26. May 2008 by Greg Kelver.

Just last year, Lee Iaccoa released his book titled “Where Have All the Leaders Gone? ”  http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/iacocca.asp  Well I hope Mr. Iaccoa was tuned into C-Span yesterday because he just might have discovered where some of them are now - they are in the Libertarian Party.

People who tuned into C-Span yesterday had an opportunity to see what a genuinely real political convention actually looks like instead of the made-for-TV gimmicks that the Old Parties will be dishing up when they officially coronate their respective candidates in a couple of months. For those looking for a return to a Constitutional-based government and a sensible alternative to the Old Party offerings, the Libertarian Party just served up a heaping good plate-full.

Although folks didn’t get a chance to read much about it in the mainstream media, the Libertarian Party had several great candidates running for President this year including former Republican Congressman Bob Barr, former Democratic Senator Mike Gravel, Dr. Mary Ruwart,  and an incredibly well qualified guy named Wayne Allen Root http://www.rootforamerica.com/home/bio.php

After 6 very close ballots, delegates to the Libertarian Party National Convention slated Bob Barr for President and Wayne Root for Vice President.  It is a highly qualified, no bullshit ticket and as a 12 year card carrying member of the Libertarian Party, I have never been more proud of my party of choice than I was yesterday afternoon.

Going forward, I think that future historians just might mark 2008 as a key turning point in America’s history. Congressman Ron Paul has jarred the Republican Party to what is left of its very core by running on small “l”  libertarian principles.  His spirited and principled campaign has demonstrated that although many in America are hungry for the type of leadership that President Ron Paul would offer, they certainly will not get it from either of the Old Parties.  However, with the selection of  seriously qualified candidates to deliver  a deadly serious message, the Libertarian Party has truly come of age.  This weekend, as we honor those who have fought and died for the freedom we enjoy today, the Libertarian Party has clearly demonstrated its committment to fighting to preserve those freedoms and more for those who will come in the future. 

Lee Iacocca knows that Americans will not always continue to buy defective and overpriced cars simply because they have always bought “American”  When confronted with the stark reality of choosing between Big Government Democratic Liberal Obama or Big Government Republican Conservative(-in-name-only) McCain this fall, many Americans will be looking for a better place to invest their vote.  And like millions of smart car shoppers already have, they just might figure out that Bob Barr, Wayne Root and the Libertarian Party offer them a much better value than either of the Overpriced Old Parties ever will. 

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21. May 2008 by Greg Kelver.

Today is the last day that LaPorte County Taxpayers can submit comments for DLGF consideration about the LaPorte County reassessment disaster.  Those comments can be submitted to Laportereassessment@dlgf.in.gov and I would encourage LaPorte County Citizens to exercise their most fundamental right to petition their government for redress of grievances if they have not already done so.  Those who would like to be a bit better informed about the LaPorte County Reassessment problem as well as some inherent flaws in Indiana’s “fair market” property tax assessment may want to spend a little time watching the DLGF hearing that was held in LaPorte County last Thursday (May 15th) http://www.alco.org/alcotv.html

My two cents worth for the public record that have been sent to DLGF Commissioner Musgrave -

Dear Ms. Musgrave,

Thank you for your ongoing efforts to straighten out the reassessment mess in LaPorte County. Although I was not able to attend the most recent DLGF hearing in LaPorte County to personally comment, I have watched the meeting on the ALCO-TV website.  I have appreciated the way the DLGF has conducted the hearings in LaPorte County as well as the materials that have been made available to the public on the DLGF website. I also greatly appreciate your recent oversight review of the contract that was executed between Nexus and LaPorte County.  As a fed-up LaPorte County Taxpayer who feels “waterboarded” by the LaPorte County Assessor, the County Attorney, and consultants retained by the LaPorte County Commissioners, I would strongly encourage the DLGF to order the total reassessment of LaPorte County.

Personally, I am a homeowner and small business owner in Noble Township.  At the previous DLGF Hearing, I submitted a copy of the property tax appeal that my attorney has filed with the LaPorte County Assessor for my home at 2702 W. 950 S. in Union Mills. Mann-Whitney/statistical analysis stuff aside, as a reasonable man, I believe that there is a 100% probability that sales chasing has taken place with my property tax reassessment.   The next-door residential property at 2652 W 950 S. in Union Mills which was not sold until 7/7/06 had the 2006 AV adjusted to $67,700 from a 2005 AV of $56,400. That represents an increase of 20.0%.  However my similar residential property located at 2702 W.  950 S. which was purchased  on 10/20/05 had the 2006 AV adjusted to $149,200 from the 2005 AV of $78,600.  That is an increase of 89.8%.  While I am assessed at 93.8% of the sale price, the property next-door is assessed at only 42.3% of the sale price that occurred just 6 months later. That certainly does not meet any reasonable standard of uniform and equal.

