By
David Scott Coker
As the silly
season of this election cycle begins in earnest, many Hoosier
residents concerned about property tax relief may be wondering
if members of the General Assembly have taken leave of their senses?
For many
weeks at the beginning of this session of the legislature, there
seemed to exist rather universal agreement regarding the gravity of
the property tax crisis across the state and members of both parties
seemed genuinely interested in working together to find an amicable
solution for all parties involved. Members of the leadership of
both parties were quick to find merit in various portions of Governor
Daniels enormous property tax reform proposal. For a time, at least,
there seemed to hover an air of amity, agreement and bi-partisanship
among our elected representatives.
More
recently, however, the rhetoric and posturing has become more
combative. The disagreements over specific portions of the two
major versions of the tax bills have become more intense. While
some may chock this up to just plain old fashioned political
bickering, there is a theory about how we got to this juncture
offered by a rather monkish, combative property tax activist to whom
we will refer as Brother Phinias the Fair from the fictitious world
of Camelot.
This
plausible theory, discerned from the quiet conversations among the
monks and sages toiling in the carrels near our state capital –
holds that back in the dog days of summer, when property tax
activists were taking to the streets of our capital city on almost a
weekly basis, an "Agreement of Non-Aggression" was drawn up
by behind-the-scenes activists supporting both Democratic incumbent
Mayor Bart Peterson and Republican Governor Mitch Daniels.
The
theoretical "Agreement of Non-Aggression" held that
Republican regulars in Marion would basically sit out the mayor's
race during the 2007 election cycle, leaving the political neophyte
Republican challenger, Greg Ballard, relatively high and dry
with very little in terms of manpower, practically no name
identification and few campaign contributions, the Mother's milk of
American politics.
Out of
appreciation for this lack of support and enthusiasm to unseat the
very popular incumbent Peterson, the Democrats were willing to put up
token opposition to Governor Daniels when he seeks re-election this
November.
Unfortunately,
this "Agreement of Non-Aggression" did not have a clause
written into it to accommodate the "Law of Unintended
Consequences" resulting from an enormous grass roots groundswell
of anger throughout the state generated by an across-the-board 24 per
cent increase in property taxes.
This anger,
lit an enormous, time-delayed fuse among neighborhood activists
throughout Indianapolis which virtually sprang up over night and took
everyone by surprise. Though rallies in churches, street
demonstrations and public hearings, the anger grew – and the
unknown candidate, Greg Ballard, in a matter of weeks was
propelled into being the poster child for the Property Tax Repeal
movement which continues to grow in Circle City.
When the
powder keg exploded with the unexpected election of Ballard to become
the Mayor of Indianapolis, the "Agreement of Non-Aggression"
apparently went up in flames with everything else. The Democrats were
taken aback in utter disbelief that their young, fresh-faced,
has-been mayor could become a casualty of the property tax war being
waged across the state.
Now, they
feel under no obligation to do anything to help Governor Daniels, and
while whatever tax legislation is ultimately passed, it will bear
vestigial resemblance to the plan originally offered by the Governor
-- other than the portion which raises the sales tax to 7
cents on the dollar. This will place Daniels in the unenviable
position of having to run for reelection at a time when he had
presided over two enormous tax increases in three short years –
something no incumbent Republican ever wants to do.
The more
recent, abridged thinking seems to be that the Democrats can actually
defeat Daniels in the November election, retain control of the House
of Representatives and pick up Senate seats therefore placing them in
a stronger position next year, to finish the tax reform work left
undone in this session of the General Assembly.
Brother
Phinias the Fair looks out over the political landscape and sees
little but trench warfare in the coming months. He has been
warning of a "perfect political Tsunami" that may be about
to hit in Indianapolis, with residents receiving three enormous tax
bills in the coming months, one to make up for the money owed from
last year's increases that went unpaid in lieu of the Marion County
reassessment and two installments for the coming year's obligations.
Elsewhere,
there are warning of "a long hot summer" in
Indianapolis which could include "barricades and burning tires"
in certain urban neighborhoods – we will have to wait and see.
How this
will play out in the November elections at this point is anybody's
guess, but I would be more willing to bet on the outcome being
determined by the "Law of Unintended Consequences" rather
than a bi-partisan gentleman's agreement between political
adversaries any day!
David Scott
Coker
Evansville, IN
oldcars55@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/oldcars55/index.html
