Hoosiers for Perry: Quick Opener: "During the run up to 2008, actually during 2007, I made my mind up that I was going to support Senator John McCain for President of the Unit..."
Head over for the rest of my reasoning and the start of my activities to support Rick Perry and connect to others who do as well.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Let the deadline lapse
Like many of you I've been watching this whole debt ceiling argument and frankly I'm frustrated with the Republicans. Sorry but this has been a messed up opportunity to actually reform government.
We could have agreed to eliminate a bunch of dumb tax breaks
We could have agreed to eliminate three or four entire federal departments
We could have agreed to reduce our military bases more, talk about pork
But no we focused on only a few lesser issues. No progress on real cuts, no real progress on raising the age for social security, no real progress on eliminating Obamacare.
Let's let this deadline lapse, let's see what the world looks like next week. Is it that bad to have a nation that can't borrow more money? Isn't that going to cause a reduction of supply, therefore a desire by the Chinese for more and willingness to pay more? Basic economics. I say rates will go down.
We could have agreed to eliminate a bunch of dumb tax breaks
We could have agreed to eliminate three or four entire federal departments
We could have agreed to reduce our military bases more, talk about pork
But no we focused on only a few lesser issues. No progress on real cuts, no real progress on raising the age for social security, no real progress on eliminating Obamacare.
Let's let this deadline lapse, let's see what the world looks like next week. Is it that bad to have a nation that can't borrow more money? Isn't that going to cause a reduction of supply, therefore a desire by the Chinese for more and willingness to pay more? Basic economics. I say rates will go down.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Hobart Vote on the Cal Burns Commission
7-0 (all members present) emphatically against the ordinance to adopt the commission.
Next stop on the van Til Traveling Roadshow? He should get a steamer trunk and put city stickers of all the councils before which he appeared to try to sell this "good for all that ails you" tonic upon it.
Next stop on the van Til Traveling Roadshow? He should get a steamer trunk and put city stickers of all the councils before which he appeared to try to sell this "good for all that ails you" tonic upon it.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Nickel and Dime Dead Weight
Sometimes it's the little things.
School Town of Munster is charging $150 to rent ($1000 to buy) a laptop. These are mandatory. Now putting aside all the various things that are wrong with this program (and there are a number of them), there is one bit of unadulterated dead weight.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we are still supposed to pay for a scientific calculator (with square root key) and forget about the hundred times more capable machine that's being added to the textbook mix. It's pointless, no worse, it's galling. It's like mandating your horseless carriage have a buggy whip.
HT: Kathy Giba
School Town of Munster is charging $150 to rent ($1000 to buy) a laptop. These are mandatory. Now putting aside all the various things that are wrong with this program (and there are a number of them), there is one bit of unadulterated dead weight.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we are still supposed to pay for a scientific calculator (with square root key) and forget about the hundred times more capable machine that's being added to the textbook mix. It's pointless, no worse, it's galling. It's like mandating your horseless carriage have a buggy whip.
HT: Kathy Giba
Thursday, July 14, 2011
The Debt Ceiling Debate: A Matters of Opinion Critique
The one thing that has been "the talk of the town" these past couple of weeks, at least as far as politics is concerned, is whether or not the debt ceiling should be raised, and what kind of deal should be cut. The scenario, originally, was playing out a little to my disapointment; just like in the 90's, government was going to come to a standstill (as a conservative I can't say I would notice, but regardless) and the Republicans in the House would be blamed for it, ushering in another 4 years under Democrat rule. It's not so much that I'm in favor of raising the debt ceiling. The part of me that recognizes the insanity of just letting government spend and spend and spend until we're taxing Americans making more than 30 grand a year 100% (don't snicker, it could happen) tells me that if we don't start making some tough decisions now, we won't have ANY decisions to make at a later date.
However, the part that recognizes the political mistakes that were made in the 90's and also the part that recognizes an increase in the debt ceiling is only a drop in the bucket when looking at all of the money we owe takes over at this point and, begrudgingly, my brain allows it. It sucks. There's no better word, really. It sucks that here we are, running up to the end of July, and we have to increase the debt ceiling in order to make good on our INTEREST for our debt, not to mention our ever increasing deficit in general. But, if fiscally responsible people are going to be able to WIN in 2012 and make sure that we have any kind of future worth talking about, we have to raise the debt ceiling; but, we don't have to do it without a fight.
And that is what has surprised me, over the past few days, regarding this whole mess. Republicans are presenting multiple options and ideas, and all that Obama and the Democrats can say in response is: We want to raise taxes. That's it! They're burying themselves with this; the public is seeing that the Republicans are trying to work out a way to fulfill their obligations to their constituents (which, as Republicans, more oft than not means a pledge to not raise taxes on ANYONE in such a volatile economy like the one we are in right now) while simultaneously trying to make sure that we, as a nation, are able to pay our bills and not get downgraded to a Aa rating.
Now, I'm not going to lie. When this whole debacle started up, I was not exactly "glass half full" about how the Republicans were handling it; but, then again, I'm not in Washington getting paid six figures, so I guess I should just chalk it up as that. But then, in the past couple of days, after reading the articles about President Obama's reactions to the Republicans' plans ("time to eat our peas", "call my bluff", etc.) I started to feel like he was getting flustered, and Obama doesn't do well when he's flustered.
On top of that, he has a birthday party planned for August 3rd with famous musicians singing songs to him, charging people an arm and a leg, all set up in Chicago? THAT would look bad. Correction, WILL look bad, no matter which way this goes. Plus, as a recent Gallup poll has shown today, Obama loses to "Generic Republican Candidate" 47% to 39%. All of these things put together make for a difficult political atmosphere for the President right now.
Ultimately, Republicans should hold their ground as long as they can ; they should make sure that they can drag as many spending cuts out of this administration as is possible, and if it looks like it is possible, they should push for a "balanced budget amendment" to the Constitution. But, at the end of the day on August 1st, they are going to have to raise that debt ceiling, or else they risk making the same mistake that Gingrich and the Republican House made in the 90's; and while not all Republicans are fiscally responsible, taking a gamble versus electing a President whom is not known to be exactly a "penny pincher" is an easy decision for anyone who is worried about the future of this nation.
Saturday, July 09, 2011
Cab Medallion
TM Lutas has, on more than one occasion, mentioned the need of an open jitney system as a solution to expensive public transit. As a tangent to that idea, I bring a video of what is about to happen to the most open taxi system in the country - the Washington DC system:
I wondered if having an open system like this would flood the streets with an overage of workers making their dilapidated cars barely profitable sweatshops on wheels, but by the looks of things, these are financially successful sole businessmen who make their living (didn't see ladies, though I'm sure there may be some) with worthy rides. I also see men who can still use a low skill, yet honorable, job as a way to make it in America when they come from overseas. I also see a 100% Democrat (you know, the party of the working man?) council ready to reduce the number of cabbies by 2/3rds with a medallion system that gives power to big business and guts the revenue of the remaining drivers.
