Two Peas in a Pod??? A far fetched mailer from the Valparaiso Republican Party

The Valparaiso Republican Party has run out of ways to inflate the resume of Nancy Adams so they have resorted to spreading misinformation about Commissioner Bob Harper.

A recent mailer sent out by the Valparaiso Republicans falsely claims that "Higher Taxes and Bigger Government are the Bob Harper Way" and that "Barack Obama and Bob Harper are two peas in a pod."

Commissioner Bob Harper has a long track record of supporting property tax CAPS. Way back in 2006, Commissioner Harper was cited in the NWI Times as supporting property tax caps to the point of sending "out 1,800 letters asking members of the Association of Indiana Counties to rethink the association's anti-tax cap action stance."

In addition, Harper has clearly proven he is against "Bigger Government" by not supporting the Regional District Authority (RDA) or the Regional Transit District (RTD).

The Valparaiso Republicans also claim that Bob Harper "supports President Obama's government takeover of healthcare" and cited the October 23, 2009 Chesterton Tribune as their source for this claim. The problem is that the article Valparaiso Republican Party is referring to NEVER MENTIONS BOB HARPER!

Anyways, anyone that knows the difference between local and federal politics is aware that Bob Harper cannot vote in the Senate or the House so the  health insurance reform bill is not an issue in the Porter County Commissioner's race. 

Maybe the Valparaiso Republicans are hoping that the residents of Porter County haven't read any local newspapers in the last several years so they won't be able to point out the blatant errors in the mailer...

Nancy Adams at "Glenn Beck's Right Nation Event"

Nancy Adams in a photograph at "Glenn Beck's Right Nation Event" with Mark Leyva.

Several local conservatives have distanced themselves from Mark Leyva but apparently Nancy Adams has not. Adams was photographed with Lake County Tea Party member, Mark Leyva, at Right Nation 2010 where SARAH PALIN WON the presidential straw poll!
The image in the post was taken from Mark Leyva's web site.

ATTN Shawn Olson, touching my mailbox is Illegal!

Our state senators are expected to know the law and it is clear to me that Shawn Olson does not.

If Shawn Olson doesn't know that putting anything on my mailbox is illegal, what other laws could he not know about? How does he expect the citizens of Northwest Indiana to trust him to represent our district as State Senator who would author and sponsor bills when he doesn't know this basic law? Even worse, did he just choose to ignore the law?

I woke up this morning to see my street lined with Shawn Olson's political "mailers" (and I use this term quite  loosely since no postage was paid) hanging on mailboxes. Several political candidates have had fundraisers and worked hard to afford postage to send out their mailers LAWFULLY.

I don't want officials I elect to cut corners in order to get the job done and Mr. Olson's campaign CUT CORNERS!

3.1.3 Use for Mail

Except under 3.2.11, Newspaper Receptacle, the receptacles described in 3.1.1 may be used only for matter bearing postage. Other than as permitted by 3.2.10, Delivery of Unstamped Newspapers, or 3.2.11, no part of a mail receptacle may be used to deliver any matter not bearing postage, including items or matter placed upon, supported by, attached to, hung from, or inserted into a mail receptacle. Any mailable matter not bearing postage and found as described above is subject to the same postage as would be paid if it were carried by mail.

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

Nancy Adams' Mailer Raises Questions

In the past week I received a mailer from the Nancy Adams campaign that has motivated me to do a bit of research. Although the mailer reads that Nancy Adams "led the fight for permanent property tax reform" I can't think of a time I have read about her leading any such fight. In fact, I can't find any news article documenting Nancy Adams leading "the fight". When I search her name in the NWI Times archive I find ONE letter to the editor from Nancy Adams expressing her support for the RDA. The only other article mentioning Nancy Adams, before she filed for candidacy, and taxes is September 13, 2009 in regards to her property tax repayments being spread out and "what concerns her is that her payments are not reaching taxing units in the area." Being concerned is not the same as leading! (Keep in mind the County Treasurer was a Republican at the time) I find her HUSBAND, Russ Adams, in the local papers since he held a meeting at his restaurant at 10:00 am on Friday March 13, 2009 about tax bills for BUSINESS OWNERS. This meeting was also mentioned in the Chesterton Tribune yet Nancy Adams was NEVER MENTIONED. RUSS Adams, alongside several business owners, convinced the DLGF to review Porter County's tax and assessment data and the DLGF decided that the 2008 tax bills were correct.

On the other side, Bob Harper has fought for property tax reform and it is well documented. For instance, in the Indianapolis Star on Feb 13, 2008, an article states the following:

The committee also heard from one county official who said homeowners need help more than governments need money, Bob Harper president of the Porter County commissioners, told the legislatures that though they'd heard from dozens of officials and lobbyists griping about the cuts, "I'm tellin' ya," Harper said, "We need a break."

In addition, Harper has been created a Facebook page called "CAP Indiana's Property TAX!" back in November of 2009. Commissioner Harper has proof of his efforts toward ensuring property tax reform.

Even though Nancy says that "she and her husband Russ own Strongbow Inn" on her campaign web site, her mailer describes Nancy "as owner of the Strongbow Inn." I hardly think the Adams campaign can claim in her mailer that she "creates jobs" and "employs over 150 people" when Strongbow Inn already employed between 40 and 60 people by 1980, well over a decade before Russ and his wife became owners. In addition, Nancy Adams shouldn't take credit for building a business that her husband's parents and grandparents built. Nancy wasn't alive in 1937 when the turkey farm was started by Walter and Bess Russell Thrun.

There is little worse than having to spend time researching claims in a political mailer that misrepresent the facts. Whether it is called stretching the truth or telling half truths, I want NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH!