Comments on Advance Indiana™: Pat Andrews Owns Jeff Cardwell In Debate Over CIB PILOT

Ben Hunter is in bed with Ryan Vaughn in various p...

2012-10-14T12:10:33.442-05:00

Ben Hunter is in bed with Ryan Vaughn in various profiteering ventures. He will vote to eliminate the homestead exemption. As the controller's map shows, the two council two districts whose constituents will most be affected by the elimination of the homestead credit is Angela Mansfield and Jack Sandlin, which is interesting since they both represent mostly middle class residents. I can see Jack holding firm based on his comments at the public hearing, but most of the other Republican councilors could care less. One of the things that I didn't like that Spaulding contended was that they couldn't see the need for shoring up the city's revenue base before this budget year. As you know, they were playing shell games last year by moving $40 million from the downtown TIF district. Contrary to the meme, Ballard has not had honestly balanced budgets. Spaulding wants to make a point of saying how generous the city is being in not passing through all the TIF revenues to the TIF district at the same time the administration keeps pushing for more and more expansion of TIF districts to further erode the tax base. The fact that these people are incapable of seeing a connection between expanding TIF areas and a smaller tax base is quite telling.

On the homestead credit, I actually think there is...

2012-10-14T08:46:56.640-05:00

On the homestead credit, I actually think there is little support among Councillors of either party.

At this point we know Lutz and Pfisterer are in favor of elimination. Hunter is sounding like it is inevitable, but he's not ready to vote yes yet. And Sandlin spoke against it and voted the same in committee.

I don't know what will happen next year, but its not going anywhere this year.

It was absolutely disgusting listening to all the ...

2012-10-13T21:12:44.691-05:00

It was absolutely disgusting listening to all the Republican councilors offer their pathetic, handwringing about how they have no choice but to eliminate the homestead tax credit at the same time they pretend it would have a devastating impact to require the CIB to pay a PILOT. What they're telling me is that it's more important that they keep Herb Simon happy and keep the free tickets to Colts and Pacer games flowing to them and their families than how their decisions affect the pocketbooks of ordinary taxpayers. I absolutely despise what the Republican members of the council represent. They are not Republicans in the sense that I understand a Republican to be. They are not fiscally responsible, and they sure as hell are not on the side of the taxpayers. As a life-long Republican, I apologize for what horrible councilors my party has elected to the City-County Council.

If a good investigative reporter wanted to do an e...

2012-10-13T15:44:50.217-05:00

If a good investigative reporter wanted to do an expose' on a corrupt organization, it should investigate some of the things the ICVA has spent money on over the past several years. There would be a major shake-up in how its affairs were handled if the public ever was allowed to see the dubious things the organization has spent money on, not to mention the bloated salaries they pay to people who do nothing but travel around eating at the finest restaurants, boozing and partying all the time on the taxpayers' dime.

Besides the Pacers the ICVA (visit Indiana) folks ...

2012-10-13T15:35:18.993-05:00

Besides the Pacers the ICVA (visit Indiana) folks need to lose some funding as well.

Nice work Pat...

I should add that the only funding that is jeopard...

2012-10-13T10:24:57.686-05:00

I should add that the only funding that is jeopardized if this PILOT is approved is the continued subsidy to Herb Simon's Indiana Pacers.

You're quite welcome, Pat. What you said neede...

2012-10-13T09:21:12.440-05:00

You're quite welcome, Pat. What you said needed to be spoken in response to all that BS that Cardwell put out. Unfortunately, the useless media we have in this town only reports on the perspective of the CIB and could give a damn less about the taxpayers' interests.

Thanks for you kind words, Gary. I must say I was...

2012-10-13T08:17:47.684-05:00

Thanks for you kind words, Gary. I must say I wasn't debating anyone in particular. I was just stating facts that influenced my opinion and which had not been mentioned by others all night.

Again, thanks.

Everyone of those Republicans who stand for higher...

2012-10-12T19:35:06.786-05:00

Everyone of those Republicans who stand for higher property taxes and more corporate welfare should be banned from using the GOP label the next election. I know it doesn't work like that, but it should. They're not standing up for fiscal conservative values...at all.