But the Democrat council also sees a group of successful free men. Not a protected group for which to feel pity while simultaneously shaking down. Not a voting bloc. Not a system that needs government management. In other words, they see the enemy.
Update: I think I was too subtle in why this has a local dimension with my opening reference, so I'll be more clear here. After I saw what a good job the taxi drivers did with providing affordable taxi rides in DC, since it is a job that pays the bills, it is a safe working environment for cabbie and fare, and it has lifelong career potential, TM Lutas' jitney idea would be an excellent alternative to the hundreds of millions required to extend the South Shore. There currently are van pools which ferry workers to the Loop and back (and the Tri State bus system to the airports), but I can also foresee mini buses as being a good deal, too. But I can predict, as sure as sunrise, how the Lake County Democrats will react based on their equally honorable counterparts in DC, and why this will remain a fool's dream with no chance on earth for consideration.
I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own. - British TV show The Prisoner
Video credit Moonbattery.
Warning: some salty language for the first ten seconds, then at 4:14.
I wondered if having an open system like this would flood the streets with an overage of workers making their dilapidated cars barely profitable sweatshops on wheels, but by the looks of things, these are financially successful sole businessmen who make their living (didn't see ladies, though I'm sure there may be some) with worthy rides. I also see men who can still use a low skill, yet honorable, job as a way to make it in America when they come from overseas. I also see a 100% Democrat (you know, the party of the working man?) council ready to reduce the number of cabbies by 2/3rds with a medallion system that gives power to big business and guts the revenue of the remaining drivers.
But the Democrat council also sees a group of successful free men. Not a protected group for which to feel pity while simultaneously shaking down. Not a voting bloc. Not a system that needs government management. In other words, they see the enemy.
Update: I think I was too subtle in why this has a local dimension with my opening reference, so I'll be more clear here. After I saw what a good job the taxi drivers did with providing affordable taxi rides in DC, since it is a job that pays the bills, it is a safe working environment for cabbie and fare, and it has lifelong career potential, TM Lutas' jitney idea would be an excellent alternative to the hundreds of millions required to extend the South Shore. There currently are van pools which ferry workers to the Loop and back (and the Tri State bus system to the airports), but I can also foresee mini buses as being a good deal, too. But I can predict, as sure as sunrise, how the Lake County Democrats will react based on their equally honorable counterparts in DC, and why this will remain a fool's dream with no chance on earth for consideration.
I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own. - British TV show The Prisoner
Video credit Moonbattery.
Thursday, July 07, 2011
Consolidated Dispatch. Police Chief explains why it will be a disaster in Lake County. Kernan-Shepard report strikes again!
This is part two in a short series of articles about legislation resulting from the Kernan-Shepard report and the potential damage that can be done. Part one is found here.
During the Cedar Lake Summerfest, I spotted a Police Officer in uniform and I called out to him to thank him for his service. To my surprise, it was Cedar Lake Chief of Police Roger Patz! So I shook his hand and we talked for a minute. I make no bones about my Republican stand and he let me know he is always officially neutral politically and naturally I agreed a Police Chief should avoid being an official party supporter of any kind and let the voting machine know which way he votes rather than the public.
Chief Patz is what we used to call in the military STRAC. I do mean this in the best possible way. He was absolutely dressed for the occasion, all badges and stars in place, neatly pressed uniform, straight posture, firm handshake, confident look in his eyes without a trace of arrogance, very willing to listen and fortunately also willing to discuss matters of interest. I was happy to ask him to give me his opinion of consolidated dispatch because I had heard two government officials discussing it with alarm and disgust. Naturally I wanted our Police Chief to weigh in. He very graciously told me what he saw as the primary problems of the system, and how it would really cause great potential harm to Cedar Lake citizens. He shared a story of a young woman who found refuge at the station late at night, seeking to get away from her abusive husband who had been beating her. She was battered and frightened. Fortunately the doors are open at night and a dispatcher is on duty at all times. This turned from important to vital when the young woman suddenly fell to the floor and began having a fit that seemed to be perhaps an epileptic event. The dispatcher called 911 and came out to render first aid and the woman was helped and she did live. If the doors were closed what would have happened to that young woman? If the building was empty, where would she have gone for shelter and who would have saved her life?
I told Chief Patz that I could be like a typical local newspaper columnist and go off of notes and my memory and try to tell his story. But I said that a professional journalist would want to get the Chief's professional opinion exactly right. Chief Patz agreed to email me his expert opinion. The following is the letter I received from our Chief of Police here in Cedar Lake, Indiana:
Mr. Binder,
Thank you for asking about consolidation and how it will effect Cedar Lake. Here is some of the information that you requested.
These are my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of Cedar Lake Town Council.
Governor Mitch Daniels commissioned the Kernan-Shepard Report, with the primary intention of reducing the size of government , thereby reducing the cost of government to the citizens. Many areas of government can successfully be reduced or even eliminated saving taxpayers substantially, without any loss or reduction in services.
This in my opinion is not the case with consolidation of dispatching services in large urban areas like Lake County. Most of our State is made up of rural counties, with small towns and lower population. In these areas, consolidation of services is easy, efficient and in many cases already done. In large population areas like Lake County, where there are 16 cities and towns, each one unique in it’s own right, consolidation of dispatch services is not in the best interests of the citizens served and will not reduce the coast of government but will in face raise the cost with an increase in 911 taxes accessed on cell phone and land line phones. Even these additional tax revenues will not be enough in the short term to establish one or two consolidated centers.
The law as originally drafted requires that by December 31, 2014, there be no more that two PSAPs (public safety answering points) or 911 centers per county. In the final adopted law, the definition of PSAP was changed to mean all public safety communications systems. This is an important distinction.
Prior to 1982, 911 was in its infancy and was only housed at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. When a 911 call came in and was for services in Cedar Lake, the call was simply transferred to Cedar Lake Police and the call was handled.
If the original draft of the consolidation law had been adopted, the County could relocate the PSAPs to one or two central locations. When a 911 call was received for a particular community, with the push of a button, the call could have been transferred to that community for their response. “Rolling Back” the PSAPS would consolidate 911 and leave each police dispatch center intact. This could save millions of dollars, with no loss of services.
