Indiana

SAY WHAT??!!!

Posted on February 20, 2008
You won’t believe this, but the House Ways and Means Committee voted to amend the Governor’s tax proposal so that your residential property tax bill would be capped at 1-percent of your income.  That’s right, income.  I am not making this up...

SUPER BOWL OR SUPER BUST

Posted on February 19, 2008
Although the city is moving forward with it’s Super Bowl bid, I think the more interesting quest will be to line up public support.  At today’s news conference Bowl Committee Chairman Mark Miles made it a point to say that this is the “community’s bid” and the community should be a part of the quest [...

ASK AND YE SHALL, MAKE THAT MAY, RECEIVE

Posted on February 19, 2008
The Indiana State Senate Tax Policy Committee unanimously approved property tax reform legislation this morning. However, there was one measure in the bill that caught my attention. Both Republicans and Democrats unanimously approved picking pre-1977 police and fire pensions...

DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU?RE GOING TO?

Posted on February 19, 2008
As you’ve probably guessed, despite all the public posturing over property tax reform at the Statehouse, the real work is going on behind the scenes with all four caucuses at the table, but the main negotiations are between House Democrats, Senate Republicans and the shadow of the Governor looms over all...

To access this complete feed in the blog feed reader login or register for free.

INDIANAPOLIS TO SEEK SUPER BOWL XVLI

Posted on February 18, 2008
Indianapolis city officials plan to announce Tuesday that they will put in a formal bid for the 2012 Super Bowl.  Officials say they think the city has a good chance against Houston and Phoenix.  They also say it will be an economic windfall for Indianapolis...

HAPPY PRESIDENT?S DAY

Posted on February 18, 2008
I’m taking President’s Day off. Maybe I’ll go buy a mattress or something. In the meanwhile, here are a few facts about this day a friend sent me. Enjoy. Presidents Day was established as a national holiday in 1885 to celebrate George Washington’s Birthday...

A WALK INTO THE LIONS? DEN

Posted on February 17, 2008
Lately my Saturday mornings have been spent teaching Business Law for the MBA program at the University of Indianapolis. One of my classes just finished so I had time to go over to the slating for the Marion County Democratic party. I didn’t go to see who the Democrats would slate as much [...

SUNDAY MORNING REFLECTIONS

Posted on February 17, 2008
I usually use my weekend posts to talk about local and state events and try to put them in perspective for the week, but this morning I decided to write about the shootings at Northern Illinois University this past week that claimed six innocent lives at last count...

SO THESE ARE THE NEW RULES

Posted on February 14, 2008
By now you’ve heard that Republican Congressional candidate Jon Elrod was captured on video by Democratic operatives handing campaign literature to a House staffer to mail.  There’s no question that is against the rules of using state employees to politic on government time...

THIS IS ALL FOREPLAY

Posted on February 14, 2008
I’ve been having some conversations with Indiana lawmakers today about everything that’s been going on in the General Assembly lately and everyone agrees that none of it matters.   There are negotiations behind the scene which my sources  describe as tense but progressive...

THANK GOD FOR KELVIN SAMPSON

Posted on February 14, 2008
Two candidates for the 7th Congressional District are probably thanking God this morning for IU basketball coach Kelvin Sampson. Sampson is in big trouble for several serious alleged violations of NCAA rules and now IU is scrambling for damage control...

PRIMARY COLORS

Posted on February 13, 2008
Marion County Clerk Beth White today says a legal opinion by Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita will cost taxpayers thousands of dollars and put the May 6 primary in jeopardy.  White had originally planned to use paper ballots for the March 11 special election for the 7th Congressional District, thereby freeing up the County’s [...

NOT THE FIRST TIME

Posted on February 13, 2008
7th Congressional District candidate Andre Carson raised a stir Tuesday night by skipping out on an Eastside neighborhood association meeting.  This was not the first time.  Carson also missed a scheduled candidate forum last Friday at Oasis Church near 25th and Keystone...

WILL HE OR WON?T HE?

Posted on February 12, 2008
I’m hearing conflicting signals this afternoon over whether House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Crawford will hear SB 280, Marion County Government Consolidation. A House Democratic spokesman says it is on the calender for a hearing tomorrow at 9 a...

CARSON SKIPS OUT ON EASTSIDE FORUM

Posted on February 12, 2008
Apparently someone in the Andre Carson camp isn’t too keen on sharing the stage tonight with Republican Jon Elrod and Libertarian Sean Shepard. Carson was supposed to appear tonight at the Community Heights Association neighborhood forum  at Arlington Heights Baptist Church on East 16th street, but dropped out at the last minute...

