On Thursday, an impassioned group of citizens will face Anderson City Council to express outrage towards the proposed new tax for Anderson and Madison County. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. in City Hall.
Whether you call it COIT or LOIT, it all adds up to a new tax that will make our county a less attractive place to live. It’s another case of inept city leaders, drunk on taxpayer money, who don’t know when to say when.
This week, the City Council released an amended agenda for the Oct. 8 meeting that will include an executive order for implementation of a “voluntary furlough,” that is, the City Council’s strategy to dodge the politically squeamish task of cutting jobs.
Basic human nature dictates that a city employee will no more choose to take a layoff than take a hole in the head. Likewise, to think such a compromise would appease taxpayers is foolish.
Links
- LOIT Alert flyer – Please distribute to friends and co-workers
- City Council’s Amended Agenda for Oct. 8
- Anderson City Council Home Page
- Rebuild Anderson Web Site
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
In tough times we can not tax ourselves out of the loss of funds. As a businessman I can not mandate to my customers that they must pay me more. I have to be competitive in the marketplace. Just passing new taxes on to the taxpayer is not the answer. We get the services we can afford. If we can not afford the level of service, then cutbacks “may” occur. It is time to be as creative as we possibly can. I have seen my utilities and now the cost of trash pick up continue to increase. More taxes will continue to place a burden on those taxpayers on a fixed income. I am not for new taxes, even though they are a result of the cutback on property taxes. As a taxpayer this was for tax relief, not an open door for additional taxes. We have to do with what we have.
More solutions need to examined before more of our money goes for a bailout. I understand the plight we are in, but don’t make me the taxpayer your first resort for additional revenue.
Ask the Anderson Herald Bulletin to publish a copy of all City employee contracts Union and Non Union and publish these contracts and let the tax payers see if the City workers are in a state of hardship. Also publish the payroll listing that show all city employees base pay and remember this list does not include overtime. Quit breaking the backs of the tax payers.
I have heard that the LOIT will pass 5 to 4. This come from a councilman. We need to show up in force to say no to more taxes. Who knows…we may be able to sway the vote. If we can’t, we will work hard to get rid of the ones who do not listen to the people.
The hard working men and women our community are really tired of being the City of Anderson’s personal piggy bank. How many more taxes do they want to try and raise? It is time that they learn how to make the cuts necessary to balance the budget. The current economy has caused many of us to change the way we spend our money and it should be no different for this group leading our city. Stop taxing us to death!
Frank Burrows has a great idea! If someone knows where to get a copy of these employee contracts union & non-union, I will gladly post it here in the public interest.
The word around town is that the city told its union employees: “You better show up to the city council meeting and show your support for LOIT/COIT, because you might lose your jobs because of the budget shortfall.”
I can’t confirm this, but it makes sense. Anything to bilk the taxpayer and support a union system that prevents jobs instead of creating or saving them. All labor unions prop up wages to the point that employers can’t afford to hire 100 employees, so they hire 80. The unsung 20 employees remain jobless or take jobs making less. The union arm-twists management for higher wages and more restrictive work rules. Union bosses arm-twist members for union dues, and the racket continues for years.
Teachers unions are killing public schools. Anderson Community School Corp. is no exception.
It is time for everyone to get up off of the couch and speak up. There are a few of us out there fighting the fight but we can’t do it alone. We can no longer sit at home, complain, write a check and hope that someone else does the leg-work. We need everyones involvement. The administration has told the employees to show up. This is a tactic that we have seen nationwide during the recent town hall meetings. We need to show up in force and remind the council that they work for the people.
Don’t be one of the people that says, after the LOIT passes, I wish I would have done more than complain. The time is now! Thanks to all who have supported this effort and we look forward to seeing you tonight.
Will anyone be bringing signs?
Has anyone thought of contacting the media in Indianapolis to show up for this public event? Perhaps having several cameras in their face with a few questions will help.
I was there tonight, interesting.
Well it was a sight tonight. I guess most republicans are for this tax because they sure DID NOT SHOW UP!! Do you people want this? It has to be overwhelming to stop this. They need to know the job on the line is THEIRS! The old ways will not work anymore. You actually have to show up and participate or you cannot complain about what happens. The old sayings goes lead follow or get the heck out of the way…. Well getting the heck out of the way is no longer an option! You need to lead or follow but you have to do something!!
I agree with Tom. This was a chance for the republicans to seperate themselves and stand up for the people. I think that the republicans have missed a excellent chance to make a statement and start the wheels of change rolling.
We still have a chance of stopping this. The county council still has to vote on this as well as Elwood or Alexandria. Call your friends and family and tell them to call their representatives and tell them NO on the LOIT/COIT.
The few of us that are leading the charge will continue to be engaged but we can’t do it alone. Get up off the couch. Quit making excuses as to why you can’t help and get out and do it. If we can have 100 people show up at a luncheon, we should be able to get some folks to help stop a tax increase.
Thanks to Todd for his support.
One more comment. I would like to thank our REPUBLICAN Councilman Mike Welch for voting for the LOIT. Seriously…Why do we have a republican councilman supporting a tax increase? If Councilman Welch wants to vote with the democrats, as he does most of the time, maybe he should change to democrat.
Until recently, I never really paid much attention to the goings-on in city and county government, but “it’s” getting really deep — and the stench is overwhelming.
After a heated exchange between Ollie Dixon and someone, I heard Ollie say:
“I know what’s best for Anderson – and you don’t!”
If that ain’t egotistical and elitist, I don’t know what is. Rodney Chamberlain was standing by and showed a nervous smile while shaking his head in disagreement.
Chamberlain showed a lot of courage for opposing the tax ordinance. Mike Welch checked his guts at the door, I guess?
Jim Steele was quite the comedian last night! When he complained about the taxpayer delinquency rate, I almost heard a rimshot:
“If people just paid their taxes, we’d be in good shape.”
Way to go, Jim! His report shows 18.38% were late in paying their taxes. Unfortunately, as the tax rate climbs, so goes the delinquency rate.
Any substantial gains from a tax hike will evaporate as people (1) fail to pay and (2) avoid the tax by moving out of the area.
Jim Steele is still projecting that 92% of people will pay their taxes. My guess is it will be around 90% if trending rings true. That will put the city even further in the hole. Are they going to come to us again next year asking for more money?
Thanks to Mike Phipps in pushing for a 7 pm meeting time for the public hearing on the county tax increase,others on the democrat side badly wanted a 4 pm hearing, I believe to keep the crowds away. Let us attend in great numbers. Mike is a great asset to the council. If we can elect one more in the next election the council could do great things