According to the “Tab E” material available at http://www.in.gov/dlgf/2577.htm “Sales Chasing -Unless similar unsold parcels are reappraised at the same level as sold parcels, sales chasing causes inequitable treatment of taxpayers by shifting the burden to taxpayers who have recently purchased property”

In the cases of many LaPorte County Taxpayers who are victims of sales chasing, absolutely no relief from that inequitable treatment will be available from the PTBOA appeals process. Only a correct reassessment of ALL improperly valued other property can remedy that unequal tax burden.  With the obvious problems in the reassessment process in LaPorte County, I believe the only way for property taxpayers to have the uniform and equal assessment required by Indiana’s Constitution is for the DLGF to order the total reassessment of LaPorte County.  In order to restore some degree of public faith in the property tax assessment process for LaPorte County, I would respectfully urge you to order that action without any further delay.

Thank you for your consideration of my opinion.

Greg Kelver
2702 W. 950 S.
Union Mills, IN  46382
(219) 324-4229

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11. May 2008 by Greg Kelver.

The DLGF has issued its long awaited Resolution 2008-01 DLGF Resolution 2008-01  on the LaPorte County reassessment fiasco and they will be back in town Thursday for another public meeting DLGF Public Hearing - May 15th.  Is the glass half full or is the glass half empty?  To overstressed taxpayers (aka Republicans) in Michigan Township the reassessment glass probably now appears half full.  To wasteful whiners in local government (aka Democrats), the reassessment glass probably looks about half empty.  But from my perspective (aka Libertarian), there is a third way of looking at it that might be considered by some - reality suggests that we damn sure need to get ourselves a new glass.

The “fair market” property tax assessment that has been created by state legislators is a flaming disaster that is anything but fair.  The assessment process is not fair, it never has been fair,  and it NEVER will be fair.  There are just too many games that so-called assessors, either qualified or unqualified,  can use to play with the value of property.  They did it with Indiana’s old assessment system, they are doing it with Indiana’s new assessment system, and they will continue to do it with the mildly tweaked “capped” system legislators voted to continue on with next year.  It is only because of the magnitude of the current reassessment change that just about everyone who is paying attention can see what a totally bogus system those legislators have created.  But as if the reassessment process itself wasn’t bad enough, those whiz-bang state legislators added a whole slew of deduction/credit games like the Homestead Credit to further confuse and compound the problem.  But in an extreme example of self-important ignorance to show voters just how much they were doing to help, they even added “rebate checks” to the plates of local people who haven’t yet figured out how to get an accurate  property tax bill out on time.  Legislators, PLEEEEEEASE  don’t “help” us like that anymore.

For far too long the DLGF has been a rubber stamp that gave local officials just about everything their hearts desired and did absolutely nothing to look out for local taxpayers (i.e. Taj Mahal type school buildings for some).  That unchecked local spending by schools and government is largely responsible for the current property tax disaster.  But perhaps for the first time ever, the DLGF appears to have discovered a backbone and actually is trying to do what it is supposed to be doing, albeit far slower than it should be.  Local officials who have been feeding at the public trough don’t like it very much and are pitching full scale hissy fits.  http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=13251

Like County Attorney Friedman who gets reimbursed by LaPorte County Taxpayers  for creating, then “resolving” conflict, Rep. Scott Pelath is now pitching one of the really big fits - very ironic considering he is one of the 151 people who helped create this friggin mess in the first place.  But instead of venting his spleen on the DLGF, Rep. Pelath should take a good look in the mirror, ask what he has done to make this mess, and what he can do to fix it now. 

Way back in December 2001, the Libertarian Party of Indiana foresaw the property tax Titanic and came up with a tax plan that had some good conceptual ideas on what could be done to miss the iceberg. After ignoring those ideas and hitting the iceberg full throttle, last year state legislators finally took some of those ideas and started to run for the lifeboats with a couple of them.  But unfortunately they missed some really big ideas that still have a lot of potential to fix Indiana’s property tax mess once and for all.

Not that my two cents worth matters much, but to meet the constitutional requirement of “Uniform and EQUAL”,  I think Indiana should adopt a “flat tax” type of property tax assessment that values property based solely on the square footage of land and structures.  The entire costly and error prone reassessment process could be eliminated and assessors could no longer play games with property values. All would pay their fair share for police and fire protection, streets, and other government services deemed ”essential” by local taxpayers.  Renters would be treated the same as homeowners and they would not be unfairly subjected to a property tax that could be twice as high than a “homeowner” would pay for a similar property. People would not be penalized for fixing up their homes, apartments, or small businesses. Both you and your neighbors, homeowner or renter, would pay exactly the same rate for the government services utilized. No rebate checks, no Homestead credit/deduction political games, no unfair market reassessment/trending  bullshit.

Seems like a pretty simple and fair fix to me.  Git R Done.    

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7. May 2008 by Greg Kelver.

Although those who only glance at the final numbers from the polls will undoubtedly say Hillary won Indiana, I think that those who spend a little more time analyzing the results just might figure out that Barack  Obama was the real winner in Indiana on Tuesday.