MCCAIN?S COMING TO TOWN

Posted on February 12, 2008
I just got word that John McCain is scheduled to come to town for a fund raiser on February 22. What’s ironic is the 22nd is the last day to file in Indiana and it’s also Washington’s Birthday.  Lunch with McCain will cost you $1,000, and a photo will run you $2,300...

CAPITOL CONVERSATION

Posted on February 11, 2008
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard is testifying this morning before the House Ways & Means Committee on the Governor’s Circuit breaker plan which would put hard caps on property tax assessments. Ballard told the committee he supports the caps in the wake of eliminating property taxes...

YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME

Posted on February 11, 2008
City-County Council Minority Leader Joanne Sanders has penned an editorial in today’s Indianapolis Star calling on fellow Councilors Ben Hunter and Lincoln Plowman to abstain from voting on tonight’s proposal to transfer IMPD from the Sheriff to the Mayor...

WHOSE MONEY IS IT ANYWAY?

Posted on February 11, 2008
A number of Mayors from across Indiana are going to testify this morning before the House Ways and Means Committee about the impact of Governor Mitch Daniels’ proposed caps on property tax assessments.  Most of them will complain that the caps will hurt their budgets and they will have to cut police and fire...

UP WHERE IMPD BELONGS

Posted on February 11, 2008
By a vote of 21-8, a bi-partisan group of City-County Councilors gave Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard the first major victory of his administration, control of the police department. Five Democrats joined 16 Republicans in voting to give the Mayor control of IMPD from the Marion County Sheriff...

WEEKEND UPDATE

Posted on February 09, 2008
I was out last night and picked up quite a few tidbits of information that I think are worth sharing so here they are. There may be an issue in Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson serving on the Merit Board as part of the deal to turn over IMPD to the Mayor...

INVITATION ACCEPTED

Posted on February 08, 2008
This just in.  Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard has accepted an invitation by House Democrats to testify Monday before the House Ways and Means Committee on the impact of Senate Joint Resolution One about the potential impact of property tax reform on the city...

YOU?RE INVITED

Posted on February 08, 2008
Indiana House Democrats have invited Mayor Greg Ballard to come testify before the Ways and Means Committee about how the Governor’s plan would impact the city of Indianapolis.   Many municipalities say they will lose millions under the Governor’s circuit breakers and property tax caps, and Democrats would expect the Mayor to say the same...

7TH DISTRICT SPLIT

Posted on February 08, 2008
I’ve been running some scenarios on the 7th Congressional District and it will be interesting how the vote will split.   If there is an anti-incumbent mood Andre Carson wins because the other candidates split the anti-establishment vote.  David Orenlichter can also score a victory if Carson, Carolene Mays, and Woody Myers split the African-American vote...

LUCK BE A LADY TONIGHT

Posted on February 07, 2008
The anti-gambling people are up in arms because the Legislature is moving forward with a plan to legalize pull tabs in bars, taverns and resteraunts.  When it comes to gambling, the Libertarian in me takes a seat at the front of the bus.  I don’t have a problem with it as long as it’s regulated [...

SWEET CAROLENE

Posted on February 06, 2008
State Representative Carolene Mays says the support is there to back her run in the May primary for the 7th Congressional District.  Mays lost her party’s nomination for the seat vacated  by the late Julia Carson.  Mays called it an “inside party vote” so she was not surprised at the outcome...

WILL SOMEONE TELL THE ?CHATTER CLASS? TO SHUT UP

Posted on February 06, 2008
As someone who is in the talk radio business, I find it deliciously ironic that the conservative chatter class is freaking out over a John McCain nomination for the Presidency.  McCain emerged Tuesday as the clear front runner in the Republican race.  The Limbaughs, Hannitys and Ingrams of the world are going crazy like R...

DID DAN BURTON CALL FOR AMNESTY FOR ILLEGALS?

Posted on February 05, 2008
There’s been a negative mailer circulating in the 5th Congressional District attacking Republican candidate John McGoff for his position on immigration.  However the people floating the mailer may want to also take a look at incumbent Dan Burton’s record...

I HATE BEING SICK

Posted on February 02, 2008
This week was tough on your favorite blogger/pundit.  I was hit with whatever bug is running around.  I don’t get sick very often, but when I do it’s a killer.  (Superman in a room full of kryptonite is the best analogy).  What made it worse was I couldn’t take time off from my 20-million jobs [...

TWO-WEEK EXTENSION

Posted on February 01, 2008
Although today was the deadline for the completion of the reassessment of commercial and industrial property, Marion County Assessor Greg Bowes says the project will take about two more weeks.  Bowes says Manatron, the company doing the assessment, need a couple more weeks to guarantee accuracy in it’s work...

Bloggers, promote your law blog by nominating your blog for inclusion in USLaw.com's Law Blog Directory and RSS Reader. Benefits described.