Now, with the adopted law (with the expanded definition of PSAP), Lake County wants to build two new facilities to house 911 and dispatch services. The new centers would be managed by a director and staffed each shift by as many as 30 dispatchers and call takers. The county would need to employ the dispatchers which means that the county payroll will expand greatly, as well as the provision of insurance, pension contributions, and a whole new layer of government is created. Local cities and towns will have to decide if they will hire additional employees to handle walk in traffic at their stations, as well as route administrative phone calls OR close their police stations after reasonable business hours to walk in traffic.
In a small town, our dispatch center is not only the heat beat of the police station, it serves as a twenty-four hour community hub. When town offices close for the day, the dispatch center still takes calls and provides citizens with needed information on a variety or services. Closing our dispatch center means a significant reduction in services to the people of Cedar Lake.
This is just the tip of the iceberg!
It was nice to meet you. Please let me know If you have questions or need additional information.
Thank You!
Roger
Roger A. Patz
Cedar Lake Police Department
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chief Patz, thank YOU!
You can see these are the words of a gentleman and a professional and you can plainly understand his concerns. There is anecdotal story after anecdotal story about the Cedar Lake Police, how they remember the old numbering systems so they find a home that Google Maps or some dispatcher in Munster would never recognize, about their involvement in the community so that they know the troubled couples and know the troublemakers and find out what assets are in place in the community to help people find a way to get through in hard times. I have seen police officers seeking to help advise a youngster when the easy way would have been grab the handcuffs and toss the kid in the slammer. This police force knows their community. I see them come to all sorts of events in greater numbers than needed, not just as policemen but to be part of community.
Also, I love dogs and so does my wife. Anytime we see a wandering dog who has slipped his collar that we do not recognize, we call him over, put him in our fenced-in dog area and call the police station to report the lost dog. Done this twice this year already and we are only halfway through. A police station open for business, so to speak, at all hours can save lives or reunite owners and pets. Everybody in town knows if you are missing a child you call the police and they will all be on the alert. Everybody in town knows to call the police if your dog wanders off and the police will call you back if the dog is found. These people care!
This is not simply a Cedar Lake problem. Chief Patz told me virtually every Police Chief in Lake County is ready to state their case for revising or recalling this legislation. Consider this article excerpt from a source I would call something of a 'hostile witness' because they tend to support big government, the Times:
Russ St. Myers can visualize Crown Point's streets as he fields a 911 call.
St. Myers, who is the city's emergency communication center manager, said his familiarity with local landmarks and geography can provide peace of mind to a frazzled caller who isn't sure of his or her location during an emergency.
"We can make the response to that particular person in need that much quicker," he said.
The knowledge St. Myers and other local dispatchers have of the communities they serve is what many Lake County-based police officials said they fear losing under a state-mandated consolidation of emergency dispatch centers.
Indiana law requires all counties to consolidate their dispatch centers by Dec. 31, 2014. The 2008 law allows each county up to two public safety answering points.
That means all of Lake County's 911 calls would be routed to central locations rather than to the municipality in which the calls originate.
Lake County currently has 18 dispatch centers, county financial consultant Jim Bennett told The Times.
The Lake County Council and commissioners approved an ordinance last week creating an 11-member advisory board to steer the consolidation effort.
County officials are moving forward with the mandate despite concerns from police officials who worry how it will impact public safety in their communities.
"I don't think it's going to work, but I hope I'm wrong," Lake Station Police Chief Mike Stills said.
Other police officials say they believe the consolidation will save taxpayers' money and provide residents better service in the long run.
Many Indiana counties, including Porter, already have consolidated dispatch centers.
And with the state-mandated deadline for dispatch consolidation looming, Lake County officials say they soon will have little choice but to follow the law.
Boosting coordination
Not all region police officials are troubled by the planned consolidation.
Lowell Police Chief John Shelhart said a consolidated dispatch center will boost safety in his southern Lake County town.
He described a typical scenario for Lowell, which has only one dispatcher on duty at a time. If that dispatcher answers a 911 call, he or she can't hang up until emergency personnel arrive at the caller's location.
Shelhart said that can put the rest of the town at risk because there is no one else to answer another.
Police officials from some other departments said they also favor a consolidated dispatch center.
Munster Police Chief Steve Scheckel said he supports the consolidation.
And Gary Deputy Police Chief Michael Mallett said his city would like to join the consolidated center soon. But it's mostly a financial temptation for the Steel City, which is battling severe budget woes.
"We're always willing to try anything new," Mallett said. "We've always wanted to work closely with other departments in the county."
Unfamiliar territory
Despite the benefits of a consolidated center touted by some local departments, other region agencies continue to voice concerns.
Stills said he wonders if county dispatch can replicate his city's attention to detail. Lake Station dispatchers send responders to every call, no matter how minor, he said.
Stills said that is not something every department has the manpower to do.
"The best way to serve the citizens is to be right there with your citizens, to know the streets and know the community," he added.
Stills also said he worries about what a mistake in address could mean for police responding to an emergency.
"The public is not interested in any excuse of delay of dispatching or us being sent to the wrong address," he said. "They want the service they've always enjoyed."
Hammond Police Chief Brian Miller echoed Stills' concerns.
"Our dispatchers are intimately familiar with our city and our officers," he said. "They know certain addresses that are extremely dangerous or areas that are volatile. They can notice the change in an officer's voice."
Upside, downside
None of the police officials interviewed by The Times challenged the wisdom of consolidating police services in some situations, however.
In fact, officials from several police departments pointed out the successes they've had with other regional police collaborations including the Northwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy and Northwest Indiana Major Crimes Task Force. Both initiatives pool region police resources.
But Lake County's consolidation plan requires police officials to relinquish control of their dispatch centers to county officials. It also means some local dispatchers will lose their jobs, financial consultant Bennett said.
Bennett said Lake County officials plan to interview all of the local dispatchers who apply for positions in the consolidated dispatch center. He said they likely will hire existing dispatchers because they already have training.
One chief, one vote
Police dispatch consolidation appears inevitable.
The Lake County Council and commissioners recently approved an ordinance creating an 11-member advisory board to oversee the consolidation.
The board will be made up primarily of police and fire chiefs from communities of various sizes. Board members will make recommendations to the County Council.
"In 99 percent of cases, the council and commissioners will follow the advice of this board," Bennett said. "It will be very hard for the county commissioners to go another way. These guys are the experts."
But some police chiefs challenge the setup of the advisory board.
