Letters to the Editor 10-02-2001
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Budget Mess - Armed Pilots - Retaliate Now - Not Sporting - Cinema Benefit - Bumpy Crossings - Are We Prepared? - Tax Relief - Trail Of Courage
Budget Mess
Editor, Times-Union:Sen. Kent Adams in the 2000 session of the Indiana General Assembly introduced a bill that would have protected homeowners, businesses and farmers from a huge property tax reassessment increase that is looming on the horizon in 2003.
Sen. Adams' efforts would have also ensured that the state of Indiana would not be facing the present fiscal crisis in which we find ourselves.
State auditor Connie Nass, who was recently in Warsaw talking about the fact that the state of Indiana is virtually broke, was correct in her assessment.
Auditor Nass is traveling around the state presenting "A Report to Indiana Citizens on the State's Finances." She is providing a service to the citizens of the state because she is letting them know where their money has been spent and the fact that the budget surplus that Indiana enjoyed in 1999 is in jeopardy of being completely wiped out.
Had Gov. O'Bannon and Lt. Gov. Kernan supported Senate Bill 21 that Sen. Kent Adams introduced in the 2000 Legislature, the 2001 budget would have never been adopted!
Senate Bill 21 would have imposed a cap on state spending. What Sen. Adams wanted to do was to slow down the growth of state spending so that during good economic times the state of Indiana would be accumulating a surplus that would be available whenever there is an economic downturn. Additionally, Sen. Adams was looking ahead to the upcoming property tax reassessment, which would impose a tax increase of as much as 25 or 30 percent on homeowners in the state of Indiana. As a matter of fact, some older homes could face an increase of up to 300 percent according to Lt. Gov. Kernan.
I had the privilege of working on this spending cap proposal with Sen. Adams and former governor Dr. Otis R. Bowen.
Sen. Adams, through his leadership of this effort in the State Senate, was able to see the bill pass twice and be sent to the House of Representatives. Unfortunately, the bill never received a hearing in the House of Representatives.
Sen. Adams saw the need to slow down the growth of state spending so that the taxpayers would be protected against an economic recession, which we are apparently headed toward, and the need to raise taxes, which Sen. Adams and I do not support.
Sen. Adams, Doc Bowen and I all agree that government is too big and we don't need to be increasing the tax burden on homeowners, businesses or farmers through a general tax increase of sales or income taxes and we need to be able to protect homeowners, businesses and farmers from huge property tax increases.
It is too bad that the House of Representatives, Gov. O'Bannon and Lt. Gov. Kernan didn't support Sen. Adams in 2000. If they had, Auditor Nass would not have been able to say in Warsaw recently that the state is broke.
Thank you, Sen. Adams, for leading the effort and for your continued willingness to point out that the state is spending too much.
Eric I. Miller
Executive Director
Advance America
Armed Pilots
Editor, Times-Union:We have taken several trips on U.S. and foreign airlines in the U.S. and overseas. We expect to take more of them and I want the pilots and flight engineer to be armed with a .38, all of the cockpit crew should be armed. They already have all the security and background checks or they would not have the job as pilot and crew. Most of them probably already own and have used handguns or if not, could be given instruction in the proper handling of them. They would only wear their guns while in the cockpit, put them on before they taxi out to depart the airfield, but would not wear them in the terminals. If they had occasion to go into the passenger compartment, their gun would be left in the cockpit, not worn while in the passenger compartment where a passenger might grab it. If anyone attempted to enter the door into the cockpit, they would be met with an armed crew member. The fact that they are armed should be known.
If our pilots had been armed, the hijackers would not have been able to get control of our airlines, the World Trade Center and other places would not have been destroyed and people on the planes and on the ground would not have been killed. If our pilots had been armed, the hijackers may never have attempted such an operation. We can make the best of security checks at the airports, but there will always be someone who gets through the security checks and on a plane in some manner. At the present time, when a plane gets into the air, they have no protection whatsoever.