The 50.9%-49.1% split in Indiana really was too close for Hillary to be able to claim much of a victory out of it, especially when you scratch just a bit below the surface.  Given the timing of the “Guns and Religion” flareup along with the Rev. Wright eruption, which had to have hurt Obama in conservative Small-Town Indiana, the race was far closer than many would have predicted a few days ago. However with CNN reporting 99% of the votes counted, Hillary had only won Indiana’s popular vote by 22,413 votes out of 1,254,136 cast. Because convention delegates are proportionally awarded instead of winner take all, Hillary only picked up a net of 4 additional delegates, 37 to the 33 won by Obama.  But on the day, North Carolina broke much heavier for Obama and he won the popular vote in North Carolina by  232,775 votes .  He also picked up 16 additional delegates, 58 to 42.  For those who only look at final numbers (or 99% final to be precise), at the end of the day Obama had picked up 210,362 more actual votes and 12 more convention delgates than Clinton.  Spin-it any way you want but if ”The Peoples’” primary vote actually counted instead of being subjected to a high stakes game of Democratic Superdelegate Convention Charades, this game would be over. 

But a key factor in the final tally was the crossover vote by Hoosier Republicans where there were few contested races to spark much interest in what little the GOP had to offer. Much of that conservative crossover vote probably was cast for Hillary, not Obama http://www.theage.com.au/news/us-election/crossover-voters-hijack-poll/2008/05/07/1209839709184.html   And I think Obama’s campaign apparently has nailed it once again with the analysis of what happened in Indiana http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/05/obama_team_talking_points_memo.html http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/05/obama_team_talking_points_memo.html  

Conservative political masterminds like Rush Limbaugh know that the GOP has some real problems staring them in the face for the November  election.  Especially if the Independent vote where Obama has demonstrated some strength or a Libertarian Bob Barr vote is factored into the general election equation.  But doing what is best for America is seconday, doing what is best for the GOP is the only thing that truly seems to matter to them. For obvious political power reasons, they would greatly benefit by having their guy face the weaker Democratic candidate - but also don’t forget how much on-air fun El Rushbo could have for the next four years with Bill & Hill back in the Whitehouse.  Heads he wins - Tails you lose.  

Operation Chaos shenanigans are a sharp contrast to the genuinely honest  comments of GOP misfit presidential contender Ron Paul who truly does put the interest of America first and foremost ahead of the GOP  http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/05/02/paul-not-ready-to-endorse-mccain-likes-obamas-foreign-policy/

People who voted in the Democratic primary on Tuesday may have thought their “little guy” vote mattered - it didn’t.  The only votes that truly matter now are the handful of politically elite Superdelegate convention votes that are still on the table.  Somehow that just doesn’t seem very “Democratic” to me.

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3. May 2008 by Greg Kelver.

As a “Capital L” Libertarian who believes that political parties should choose their own candidates and taxpayers should not have to pick up the tab for it, I won’t be voting for Senator Obama on Tuesday.  But I am pretty impressed that he took time to visit Union Mills, Indiana on Thursday  http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=12945

With the  “Guns and Religion” comment blown way out of proportion by Clintonistas and media http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-obama13apr13,1,6505389.story , Obama could not have chosen a better small town to stop at for a political backdrop than the farm community of Union Mills. Guns and religion are part of what helps to give small communities like Union Mills their special character and represents the ideals that the Founders had in mind a couple of hundred years ago.  Clinging to those ideals certainly isn’t a bad thing.  However, Obama is right on target that there is a lot of “bitterness” in small town America - and no apology should be necessary for speaking truthfully about that. But that bitterness has been principally fueled by the misguided policies of an overly intrusive Federal Government that has been trying to pick winners and losers in a high stakes game of economic roulette.  Like our inner cities, Small Town America has seen firsthand just how well that has worked out under the Republicratic administrations of Clinton and Bushes and certainly has plenty of good reasons to be bitter.  However Federal policies that continue to grow a bigger, more intrusive Socialist government will only worsen that bitterness, not eliminate it.

Like many of the divisive political warfare strategies that the Clintonistas have perfected over the years,  the Rush Limbaugh inspired “Operation Chaos”   http://blatherwatch.blogs.com/talk_radio/2008/03/rush-the-vote-i.html  is another prime example of what ails our political process today. Since the LaPorte County Republicans have almost no contested races on the primary ballot, many Zirkle Republicans probably will pull a Democratic ballot to cast a vote for Hillarity.  But a fear-driven Operation Chaos that helps choose America’s Biggest Loser definitely is not in the best interest of building a better America and fixing our problems.    

Obama deserves credit for trying to stay on a message that offers hope and seeks to unite America across racial boundaries instead of dividing America along racial boundaries for political gain.  Perhaps President Obama will somehow discover that Libertarianism of the future just might be a better way to do that than the failed Socialism of the past. Small Town America can only hope and pray that a few more of the already-elected Superdelegates might figure that out too. 

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