The board will be made up of one police chief from either Hammond, East Chicago or Gary; one police chief from either Crown Point, Hobart, Lake Station or Whiting; two police chiefs from Lake County's town police departments; one fire chief from either Gary, Hammond, Hobart or East Chicago; one fire chief selected from the other fire departments in the county; the Lake County sheriff; a county commissioner and a County Council member.
The board also is to have two nonvoting members: a county commissioners' representative and the Lake County Emergency Management director.
The members from each pairing will recommend a representative to the county commissioners, who will make the appointments.
Cedar Lake Police Chief Roger Patz said each chief should have one vote.
"We're going to be thrown into the mix and not have a voice," he said.
Patz, who also is president of the Northwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in Hobart, referenced the academy's setup, where each municipality has equal representation.
How much will it cost?
Bennett said county officials are still "six to eight months away" from cost estimates for the project. The consolidation is what officials call an "unfunded mandate," meaning the county has to foot the bill for the state demand.
In addition to a building for the central dispatch center, county officials also need to tie all the dispatch radio frequencies together and integrate software and records.
Gary and Hammond are the only municipalities not on a standard data system in common with other departments.
Bennett said the county's plan also may not eliminate the need for municipalities to have local dispatch for garbage trucks, the street department or public works. The consolidation is meant only for police, fire and ambulance service.
That information upset several police officials, including Patz.
"What's the point of consolidation? What's the benefit?" he asked. "You're duplicating services again."
But many of Lake County's neighbors to the east and west already have consolidated their 911 dispatch centers.
Consolidation elsewhere
In Illinois, South Holland police consolidated their 911 dispatch center more than three years ago with Riverdale, Flossmoor, Homewood, Glenwood and Hazelcrest.
South Holland Deputy Chief Greg Baker said the center is run by an executive board comprised of members of all the municipalities involved. Each municipality pays a percentage of the cost based on call volume and other factors, he added.
Each has an equal vote.
"It's not an easy decision," Baker said of giving up sole control of dispatch. "It's somewhat tough, but logically and financially ... the decision is really much easier than what you would think."
Porter County's dispatch consolidation hasn't been without bumps in the road, officials there said. There have been some complaints of static and low sound levels in messages from the dispatch center.
But Portage Police Chief Mark Becker said he believes the consolidation enhances public safety. He said county officials have been receptive to feedback on corrections needed to the service.
"There was a very emotional response because people don't like change," Becker said. "They think local can do it better. We fought that emotional battle with people, but we still felt it was the right thing to do."
Read more: http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/article_7be8a17a-6526-5fd2-9a3b-371812e4001d.html#ixzz1RTZXWu9q
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Make sure you have a pop-up blocker if you go to the above site!
WHAT SOME COUNTY IN ILLINOIS DOES IS IRRELEVANT
I'm sorry, but the concept that other counties have consolidated dispatch so Lake County should, too, is so fifth grade.
"Everybody else gets to go see (insert name of movie or concert or etc), why can't I?" Asks the woeful child.
"If everybody else jumps off a cliff, are you going to jump, too?" Says the mother.
The Times article is an attempt to put a smiley face on legislation that will cost Lake County several things.
During the Cedar Lake Summerfest, I spotted a Police Officer in uniform and I called out to him to thank him for his service. To my surprise, it was Cedar Lake Chief of Police Roger Patz! So I shook his hand and we talked for a minute. I make no bones about my Republican stand and he let me know he is always officially neutral politically and naturally I agreed a Police Chief should avoid being an official party supporter of any kind and let the voting machine know which way he votes rather than the public.
Chief Patz is what we used to call in the military STRAC. I do mean this in the best possible way. He was absolutely dressed for the occasion, all badges and stars in place, neatly pressed uniform, straight posture, firm handshake, confident look in his eyes without a trace of arrogance, very willing to listen and fortunately also willing to discuss matters of interest. I was happy to ask him to give me his opinion of consolidated dispatch because I had heard two government officials discussing it with alarm and disgust. Naturally I wanted our Police Chief to weigh in. He very graciously told me what he saw as the primary problems of the system, and how it would really cause great potential harm to Cedar Lake citizens. He shared a story of a young woman who found refuge at the station late at night, seeking to get away from her abusive husband who had been beating her. She was battered and frightened. Fortunately the doors are open at night and a dispatcher is on duty at all times. This turned from important to vital when the young woman suddenly fell to the floor and began having a fit that seemed to be perhaps an epileptic event. The dispatcher called 911 and came out to render first aid and the woman was helped and she did live. If the doors were closed what would have happened to that young woman? If the building was empty, where would she have gone for shelter and who would have saved her life?
I told Chief Patz that I could be like a typical local newspaper columnist and go off of notes and my memory and try to tell his story. But I said that a professional journalist would want to get the Chief's professional opinion exactly right. Chief Patz agreed to email me his expert opinion. The following is the letter I received from our Chief of Police here in Cedar Lake, Indiana:
Mr. Binder,
Thank you for asking about consolidation and how it will effect Cedar Lake. Here is some of the information that you requested.
These are my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of Cedar Lake Town Council.
Governor Mitch Daniels commissioned the Kernan-Shepard Report, with the primary intention of reducing the size of government , thereby reducing the cost of government to the citizens. Many areas of government can successfully be reduced or even eliminated saving taxpayers substantially, without any loss or reduction in services.
This in my opinion is not the case with consolidation of dispatching services in large urban areas like Lake County. Most of our State is made up of rural counties, with small towns and lower population. In these areas, consolidation of services is easy, efficient and in many cases already done. In large population areas like Lake County, where there are 16 cities and towns, each one unique in it’s own right, consolidation of dispatch services is not in the best interests of the citizens served and will not reduce the coast of government but will in face raise the cost with an increase in 911 taxes accessed on cell phone and land line phones. Even these additional tax revenues will not be enough in the short term to establish one or two consolidated centers.
The law as originally drafted requires that by December 31, 2014, there be no more that two PSAPs (public safety answering points) or 911 centers per county. In the final adopted law, the definition of PSAP was changed to mean all public safety communications systems. This is an important distinction.
Prior to 1982, 911 was in its infancy and was only housed at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. When a 911 call came in and was for services in Cedar Lake, the call was simply transferred to Cedar Lake Police and the call was handled.
In the years to follow, the County placed 911 answering points (PSAP) in each police station in the county. Each agency was now responsible for answering it’s own 911 calls directly. This new system cost millions to build out.
If the original draft of the consolidation law had been adopted, the County could relocate the PSAPs to one or two central locations. When a 911 call was received for a particular community, with the push of a button, the call could have been transferred to that community for their response. “Rolling Back” the PSAPS would consolidate 911 and leave each police dispatch center intact. This could save millions of dollars, with no loss of services.
