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STORIES TO TELL

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Let’s Fix That Tax Sale-Stories To Tell

By George Lumley

A big problem with thriving neighborhoods starts with that one vacant house or grown up lot. When there are other alternatives, why rent or buy close to a mess – unless you like messes. And that is why a street soon becomes lined with vacant houses for sale or rent that no one wants.

I decided to help keep Evansville beautiful by starting a land bank. That is right. Looks easy enough. Just get title to properties and then hold them. That is land banking. My land banking operation will be more costly than some because I will pay taxes on the properties. That is the best kind of land bank, one that pays taxes. I could form a nonprofit and avoid the taxes, but I want to be on the same level with all the other private free enterprise land bankers in Evansville, and promote more of them.

Many of the abandoned unkempt lots that the city fails to maintain (because the fees generated are diverted to other uses instead of actually mowing lots) go to the tax sale. I hear that is the best place to get title to lots that no one realizes they want. So it was off to the tax sale.

Following the “auction today” arrows just a few miles down the road and into an office area with a meeting room about the size of a school classroom on one side, I had arrived. There was a screen and table setup in the front and about thirty chairs facing it. My first thought was –something is not right-. Things were not jiving. I had been out and about knocking on doors pretending to be electioneering for the Mayor but was really working undercover to find out what people thought about the vacant houses and lots. My reconnaissance indicated that there were many people that wanted the lots, would own the lots, maintain the lots, and even pay taxes on the lots. Maybe I was wrong and the City was correct that “nobody” wanted the lots and a tax funded land bank was necessary. At least it did not look like they were prepared for very many bidders.

Signing up was easy. I just had to provide my driver’s license, and print and sign my name on a form that said I had never had any property tax delinquency issues. Now that form is something new. Contrary to the propaganda promoting the costly, secretive, Brownfields tax funded land bank/land control proposal that not much has changed in the tax sale process – this is one of those changes. The perpetual offenders that let properties go back can no longer buy them.

I moved across the room looking for a place to sit and noticed a doorway into a large gymnasium size room full of chairs with a few people milling around. As a lady was passing I asked if the auction was in the classroom or the gymnasium. She pointed to the big room saying auction and then the other setup, indicating that people would wait there for processing the paperwork after finishing their purchases. Hmm, lots of room for a big crowd. I wonder how many will be interested in these properties no one wants.

Moving into the almost vacant sale room I spotted a familiar face. Pastor Steve Ary was sitting 2nd row center. I had visited Pastor Steve last week to look at the tax sale property he bought direct from the Commissioner for $1.00. That a story for another day. I took a seat beside the Pastor and got comfortable with my surroundings as people started streaming in. My camera crew showed up and were able to sit right in front of me. Yes there will be video productions.
People just kept coming in. It was time for the auction to start but there seemed to be a delay. There were a few seats left but people started filling the standing room area. An announcement was made that the delay was because there was a line getting people signed up. A lot of people must want the same property. Auctions can be fun, maybe people came to be entertained and are not really interested in bidding.

I know three people were looking for the same property: A Mother and son to my front left and their attorney sitting on my right. Yep, I was sandwiched between a preacher and an attorney. (?) But the bigger story is the Mother had an installment contract on the house and the owner did not pay the taxes. Now the county owns it. Common, but this story has a twist you will not believe. I was glad they had an attorney with them until he started asking what the auctioneer was saying between the bids. I explained that when an auctioneer begins their career they use real words to learn there “rant” or “cattle call” and that with experience they slur it into a rhyme of babble that cannot be deciphered. Only the auctioneer knows the word he started with. The auctioneers even get together and have contests on who can guess what the babble started out as. I think he believed me.

When the lady’s former property came up for bid they stood together and watched it sell. I anticipated them to bid but they did not. I spoke to them later and tried to offer a little comfort while it appeared the attorney was dealing with the purchaser.

Although there are some sad stories to tell, there were plenty of people delighted with their purchases. Especially the ones that were able to buy the vacant lot beside their house. I had a great time and now have firsthand knowledge on how to relieve some of the problems to make the tax sale process better for everyone. There were a few properties that no one came prepared to buy. The auctioneer, being an expert in his trade, was able to use his babble to coax bidders to buy lots they Knew absolutely nothing about for as little as one dollar. I will be telling the one dollar story along with at least a half dozen more. I told my editor that I went there to report the news but actually ended up making the news. Watch for follow up stories.

