Local Government Consolidation: An ‘Embarrassing’ Position
For release Feb. 25 and thereafter (487 words) Strip away a multi-year, bigwig publicity campaign, complete with unctuous news coverage and a last-minute statewide tour, and the premise behind the move to consolidate local government is just this: People in Indianapolis are smarter than the rest of us. A chief GOP proponent now says Read the full article…
The Tax Caps Would Be a Useful Economic Stimulus
For release Feb. 18 and thereafter (680 words) With all their talk about stimulating the economy, you’d think Indiana Democrats would want a constitutional cap on property taxes. A cap would be an ideal stimulus for Indiana’s anemic housing market. On Feb. 9, the Senate voted to write into our constitution a property tax Read the full article…
Indiana’s Share of the ‘Stimulus’: Will Lemons Become Lemonade?
Editors: In view of the president’s visit today, this week’s column is for immediate release (614 words)How do you respond when people make bad decisions that affect you directly? Your child lies to you. Your boss implements an oppressive policy. Your president comes to town with an offer of a lot of money for you Read the full article…
Successful Charters Have ‘College Prep’ Focus in Common
For release Feb. 4 and thereafter (680 words)Students at KIPP LEAD College Prep in Gary spend more time on task than their peers in traditional public schools. A lot more. The youngsters are at school from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, four hours every other Saturday and three weeks during the summer. It Read the full article…
Consolidation: Few Facts but Lots of Name-Calling
(For release noon Jan. 27 and thereafter (545 words)The public discussion is reduced to name-calling. The mayor of Huntington last week described citizens who want him to cut his budget as “Taliban.” (1) A few days later the Indianapolis Star implied that those skeptical of the governor’s consolidation plan were “partisans” (or ideologues, one assumes, Read the full article…
Trustees and Consolidation: Doubtful Savings, Real Costs
For release noon Jan. 6 and thereafter (837 words)by RON REINKING, CPA The coming Indiana legislative session will be historic in that it takes up the founding structure of government itself. Legislation will be introduced that would meld the township functions into a uniform structure governed solely by county officials — an idea that promoters Read the full article…
