowen...

2007-07-21T16:44:00.000-05:00

I would hazard a guess, that the revered Doc Bowen's legacy finally got the dusting-off it deserved the last month in Indiana.

His 1973 tax plan was ridiculous. Only a doctor could afford it. And it began that cherrished practice known as the Property Tax Replacement Fund.

He doubled the sales tax, and dedicated a large chunk of the increase, to the PTRF.

Trouble is, when things get rough, as they have a few times since 1973, sales tax collection goes down. But once you've committed the funds to PTRF, it's almost impossible to ween the legislators off this insane practice. And, in tough times, the fund borrows to meet its commitments, from other funds.

Over the last 34 years, the PTRF shell game has become one of the biggest sucking sounds in the state budget. So the property tax court decision, made in 1999, and "sorta" enforced in 2003, and fully enforced this year, had a different impact than if we had no PTRF.

All it ever was, was shuffling money from one pocket to another. It rolled along mildly OK until the 1982 recession, when the negative numbers started adding up. But don't look to the legislature to repair it.

Bowen was a good country doc. He made some great decisions as governor, but not many. His tax plan was foisted upon us with almost no forethought. And it caused havoc. Delayed havoc, but havoc nonetheless.

His political good will would've supported a complete overhaul of the property tax system. He chose the easy way out, and did it with fool's gold.

I salute Gov. Daniels for having the cajones to realize we need an overhaul of the tax system and the layerrs of government that can raise property taxes.

So you see, whomever he endorses, this year, will probably have very little positive effect. It's about damned time we woke up.