The Newest Outsider
September 4, 2018 at 5:33 p.m.
By -
Usually when I knock and tell the homeowner why I’m on their doorstep, they look puzzled. Not long ago that would have been my response, too. But, recent developments in government have made me aware that everyday folks like myself need to step up and get involved at the local level. My name is Shari Benyousky and I am running for the office of Wayne Township Trustee which includes most of Warsaw and Winona Lake.
Right now, you’re probably puzzling like I did: “What does a township trustee DO, anyway?” Indiana has 1005 local townships, and these trustees help with fire and EMS protection, parks, cemeteries, business growth, transportation, health and addiction needs, and assisting the poor. Township trustees are intended to be flexible to help with local community needs. And many township trustees around Indiana do accomplish great things. Does ours? It's hard to know since they don't have a webpage to find out. So we dug through state records, to take a closer look at how they use our taxes.
Last year Wayne Township residents paid a total of $855,000 in taxes to the Wayne Township Trustee Office, and the office used $520,000. This means taxpayers gave them $335,000 extra. What did they do with those extra taxes of yours? They added it to a pile of unused tax money collected from past years. And that unused tax money sure has added up. The trustee office now has a total of $1,209,000 of your money in the bank (over and above the $218,000 in their Rainy Day Emergency fund).
So, here I am knocking on your virtual doorstep and asking for your vote. I’m Shari Benyousky (Ben-you-ski) and I intend to make your local government more transparent, more responsive, and more growth-oriented to our needs. I’d love the opportunity to debate my opponent Jeannie about how we can improve Warsaw and Winona Lake. This year your vote has options. Choose Benyousky for Wayne Township Trustee. #BforTrustee. Voting ends Nov. 6. Find out more here – www.facebook.com/BENYOUSKY/
My amazing Advisory Board candidate team – Jim Falkiner, Lori Roe and Laura Deal-Decker
Shari Benyousky
Winona Lake
Usually when I knock and tell the homeowner why I’m on their doorstep, they look puzzled. Not long ago that would have been my response, too. But, recent developments in government have made me aware that everyday folks like myself need to step up and get involved at the local level. My name is Shari Benyousky and I am running for the office of Wayne Township Trustee which includes most of Warsaw and Winona Lake.
Right now, you’re probably puzzling like I did: “What does a township trustee DO, anyway?” Indiana has 1005 local townships, and these trustees help with fire and EMS protection, parks, cemeteries, business growth, transportation, health and addiction needs, and assisting the poor. Township trustees are intended to be flexible to help with local community needs. And many township trustees around Indiana do accomplish great things. Does ours? It's hard to know since they don't have a webpage to find out. So we dug through state records, to take a closer look at how they use our taxes.
Last year Wayne Township residents paid a total of $855,000 in taxes to the Wayne Township Trustee Office, and the office used $520,000. This means taxpayers gave them $335,000 extra. What did they do with those extra taxes of yours? They added it to a pile of unused tax money collected from past years. And that unused tax money sure has added up. The trustee office now has a total of $1,209,000 of your money in the bank (over and above the $218,000 in their Rainy Day Emergency fund).
So, here I am knocking on your virtual doorstep and asking for your vote. I’m Shari Benyousky (Ben-you-ski) and I intend to make your local government more transparent, more responsive, and more growth-oriented to our needs. I’d love the opportunity to debate my opponent Jeannie about how we can improve Warsaw and Winona Lake. This year your vote has options. Choose Benyousky for Wayne Township Trustee. #BforTrustee. Voting ends Nov. 6. Find out more here – www.facebook.com/BENYOUSKY/
My amazing Advisory Board candidate team – Jim Falkiner, Lori Roe and Laura Deal-Decker
Shari Benyousky
Winona Lake
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092