Now, with the adopted law (with the expanded definition of PSAP), Lake County wants to build two new facilities to house 911 and dispatch services. The new centers would be managed by a director and staffed each shift by as many as 30 dispatchers and call takers. The county would need to employ the dispatchers which means that the county payroll will expand greatly, as well as the provision of insurance, pension contributions, and a whole new layer of government is created. Local cities and towns will have to decide if they will hire additional employees to handle walk in traffic at their stations, as well as route administrative phone calls OR close their police stations after reasonable business hours to walk in traffic.
In a small town, our dispatch center is not only the heat beat of the police station, it serves as a twenty-four hour community hub. When town offices close for the day, the dispatch center still takes calls and provides citizens with needed information on a variety or services. Closing our dispatch center means a significant reduction in services to the people of Cedar Lake.
This is just the tip of the iceberg!
It was nice to meet you. Please let me know If you have questions or need additional information.
Thank You!
Roger
Chief of Police
Cedar Lake Police Department
P.O. Box 305
Cedar Lake, Indiana 46303
219-374-5416 ext. 110
219-374-4448 fax
2nd Vice-President, Indiana
Association of Chiefs of Police
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chief Patz, thank YOU!
You can see these are the words of a gentleman and a professional and you can plainly understand his concerns. There is anecdotal story after anecdotal story about the Cedar Lake Police, how they remember the old numbering systems so they find a home that Google Maps or some dispatcher in Munster would never recognize, about their involvement in the community so that they know the troubled couples and know the troublemakers and find out what assets are in place in the community to help people find a way to get through in hard times. I have seen police officers seeking to help advise a youngster when the easy way would have been grab the handcuffs and toss the kid in the slammer. This police force knows their community. I see them come to all sorts of events in greater numbers than needed, not just as policemen but to be part of community.
Also, I love dogs and so does my wife. Anytime we see a wandering dog who has slipped his collar that we do not recognize, we call him over, put him in our fenced-in dog area and call the police station to report the lost dog. Done this twice this year already and we are only halfway through. A police station open for business, so to speak, at all hours can save lives or reunite owners and pets. Everybody in town knows if you are missing a child you call the police and they will all be on the alert. Everybody in town knows to call the police if your dog wanders off and the police will call you back if the dog is found. These people care!
This is not simply a Cedar Lake problem. Chief Patz told me virtually every Police Chief in Lake County is ready to state their case for revising or recalling this legislation. Consider this article excerpt from a source I would call something of a 'hostile witness' because they tend to support big government, the Times:
Police officials debate 911 dispatch consolidation
Russ St. Myers can visualize Crown Point's streets as he fields a 911 call.
St. Myers, who is the city's emergency communication center manager, said his familiarity with local landmarks and geography can provide peace of mind to a frazzled caller who isn't sure of his or her location during an emergency.
"We can make the response to that particular person in need that much quicker," he said.
The knowledge St. Myers and other local dispatchers have of the communities they serve is what many Lake County-based police officials said they fear losing under a state-mandated consolidation of emergency dispatch centers.
Indiana law requires all counties to consolidate their dispatch centers by Dec. 31, 2014. The 2008 law allows each county up to two public safety answering points.
That means all of Lake County's 911 calls would be routed to central locations rather than to the municipality in which the calls originate.
Lake County currently has 18 dispatch centers, county financial consultant Jim Bennett told The Times.
The Lake County Council and commissioners approved an ordinance last week creating an 11-member advisory board to steer the consolidation effort.
County officials are moving forward with the mandate despite concerns from police officials who worry how it will impact public safety in their communities.
"I don't think it's going to work, but I hope I'm wrong," Lake Station Police Chief Mike Stills said.
Other police officials say they believe the consolidation will save taxpayers' money and provide residents better service in the long run.
Many Indiana counties, including Porter, already have consolidated dispatch centers.
And with the state-mandated deadline for dispatch consolidation looming, Lake County officials say they soon will have little choice but to follow the law.
Boosting coordination
Not all region police officials are troubled by the planned consolidation.
Lowell Police Chief John Shelhart said a consolidated dispatch center will boost safety in his southern Lake County town.
He described a typical scenario for Lowell, which has only one dispatcher on duty at a time. If that dispatcher answers a 911 call, he or she can't hang up until emergency personnel arrive at the caller's location.
Shelhart said that can put the rest of the town at risk because there is no one else to answer another.
Police officials from some other departments said they also favor a consolidated dispatch center.
Munster Police Chief Steve Scheckel said he supports the consolidation.
And Gary Deputy Police Chief Michael Mallett said his city would like to join the consolidated center soon. But it's mostly a financial temptation for the Steel City, which is battling severe budget woes.
"We're always willing to try anything new," Mallett said. "We've always wanted to work closely with other departments in the county."
Unfamiliar territory
Despite the benefits of a consolidated center touted by some local departments, other region agencies continue to voice concerns.
Stills said he wonders if county dispatch can replicate his city's attention to detail. Lake Station dispatchers send responders to every call, no matter how minor, he said.
Stills said that is not something every department has the manpower to do.
"The best way to serve the citizens is to be right there with your citizens, to know the streets and know the community," he added.
Stills also said he worries about what a mistake in address could mean for police responding to an emergency.
"The public is not interested in any excuse of delay of dispatching or us being sent to the wrong address," he said. "They want the service they've always enjoyed."
Hammond Police Chief Brian Miller echoed Stills' concerns.
"Our dispatchers are intimately familiar with our city and our officers," he said. "They know certain addresses that are extremely dangerous or areas that are volatile. They can notice the change in an officer's voice."
Upside, downside
None of the police officials interviewed by The Times challenged the wisdom of consolidating police services in some situations, however.
In fact, officials from several police departments pointed out the successes they've had with other regional police collaborations including the Northwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy and Northwest Indiana Major Crimes Task Force. Both initiatives pool region police resources.
But Lake County's consolidation plan requires police officials to relinquish control of their dispatch centers to county officials. It also means some local dispatchers will lose their jobs, financial consultant Bennett said.
Bennett said Lake County officials plan to interview all of the local dispatchers who apply for positions in the consolidated dispatch center. He said they likely will hire existing dispatchers because they already have training.
One chief, one vote
Police dispatch consolidation appears inevitable.
The Lake County Council and commissioners recently approved an ordinance creating an 11-member advisory board to oversee the consolidation.
The board will be made up primarily of police and fire chiefs from communities of various sizes. Board members will make recommendations to the County Council.
"In 99 percent of cases, the council and commissioners will follow the advice of this board," Bennett said. "It will be very hard for the county commissioners to go another way. These guys are the experts."
