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RESSURRECTING THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT RESTRUCTURING PLAN AND INCREASING TAXES? – “FIFTH TUESDAY” MEETING BENEFITING GREATER FORT WAYNE PROJECTS MEETS TONIGHT TO DISCUSS TAXES AND INTERLOCAL GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT: Tonight’s meeting will take place at the taxpayer-subsidized Ash “Cash & Slash” Brokerage Building, located at 888 S. Harrison Street in a conference room on the 7th floor. The meeting takes place from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, with no time allotted for comments from the public. People are supposed to RSVP, but since this is a public meeting, since the topic of the discussion is city and county taxes, since it is being “hosted” by a Fort Wayne City Councilmen --- No one should be turned away even without an RSVP (and if anyone is turned away, please contact me). However, RSVPs are encouraged. Please send an email to John Crawford at jncrawfordmd@gmail.com.
GETTING AROUND THE 2014 FAILED COUNTY GOVERNMENT RESTRUCTURING PLAN?
Before discussing tonight’s agenda, I want to discuss something that isn’t being spelled out on the agenda, isn’t being discussed by any of the local media outlets, and isn’t being discussed by the organizers and key participants of tonight’s public meeting. That topic is the potential resurrection of the County Government Restructuring Plan that failed in 2014. Tonight’s meeting has all the hallmarks of a back-door end-around to the 2014 failed county government restructuring proposal. First, you would gather all local taxing units—who would normally be called together for Allen County Tax Council purposes as noted above---under a call to action about a discussion about a variety of up-and-coming taxes. Second, you would begin broaching the topic of “we-don’t-need-the-people-of-Allen-County-to-approve-county-government-restructuring-if-we-the-elected-leadership-can-all-agree-to-county-government-restructuring.” Third, you would get everyone to agree to this idea by having them enter in an interlocal agreement, but to make it more palatable to the greater Allen County community while playing down its significance---you call it a Memorandum of Understanding.
Now, I don’t know if this is part of tonight’s festivities or not, but from an outside perspective it sure does seem incredibly plausible. Maybe even more plausible when you realize two things: (1) In John Crawford’s “Fort Report” interview, he really emphasizes how “nothing will be voted on” tonight, and (2) nothing can be voted on tonight because the certification of votes is faulty (was “certified” on January 9, 2017 by acting auditor Nick Jordan who has not been caucused, sworn under oath into office, and therefore has no authority to “certify” votes or percentage of votes as the Auditor of Allen County) and the numbers Jordan used may be erroneous (somehow we jumped from Fort Wayne having 51% of Allen County’s population in 2012 to Fort Wayne having 71% of Allen County’s population in 2017 --- that’s a 20% increase over 5 years which no one in local media has noticed and is occurring at the same time as the push for the “Road to One Million” population growth initiative, which is itself a result of alleged population growth stagnation and/or decline????)
MEDIA BLITZ TO PROMOTE PUBLIC MEETING AT TAXPAYER-SUBSIDIZED PRIVATE LOCATION
Over the course of this past weekend, there was one heck of a media blitz by Greater Fort Wayne, who is acting as an offensive line-up with City Councilman John Crawford acting as a quarterback and the Northeast Indiana Regional Authority acting as the team owner. [1][2][3] The point of the media blitz was to promote tonight’s controversial meeting that is going to be held under the most unusual circumstances. The alleged purposes of this meeting is to “educate the public” about (i.e. gaining support for) the creation of new taxes and/or the increase of existing taxes with the potential end goal of having local taxing entities enter into an interlocal agreement masquerading as a Memorandum of Understanding among various units of local government, including but not limited to the City of Fort Wayne, the City of New Haven, the City of Woodburn, and the Towns of Huntertown, Leo-Cedarville, Monroeville, Grabill, and Zanesville.
THE AGENDA – TAXES, TAXES AND MORE TAXES!! CREATING REVENUE STREAMS THAT ALIGN PERFECTLY WITH GREATER FORT WAYNE’S FUNDING NEEDS
And how do we know this? For starters, it’s all pretty well spelled out on the agenda for tonight’s “public” meeting. [4] You have John Stafford acting as a moderator, just as he did on March 29, 2016 when Fort Wayne City Council and Allen County Council came together for a joint session to discuss nearly an identical agenda. [5] You have career-politician Republican John Crawford and career-politician Democrat Mark GiaQuinta, both elected officials, talking about income taxes. You have Republican Greater Fort Wayne CEO Eric “I love my Cityscape Flats” Doden and Republican Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority Chairman Jeff Turner discussing the Regional Development Authority Tax. You have career-politician Republican Allen County Commissioner Therese Brown and Tom Henry’s favorite behind-the-scenes media mouthpiece, Stephanie Crandall, acting in the capacity as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, discussing the wheel tax – Will it be the recently increased County wheel tax, the recently created City wheel tax, or a proposed new Regional wheel tax?? Income taxes, regional development taxes, and wheel taxes---that’s THREE significant taxes.