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

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DON’T GO TO COURT ALONE. CALL IVAN ARNAEZ @ 812-424-6671.

http://www.vanderburghsheriff.com/recent-booking-records.aspx

Let’s Fix That Tax Sale by George Lumley

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Bring on the tax sale! Tax sales are in everyone’s best interest. Just like other debt collection processes they provide a means that, although unpleasant if you are the debtor, allow for an effective means to preserve assets and collect from those that cannot or do not want to pay.  Debt collection is never a pretty process.  Be positive and look on the bright side.  Of the two things that are certain in life, death and taxes, taxes is the more pleasant subject.

Today is the last tax sale of its kind in Vandergurgh County, I hope.  Not because we do not need the tax sale or that it is an undesirable process, but because we will use the new tools legislated over the last couple of years in handling the tax sale process to make it a more positive, efficient, and effective process.   I hope to enlighten the Evansville naysayers and negative people who are standing in the way of implementing these new positive procedures.  With your help we will influence City/County officials to work together and make positive changes that serve everyone’s best interest.

I see the C&P followed my Saturday feature – “If it is not Broken” then “Don’t fix it”- tax sale intro with their usual negative connotation of the tax sale in their Sunday edition.  As usual they twisted fact and printed propaganda to support their chosen special interest – Evansville Brownfields Corp (Brownfields) – rather than a fair and unbiased positive approach.  It is hard for me to believe that a newspaper would actually come out so blatantly misleading the public.  When I read the last Paragraph of the C&P article where the King of propaganda himself, Mr. Kelly Coures, Director of the Department of Metropolitan Development (DMD) is quoted as saying the auction doesn’t work, I patted myself on the back for my Saturday feature – Bulls eye, it fits perfect. You should read it.

Now that Mr. Coures has introduced himself into this tax sale issue, I just have to provide a quote from him.  Mr. Coures emailed me “Everything is not a Conspiracy”.  Well maybe “everything” is not a conspiracy but this tax sale issue along with manipulation involving the expansion of the existing DMD owned Brownfields land banking operation appear to be a scheme for special interest instead of our best interest. With all the secret back room deals involving the Brownfields It might even be a conspiracy.

I am actually at the tax sale today to do my part in Keeping Evansville Beautiful.  I selected a couple of lots to bid on.  I have no use for them except to buy them, maintain them, and pay taxes on them.  Yes, I am going to land bank them.  One good thing about the USA is anyone can land bank.  Look around Evansville and you will see literally thousands of land banked parcels. There are many different types of land banks right here in Evansville.  Some are private individuals like myself, if successful today; Some are large corporations with a future purpose for the property; some are large corporations without a purpose that got stuck with them like the banks; some are charitable organizations with a cause like Habitat; some are governmental like the city or county; and one other that I know about is an animal all to its own:  the Brownfields.

I am still learning about this tax sale process and how it relates to my positive mission of promoting the use of existing resources to help aging neighborhoods thrive.  As I ask the how and why queries I am finding many components that seem questionable.  Is there a good reason for these components or are they part of the scheme for special interest?

Is there a good reason to sell the properties without providing any Information?  I hear the county does not have any information about them.  Oh, but wait a minute, the City/County Building Commission inspected these houses back in the spring in preparation of the deal to stop the tax sale and give everything to the Brownfields. The city would also know and could easily post on line the amount of any weed, trash, or demolition assessments. It would be to everyone’s benefit to make this information public without the time delaying public access request.  Why sell a property and then laugh at the buyer because he didn’t know what you knew. Be nice, tell potential buyers what you know at the time of the auction.

Is there a good reason not to educate neighboring owners that if they would be interested in adjoining property that they could buy it before the auction?  Yes, the property does not have to go to the public sale where the whole world is bidding on an unknown grab bag that they may or may not want after opening it. Based on records I obtained through Public Access Request at least 25 properties were transferred in the last couple of months to adjacent owners for as little as one dollar each.  I have also talked with adjoining owners that called the County Building Superintendent and were told they had to bid on the property at the auction.

Is there a good reason that 60 choice properties were quietly taken from the tax sale list and transferred to the City?  The City plans to transfer these properties to the Brownfields land bank.  Brownfields plans to sell these properties to? Why promote stopping the tax sale if properties can simply be pulled from the sale and given to Brownfields to land bank or market them? We should be positive and offer this deal to others willing to take the burden of owning the lots.

