Comments on Advance Indiana™: Ballard Gives Tax Abatement And Other Incentives To Rolls-Royce To Shuffle Workers Into Lilly Building Downtown

If the Ferris building is in the downtown TIF, the...

2011-03-16T08:31:58.103-05:00

If the Ferris building is in the downtown TIF, then the abatement must be voted on by the Council. That should be fun.

It is troubling that this represents a shift of jobs out of other Indianapolis locales. There are 396 square miles in Marion County, but there is one square miles that gets most of the economic development effort; and like this deal, at the expense of some other square mile.

A couple of years ago, the City of Indianapolis and the City of Lawrance banded together and granted Monarch Beverage abatements and incentives to move out of Decatur Township and into Lawrence, while actually reducing jobs.

Bart Peterson...the gift that keeps on giving! Oh....

2011-03-16T07:32:32.936-05:00

Bart Peterson...the gift that keeps on giving!
Oh....I'm sorry...I thought the mayor was Bart Peterson!

The entire tax system from top to bottom is blatan...

2011-03-15T20:02:30.035-05:00

The entire tax system from top to bottom is blatantly unconstitutional because it fails on almost every level to treat similarly-situated persons equally-a clear violation of the equal protection clause. Unfortunately, the courts have pretty much abrogated their role in policing the constitutionality of our tax laws, allowing persons with clout to essentially purchase their favored tax status.

And some people are wondering why the local unions...

2011-03-15T19:54:36.602-05:00

And some people are wondering why the local unions are endorsing Ballard!
Isn't it obvious? He's acting just like a democrat!
AND SO ARE THE SO-CALLED REPUBLICANS ON THE COUNCIL.

Well said. Generally, bonding is only part of the...

2011-03-15T19:42:23.753-05:00

Well said.

Generally, bonding is only part of the pretend government constructed to deceive people into believing government is effective. Then the few in the trenches have to fight through the pretense to accomplish anything not involving enriching the favored few.

The original contractors should be liable for thos...

2011-03-15T18:06:37.368-05:00

The original contractors should be liable for those repairs. If this were a private deal, you can bet there would be lawsuits to recover if the contractors didn't make good on it. Since the politicians are in bed with the contractors, they'll just let them screw over the taxpayers by making us pick up the cost to repair. It's pointless to require these contractors to be bonded and insured if the government never avails itself of the benefit of having those guarantees.

The Babe Denny area and others near by sure could ...

2011-03-15T17:59:35.628-05:00

The Babe Denny area and others near by sure could use some property tax support from the big players.

I did not know the age of the Faris building, but clearly these companies are working the 10 year abatement gimmick to perfection. "Ten and out!" is pretty much the standard.

I wonder what happens when the Conrad reached 10 years? Changeover to a supersized Motel 6?

By the way did you see the WTHR story on LOS failing water pipes? Water bills well over $20,000 per month, millions of gallons of water wasted, and failing pipes that demand millions of dollars for replacement after just 2 1/2 years.

Another 'great' monument to union workmanship. It is sickening