If we use sky marshals, there would have to be thousands of them, which would cost a lot of money. Why do that when we have a crew already on the plane that are being paid and would be glad to protect themselves and their passengers at no additional cost? Some say the federal government would cover the cost -Êthe federal government does not have any money, they do not earn any money, they only print money. Any money the federal government has is money that was collected from us taxpayers; we pay all the expenses of the federal government. If the airlines beef up airport security and pay their check-in employees more money, that will be an expense to the airlines and we will pay for it through higher costs for tickets. If sky marshals are used and the airlines cover the cost, that will still cost us in increased ticket cost. It will cost us as individuals, regardless if it is covered by the government or the airlines. The airlines could probably do it more efficiently.
I am a small plane pilot.
Wallace W. Huffman
Warsaw
Retaliate Now
Editor, Times-Union:Due to the tragic events that have happened, I feel that we should have attacked when they attacked us. If they don't want to help us (other countries) to take out Taliban militia, take them out too. We just look like a weaker country the longer we wait.
Gary Rothenberger
Syracuse
via e-mail
Not Sporting
Editor, Times-Union:It's Friday morning, 6:30 a.m. and as I look out my window overlooking the channel that goes into Winona Lake I see a young deer swimming down the channel. I think what a beautiful sight. Then I hear the noise of an approaching engine. I look out to see two grown men in a fishing boat chasing this poor deer down. How sporting! MAYBE they are only trying to get a closer look but surely they must understand that the poor deer has to be extremely frightened by their actions.
Brenda Lashley
Warsaw
via e-mail
Cinema Benefit
Editor, Times-Union:We would like to say thank you to all the patriotic citizens who helped to make North Pointe Cinemas' "Victims" Benefit Day at the Movies so successful.
It was amazing to see so many people attend North Pointe on Sept. 25 in support of this event. As we informed our patrons, we had agreed, along with 200 other companies representing 27,000 screens nationwide, to donate all revenues received on that date to the American Red Cross and the United Way Sept. 11 Fund to assist the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist acts.
A check in the amount of $945 is on its way to the National Association of Theatre Owners disaster relief fund. To help ease the administrative burden on these charities, our trade association has agreed to act as a conduit to collect funds on an industry-wide basis and remit them directly to the American Red Cross and the United Way on our behalf.
God Bless America!
Sam and Bess Joyner
Mallers-Joyner Cinemas
Bumpy Crossings
Editor, Times-Union:I have lived in Warsaw for over 20 years and I cannot remember the railroad crossings around town being this bad. Winona Ave., Fort Wayne Street, High Street, and many more are in terrible condition. Try driving across them without rattling your backteeth. With the overwhelming number of trains that travel through this city the railroad company,with its billion-dollar profits, could be kind to the people who tolerate them and maintain the crossings. Could the city please put some pressure on them to fix these hazards. Come on, Norfolk Southern, do what's right.
Kerry Dohner
Warsaw
via e-mail
Are We Prepared?
Editor, Times-Union:What, if anything, is our community doing to prepare for any type of terrorists attacks? I realize, we have really been blessed, here in this small town of Indiana, but we do need to prepare, don't we? Is our faith in Jesus and our prayers enough? Need some answers. Thank you for listening.
Suzanne Robbins
Warsaw
via e-mail
Tax Relief
Editor, Times-Union:More than ever we need property tax relief.
With a heavy heart I read headlines around the state "Home Taxes to Raise 13 Percent on Average." This is the last thing Hoosier families need at a time when the economy is slow, overtime is scarce and many working families wonder how long before they see pink slips.
In last year's governor's campaign I talked a great deal about the looming problem created by court-ordered property tax assessment. In the debates I offered a plan to offset increases for homeowners with an across-the-board property tax cut that also cut job-killing taxes on equipment and inventory.
Governor O'Bannon told us this wasn't necessary, he had a plan to limit increases to around 6 to 7 percent. The election made it clear - my message was premature. But I dreaded the day when reassessment could not be put off and Hoosiers would face increases of two, three and, in some cases, many times that amount. That's why I was so passionate about property taxes, even when my advisers kept saying the issue wasn't catching on in the polls.
