Cal Township Assessor ordered to repay funds

The State of Indiana Board of accounts continued in their pursuit of mis-use of funds case against Calumet Township Assessor Blumenberg and forwarded to the Attorney General a request to collect $16,800 of tax dollars that were used by the assessor to send out a mailing to residents. The mailing was "information" favoring keeping the assessor during the period leading up to the referendum last year. If you recall almost all assessors have been eliminated in Indiana, Calumet Township is one of only a handful remaining.

The State Board of Accounts has forwarded the $16,800 charge to the attorney general for collection.

"If I have to pay it, I'll pay it. But I don't think, under the circumstances, I'll have to pay it," Blumenberg said. "I don't think I did anything that was illegal." (via the Times)

One interesting side note to this story is the aggressive nature of those who are in elected office and seek to maintain that office, even if it is no longer of use to the taxpayers. I didn't see a single quote from this assessor about why the taxpayers are better served, merely quotes about why he felt he could legally spend the money and no one could stop him.