If you turn to Greater Fort Wayne’s legislative agenda for 2016, you’ll note that there are THREE significant items needing tax funding: Riverfront Development, Downtown Arena/Grand Wayne Expansion (or as Eric “I love my Cityscape Flats” Doden prefers to call it --- Show me the money! Which loosely translates into the “make-my-unsustainable-taxpayer-subsidized-real-estate-development-worth-more-money” project.), and Columbia Street project (better known as The Landing). [6] So, folks—Greater Fort Wayne is pushing THREE ITEMS THAT NEED FUNDING at the same time Crawford is “educating the public” about THREE TAXES to fund unnamed items. For anyone paying attention, this is really a no-brainer.
Even the favored local propaganda machine, better known as the Journal Gazette, acknowledges this: “….Crawford will present an overview of local income taxes. Among other speakers scheduled are Jeff Turner of the Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority Board and Eric Doden, CEO of Greater Fort Wayne, Inc., who will discuss the idea of a countywide RDA tax to help fund Regional Cities projects here; County Commissioner Therese Brown, who will discuss a proposal to raise the county’s wheel tax; and Arp, who will renew his case for ending the business personal property tax….” [1] Folks, you don’t put on a condom if you aren’t going to have sex. And you don’t discuss taxes if you aren’t going to raise ‘em.
Now, I know that some of you may be turned off by my use of the phrase propaganda machine, but let’s look at something very briefly. The Journal Gazette is NOT reporting news. [1] If they did, they would tell us important things like who are the members of the Allen County Tax Council? How exactly the Allen County Tax Council works? Why is a public meeting being held in a taxpayer-subsidized private location with only limited seating available for those who RSVP? Will the meeting, being promoted as a Fort Wayne City Council “Fifth Tuesday” event, be recorded and live-streamed like every Fort Wayne City Council meeting? If so, by whom? If not, why not? And why isn’t this public meeting being held at a public location, like the downtown Allen County Public Library or the Grand Wayne Center, if Citizens Square can’t accommodate the anticipated large crowd. And why was this “crowd control” problem never an issue before---like during the 2014 elimination of collective bargaining or the 2016 failed North IV annexation attempt? None of this very newsworthy information is provided. [1] But what is provided is a very sleek graphic image that has no mention whatsoever within the text of the article it’s attached to. [1] The graphic image has a very specific purpose --- to get everyone to believe that Fort Wayne and Allen County have the lowest taxes out there. Propoganda is described as information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view. [7]
WHO MAKES UP THE ALLEN COUNTY TAX COUNCIL?
Interestingly, in the News~Sentinel’s “Fort Report,” John Craword is interviewed. During this interview, he alludes to 9 members of the Allen County Tax Council but 40 regional officials attending. [2] That’s interesting because Indiana Code 6-3.5-6-2(a) states: “…(a) A county income tax council is established for each county in Indiana. The membership of each county's county income tax council consists of the fiscal body of the county and the fiscal body of each city or town that lies either partially or entirely within that county….” [8] Within the geographical boundaries of Allen County, there are 42 members who should make up the Allen County Tax Council pursuant to I.C. 6-3.5-6-2(a).[8] So who are the fiscal bodies:
ALLEN COUNTY COUNCIL: 5 elected Republicans, 1 elected Democrat, and 1 yet-to-be-determined Councilman pending the decision of Judge Craig Bobay in the 2016 County Council At-Large election contestation case. (It should be noted that Republican City Councilman Michael Barranda, the architect of the first-ever Legacy Loan, is the hired legal representative for Republican County Council At-Large candidate Justin Busch. It should be further noted that Justin Busch is currently acting as the 7th member of County Council,)
FORT WAYNE CITY COUNCIL: 7 elected Republicans and 2 elected Democrats.
NEW HAVEN CITY COUNCIL: 7 elected Republicans.
WOODBURN CITY COUNCIL: 4 elected Republicans and 1 elected Democrat.
GRABILL TOWN COUNCIL: 3 elected Republicans.
HUNTERTOWN TOWN COUNCIL: 5 elected Republicans.
LEO-CEDARVILLE TOWN COUNCIL: 3 elected Republicans.
ZANESVILLE TOWN COUNCIL: 2 elected Republicans and 1 elected Democrat.
MONROEVILLE TOWN COUNCIL: 4 caucused Democrats and 1 caucused Republican.
POINTS TO CONSIDER AND QUESTIONS TO ASK
In returning to the propaganda piece provided by the JG with our focus solely on the text and not on the slick graphic image, here’s what we learn: [1]
(1) City and county officials will discuss local tax structure. What we don’t learn is why? Nor do we know why COUNTY AND CITY OFFICIALS are being brought together in one place, other than “it would be nice if everyone met each other.” Personally, as discussed above, this “meeting” has all the hallmarks of a back-door end-around to the 2014 failed county government restructuring proposal.
(2) That Fort Wayne City Councilman John Crawford will host a special meeting. Why is a Fort Wayne City Councilman hosting a special meeting involving anyone other than Fort Wayne City Council? Why in a private facility that is requesting a fee? Why not in a public building, such as the Downtown Allen County Public Library, which has a space that can accommodate nearly 400 people and is free? And why January? Why not May, August, or October? All those months have 5 Tuesdays. What is so special or beneficial about January?