That was last year. Today, the fact is Indiana faces a real crisis in property taxes. The leader of the Association of Cities and Towns says it's "about to hit like a tsunami." Regardless of who was right, the question remains: What are we going to do about it?
Now more than ever we need a vision for tax reform that is pro-family, pro-homeowner, pro-farmer and pro-growth. Here are some basic principles that the administration and the Legislature should use to tackle this problem.
First, stop the spending increases. The ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee compared spending in the last budget to "a drunken sailor." Yes, I know politicians love to spend and, yes, old habits die hard. The Senate budget staff has begun to take the first step by identifying areas where more savings can be made. Ultimately, it will take the equivalent of a 12-step program - like the constitutional spending cap that Doc Bowen proposed - to get back on track.
Second, have a net cut in property taxes, don't just shift the burden from one group to another. Homeowners deserve to be protected from the 13 percent increase. And taxes on growth and job creation should be thrown out. Only then can we reverse the trend of plants closing and corporate headquarters moving out of town. Then we will have economic growth and hope for the future. Then we can tackle the brain drain and tell our college kids you don't have to leave Indiana in search of better careers elsewhere.
Third, use the crises to permanently fix our tax system. Never again should Hoosier homeowners face the specter of property tax re-assessment. A partial solution is to take the fastest growing categories of spending like welfare and education off the property tax levy and use general funds for these programs. Another approach is similar to California's Proposition 13. Inspired by Ronald Reagan, this reform effectively froze property taxes based on actual price until the property is sold.
These principles are just the beginning. With a great deal of hard work, we can tackle our property tax problem and get Indiana moving again.
David McIntosh
Professor of Economics, Ball State University
Muncie
Trail Of Courage
Editor, Times-Union:O-Say-Yo = Hello
We would like to thank the Warsaw area businesses who donated to our Trail of Courage Rendevous in Rochester. All of our tribe and our Chief "Pale Moon" used your donations with many thanks.
We also thank everyone that attended the Native American wedding.
Wa-Do = Good Bye
Loretta "Bright Star" Holloway
Chief Joan "Pale Moon" McClellan
Warsaw
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- Budget Mess - Armed Pilots - Retaliate Now - Not Sporting - Cinema Benefit - Bumpy Crossings - Are We Prepared? - Tax Relief - Trail Of Courage
Budget Mess
Editor, Times-Union:Sen. Kent Adams in the 2000 session of the Indiana General Assembly introduced a bill that would have protected homeowners, businesses and farmers from a huge property tax reassessment increase that is looming on the horizon in 2003.
Sen. Adams' efforts would have also ensured that the state of Indiana would not be facing the present fiscal crisis in which we find ourselves.
State auditor Connie Nass, who was recently in Warsaw talking about the fact that the state of Indiana is virtually broke, was correct in her assessment.
Auditor Nass is traveling around the state presenting "A Report to Indiana Citizens on the State's Finances." She is providing a service to the citizens of the state because she is letting them know where their money has been spent and the fact that the budget surplus that Indiana enjoyed in 1999 is in jeopardy of being completely wiped out.
Had Gov. O'Bannon and Lt. Gov. Kernan supported Senate Bill 21 that Sen. Kent Adams introduced in the 2000 Legislature, the 2001 budget would have never been adopted!
Senate Bill 21 would have imposed a cap on state spending. What Sen. Adams wanted to do was to slow down the growth of state spending so that during good economic times the state of Indiana would be accumulating a surplus that would be available whenever there is an economic downturn. Additionally, Sen. Adams was looking ahead to the upcoming property tax reassessment, which would impose a tax increase of as much as 25 or 30 percent on homeowners in the state of Indiana. As a matter of fact, some older homes could face an increase of up to 300 percent according to Lt. Gov. Kernan.
I had the privilege of working on this spending cap proposal with Sen. Adams and former governor Dr. Otis R. Bowen.
Sen. Adams, through his leadership of this effort in the State Senate, was able to see the bill pass twice and be sent to the House of Representatives. Unfortunately, the bill never received a hearing in the House of Representatives.
