Comments on Advance Indiana™: Property Tax Revenues Flow To Fund CIB For The First Time In Its History

We raised taxes, received additional state fundin...

2010-09-15T16:36:19.139-05:00

We raised taxes, received additional state funding, borrowed additional money from the state, and are now diverting property tax revenues intended for entirely different uses- ALL to fund the CIB.

The CIB ISN'T tasked with educating children, fixing streets or sewers, or staffing police or fire departments. It isn't responsible for keeping libraries open, parks and swimming pools maintained, or parking handled downtown.

ALL the CIB is associated with (correct me if I'm wrong), is sports, conventions, public events, and the facilities and management associated with them.
NONE of which are essential city functions.

WHY is the CIB taking property tax money for things like a fancier scoreboard for the Pacers, when we can't graduate more than half our kids downtown or keep our libraries open?

Cato is right. Government doesn't care what label is on the pots. They're ransacking all the way from D.C. to Indianapolis, social security to property taxes.

If you believe that fiscal limits are reality instead of fantasy, then I suggest this November is the most important election in our lifetime. Be deliberative, and bring a friend to the polls with you.

Like Cato, I say, "phooey" too, but unli...

2010-09-15T16:33:01.473-05:00

Like Cato, I say, "phooey" too, but unlike Downtown Indy, I would like for the library and branches to be open more hours, and for there to be more branches and book mobiles. Thanks for this exposure of Ballard, again, Pat and Gary. Hopefrully our knowing the truth will do us some good.

Pat, I believe the enabling statute simply allows ...

2010-09-15T09:28:55.634-05:00

Pat, I believe the enabling statute simply allows them to receive tax revenues from difference sources, including property taxes. There are separate statutes concerning food & beverage taxes, hotel tax and car rental tax imposed for the benefit of the CIB. I don't believe there is any specific statute that permits the CIB to levy a property tax.

From an accounting standpoint, I completely reject...

2010-09-15T09:17:42.943-05:00

From an accounting standpoint, I completely reject the idea of separate governmental pots. The government merely claims taxes go into specific pots so it can convince us that we need to fill all these pots, while boasting that no one pot is taking too much of our money.

Phooey. The government is a single pot. If the Simons or Irsays ever got a dime of public money, they got a dime from all the public.

Thanks for the link, Gary. One small correction, ...

2010-09-15T08:39:03.517-05:00

Thanks for the link, Gary.

One small correction, though. The CIB can levy property taxes (IC 36-10-9-6), they just choose not to do so. I believe all of the municipal corporations have this authority, but the CIB and the Airport Authority get their revenue from other taxes and fees.

God, how much more stupid can this administration ...

2010-09-14T21:42:26.286-05:00

God, how much more stupid can this administration get?

The 'cap' on property taxes has already impacted (and I'm glad it has) the rampant moneygrab of the public school system. It encouraged the library system to cut back the low-utilization days.

We have a somewhat controlled property tax system at last, and the mayor jumps on that to feed the CIB monster!

It's enough to give me apoplexy.