Is there a good reason these 55 to 75 homes that are repeatedly cycling through the tax sale are being blamed for the 1800 blighted structures that Evansville needs to address?  Yes, there are only 170 or so properties and most are vacant lots.  The number of actual problem properties related to the tax sale is small compared to the total number of problem properties.

Is there a good reason that we constantly hear the negative: that sixty percent of the houses sold return to the tax sale?  I want to promote the positive. The process took care of 40% that did not return without costing the taxpayer a dime.

Is there a good reason that when I tried to promote neighborhood residents volunteering to perform simple mowing and trimming of abandoned properties as the City of South Bend does, Evansville officials intervened and discouraged the practice? Now that is truly a negative stance on my positive initiative for cleaning up the neighborhoods.

Is there a good reason that the news tries to spin facts and blame all the code violations and open case problems on these 170 properties?  A recent email from the Building Commissioner stated that he had over 1300 open cases.  We should be positive and solve the right problem.

Is there a good reason that per Sunday’s C&P the tax sale of this small quantity of parcels should be stopped, the parcels given to a land bank, Brownfields, which will cost millions to operate so Brownfields can get the properties in “the hands of competent developers”?  Don’t we already have City/County government functions that do that for all properties?

Well, I am sure you see I could go on and on.  Please tune in to read my positive approach with specifics to fixing what is broken, not by depicting people as poor and stupid but by educating and shedding light on what we can do using existing resources to promote better neighborhoods.

By George Lumley

AN EVENING WITH CS LEWIS VICTORY THEATRE – JANUARY 8 7:30 – TICKETS ON SALE NOW –

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An Evening with CS Lewis will be at Victory Theatre January 8 at 7:30 PM. Tickets are on sale now and available at Ford Center Ticket Office, Ticketmaster.com or by phone 800.745.3000.

Introduction

An Evening with C S Lewis featuring British Actor, David Payne, is a drama production that has proved to be an enthralling theatrical experience for the many thousands who have attended its performances. Written and directed by Payne and infused with the humor that Lewis was renowned for, it is a fascinating and absorbing insight into the life of a man who became a legend in his own lifetime.

David Payne

David Payne was born in London and began his business life as a Structural Engineer. In the early nineties he and his wife moved to Nashville, TN but just prior to their Nashville move they attended the West End play Shadowlands. So when Payne came across an audition notice for a Nashville production of Shadowlands his curiosity was aroused, and all the more so when it stated “British accents a help!” Armed with his British accent he went along hoping to land a small part. He landed the lead role! When Shadowlands opened its run at the prestigious Tennessee Performing Arts Center who should be on the front row but Lewis’ stepson, Douglas Gresham. Since that time Payne and Gresham have become firm friends. The reviews of Payne’s performance were so positive he decided to turn his attention to developing a one-man show featuring the author he had first met in his teens when he was given a copy of Screwtape Letters. Thus was born An Evening with C S Lewis which has now logged up over 500 performances worldwide.

C. S. Lewis

Though C. S. Lewis has been dead for over 50 years, almost all his books remain in print and most are still best sellers.
He was a close friend of J.R.R. Tolkien, and both authors – arguably two of the most successful of the 20th century – wrote all their books in their ‘spare time.’ Though Lewis’ writings spanned a broad range of subjects he is probably best known for his classic children’s series, The Chronicles of Narnia. First launched in 1950 with publication of The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe, all seven books remain among today’s most successful children’s books and three have been turned into blockbuster movies. Recognized as one of the great intellects of his day, Lewis always retained a great capacity for simplicity and humor and though he achieved both fame and fortune in his lifetime he remained quite indifferent to both. Indeed, he gave most of his fortune away. An Evening with C S Lewis takes you into the unique world of a man who lived a simple life in a modest house on the outskirts of the city of Oxford.

My Life’s Journey – An Evening with C S Lewis

The year is 1963 and C S Lewis, the famous British author, is in the twilight years of his life and has agreed to give an informal talk to a group of American writers who are visiting England. They have come to Lewis’ home, just outside of Oxford, and are eagerly anticipating hearing the man whose celebrity once landed him on the front cover of Time magazine. Lewis is in great form and his audience is spellbound as, with a display of oratory and humor that made him one of England’s most famous public speakers, he recounts the significant events and the people that shaped his life.

Governor Mike Pence Directs Flags Be Flown at Half-staff Statewide

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In accordance with a presidential proclamation issued this evening, Governor Mike Pence is directing flags at state facilities statewide be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris, France. Flags should be flown at half-staff effective immediately until sunset on Thursday, November 19, 2015.