Sen. Adams saw the need to slow down the growth of state spending so that the taxpayers would be protected against an economic recession, which we are apparently headed toward, and the need to raise taxes, which Sen. Adams and I do not support.
Sen. Adams, Doc Bowen and I all agree that government is too big and we don't need to be increasing the tax burden on homeowners, businesses or farmers through a general tax increase of sales or income taxes and we need to be able to protect homeowners, businesses and farmers from huge property tax increases.
It is too bad that the House of Representatives, Gov. O'Bannon and Lt. Gov. Kernan didn't support Sen. Adams in 2000. If they had, Auditor Nass would not have been able to say in Warsaw recently that the state is broke.
Thank you, Sen. Adams, for leading the effort and for your continued willingness to point out that the state is spending too much.
Eric I. Miller
Executive Director
Advance America
Armed Pilots
Editor, Times-Union:We have taken several trips on U.S. and foreign airlines in the U.S. and overseas. We expect to take more of them and I want the pilots and flight engineer to be armed with a .38, all of the cockpit crew should be armed. They already have all the security and background checks or they would not have the job as pilot and crew. Most of them probably already own and have used handguns or if not, could be given instruction in the proper handling of them. They would only wear their guns while in the cockpit, put them on before they taxi out to depart the airfield, but would not wear them in the terminals. If they had occasion to go into the passenger compartment, their gun would be left in the cockpit, not worn while in the passenger compartment where a passenger might grab it. If anyone attempted to enter the door into the cockpit, they would be met with an armed crew member. The fact that they are armed should be known.
If our pilots had been armed, the hijackers would not have been able to get control of our airlines, the World Trade Center and other places would not have been destroyed and people on the planes and on the ground would not have been killed. If our pilots had been armed, the hijackers may never have attempted such an operation. We can make the best of security checks at the airports, but there will always be someone who gets through the security checks and on a plane in some manner. At the present time, when a plane gets into the air, they have no protection whatsoever.
If we use sky marshals, there would have to be thousands of them, which would cost a lot of money. Why do that when we have a crew already on the plane that are being paid and would be glad to protect themselves and their passengers at no additional cost? Some say the federal government would cover the cost -Êthe federal government does not have any money, they do not earn any money, they only print money. Any money the federal government has is money that was collected from us taxpayers; we pay all the expenses of the federal government. If the airlines beef up airport security and pay their check-in employees more money, that will be an expense to the airlines and we will pay for it through higher costs for tickets. If sky marshals are used and the airlines cover the cost, that will still cost us in increased ticket cost. It will cost us as individuals, regardless if it is covered by the government or the airlines. The airlines could probably do it more efficiently.
I am a small plane pilot.
Wallace W. Huffman
Warsaw
Retaliate Now
Editor, Times-Union:Due to the tragic events that have happened, I feel that we should have attacked when they attacked us. If they don't want to help us (other countries) to take out Taliban militia, take them out too. We just look like a weaker country the longer we wait.
Gary Rothenberger
Syracuse
via e-mail
Not Sporting
Editor, Times-Union:It's Friday morning, 6:30 a.m. and as I look out my window overlooking the channel that goes into Winona Lake I see a young deer swimming down the channel. I think what a beautiful sight. Then I hear the noise of an approaching engine. I look out to see two grown men in a fishing boat chasing this poor deer down. How sporting! MAYBE they are only trying to get a closer look but surely they must understand that the poor deer has to be extremely frightened by their actions.
Brenda Lashley
Warsaw
via e-mail
Cinema Benefit
Editor, Times-Union:We would like to say thank you to all the patriotic citizens who helped to make North Pointe Cinemas' "Victims" Benefit Day at the Movies so successful.
It was amazing to see so many people attend North Pointe on Sept. 25 in support of this event. As we informed our patrons, we had agreed, along with 200 other companies representing 27,000 screens nationwide, to donate all revenues received on that date to the American Red Cross and the United Way Sept. 11 Fund to assist the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist acts.
A check in the amount of $945 is on its way to the National Association of Theatre Owners disaster relief fund. To help ease the administrative burden on these charities, our trade association has agreed to act as a conduit to collect funds on an industry-wide basis and remit them directly to the American Red Cross and the United Way on our behalf.