(3) That this meeting will “take stock of the whole range of local taxes as well as proposals to change the mix.” Change the mix? Pursuant to I.C. 6-3.5-6-2(b), (b) “… a county income tax council may adopt ordinances to: (1) impose the county option income tax in its county; (2) subject to section 12 of this chapter, rescind the county option income tax in its county; (3) increase the county option income tax rate for the county; (4) freeze the county option income tax rate for its county; (5) increase the homestead credit in its county; or (6) subject to section 12.5 of this chapter, decrease the county option income tax rate for the county.” [8] Of these options, the most likely option is a tax increase. Otherwise, why hold a meeting in a place with “limited seating”? If taxes were going to be eliminated, there would be no need for this meeting as the elimination would either take place at a County Council meeting or at a Fort Wayne City Council meeting, who are the top two largest voteholders on the Allen County Tax Council---if you believe the interim Allen County Auditor. [9]
(4) It’s being called a “Fifth Tuesday” meeting. But it’s not—oh, it is being held on a fifth Tuesday. But why is it being called that? Afterall, if it were a Fort Wayne City Council Fifth Tuesday event, then it should be held in the chambers of the Fort Wayne City Council. This meeting is really a private meeting masquerading as a public meeting so that the powers that be can say that the local taxpaying public was made aware of X,Y and Z pursuant to public notice/public access laws.
(5) That officials outside of the Allen County Tax Council have been invited? But we don’t know why? For example, there will be representatives from Columbia City and Whitley County at this meeting. Why? Were they specifically invited? Or are they coming to find out about the Regional Development Authority (RDA) tax?
(6) That Fort Wayne City Councilman Jason Arp will be given another opportunity to make a case for his proposal to eliminate business personal property tax. This was a proposal originally offered in September, 2016 that was rejected by Fort Wayne City Council (Arp, Ensley and Jehl voted for the proposal; Barranda, Crawford, Didier, Freistroffer, Hines and Paddock voted against the proposal; Democrat FWCS Board member Mark GiaQuinta spoke out against the proposal.)[10] Interestingly, the majority of the Councilmen who have voted against the elimination of business personal property taxes, including Crawford, have since voted …(drum roll please)….in favor of eliminating the business personal property taxes to the select number of businesses who have come forward asking for abatements. Perhaps that irony is why Crawford is now publically all for Arp’s plan. [2]
YOU SHOULD PLAN ON ATTENDING THIS MEETING
Folks, with nothing actually being voted on but there being a potential for a wealth of information, a sneak peak as to tax increases (which ones and for how muh), and a possible end-round where county government restructuring may be concerned – Everyone who can attend this meeting should attend this meeting…with or without an RSVP. All of Fort Wayne and Allen County’s elite are going to be out in full force for this meeting—from elected officials (nearly all of Fort Wayne City Council and Allen County Council), the majority of the Allen County Commissioners, and conspiculously absent will be Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry, who will be represented in spirit by many members of his Administration---Al Moll, Karl Bandemer and others, as well as by members of the Allen County Democratic Party---Andy Downs, Mark GiaQuinta, John Urbanns and others, Township representatives will be there as will union leadership, local media, and many more folks. For those wishing to RSVP, please email John Crawford at jncrawfordmd@gmail.com. If anyone attends tonight’s meeting and is turned away at the door, please contact me.
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SOURCES:
[1] http://www.journalgazette.net/…/A-chance-to-follow-the-mone…
[2] http://www.news-sentinel.com/…/l…/Fort-Report--John-Crawford
[3] http://www.news-sentinel.com/…/Is-this-the-time-for-a-tax-i…
[4] https://www.cityoffortwayne.org/…/01_31_17_Fifth_Tuesday_Co…
[5] http://wane.com/…/city-county-councils-meet-to-discuss-roa…/
[6] https://www.greaterfortwayneinc.com/…/GFW%20Brochure%20REFE…
[7] www.dictionary.com/browse/propaganda
[8] http://codes.findlaw.com/…/titl…/in-code-sect-6-3-5-6-2.html
[9] http://www.allencounty.us/…/Auditor_Income_Tax_Council_Cert…
[10] http://www.journalgazette.net/…/City-Council-votes-against-…
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SOURCES:
[1] http://www.journalgazette.net/…/A-chance-to-follow-the-mone…
[2] http://www.news-sentinel.com/…/l…/Fort-Report--John-Crawford
[3] http://www.news-sentinel.com/…/Is-this-the-time-for-a-tax-i…
[4] https://www.cityoffortwayne.org/…/01_31_17_Fifth_Tuesday_Co…
[5] http://wane.com/…/city-county-councils-meet-to-discuss-roa…/
[6] https://www.greaterfortwayneinc.com/…/GFW%20Brochure%20REFE…
[7] www.dictionary.com/browse/propaganda
[8] http://codes.findlaw.com/…/titl…/in-code-sect-6-3-5-6-2.html
[9] http://www.allencounty.us/…/Auditor_Income_Tax_Council_Cert…
[10] http://www.journalgazette.net/…/City-Council-votes-against-…
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