The Summer Study Committee will review the repeal of property taxes on
homesteads (they're half focused) at a meeting this Wednesday, September 10th,
at 9AM. Arrive early enough to get parked & get your name on the list
if you wish to address this committee. Please check the following link for
more information: www.in.gov/legislative/interim/committee/notices/STFPB9A.pdf
I've included a letter we
received from Bob Logue of Stop Pennsylvania (Stop Taxing Our Property, PA),
where the repeal issue is before the Pennsylvania legislature, thanks to the
efforts of Bob & his organization. Similar efforts are underway in
Georgia, TX, SC, VT, OR, FL, etc., the point being that the race for good public
policy IS ON, and states that play it well will attract citizens and therefore
commerce- it's that simple. The question for Indiana's General Assembly
is, whether or not they know the race is on? Remember that Indiana is on a
decade's long trend of losing population relative to other states and therefore
congressional representation (we had 11 representatives to the US Congress in
the 1970's, we're down to 9 and trending lower) and commerce, because people,
whether they show up at the polls or not, will ultimately vote with their
feet...
Policy smart states understand that
their competition isn't only other states, but other countries & provinces
as well, in what has long been, a global economy. Progressive, free market
minded policy (transparent), will be an insurmountable advantage for those
states that rededicate themselves to Constitutionally reconciled
government.
Yours in repeal- Dave P.S. Please see Bob's letter
below, it's timely & relevant.
WILL PROPERTY TAXES BE FORGOTTEN BY
THE LEGISLATURE THIS FALL?
There was a bit of a movement toward abolishment of property
taxes on primary residences in the legislature earlier this year. Whether
it was sincere or just a ploy to deceive the voters is open to
debate.
To
recap: The House passed a constitutional amendment --HB 1947-- by a unanimous
193-0 vote. Then the legislation moved to the Senate where
the Senate
Finance Committee also passed an abolishment amendment, SB 404—different from
the House Bill—by a unanimous vote. The legislation was then sent to the Senate
Finance Committee but to my knowledge, no action has been taken on SB 404 as of
this time in the Senate Finance Committee.
During
this autumn’s session days there will be much to do…and a great deal of pressure
by various groups to have their legislation addressed. Those who care
about property tax reform must make their voices heard NOW to their Senators and
Representatives.
We
need action by the Senate Finance Committee on SB 404…and passage by the full
Senate on SB 404 or HB 1947 as quickly as possible in the fall. Then some
effort needs to be made to have either SB 404 or HB 1947 enacted by both houses
before the end of the current legislative session.
If the same amendment bill is passed by both houses before the
end of November, 2008, the necessary second passage could occur by both Houses
in 2009 and a property tax abolishment amendment could be on the ballot for the
voters by November, 2009.
HOWEVER, if the same amendment is NOT passed this year
(2008) by both Houses of the legislature, the earliest an amendment could be on
the ballot for the voters would be
2012.
The
votes taken so far might indicate a sincere desire by the legislators to get rid
of the property tax burden on homeowners and replace it with more sensible, less
expensive to collect, and broader based taxes such as the state sales and
personal income taxes. OR, perhaps it was all a ploy to get them past the
upcoming November election by having each house pass different versions of the
amendment so they could each blame the other.
Ask
your legislator what they think will happen…and what role they will play in
fighting to get one amendment agreed upon so the voters can vote on it in 2009;
rather than forcing them to wait until 2012 before this corrupt and horridly
inaccurate tax can be voted on by the citizens. Waiting three more years will
mean an estimated 90,000 homeowners across the state will lose their homes to
delinquent property taxes—based on faulty assessments and incorrect taxes.
It’s criminal. And it must stop.
IF YOU DON’T WRITE, PHONE OR E-MAIL YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE
AND STATE SENATOR NOW AND STAY AFTER THEM THROUGH THE FALL, THEY WILL BE DRAWN
TOWARD OTHER ISSUES AND THE PROPERTY TAX ISSUE WILL BE FORGOTTEN AGAIN.
THE NEXT MOVE IS UP TO YOU!!!—Bob Logue,