Letters to the Editor 04-30-2004
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- School Information - Lost Property - Orange Ribbon Week - Downtown Parking
School Information
Editor, Times-Union:Here is some background information that residents of Kosciusko County especially those who live in the Warsaw School district should find useful. It deals with deconsolidation, athletics, school funding, remonstrances, referendums and recalls. The information was obtained from the Indiana Department of Education, Indiana Election Commission and "Here is your Indiana Government" published by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.
Deconsolidate the Warsaw School district and allowing Atwood, Claypool and Silver Lake to manage their own elementaries with a middle school and high school section would have to go through the following steps. First, the residents of those towns would have to give permission in a special election. Second, the school corporation would have to give its approval because of lost tax revenue. Third, approval from the Indiana Department of Education would have to be sought because local schools have to meet state requirements passed by the Indiana General Assembly.
In regards to athletics, the state of Indiana does not legally require local schools to provide for sports, since you cannot receive academic credits for a high school diploma by participating in sports. It is purely optional for a local school district to spend money on sports.
With school funding, the state of Indiana provides nearly 60 percent of the funding for each local school district mainly through each district's general fund. Fortunately for taxpayers around Indiana, construction projects are financed by local school district taxpayers. However in an indirect way with the state of Indiana providing most of the money to a school district's general fund without such help a school district could not afford expensive building projects and regular expenses, state taxpayers are subsidizing these projects.
The state of Indiana allows local property owners to remonstrate against school building projects but not against the closing of schools. The decision to close schools is left up to the school board whether or not they make the correct decision.
In allowing a referendum on keeping schools open, first such a question can only be put on ballots if it is allowed by state law. And secondly if it is allowed, the ballot question must be "certified by noon 60 days before a primary election or by Aug. 1 before a general or municipal election" by a county or town election board.
A recall of school board members cannot be done because the state of Indiana does not allow recall elections. An elected official can only be removed by impeachment "by the state legislature or a circuit court for committing a crime." Other grounds for removal are being a convicted felon, habitually intoxicated, not living in the district you represent, violating the Hatch Act, which is being a federal and local government employee at the same time.
Residents of Warsaw Community Schools can depend on courts or elected officials to educate their children or they can take charge themselves.
Alexander Houze
Leesburg
Lost Property
Editor, Times-Union:It is certainly convenient for Tom Huffman to keep harping about how the treasurer's office LOST his property for him in 2001. Perhaps he should be thinking about WHY he lost his property. Never once did he blame his out of state agent handling his financial affairs, never once did he blame his family or friends for being here and not looking into things for him. Never once did he consider that paying taxes is the LIABILITY of the taxpayer regardless of the circumstances. Nor is he considering that having a tax sale is a state law. Elected officials are bound to uphold the laws mandated to each individual office.
Since Mr. Huffman took his case to three different courts and had no resolving case in any of them, I would say that no clerical error was made or he would have won. In fact, after investigating the circumstances, which is public knowledge, the county is not at fault. Each taxpayer has the right to call the Treasurer's Office and inquire about their property taxes. Isn't that what should be done to ensure something like this doesn't happen to you? If Mr. Huffman had done then what he is pleading the taxpayers to do now, none of this would have happened to him. Instead, he put that responsibility on someone else and that "agent" did not do his job.
Mr. Huffman, I have always taken responsibility for my actions, or lack thereof, seems it is time you do your own checking on issues. Being out of the country does not relieve you of your obligations. I urge you to stop blaming other people for something that was your responsibility.
Marc L. Powell
Warsaw
Orange Ribbon Week
Editor, Times-Union:I would like to let the people of Warsaw know why this week is different from all the other weeks in the year. This week is National Orange Ribbon week. Orange Ribbon week is meant to help raise awarness on the effects of alcohol use and abuse. As a freshman SADD (students against destructive decisions) member, I feel that this week-long event doesn't receive enough attention in our schools or community! Ninety-eight percent of Indiana adults are concerned about underage drinking. If that many people are worried about it, why aren't they speaking up? With prom just around the corner for local high schools, we need to let students know the effects of drinking on the mind and the body. Nine out of 10 minors say that alcohol is easy to get. Isn't that a scary statistic? With those numbers, shouldn't members of the community step in and lend a hand to help keep alcohol out of the hands of underage people? So my message to the community is this, talk to your kids about drinking and don't be a hypocrite. If you tell your kids not to drink, then you shouldn't drink, at least around them. As an adult it's your choice, but when it comes to your kids, help them make the right choice.
Have a great Orange Ribbon Week!
Tyler Good
WCHS SADD representative, via e-mail
Downtown Parking
Editor, Times-Union:In reponse to the WCDC letter, what 2220 parking spots? I see people driving in circles to find a spot anywhere near there destination. Try to find parking at all during the 9 a.m.-5 p.m. hours, it is a disaster .We may have dedicated store owners but it all comes down to lower prices. Simple as that. As a side note, I would like to ask you what your plans are to relieve the terrible traffic problems that have plagued North Detroit Street for years.
