Indiana

Blaming the Victim?

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

To be honest, it wasn’t Monday’s 75-23 vote in favor of putting property tax caps into the Indiana Constitution that surprised me the most.  What caught me off guard somewhat is the argument by House Speaker Pat Bauer that local governments hadn’t come out and made the case against property tax caps.  It was a point repeated by a number of House Democrats.

Now if you talk to the locals they will tell you a different story.    Matt Greller of the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns sent a letter to lawmakers challenging the argument they haven’t done enough.  Here’s an excerpt…

I am foremost offended that such an excuse could possibly be the justification for voting in favor of such an important and permanent policy.  This resolution forever ties the hands of future General Assemblies to react to any unforeseen economic reality and puts a level of specificity into our Constitution that is completely unprecedented.  A vote either in favor or against HJR 1 or SJR 1 should be executed only after great consideration, research of all facts, and serious personal reflection. 

Not unlike the conversations at the Statehouse, the issue of property tax caps has dominated the focus of the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (IACT) and its members for the past several years.  We have met with hundreds of legislators multiple times, testified in dozens of committee hearings, held press conferences, written many press releases, sought out countless editorial board meetings with newspapers statewide, formed alliances with like-minded organizations, and developed data models to show the negative impacts of the caps. 

Additionally, we have communicated with anyone who would listen about the many Indiana city and town officials who have executed layoffs of public safety personnel and other vital municipal employees.  In addition to our efforts to communicate about the consequences of the Resolutions, we see the clips from newspapers all across the state.  They are both reporting on the severe budget cuts occurring at the local level and voicing a wide variety of concerns as they editorialize on the irresponsibility of placing the caps in the Constitution.

While I am simply flabbergasted at the notion that some in the legislature want to hear us complain even more about the pain of the tax caps, I must remind you that when these caps were first discussed we were told by lawmakers and state leaders that we needed to be more creative and do more with less and that you expected and in fact wanted us to make massive cuts.  Our local leaders have complied with state law and tried to do so as professionally and without blame as possible.  

I am foremost offended that such an excuse could possibly be the justification for voting in favor of such an important and permanent policy.  This resolution forever ties the hands of future General Assemblies to react to any unforeseen economic reality and puts a level of specificity into our Constitution that is completely unprecedented.  A vote either in favor or against HJR 1 or SJR 1 should be executed only after great consideration, research of all facts, and serious personal reflection. 

Not unlike the conversations at the Statehouse, the issue of property tax caps has dominated the focus of the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (IACT) and its members for the past several years.  We have met with hundreds of legislators multiple times, testified in dozens of committee hearings, held press conferences, written many press releases, sought out countless editorial board meetings with newspapers statewide, formed alliances with like-minded organizations, and developed data models to show the negative impacts of the caps. 

Additionally, we have communicated with anyone who would listen about the many Indiana city and town officials who have executed layoffs of public safety personnel and other vital municipal employees.  In addition to our efforts to communicate about the consequences of the Resolutions, we see the clips from newspapers all across the state.  They are both reporting on the severe budget cuts occurring at the local level and voicing a wide variety of concerns as they editorialize on the irresponsibility of placing the caps in the Constitution.

While I am simply flabbergasted at the notion that some in the legislature want to hear us complain even more about the pain of the tax caps, I must remind you that when these caps were first discussed we were told by lawmakers and state leaders that we needed to be more creative and do more with less and that you expected and in fact wanted us to make massive cuts.  Our local leaders have complied with state law and tried to do so as professionally and without blame as possible. 

Critics argue the Speaker used the locals as a shield in order to get his members political protection to vote for tax caps.  Regardless, what’s done is done and it’s time for cities and towns to get used to the brave new world that hath such people in it.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on January 12, 2010 (boomark / email).