Politics Indiana V14 N19 Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007 We grew up as a city with Julia Carson Congresswoman helped Rep. Carson wept during break down political this cere- mony where barriers in a racist city civil rights pioneer Rosa By BRIAN A. HOWEY Parks was INDIANAPOLIS - In a political honored with sense, Julia Carson’s greatest legacy is the Con- that she established new mileposts for gressional Indiana’s capital city. From a diversity Gold Medal. standpoint, Indianapolis matured with Carson died the congresswoman. on Dec. 15 of When she attended Crispus lung cancer. Attucks High School, the basketball (C-Span team led by Oscar Robertson couldn’t Photo) even play kids from local white high schools. They had to go to places like Smithville. There were many estab- lishments from restaurants to clubs she intended to run for Congress that wouldn’t serve a black man or woman. Like much of when Andy Jacobs Jr. decided to retire in 1996. Some Indiana, Jim Crow could easily find an address in the North. in the Democratic Party establishment told her the seat While black politicians could find their way to the city coun- was unattainable. Former state chairwoman Ann DeLaney cil and the legislature, the big plums - mayor, Member of was supposed to be the establishment choice. But it was Congress, U.S. Senator, governor - seemed distant. Carson who consolidated the support of the Marion County That all began to change with Carson announcing See Page 3 Submerged fiscal bombs By MORTON J. MARCUS INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) issued a “Citizens’ Guide to Property Taxes” on November 20th this year. That docu- ment contains the following para- “My first reaction: it’s over. We graph: “What factors contribute can all start moving forward.” to property tax increases? Lo- Republican Muncie Mayor-elect cal spending is the reason for - property tax increases – or de- Sharon McShurley, who won the recount creases – depending on local fiscal Wednesday when 19 absentee ballots were management. Other factors that thrown out contributed to increases during the 2006 Pay 2007 cycle include the HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 2 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007 elimination of the inventory tax and is elected to the Tax Board by the Howey Politics the onset of the annual adjustment public. They will be the hidden final process, also known as ‘trending’.” arbiters of decisions to improve our Indiana Got that? Property taxes rise schools, parks, and police. is a nonpartisan news- or fall because of local fiscal manage- Plus, the amount that can ment. That is not even a half-truth. be spent by all governmental units in letter based in Indianapolis Property taxes rise and fall because your county can increase by only the average growth of personal income and published by NewsLink of policies put in place by the state legislature. The legislature decided over a six-year period. At best, the Inc. It was founded in to eliminate the inventory tax. The most recent personal income data are legislature autho- nearly two years 1994 in Fort Wayne. rized trending and behind the times. DLGF monitored This means your Brian A. Howey, publisher it. The legisla- county will be Mark Schoeff Jr. and Mark ture increases constrained by or decreases the changes in a Curry, Washington deductions and lagging number Writers exemptions to that reflects the Jack E. Howey, Editor assessed values. past and has little Beverly Phillips, Associate That same body to do with the needs and aspira- Editor decides how much money tions of today. Therese Waechter, IT flows from the The latest state’s general data are for Subscriptions: fund to property 2005 and show a tax replacement range of six-year $350 annually HPI via e-mail; credits and home- growth from $550 annually HPI & HPI Daily stead credits. The DLGF Commissioner Cheryl Musgrave: 6.9% (Hamilton Wire. legislature issues seeking a local straight jacket? (HPI photo County) to 1.5% Call 317-254-0535. unfunded man- by Brian A. Howey) (White County). dates. What of the Howey Politics Indiana DLGF is simple need to PO Box 40265 an arm of an administration that seeks pay government employees fair wages Indianapolis, IN 46240-0265. to place local governments in a spend- and keep up with technology in White ing straight jacket. The governor has County? Contact Us proposed that “Total local spending Personal income is not a cannot grow faster than a county’s measure of the ability of a county’s www.howeypolitics.com average personal income growth over residents to support local government. [email protected] a six-year period, unless approved by It is not the sum of the income real- Main Office: 317-202-0210. taxpayers in a referendum.” In