God Bless America!
Sam and Bess Joyner
Mallers-Joyner Cinemas
Bumpy Crossings
Editor, Times-Union:I have lived in Warsaw for over 20 years and I cannot remember the railroad crossings around town being this bad. Winona Ave., Fort Wayne Street, High Street, and many more are in terrible condition. Try driving across them without rattling your backteeth. With the overwhelming number of trains that travel through this city the railroad company,with its billion-dollar profits, could be kind to the people who tolerate them and maintain the crossings. Could the city please put some pressure on them to fix these hazards. Come on, Norfolk Southern, do what's right.
Kerry Dohner
Warsaw
via e-mail
Are We Prepared?
Editor, Times-Union:What, if anything, is our community doing to prepare for any type of terrorists attacks? I realize, we have really been blessed, here in this small town of Indiana, but we do need to prepare, don't we? Is our faith in Jesus and our prayers enough? Need some answers. Thank you for listening.
Suzanne Robbins
Warsaw
via e-mail
Tax Relief
Editor, Times-Union:More than ever we need property tax relief.
With a heavy heart I read headlines around the state "Home Taxes to Raise 13 Percent on Average." This is the last thing Hoosier families need at a time when the economy is slow, overtime is scarce and many working families wonder how long before they see pink slips.
In last year's governor's campaign I talked a great deal about the looming problem created by court-ordered property tax assessment. In the debates I offered a plan to offset increases for homeowners with an across-the-board property tax cut that also cut job-killing taxes on equipment and inventory.
Governor O'Bannon told us this wasn't necessary, he had a plan to limit increases to around 6 to 7 percent. The election made it clear - my message was premature. But I dreaded the day when reassessment could not be put off and Hoosiers would face increases of two, three and, in some cases, many times that amount. That's why I was so passionate about property taxes, even when my advisers kept saying the issue wasn't catching on in the polls.
That was last year. Today, the fact is Indiana faces a real crisis in property taxes. The leader of the Association of Cities and Towns says it's "about to hit like a tsunami." Regardless of who was right, the question remains: What are we going to do about it?
Now more than ever we need a vision for tax reform that is pro-family, pro-homeowner, pro-farmer and pro-growth. Here are some basic principles that the administration and the Legislature should use to tackle this problem.
First, stop the spending increases. The ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee compared spending in the last budget to "a drunken sailor." Yes, I know politicians love to spend and, yes, old habits die hard. The Senate budget staff has begun to take the first step by identifying areas where more savings can be made. Ultimately, it will take the equivalent of a 12-step program - like the constitutional spending cap that Doc Bowen proposed - to get back on track.
Second, have a net cut in property taxes, don't just shift the burden from one group to another. Homeowners deserve to be protected from the 13 percent increase. And taxes on growth and job creation should be thrown out. Only then can we reverse the trend of plants closing and corporate headquarters moving out of town. Then we will have economic growth and hope for the future. Then we can tackle the brain drain and tell our college kids you don't have to leave Indiana in search of better careers elsewhere.
Third, use the crises to permanently fix our tax system. Never again should Hoosier homeowners face the specter of property tax re-assessment. A partial solution is to take the fastest growing categories of spending like welfare and education off the property tax levy and use general funds for these programs. Another approach is similar to California's Proposition 13. Inspired by Ronald Reagan, this reform effectively froze property taxes based on actual price until the property is sold.
These principles are just the beginning. With a great deal of hard work, we can tackle our property tax problem and get Indiana moving again.
David McIntosh
Professor of Economics, Ball State University
Muncie
Trail Of Courage
Editor, Times-Union:O-Say-Yo = Hello
We would like to thank the Warsaw area businesses who donated to our Trail of Courage Rendevous in Rochester. All of our tribe and our Chief "Pale Moon" used your donations with many thanks.
We also thank everyone that attended the Native American wedding.
Wa-Do = Good Bye
Loretta "Bright Star" Holloway
Chief Joan "Pale Moon" McClellan
Warsaw
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