Governor Pence also asks businesses and residents to lower their flags to half-staff to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the attacks in Paris, France.

Adopt A Pet

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 I’m Sox, an 11-month-old female cat. I’ve been waiting on a home since May! I live in the Cageless Cat Lounge, so I get along great with other cats. My $30 adoption fee includes my spay, microchip, vaccines, & more. Visit www.vhslifesaver.org or call (812) 426-2563 to adopt me!

Judge Calls Out DLGF ‘ Infirmities’ In Ruling For Township, Fire District

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Dave Stafford for www.theindianalawyer.com

Indiana Tax Court Judge Martha Blood Wentworth had a few choice words for the Department of Local Government Finance in finding the state hadn’t answered the key question in a township’s tax appeal.

Wentworth ruled in favor of Union Township and Union-Lakeville Fire Protection territory in St. Joseph County, which claimed in tax levy appeals a $40 million assessed valuation error shortchanged the entities by almost $52,000 for the 2011 budget year.

“As  an  aside,  the  Court  notes  that  this  case  demonstrates  yet  another  instance where infirmities in the DLGF’s fact-finding process have hindered the Tax Court’s review of  the  final  determination  and  certified administrative  record. See also, e.g., City of Greenfield v. Indiana Dep’t of Local Gov’t Fin., 22 N.E.3d 887, 892 (Ind. Tax Ct. 2014); Gary Cmty. Sch. Corp. v. Indiana Dep’t of Local Gov’t Fin., 15  N.E.3d  1149,  1150  n.3 (Ind. Tax Ct. 2014).

“The Court strongly encourages the DLGF to correct these infirmities so that its adjudicatory process can develop all the relevant facts and legal arguments for possible review by the Court,” Wentworth wrote.

The court on Thursday released concurrent opinions in favor of the township. Wentworth reversed DLGF final determinations denying the township’s appeals and remanded the appeal to the DLGF for further proceedings. The court in a separate opinion denied DLGF’s motion to dismiss the appeal.

Wentworth wrote the department erred in denying the township’s first excess levy appeal, because the shortfall would negatively impact its ability to fund budgets for the township and the fire protection territory. The township demonstrated it depleted its reserves to fund operating costs.

The DLGF also had not answered “‘the $40 million question:’ whether or not an ‘error’ existed,” Wentworth wrote “Here, it is abundantly clear what relief Union Township seeks: it wants to recoup the $51,992 in property tax revenue it was unable to collect in 2011 as a result of the $40 million discrepancy.”

Wentworth remanded to the DLGF to determine whether an error caused the $40 million discrepancy between the net assessed valuation used to certify the township’s budget and the net assessed valuation the county auditor used in issuing property tax bills.

The Legislature granted relief to the fire protection territory, which the DLGF argued mooted the township’s appeal. Wentworth rejected that argument because while the relief provided about $25,000 for the fire protection territory, it provided no relief for the township’s general fund, which claimed it was entitled to $27,000 it was shortchanged due to the assessment error.

The case is Union Township, St. Joseph County v. State of Indiana, Department of Local Government Finance, 71T10-1301-TA-2.

Daily Off Topic Forum November 16, 2015

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Indiana Democrats-Weekly Talking Points

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Indiana Democrats-Weekly Talking Points

sent by the State Democratic Party of IndianaOn Friday, November 13, 2015

Enthusiastically Supports New Infrastructure Plan by Indiana House Democrats

This week’s announcement by Leader Scott Pelath and Indiana House Democrats is what everyday Hoosiers demanded: a long-term, commonsense solution that would begin fixing Indiana’s D+ rated infrastructure system.

The commonsense plan allows all revenues from the sales tax on gasoline to be put toward our roads, includes funding for local roads, erases any additional burdens on taxpayers, and does more than the bare minimum, late-to-the-game strategy offered by Governor Mike Pence.
Leader Pelath and House Democrats now join John Gregg – who foresaw this issue and released his own plan during the 2012 campaign – in the fight to restore Indiana’s ‘Crossroads of America’ reputation.
After 127 Days, Governor Mike Pence Remains Silent About Details on Cancelled Contract with Porter Novelli

Mike Pence had no problem putting Indiana’s ‘Hoosier Hospitality’ reputation in jeopardy last spring, but he apparently does have a problem showing Hoosiers what their tax dollars were used for in the state’s contract with Porter Novelli.

