Congratulations to Team Hammond, all the citizens of Indiana, and especially to George Janiec and Jim Premeske. Team Hammond's spokesmen departed the region at 4:00 A.M. on Monday, December 7th, braving an interstate covered with black ice, to testify in Indy on behalf of the citizens concerning the importance of putting a Constitutional Amendment to a referendum vote in November of 2010.
Although they were outnumbered in testimony, and were facing a House Committee dominated by Democrats, some quite hostile. They intrepidly made their points on the gift of property tax caps (1,2,3 %) which the General Assembly had approved none too soon.
The issue boiled down to: why now? Both the House and Senate membership changes biennially: it takes 26 Senators, 51 Representatives and most importantly a sympathetic Governor to bring change to Indiana. In the absence of a Constitutional Amendment complicating a return to Indiana's current out of control government the House Ways and Means Committee learned the necessity of expediency. Team Hammond pointed out the national average property tax rate is .96%; the highest ten counties in the U.S. average less than 3.5%, with median home values approximating Hammond's $100,000. Meanwhile in Indiana, Hammond taxpayers paid a rate of 5.66%, while Gary was over 9%. Examples were cited on how the property tax caps provided discipline that was previously lacking, especially in Lake County! The ways and means vote was deferred until Dec 14th.
Because of the weather, there was no question that Team Hammond's spokemen would spend the night in Indy pending the Tuesday afternoon convening of the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee.
Team Hammond's Senate Committee testimony was similar to that at the House chamber. Premeske provided copies of the tables he cited to interested senators. The odds were still against us; and when Senator Lonnie Randolph (D-East Chicago) began a detailed cross-examination of Jim Premeske concerning the sacrifices endured by local government it drew every committee senators attention. Point after point Senator Randolph probed for a weak spot in Team Hammond's defense of the tax caps. Example after example was shot down as it was pointed out cutbacks had feasible alternatives which local administations bypassed. Jim's conclusion was that the citizens need not be penalized because they supported needed tax relief.
Finally a vote was taken with nine senators voting for sending SJR1 to the full Senate for a vote leading to a November referendum with three Democrats (including Senator Randolph) dissenting.
On Monday, December 14th the House Ways and Means Committee took its vote. The outcome was 21-3, with several Democrats crossing to vote with the Republicans.
With committees in both chambers agreeing to have their entire body vote on a people's referendum (vote) in November of 2010, Team Hammond is off to an excellent start for the new year. But the real battles are yet to come; Mayor McDermott and his ilk will be out in full force trying to preserve Waste, Fraud and Abuse. Anticipate they will multiply the efforts of their lobbyists against the citizens. It is now more imperative than ever to keep the pressure on our senators and representatives.
A big thank you goes to George and Jim for representing the welfare of Indiana's taxpayers.