Justice Turns a Blind Eye

The ethics charge that County Attorney Shaw Friedman filed against the former DLGF employee who talked to Taxpayer Bill Wendt is looking more ridiculous by the day.  But the decision by Judge Steven King to dismiss the lawsuit against County Assessor Carol McDaniel and the Nexus Group  http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=10941&TM=33496.67 

because the lawsuit wasn’t filed within 30 days is further proof of just how outrageously abusive our elected officials at all levels have become toward those they are supposed to serve.

Michigan Township Residents for Fair Taxes Inc. had filed the lawsuit because of their belief that the over 1 million dollar no-bid contract between LaPorte County and the Nexus Group was not properly executed.  Based on how the County Assessor and the County Attorney have been running this Three Ring LaPorte County Assessment Sideshow, I would tend to believe that the Michigan Township Taxpayers had this one right too. But unfortunately, the judicial branch of  Indiana government is just as messed up as the legislative and executive branches are. 

Judge King undoubtedly was technically correct in his decision, but that decision highlights yet another example of where “legally OK” splits sharply from what is “ethically right”.  Many reasonable men and women undoubtedly believe that if the  contract was improperly awarded, then those who were responsible for, and benefited from, an improper award should be held accountable.  Government often takes years before it goes after an improper action or conduct by a citizen.  So  3o days for citizens to take corrective action against government certainly does not seem to be a reasonable amount of time - especially if expensive legal action will be required by individual citizens to correct it.

 Attorney Friedman, Assessor McDaniel, and the LaPorte County Commissioners are compensated by the taxpayers to perform certain tasks.  It is their job to know and understand the governmental imposed rules they are supposed to operate under. Awarding million dollar governmental contracts without seeking open and competitive bids is an area that is ripe for potential abuse and corruption.  But apparently some in government fail to see any ”ethical” problem with that kind of action.

“Extreme prejudice to the county and township assessors, as well as La Porte County government and its taxpayers would result in the form of the huge financial cost should (Nexus’ work) be undone and the county and local government be required to repeat those massive exercises” should not have been a factor in Judge King’s ruling. But doing what is both legally AND ethically right for the citizens of LaPorte County should have been. 

There is still one more chance that government could do the right thing for LaPorte County Taxpayers.  A few days ago the DLGF came to town and listened to 2-1/2 hours of testimony from property taxpayers who are suffering because of local abuse and incompetence    http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=10704

Professionals who are representing taxpayer interests seem to be 99.9% certain that “Sales Chasing” has taken place in LaPorte County. On the block where I live, I think those odds go to 100%.  The DLGF has an obligation to insure that the assessment of property tax is UNIFORM and EQUAL. The evidence seems to be pretty strong that is not the case for LaPorte County. 

 The DLGF should do the right thing now by ordering the complete reassessment of LaPorte County, but cost or inconvenience to local government officials should not make one bit of difference in their decision on whether a reassessment should be ordered.  Government has only itself to blame for the mess it has created and it is long past time for citizens to put it back on a leash and start holding it accountable.  Clean it up! 

This entry was posted on 17. March 2008 at and is filed under Government. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.