But some police chiefs challenge the setup of the advisory board.
The board will be made up of one police chief from either Hammond, East Chicago or Gary; one police chief from either Crown Point, Hobart, Lake Station or Whiting; two police chiefs from Lake County's town police departments; one fire chief from either Gary, Hammond, Hobart or East Chicago; one fire chief selected from the other fire departments in the county; the Lake County sheriff; a county commissioner and a County Council member.
The board also is to have two nonvoting members: a county commissioners' representative and the Lake County Emergency Management director.
The members from each pairing will recommend a representative to the county commissioners, who will make the appointments.
Cedar Lake Police Chief Roger Patz said each chief should have one vote.
"We're going to be thrown into the mix and not have a voice," he said.
Patz, who also is president of the Northwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in Hobart, referenced the academy's setup, where each municipality has equal representation.
How much will it cost?
Bennett said county officials are still "six to eight months away" from cost estimates for the project. The consolidation is what officials call an "unfunded mandate," meaning the county has to foot the bill for the state demand.
In addition to a building for the central dispatch center, county officials also need to tie all the dispatch radio frequencies together and integrate software and records.
Gary and Hammond are the only municipalities not on a standard data system in common with other departments.
Bennett said the county's plan also may not eliminate the need for municipalities to have local dispatch for garbage trucks, the street department or public works. The consolidation is meant only for police, fire and ambulance service.
That information upset several police officials, including Patz.
"What's the point of consolidation? What's the benefit?" he asked. "You're duplicating services again."
But many of Lake County's neighbors to the east and west already have consolidated their 911 dispatch centers.
Consolidation elsewhere
In Illinois, South Holland police consolidated their 911 dispatch center more than three years ago with Riverdale, Flossmoor, Homewood, Glenwood and Hazelcrest.
South Holland Deputy Chief Greg Baker said the center is run by an executive board comprised of members of all the municipalities involved. Each municipality pays a percentage of the cost based on call volume and other factors, he added.
Each has an equal vote.
"It's not an easy decision," Baker said of giving up sole control of dispatch. "It's somewhat tough, but logically and financially ... the decision is really much easier than what you would think."
Porter County's dispatch consolidation hasn't been without bumps in the road, officials there said. There have been some complaints of static and low sound levels in messages from the dispatch center.
But Portage Police Chief Mark Becker said he believes the consolidation enhances public safety. He said county officials have been receptive to feedback on corrections needed to the service.
"There was a very emotional response because people don't like change," Becker said. "They think local can do it better. We fought that emotional battle with people, but we still felt it was the right thing to do."
Read more: http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/article_7be8a17a-6526-5fd2-9a3b-371812e4001d.html#ixzz1RTZXWu9q
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Make sure you have a pop-up blocker if you go to the above site!
WHAT SOME COUNTY IN ILLINOIS DOES IS IRRELEVANT
I'm sorry, but the concept that other counties have consolidated dispatch so Lake County should, too, is so fifth grade.
"Everybody else gets to go see (insert name of movie or concert or etc), why can't I?" Asks the woeful child.
"If everybody else jumps off a cliff, are you going to jump, too?" Says the mother.
The Times article is an attempt to put a smiley face on legislation that will cost Lake County several things.
- Local control and response to emergencies will be gone
- Wasted resources spent on the modernized 911 system already in place
- Wasted money building out a new dispatch system and all that goes with it
- Jobs lost by dispatchers being given to more bureaucrats instead
- More centralized control over local areas means local areas are not represented or protected
- Worst of all, there will be lives ruined or even lost because a non-local dispatcher will not know where to send help and help will not come in time
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Hobart Punts
Approval for the van Til River Board was on the agenda this evening at the City Council meeting, but due to Mr. van Til's notifying the city that he wanted to appear with "new information" about the case that is supposed to wow them, they postponed action on the ordinance, and scheduled a public meeting, date time and location to be announced soon (most likely the 20th in Council Chambers). More to come in the local soap opera As the Worm Turns.
Kernan-Shepard Report. Will uniting government services within counties be helpful or destructive?
"Why is Indiana such a great state? Maybe part of the reason is that we have not looked at other states and considered them as role models. Perhaps instead of looking around us and thinking we should mimic less successful states, we could celebrate our unique status as one of the finest states in the Union and let them mimic us?" - AmericanVet
I'll post in color to differentiate between articles that are referenced...
Let's take a look...I intend to write a series of articles about this subject and present viewpoints from around the state. This article caught my eye and so first, Debbie Lowe's article on the subject. Pertaining primarily to Senate Bill 512:
Kernan-Shepard report threatens township leaders
Hershman
A front page article in last week's Comet told about Deer Creek Township leaders' desire to divest the township of surplus taxpayer money. The township trustee expressed concern that if the State of Indiana mandates a change in county government structure, possibly the township level of government would be abolished. She expressed fear the township would lose control of the money accumulated over the years.
In July 2007, Governor Mitch Daniels appointed the state Commission on Local Government Reform. The commission, co-chaired by former Democratic Governor Joe Kerman and Supreme Court Justice Randall T. Shepard, made 27 recommendations to streamline local government. The report was released nearly one year ago on Dec. 11, 2007.
One of those recommendations was to eliminate township government.
State Senator Brandt Hershman said Monday he would warn township trustees and advisory boards the money in question is not "township" money.
"It is unfortunate that the Kernan- Shepard Report is viewed as a threat rather than an opportunity," he said. "Ultimately my concern is the apparent feeling is that this is "township" money, because it is really 'taxpayer' money."
Hershman said the report was an "honest attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of our government." He said it developed a "series of observations about Indiana government" which provided "an opportunity to talk about how things could be better" in Indiana.
Hershman said if local government structure would be changed and result in the dissolution of township government, township services and responsibilities would be assumed by another entity. However services would remain intact. He said taxpayers fund those services now and would continue to fund them.
"To empty township accounts will force leaders to go back to the taxpayers to pay for the services," he advised.
Hershman challenged taxpayers to name a business which has not changed to keep step with the times in the past 100 years due to competition. He said local government is the only business which has remained the same.
"Townships were created when it took a half-a-day by horse to reach the county seat," he explained. "That just isn't the case anymore."
Townships operate with structured budgets and spending plans, much like the ones with which the county council works. Townships receive money from property taxes via tax rates for a general fund, township assistance (formerly poor relief), fire fighting, parks and recreation, library, etc. State statute provides for the establishment of line items and the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance approves tax rates for them.