Kerry Dohner
Warsaw, via e-mail
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- School Information - Lost Property - Orange Ribbon Week - Downtown Parking
School Information
Editor, Times-Union:Here is some background information that residents of Kosciusko County especially those who live in the Warsaw School district should find useful. It deals with deconsolidation, athletics, school funding, remonstrances, referendums and recalls. The information was obtained from the Indiana Department of Education, Indiana Election Commission and "Here is your Indiana Government" published by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.
Deconsolidate the Warsaw School district and allowing Atwood, Claypool and Silver Lake to manage their own elementaries with a middle school and high school section would have to go through the following steps. First, the residents of those towns would have to give permission in a special election. Second, the school corporation would have to give its approval because of lost tax revenue. Third, approval from the Indiana Department of Education would have to be sought because local schools have to meet state requirements passed by the Indiana General Assembly.
In regards to athletics, the state of Indiana does not legally require local schools to provide for sports, since you cannot receive academic credits for a high school diploma by participating in sports. It is purely optional for a local school district to spend money on sports.
With school funding, the state of Indiana provides nearly 60 percent of the funding for each local school district mainly through each district's general fund. Fortunately for taxpayers around Indiana, construction projects are financed by local school district taxpayers. However in an indirect way with the state of Indiana providing most of the money to a school district's general fund without such help a school district could not afford expensive building projects and regular expenses, state taxpayers are subsidizing these projects.
The state of Indiana allows local property owners to remonstrate against school building projects but not against the closing of schools. The decision to close schools is left up to the school board whether or not they make the correct decision.
In allowing a referendum on keeping schools open, first such a question can only be put on ballots if it is allowed by state law. And secondly if it is allowed, the ballot question must be "certified by noon 60 days before a primary election or by Aug. 1 before a general or municipal election" by a county or town election board.
A recall of school board members cannot be done because the state of Indiana does not allow recall elections. An elected official can only be removed by impeachment "by the state legislature or a circuit court for committing a crime." Other grounds for removal are being a convicted felon, habitually intoxicated, not living in the district you represent, violating the Hatch Act, which is being a federal and local government employee at the same time.
Residents of Warsaw Community Schools can depend on courts or elected officials to educate their children or they can take charge themselves.
Alexander Houze
Leesburg
Lost Property
Editor, Times-Union:It is certainly convenient for Tom Huffman to keep harping about how the treasurer's office LOST his property for him in 2001. Perhaps he should be thinking about WHY he lost his property. Never once did he blame his out of state agent handling his financial affairs, never once did he blame his family or friends for being here and not looking into things for him. Never once did he consider that paying taxes is the LIABILITY of the taxpayer regardless of the circumstances. Nor is he considering that having a tax sale is a state law. Elected officials are bound to uphold the laws mandated to each individual office.
Since Mr. Huffman took his case to three different courts and had no resolving case in any of them, I would say that no clerical error was made or he would have won. In fact, after investigating the circumstances, which is public knowledge, the county is not at fault. Each taxpayer has the right to call the Treasurer's Office and inquire about their property taxes. Isn't that what should be done to ensure something like this doesn't happen to you? If Mr. Huffman had done then what he is pleading the taxpayers to do now, none of this would have happened to him. Instead, he put that responsibility on someone else and that "agent" did not do his job.
Mr. Huffman, I have always taken responsibility for my actions, or lack thereof, seems it is time you do your own checking on issues. Being out of the country does not relieve you of your obligations. I urge you to stop blaming other people for something that was your responsibility.
Marc L. Powell
Warsaw
Orange Ribbon Week
Editor, Times-Union:I would like to let the people of Warsaw know why this week is different from all the other weeks in the year. This week is National Orange Ribbon week. Orange Ribbon week is meant to help raise awarness on the effects of alcohol use and abuse. As a freshman SADD (students against destructive decisions) member, I feel that this week-long event doesn't receive enough attention in our schools or community! Ninety-eight percent of Indiana adults are concerned about underage drinking. If that many people are worried about it, why aren't they speaking up? With prom just around the corner for local high schools, we need to let students know the effects of drinking on the mind and the body. Nine out of 10 minors say that alcohol is easy to get. Isn't that a scary statistic? With those numbers, shouldn't members of the community step in and lend a hand to help keep alcohol out of the hands of underage people? So my message to the community is this, talk to your kids about drinking and don't be a hypocrite. If you tell your kids not to drink, then you shouldn't drink, at least around them. As an adult it's your choice, but when it comes to your kids, help them make the right choice.
Have a great Orange Ribbon Week!
Tyler Good
WCHS SADD representative, via e-mail
Downtown Parking
Editor, Times-Union:In reponse to the WCDC letter, what 2220 parking spots? I see people driving in circles to find a spot anywhere near there destination. Try to find parking at all during the 9 a.m.-5 p.m. hours, it is a disaster .We may have dedicated store owners but it all comes down to lower prices. Simple as that. As a side note, I would like to ask you what your plans are to relieve the terrible traffic problems that have plagued North Detroit Street for years.
Kerry Dohner
Warsaw, via e-mail
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