February 11, 2008 08:48 pm
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GOP played politics with cap resolution
Please save room at the hitchin’ post for the white horse. In a recent editorial in the Kokomo Tribune, state Rep. Bill Friend, R-Macy, was very vocal in criticizing Indiana House Democrats for withdrawing House Joint Resolution 1, the proposal suggested by the governor that would have capped property taxes and be a part of our state constitution. My colleague would have one believe that he and his fellow Republican House members were riding in on a white horse to save the day.
The truth is, Republicans have no one to criticize but themselves. Had GOP leaders left HJR1 as a clean property tax cap proposal, rather than playing political games, members could have debated and voted on the resolution based on its own merits. These games were described in an editorial in The Indianapolis Star on Feb. 1.
In the beginning, it seemed as though members on both sides of the aisle were keeping their word to act on property tax relief with a sense of urgency. In a stunning display of bipartisan cooperation, Democrats and Republicans nearly unanimously endorsed House Bill 1001, legislation containing Gov. Daniels’ property tax plan that was amended to bring additional relief to working, middle-class families.
But politics-as-usual reared its ugly head when on Jan. 29, Republicans stopped progress on HJR1 by weighing it down with 18 amendments, none of which dealt with the core issue of property tax caps.
The House Ways & Means Committee had nearly 60 hours of meetings, the governor and other legislators have spent a great deal of time reviewing the idea of repealing homeowner property taxes, but had to concede that the resulting increase in the state sales and income tax would have had insurmountable financial and economic complications. Adding 11 amendments to eliminate homeowner property tax levies was an unheralded maneuver against what Gov. Daniels has said the state cannot do at this time without putting an enormous burden on citizens of Indiana.
Rep. Friend accused Democrats of being unwilling to hold open, honest debate on the chamber floor. To the contrary, the House Ways & Means Committee began hearings on SJR1, which will place property tax caps in our state constitution. We can only hope that Rep. Friend and his GOP members of the House will tie their horses to the hitchin’ post and do as they did in the beginning: work together to bring property tax relief to Hoosiers and allow SJR1 to proceed without reverting to partisan nonsense.
Thank you for your continued support.
Rep. Ron Herrell
D-Kokomo
‘Things that make you go Hmmm’
There are four things that make absolutely no sense:
1) Refrigerators labeled Hotpoint.
2) Stoves labeled Frigidaire.
3) Hitchhikers who wear camouflage, then complain when nobody picks them up, and;
4) Bankers who collect “service” fees from low-balance account-holders while not touching account-holders who maintain high-account balances.
Kenneth Crockett
Kokomo
City needs better billing system
In view of all the spending – good and bad – of our city, would it be unreasonable to ask the City of Kokomo’s waste department to come up with a better customer billing system, including a return envelope addressed?
James F. Colter
Kokomo
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