IS IT TRUE FEBRUARY 3, 2017

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IS IT TRUE its common knowledge that HB 1487 has been scrapped by its sponsors?  …many of the Vanderburgh County Sheriff Office employees are extremely upset with the open and aggressive way that a couple of democratic office holders openly opposed this bill in City Council, County Council and County Commission meetings?  …if this bill would had passed it would had insured that money would be available to add another correctional pod to our County jail?  …we also hear that some Union members are also upset with them because if this bill was approved it was likely that union workers would had been hired to build this complex?

IS IT TRUE that the provision in the law that was set to allow local government to increase the local option income tax by 25% may never see the light of day at the state level?…this little inconvenience has some local authorities in a near panic since they had already planned on spending this money before they even had the authority to take it from taxpayers?…this tax if passed would have costed the average worker in Vanderburgh County an additional $107 per year?…if this doesn’t get authorized at the state level the already full jail may just have to start packing the inmates in tighter than sardines to make up for the taxes they need to ease the burden on the jail’s capacity?…there is one solution that no one seems to dwell very much on and that is to somehow stop the lawless part of our population from being lawless?…in an orderly society with no criminal actions the ideal size of the jail would be exactly zero beds?…while that isn’t practical, it is practical to expect better behavior from the people of this town?…when one considers that the average family is being asked to increase their tax payments on income by 25% to house common criminals or give up those funds that could go to their children’s education, it makes one want to bite a nail in half?

IS IT TRUE the University of Evansville Purple Aces dropped a heartbreaker to Indiana State in overtime?…this extends the Aces losing streak to 9 games and has them temporarily in last place by themselves in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 1-10 record?…prior to last night’s game the Aces and the Sycamores were sharing the cellar with identical 1-9 records?…we do hope to see the Aces get out of the funk and have a more prosperous February than January was?

IS IT TRUE it has been reported that President Donald Trump is going to make a push to eliminate the seldom enforced IRS rule that jeopardizes the tax exempt status of churches if the church leaders engage in political endorsements inside the church?…this is commonly considered to be part of the separation of church and state on which this country was founded?…in spite of this rule spiritual leaders such as the Pope, televangelists (TV preachers), and even some traditional pastors routinely leave no doubt about what their political preferences are without any financial consequence?…there are several solutions to this conundrum and one that would be the simplest is just to tax the property of churches and let the pastors, rabbis, or ministers say whatever they want to about politics?…we are sure that there will be more made of this than is necessary as most people are well aware of their church’s position on elections with or without the law?…some of the original intent that inspired the separation of church and state had more to do with not allowing persecution of certain religions by agents of the state as was practiced in Europe before the United States was formed?…one would think we can all agree that persecution for one’s beliefs should be banned?…one could also make a strong case that when the state or federal government uses the tax laws to muzzle political discussions among people of like beliefs that the boundary between church and state has actually been violated by the state?

FOOTNOTE: Todays “Readers Poll” question is: Do you feel that our elected officials should push the State to include Ivy Tech in the IU-Evansville Medical school project?

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18 COMMENTS

  1. The Johnson Amendment was put in place to muzzle religious leaders, period. With Dr. King leading the way against racism, the Vietnam War going against most Americans” sense of right and wrong, and the onslaught of liberal federal programs being considered that would drain the taxpayers, Johnson sought to silence the one group he wasn’t able to by threat of more taxation. Although hardly any churches have ever been charged under the legislation, it was enough to make the less than strong hearted quiet themselves. It is a direct violation of the First Amendment’s protection against the government interfering with religion and everyone knows it, but politicians and anti-American groups like the ACLU use it to advance their agendas.

    • I predict that it will be through tax status that churches it will be attempted to forced to host homosexual weddings.

  2. I was reading about the sale of the former Old National Bank building to some local investors. I pulled up the Treasurer to see what the property tax was for that property. To my amazement that property is assessed at a mere $70,000.00 and the taxes or only $2,200.00 per year. Can someone explain to me how the value of this building and property was determined?

    • Local businessman Thomas Hite is the registered agent for City Tower Group LLC. Like a lot of “businesses” around this town, we may never find out who the other partners are. I would also not be surprised to find out that the city has granted, or plans to grant, some tax abatement or loan incentives.

      • As in Thomas Micheal Hite. Bosse Class of ’66. Originally involved in Tee Time Golf. Married to the daughter of a oil well developer. And now owns homes on First Street. Big friend of Winnecke and his realtor wife?
        That Thomas Hite?

    • Commercial properties are valued based on their rent rolls, i.e. the gross rental income less expenses divided by the real estate cap rate which can vary between 9% and 11% ..generally the average is 10% ..thus, if this building is valued at only 70k ..is the assessor saying that the owner is realizing only $7,000 per year ..this would seem ridiculous ..remember the City’s acquisition of the CVS property at the corner of Columbia and N. Main ..they paid the owner (Warren) $525,000 and Kelly told the City Council that the City would be able to rent the property for $18k per year …hell the value would be 180k not 525k ..of course, the cap rate in that area would be higher due to the conditions ..probably around 15% which would put the value around 140k ..

      • John, please stop with that 10% capitalization rate on rents. Clearly, if a property is used as a house of ill repute, a meth lab or the local republican party HQ, it will be worth a LOT more than just 10X vs. using that space to manufacture widgets.

    • Come on Alberto, get with the program, that’s the way things are done in this town- (and also why are finances are in such sad shape).

  3. The Clinton’s have campaigned overtly and covertly in black churches since their entry into politics. Ditto Sharpton, Jackson, and the current Pope. As is the case with many rules/laws certain groups are allowed to break them with impunity.

    • I do not know that “former” is the correct word here. Anyway, the building is well positioned when one considers the choice of building sites for the new medical center. I am not intimating that ONB had any influence in the med school site selection. I would feel better if I knew who all the partners in the new company are.

  5. The notion that preachers should not be able to touch on policy is so anti-American. If our schools only taught history to our citizens, the electorate would have discovered that the colonist were given the spirit of freedom via the churches. The crown limited their expression of worship and the preachers continued lighting the spirit of freedom. Of the 200 founders, 180 were Presbyterians, Lutherans, Episcopalians, and even some Catholics. They believed that the Government should not be in the churches, but the churches’ influences should not be denied in the enlightenment of their congregations. The statement that Ronal Reagan once make is so on point …”a nation not under God is a nation gone under” ..

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