Each township is required by state statute to publish an annual financial report that details the financial history of the township for the previous year. All numbers presented in this article were taken from the townships' 2007 annual reports published in the Comet in the winter and spring of 2008.
According to "Here's Your Indiana Government," townships gener- ally function as "civil corporations for the administration of poor relief, assessment of taxable property and related functions."
The township trustee, with the consent of the township board, may purchase firefighting equipment and employ firefighters. The total township funds across the county for the line item "firefighting" to begin 2008 was $1,018,492.30 and in the line item "cumulative fire" was $451,297.95 for all townships in the county.
No two townships control the same amount of tax revenue and investments. The total amount at the end of 2007 for all townships combined in township assistance, formerly known as poor relief, equaled $326,518.31.
All townships contained $1,113,509.20 combined in their general funds at the end of 2007. Every township, except for Liberty Township, began 2008 with an amount in the tens of thousands of dollars. According to former township trustee and current county council member Ron Slavens, that number represents money available to the township to spend on any item budgeted.
"Townships suffered the same money woes as the council did," Slavens explained. "Most of them just managed it better."
Slavens explained some 2007 township property tax settlements were not received until after the first of January 2008, which skewed the amount of funds available downward on the annual reports.
Hershman said he was not convinced all of the recommendations in the report are needed. He said he did not anticipate all 27 would be addressed this year.
"But let's talk about it," he added. "Why shouldn't we examine these things?"
Hershman emphasized all changes to local government structure would be legislated according to state statute. He said bills are expected to be authored this year, introduced and then sent to committees. Bills with merit would be accepted into committee and then studied, which would include testimony received from local representatives about the benefits and pitfalls of the proposed bills.
Hershman said constituents can become and remained informed about the Kernan- Shepard report by accessing his Web site at in.gov/s7 and clicking on the "Kernan- Shepard Report" link. Hershman said his office distributes a survey at the first of the year to solicit input from taxpayers. He said he reads every personal response personally.
"I ask for their opinions because I want to hear them," he said.
He said he can be reached by E-mail via his web site and encouraged taxpayers to attend Third House Sessions. held in Monticello, for Carroll and White counties' residents. The meetings are held the third Saturday of the month at 9:30 a.m. at the Brandywine Complex, beginning in January.
"I consider the Kernan- Shepard Report a carefully considered effort and a framework for discussion and a very useful document," he concluded.
~~~~~~~~~~
I did email Senator Herschman and also went to his site to find that link. Not on the front page. That was disappointing. We as taxpayers know that township money stays in the township and is used for the township and we are quite concerned about giving that money to a wasteful central County government, particularly in Lake County.
I did find Senator Beverly Gard had these words posted on her site:
"...Five bills on local government reform are currently active in the State Senate. Two are awaiting amendment by the full Senate and could be voted on this week. Three others have received committee hearings and are awaiting committee action this week.
It is anyone’s guess how these bills will look as the session progresses. While the discussions are not easy, they are necessary. All government needs to be scrutinized from time to time and these discussions are long overdue. How I will vote on final bill, probably not until the end of
April, depends on what the bills have in them at that time. What I won’t do, however, is vote to kill these proposals this early in the process. All legislators - not just a few committee members - need to be engaged in these debates."
So I am very glad that my Senator, Sue Landske, is the Assistant President Pro Tempore of the Senate, because she has been a great name in my area and she will have great influence over legislation. If I can get her opinion on this situation I will surely have her weigh in!
The Kernan-Shepard report states that We live in the only state in the nation that divides fiscal and other legislative policy-making between two county entities – the board of commissioners and the county council...
I'll post in color to differentiate between articles that are referenced...
Let's take a look...I intend to write a series of articles about this subject and present viewpoints from around the state. This article caught my eye and so first, Debbie Lowe's article on the subject. Pertaining primarily to Senate Bill 512:
Kernan-Shepard report threatens township leaders
2008-11-12 / Front Page
Hershman A front page article in last week's Comet told about Deer Creek Township leaders' desire to divest the township of surplus taxpayer money. The township trustee expressed concern that if the State of Indiana mandates a change in county government structure, possibly the township level of government would be abolished. She expressed fear the township would lose control of the money accumulated over the years.
In July 2007, Governor Mitch Daniels appointed the state Commission on Local Government Reform. The commission, co-chaired by former Democratic Governor Joe Kerman and Supreme Court Justice Randall T. Shepard, made 27 recommendations to streamline local government. The report was released nearly one year ago on Dec. 11, 2007.
One of those recommendations was to eliminate township government.
State Senator Brandt Hershman said Monday he would warn township trustees and advisory boards the money in question is not "township" money.
"It is unfortunate that the Kernan- Shepard Report is viewed as a threat rather than an opportunity," he said. "Ultimately my concern is the apparent feeling is that this is "township" money, because it is really 'taxpayer' money."
Hershman said the report was an "honest attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of our government." He said it developed a "series of observations about Indiana government" which provided "an opportunity to talk about how things could be better" in Indiana.
Hershman said if local government structure would be changed and result in the dissolution of township government, township services and responsibilities would be assumed by another entity. However services would remain intact. He said taxpayers fund those services now and would continue to fund them.
"To empty township accounts will force leaders to go back to the taxpayers to pay for the services," he advised.
Hershman challenged taxpayers to name a business which has not changed to keep step with the times in the past 100 years due to competition. He said local government is the only business which has remained the same.
"Townships were created when it took a half-a-day by horse to reach the county seat," he explained. "That just isn't the case anymore."
Townships operate with structured budgets and spending plans, much like the ones with which the county council works. Townships receive money from property taxes via tax rates for a general fund, township assistance (formerly poor relief), fire fighting, parks and recreation, library, etc. State statute provides for the establishment of line items and the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance approves tax rates for them.
Each township is required by state statute to publish an annual financial report that details the financial history of the township for the previous year. All numbers presented in this article were taken from the townships' 2007 annual reports published in the Comet in the winter and spring of 2008.
According to "Here's Your Indiana Government," townships gener- ally function as "civil corporations for the administration of poor relief, assessment of taxable property and related functions."
The township trustee, with the consent of the township board, may purchase firefighting equipment and employ firefighters. The total township funds across the county for the line item "firefighting" to begin 2008 was $1,018,492.30 and in the line item "cumulative fire" was $451,297.95 for all townships in the county.
No two townships control the same amount of tax revenue and investments. The total amount at the end of 2007 for all townships combined in township assistance, formerly known as poor relief, equaled $326,518.31.
All townships contained $1,113,509.20 combined in their general funds at the end of 2007. Every township, except for Liberty Township, began 2008 with an amount in the tens of thousands of dollars. According to former township trustee and current county council member Ron Slavens, that number represents money available to the township to spend on any item budgeted.
