In an earlier post, we wrote about Senate Bill 479 (Bill 1660 is the House's version) that would create regional transportation districts in every Indiana county.
Senate Bill 479 reads as follows: permits counties to establish a regional transportation district to plan, design, acquire, construct, enlarge, improve, renovate, maintain, equip, finance, operate, and support public transportation systems. Establishes a fee on vehicle registrations, and permits the creation of allocation areas, the establishment of a special allocation of county option income taxes, and the imposition of a food and beverage tax, a county economic development income tax, or a special benefits property tax to provide funding to regional transportation districts. Permits other public transportation agencies to merge into a regional transportation district. Requires the governor to appoint a deputy commissioner for the department of transportation to assist the commissioner with the public transportation responsibilities of the department. Current Status:
Did you pay attention to the sentence that was highlighted?
Each county RTD will have the power to enact income and food and beverage taxes, a special benefits property tax and a vehicle registration fee. They will have the power to enact these fees and taxes, and there will be no one to stop them. They will have absolute unlimited power in their quest for RTD money.
The members of a county's RTD board will be made up of local elected officials. Not average citizens like you and me but Lake County elected officials. Talk about the fox guarding the henhouse!
The RTD board will make decisions that will affect everyone living in Lake County. Do you want a county option income tax? Do you want a food and beverage tax? Do you want to pay a vehicle registration fee? Haven't you had enough with the property taxes in Lake County?
Why should the RTD have this kind of power to tax and spend at their whim and without any taxpayer recourse?
The two RTD bills are Senate Bill 479 and House Bill 1660.
Start calling, e-mailing or writing your state representatives and senators. Tell them you oppose Senate Bill 479 and House Bill 1660 because it is not in the best interests of the taxpayers, and it gives unlimited power to a board without any checks and balances.
Listed below are the telephone numbers and e-mail addresses for our local state officials:
Phone numbers for the House of Representatives are: 1-800-382-9842 or 1-317-232-9600.
Phone numbers for the State Senate are: 1-800-382-9467 or 1-317-232-9400.
Linda Lawson, State Representative, District 1
h1@in.gov
Earl Harris, State Representative, District 2
h2@in.gov
Charlie Brown, State Representative, District 3
h3@in.gov
Ed Soliday, State Representative, District 4
h4@in.gov
Dan Stevenson, State Representative, District 11
h11@in.gov
Mara Candelaria Reardon, State Representative, District 12
h12@in.gov
Chet Dobis, State Representative, District 13
h13@in.gov
Vernon Smith, State Representative, District 14
h14@in.gov
Don Lehe, State Representative, District 15
h15@in.gov
Shelli VanDenburgh, State Representative, District 19
h19@in.gov
Frank Mrvan, State Senator, District 1
s1@in.gov
Lonnie Randolph, State Senator, District 2
s2@in.gov
Earline Rogers, State Senator, District 3
s3@in.gov
Karen Tallian, State Senator, District 4
s4@in.gov
Ed Charbonneau, State Senator, District 5
s5@in.gov
Sue Landske, State Senator, District 6
s6@in.gov
If you like the idea of more taxes, then do nothing and you will get your wish.
However, if you are against any new taxes and fees, then now is the time to contact the above officials (and the governor, too) and tell them "NO" to Senate Bill 479 and House Bill 1660 and "NO" to any new taxes until they get their spending under control.
The choice is yours.