For a contract that was supposed to repair the state’s image, Indiana continues to be the national punchline, and all eyes are on Mike Pence as he’s already late-to-the-game…again.
With a majority of Hoosiers, top businesses leaders, and third party organizations all calling for protections for the LGBT community, Mike Pence should not only show some transparency in his plans on this issue, but also release all documents involved with the taxpayer-funded Porter Novelli contract.
Hoosiers deserve to know everything about the contract that was meant to improve the state’s image that Pence so willingly put in jeopardy.

ICYMI: New WISH-TV/Ball State Hoosier Survey Shows Mike Pence Can’t Shake His RFRA Hangover
The new WISH-TV/Ball State Hoosier Survey shows the governor’s approval rating dropped 15 points from the same survey a year before.  And not only is the governor’s race a statistical tie, but Mike Pence’s approval rating has not budged since he signed RFRA into law last spring.

Governor Mike Pence is simply in denial if he thinks he’s in the clear after bowing to special interests and throwing Indiana into a $250 million economic panic earlier this year.
This RFRA hangover has caused Governor Pence to continue his late to the game strategy on solving today’s problems for everyday Hoosiers, including putting our other reputation – ‘Crossroads of America’ – in jeopardy.

Simply put, Hoosiers are tired of Mike Pence’s political agenda, and poll after poll shows they are ready to choose a leader who won’t put their out of touch ideology ahead of our state’s overall well-being.
ICYMI – Stories from This Week

NWI Times: Democrats raise stakes in road funding contest Indy Star: Gov. Mike Pence still undecided on expansion of LGBT protections  Indiana Public Media: New LGBT Coalition Indiana Competes Joins Civil Rights Fight  Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: “That was the perfect opening for Indiana Democrats’ “FixOurRoads” campaign, claiming the state has 1,900 structurally deficient bridges and the administration had wasted millions on faulty asphalt. As Gov. Mike Pence travels around the state, the opposition sends out data on infrastructure in the region he’s visiting, as it did when the governor visited northeast Indiana late last month, “where 116 bridges are structurally deficient,” according to a Democratic Party news release.”

Save the Dates
Dec 11, 2015 – Holiday Party
May 3, 2016 – Primary
June 17, 2016 – JJ Dinner
June 18, 2016 – State Convention
July 25-28, 2016 – National Convention
Aug 25-28, 2016 – IDEA
Nov 8, 2016 – Election Day

FOOTNOTE:  The City County Observer encourages Republican and Libertarian party leaders to send us press releases and we shall post them without opinion , bias  or editing.

IS IT TRUE NOVEMBER 16, 2015

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IS IT TRUE we are pleased that the presumed City Council President elect Missy Mosby has decided to re-visit the “Good Neighbor Ordinance” that was abruptly passed by Council last year? …we are pleased that Ms. Mosby allowed public comments both positive and negative at this public hearing? …if the current and past Presidents of City Council would had conducted this type of public hearing before amending city ordinances their favorability ratings with the public would had been higher than 22%?

IS IT TRUE we are pleased to hear that Chief Deputy Brian Gerth is tapped to be the replacement of outgoing Auditor Joe Gries? …Mr. Gries was considered to be one of the top elected officials in Vanderburgh County? …Mr. Gries was professional, polite, forthright, honest and personal? …wish him well in his new career and know his replacement Brian Gerth shall serve us well as the next Auditor of Vanderburgh County?

IS IT TRUE that this years Oakland City Christmas Parade will honor armed services members?  …this event will be held on December 12,  2015 and starts at 6:00 PM?  …the theme  will be “Red a, White and Blue” Christmas and the Grand Marshals will be someone for each of the Armed forces?

IS IT TRUE the Salem United Church of Christ will hold its annual Sausage Supper on November 21, 2015?

IS IT TRUE the Ohio Township Fire Auxiliary’s craft and Vendors fair will be held on November 21, 2015?  …this event will held at First Christian Church in Newburgh?

IS IT TRUE that Abundant Life Church will be hosting a chicken and pork steak dinner buffet on November, 21, 2015?  …the church is located at 7333 Sharon Road in Newburgh?

IS IT TRUE we are hopeful that later this week we will have an extremely interesting breaking IIT?

IS IT TRUE todays “Readers Poll” question is;  “Are you finding George Lumley articles on correcting blight problems in Vanderburgh County Informative”?

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