addi- ized by those who live in the county. Howey’s Mobile: 317-506-0883. tion, “The Tax Board in each county It leaves out income from pensions must review and approve spending and capital gains. As these rise, Indianapolis Fax: 317-254-0535. plans of all taxing units.” shouldn’t it be possible to increase lo- Washington: 202-256-5822. We have not heard much cal spending? Business Office: 317-254-0535. about these proposals, but they are Personal income includes ©2007, Howey Politics submerged bombs in the waters of current payments for benefits citizens local democratic processes. may not realize any time soon or ever Indiana. All rights reserved. The County Tax Board will in their lives. For example, the money Photocopying, Internet forwarding, oversee the spending of all cities, you and your employer put into a faxing or reproducing in any form, towns, schools corporations, library retirement program is included in per- in whole or part, is a violation of districts, county government, and any sonal income. But it may be decades federal law without permission from other governmental units. Who sits before you get to spend that money. on such boards? They are people ap- Why should it be counted as part of the publisher. pointed by elected officials, but none your county’s ability to support local HOWEY Politics Indiana Page 3 Weekly Briefing on Indiana Politics Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007 government today? informed discussion. A referendum only opens the doors Funds put into benefit packages by your employer, for highly impassioned, uninformed and expensive con- like heath insurance, are also counted as part of personal tests. income, even if you do not take advantage of them. Un- The fiscal problems of Indiana are not based solely spent health insurance premiums become profits for share- on the antiquated aspects of our local governments. Those holders of insurance stock. Do they live in your county? contribute, but they are not the root of our troubles. To If the governor wants to assess a county’s abil- correct our problems, we need legislators who will end the ity to pay for local services, he should consider adjusted ceaseless manipulation of taxes as favors for friends and as gross income as reported on the Indiana individual income bribes for an ignorant electorate. tax form. All we have to do is get the Department of Rev- New champions of reason and reform need to win enue to make that number available in a timely fashion to in the primaries and knock out the old guard in the next all citizens. Dare we dream? general election. v To spend more than the governor’s six-year aver- Mr. Marcus is an economist, writer, and speaker age of personal income growth, a county could have a formerly with the Kelley School of Business at Indi- referendum. We already have local elections to put people ana University. in office so that spending decisions can be made through arc of accomplishment for a single welfare mother from a Julia Carson, from page 1 segregated Northern school who ended her career in the citadel of democracy at the U.S. Capitol. Democrats and defeated DeLaney 49-31 percent. At The machine Julia presided over - dubbed “The one point, Carson said, “I am not your African-American Carson Show” by the Wall Street Journal - became one of candidate. I am the Democratic candidate for Congress. I the best performing political organizations in Indiana. It don’t allow opponents to stereotype me and confine me to had the ability to make or break mayors and legislators. a certain segment of the With Carson suffering from population.” terminal lung cancer, her ma- That fall, she took chine went AWOL during the on State Sen. Virginia defeat of Indianapolis Mayor Blankenbaker and won Bart Peterson last month. a 53-45 percent victory In the Indiana despite being out-spent House, she had consider- $638,000 to $572,000. able influence over other With the old 10th CD members. One Democratic about 30 percent African- House leader recalled how American, Carson became Julia sat behind State Rep. one of the first black Skinny Alexander, who often members of Congress appeared in the chamber to represent a majority drunk. “When he would get white district. She would up to speak, she would grab declare, “This is a wonder- him from behind and pull him ful city. A lot of people see back to his seat,” he said. you beyond the color of She operated as your skin. That’s become passé.” an effective urban party boss, at one point stepping in Yet, in her toughest election challenge - her 2002 to admonish Democratic city council members who had campaign against Republican Brose McVey - she used the helped defeat an ordinance that would provide benefits for race card and stormed off a televised debate platform, gays and lesbians.