Why Good Girls Don't - by Pat Andrews

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The opinions expressed in these articles and features are those of their author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of McANA or the opinion of its Directors or Officers.

Why Good Girls Don't
by Pat Andrews
[Vice-President of McANA]

Many citizens of Indianapolis are up in arms about the recent tax reassessment. Reasonably so. If any good can come from this crisis, I hope it is to cause permanent changes in the way we deal with the finances of this City and County.

Let’s begin with debt. We have so many taxing units and each can run up a considerable tab with little notice from the press or the public. I’ve lived long enough to go full circle on the reasons for debt. When interest rates were high, it was considered a great time to go into debt because the future dollars you paid back, were of lower value than the present dollars you borrowed. It was almost like stealing. Now that interest rates are low, it is a great time to go into debt because money is cheap. It is almost like stealing.

So how much debt do we have in Indianapolis? Between school buildings and United bonds and everything else that a normal person would call debt, how about we add it all up? The taxpayers have to pay it all back. Whether it comes from property taxes or income taxes or sales taxes or restaurant taxes.

Let’s talk about the Colts for a minute here. How about opening up the books of the Capital Improvement Board? It would appear easier to get the Pentagon to come clean about what ‘really’ happened in Roswell. They are still collecting that extra penny of restaurant tax used to pay off the Dome. And, can anyone tell me why, when the taxpayers shelled out so much money for that building, our name is not on it?

Let’s move on to operating expenses. We need a good public discussion about setting County-wide priorities and being reasonable. Does it make sense in the big picture that State employees have been under a wage freeze for years now and the Superintendent of Decatur schools got a $30,000 raise last year? Why, when some children go to school hungry and class size is growing to the detriment of all children, do 10% raises for teachers make sense? (They call them ‘step increases’.) Why do the County Sheriffs and IPD officers have different salary and benefits packages? Where are we spending ALL of the money collected and is it being allocated so as to get the best results?

Now, how about abatements and TIF’s. Can we get someone to evaluate if they have, in fact, been effective economic development tools? Do they really bring in more future tax dollars than the rest of us have to pay now? Would the companies have located or expanded anyway? One look at the United deal shows the answer will not be clear cut. The question still needs to be asked.

And let’s have an open and honest discussion about the things we KNOW will cost us money in the very near future. How will we manage it all and what is the total burden we are asking the tax payers to absorb. We have an obligation of at least $1 billion to fix the CSO problem that will be funded through sewer bills. Some citizens will be required to hook up to public sewers at their own expense. There is the jail space issue and the back expenses for the Boys’ School. We face fines for air pollution next year. With that, also, may come annual vehicle inspections that will be paid for by the owner.

We ought to discuss if all of these budgets and obligations should be put under one control point so that a balance can be struck and that the overall picture accurately reflects our priorities and needs.

And back to reassessment. Is it really market value and fair, as the Court ordered? What adjustments will we make to soften the abrupt blow?

So, in this election year — in this tax reassessment year — let us ask for an honest debate of how we repair a bad mix of systems. These are not sexy issues. But, they are fundamental to a healthy City and thriving neighborhoods.

Let’s not be ‘easy’. Let us ask those running for office: If we vote for you on November 4th, will you still respect us in the morning?