Turkey Talk Update: Commissioners Race, & Mailer Claims

CROSS POSTED FROM POLITICAL PEON

Our story begins with one 8 x 10 glossy political campaign mailer [pictured right/below].


In a recent post, entitled Talking Turkey: Porter County Commissioners Race, A Mailer & A Nailer, a comment was left by Bob Harper Watch 2010 (BHW2010), a portion of which baffled and perplexed me.


Check your facts - Nancy Adanms has been implicitly involved with the former DLGF Director and his staff in the Democrat mess we call taxation in Porter County. She is running because we can't afford another Harper picked lackey in the assessor, auditor or commissioners office.Friday, September 17, 2010 6:16:00 PM CDT


Bob Harper's 'Lackeys'


Let's get this out of the way right away. With respect to this remark, '...we can't afford another Harper picked lackey in the assessor, auditor or commissioners office', there is not one 'Harper picked lackey' in these offices.


Hey there, BHW2010, these are not appointments. Porter County residents voted these candidates into office. Check your facts. It really looks like the 'lackey' attack is against Porter County voters. If I remember correctly back to the year 2006, county offices flipped, as I recall, to the amazement of Republicans and Democrats alike, along with the tidal wave of change that accompanied the 2006 federal election cycle where nationally, Democrats took the House of Representatives.


This is not to say that those Democrats running for office at that time did not work hard to win elections, but I think everyone noticed how highly unusual it was for so many Democrats to sweep in and win so many county seats in Porter County at one time.


People Were Voting Straight D


To conclude that Bob Harper was responsible for the wave of Democrats that came into office at in 2006 is does not make sense. If there is blame to be laid for too many Democrats, it should be placed at the feet of the national Republican leadership, and the Republican President and his administration and 'lackeys'.


A Challenge To Commercial Assessed Valuations & Tax Increases


Now as to the issue Commissioner Harper's challenger, you suggested that I 'check my facts', so I did just that, although most of the information was included in the links contained in the NWIL blog post, but I'm going to take the time to boil it down for readers just a bit.


Nancy Adanms has been implicitly involved with the former DLGF Director and his staff in the Democrat mess we call taxation in Porter County.


From newspaper reports, it is true that the Adams, as owners of the Strongbow Inn, were upset with the substantial rise in assessed valuations on their commercial property and a large tax bill. It is also true that other commercial properties saw tax increases. Russ and Nancy Adams relied on their Representative, Ed Soliday who requested that the Tim Rushenberg make a review.


Please note that this is what any and every taxpayer should do when they see something they feel should be challenged on their tax bill or with any issue that they are not able to resolve in the ordinary course of doing business. That is what our elected representatives are there to do on our behalf. That is why we elect them.
Does this mean that that Nancy Adams 'led the fight for permanent property tax reform' in the past as her mailer claims? I don't see it in the record. I see a group of small businesses whose property taxes suddenly rose, challenging their taxes by requesting a review.


Another Ironic Development


Concerning Nancy Adams' 'implicit involvement' with the DLGF, this is the a snip from the ruling in the review which can be read in it's entirety, by clicking here.
Increase in Commercial Assessments

The assessed values of commercial property in Porter County increased significantly from 2006 pay 2007 to 2007 pay 2008. After careful review, the Department has confirmed that the sales used (from 2005 and 2006) support and justify this increase in commercial assessed values.

Bob Harper on the other hand as the original post stated, has been fighting for the property tax cap legislation which was passed into law. Bob is still fighting for referendum to be voted upon on November 2, 2010 that seeks to make the cap permanent as a Constitutional amendment.


The Biggest Irony Of All


I will NOT be voting YES on the referendum to make the property tax caps permanent by making it a Constitutional Amendment. It is already the law. That is plenty. Making it harder to undo by making it a Constitutional Amendment while our schools have not too long ago been shifted to a less stable (regressive) revenue source in sales tax does not seem like a great idea to me.
Recent polling suggests that Hoosiers agree with Bob Harper on this one. I guess this makes me not a 'Harper Lackey'. Two entities against the amendment are giving up the fight.

The Indiana Farm Bureau and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce have all but given up efforts to stop the amendment which – if passed – will cement current law that limits homeowners’ tax bills to 1 percent of their assessed values, with some significant exceptions.The amendment would also limit bills for agricultural land to 2 percent of assessed value and commercial land to 3 percent. In all cases, property owners could pay more if construction projects or additional spending is approved in local referendums.

I am for not becoming entangled with a less fiscally prudent county to the west that has it's own set of problems and challenges that it needs to reform. That is something that Bob Harper and the current Board of Porter County Commissioners are working to protect Porter County from diving into.


Bob Harper has been referred to as a 'career politician' by those who are against him. My concern is that the 'career politicians' who are supporting and guiding Nancy Adams candidacy are the ones she agrees with unconditionally and unchallenged regarding OUR future with respect to regional agreements. Agreements today or in the future without forethought have the power to create a situation in which Porter County will not have control over our future while costing taxpayers more than we can afford down the road.


This is my concern. Not paranoid. Not petty. A reasonable and valid concern.


I don't agree with Bob on everything but he will have my vote. That being said I also believe that Nancy Adams is a good person, a good Republican and a respected member of our Porter County community, as is Bob Harper (except for the good Republican part). I needed to let my sense of humor kick in after all this serious writing.


Comments are most welcome. Thanks for stopping by, and keep coming back.

CROSS POSTED FROM POLITICAL PEON