"Townships suffered the same money woes as the council did," Slavens explained. "Most of them just managed it better."
Slavens explained some 2007 township property tax settlements were not received until after the first of January 2008, which skewed the amount of funds available downward on the annual reports.
Hershman said he was not convinced all of the recommendations in the report are needed. He said he did not anticipate all 27 would be addressed this year.
"But let's talk about it," he added. "Why shouldn't we examine these things?"
Hershman emphasized all changes to local government structure would be legislated according to state statute. He said bills are expected to be authored this year, introduced and then sent to committees. Bills with merit would be accepted into committee and then studied, which would include testimony received from local representatives about the benefits and pitfalls of the proposed bills.
Hershman said constituents can become and remained informed about the Kernan- Shepard report by accessing his Web site at in.gov/s7 and clicking on the "Kernan- Shepard Report" link. Hershman said his office distributes a survey at the first of the year to solicit input from taxpayers. He said he reads every personal response personally.
"I ask for their opinions because I want to hear them," he said.
He said he can be reached by E-mail via his web site and encouraged taxpayers to attend Third House Sessions. held in Monticello, for Carroll and White counties' residents. The meetings are held the third Saturday of the month at 9:30 a.m. at the Brandywine Complex, beginning in January.
"I consider the Kernan- Shepard Report a carefully considered effort and a framework for discussion and a very useful document," he concluded.
~~~~~~~~~~
I did email Senator Herschman and also went to his site to find that link. Not on the front page. That was disappointing. We as taxpayers know that township money stays in the township and is used for the township and we are quite concerned about giving that money to a wasteful central County government, particularly in Lake County.
I did find Senator Beverly Gard had these words posted on her site:
"...Five bills on local government reform are currently active in the State Senate. Two are awaiting amendment by the full Senate and could be voted on this week. Three others have received committee hearings and are awaiting committee action this week.
- Senate Bill 452 would change not only when municipal and school board elections are held, but who can serve on those governmental bodies. Elections for these officials would move to even-numbered, non-presidential election years. Statistics show voter participation more than doubles in fall elections vs. the spring primary. In addition, combining municipal elections with a general election would save a substantial amount of money.
An employee of a political subdivision would be prohibited from holding an executive or legislative office within that subdivision. Justification for the change in each case is because that elected official could influence and vote on his/her own pay, benefits and conditions of employment. On my legislative questionnaire 64 percent of respondents support this proposed change in the law.
Finally SB 452 would allow all Indiana counties to establish vote centers. Studies show vote centers, polling places where anyone could vote, regardless of which precinct they live in, would reduce costs while also encouraging higher voter turnout.
- Senate Bill 506 concerns the structure of county fiscal, legislative and executive responsibilities. The Kernan-Shepard Commission reports that Indiana is the only state in the nation that divides fiscal and other legislative policy making between two county entities, the board of commissioners and the county council.
A committee amendment would avoid a one-size-fits-all approach and would provide for a home rule decision. County commissioners would choose between three options:
While this gives counties a variety of options, some of us are concerned about theconvoluted process and the prospect of the state having too many counties with different governance models. More amendments are likely if this legislation moves forward.
- Having a county board of supervisors, which combines legislative, executive and
- fiscal responsibilities into one board with a hired county manager
- Electing a single county executive and giving the county council both fiscal and legislative responsibility or
- A referendum by voters to maintain the 19th century model of status quo or go to the board of supervisors model
- Senate Bill 512 would abolish offices of township trustees and township board members and transfer the duties and responsibilities to the county executive. In hours of testimony a parade of trustees explained to committee members the responsibilities of providing emergency poor relief and overseeing the township fire departments. My biggest concern is to make sure we successfully maintain our community volunteer fire departments. They provide an essential, valuable service that taxpayers could not afford to replace with paid, full time fire departments.
Much of the committee questioning centered on figures released by The Indianapolis Star that showed a statewide combined surplus of over $200 million for Indiana townships. The overall surplus reported for Hancock County was approximately $2.4 million for the nine townships. For its thirteen townships, Henry County showed a combined surplus of over $2.8 million. In several cases townships showed an overall surplus of more than 400 percent to overall spending of the township.
Blame cannot be placed on townships alone but on state policy and oversight that allowed this to occur. The issue of nepotism, the hiring of family members, by township trustees was also a concern of committee discussion.
The Senate Local Government Committee will amend SB 512 on Wednesday to, at a minimum, address issues of budget oversight and nepotism. Regardless of whether SB 512 eventually becomes law this year, the issue of the need for townships will continue to be discussed in the years ahead.Other reform issues include library consolidation, consolidation of school corporations with less than 500 students and election or appointment of some county office holders. A majority consensus seems to be emerging that those county officials should be elected – not appointed. Consolidation of some offices continues to be under discussion. These issues will be discussed in a future column.
It is anyone’s guess how these bills will look as the session progresses. While the discussions are not easy, they are necessary. All government needs to be scrutinized from time to time and these discussions are long overdue. How I will vote on final bill, probably not until the end of
April, depends on what the bills have in them at that time. What I won’t do, however, is vote to kill these proposals this early in the process. All legislators - not just a few committee members - need to be engaged in these debates."
So I am very glad that my Senator, Sue Landske, is the Assistant President Pro Tempore of the Senate, because she has been a great name in my area and she will have great influence over legislation. If I can get her opinion on this situation I will surely have her weigh in!
The Kernan-Shepard report states that We live in the only state in the nation that divides fiscal and other legislative policy-making between two county entities – the board of commissioners and the county council...
We also use the system of Township Trustees that keeps funds within the town and doesn't centralize poor relief and various other services. Kernan-Shepard seems to believe that, since Townships originated in the 1600's that such a system is not appropriate for the 21st Century. Really? The USA originated in the 1700's. You ready to give that up? Pasteurization and automobiles were invented in the 1800's. Shall we turn in our cars and give up on keeping milk in the refrigerator?
How many states have a balanced budget? Indiana does! Maybe the systems that we have in place enable bottom-up government that is more responsive to the people and proactive to meet their needs?
Kernan-Shepard promoters were asking voters, "Would you like to streamline government?" Gee, who doesn't think that sounds good? Would you like to cut your food bill in half? Sure! Okay, give me your spouse! Oops...maybe I don't really want that solution after all.
How would you like me to cut down your fuel costs? Great? Give me your car!!!
See, this is not all that simple. In theory the concept of streamlining government sounds good...until you realize it means centralizing, which is another step away from the people and another way THE STATE takes control over the people. Why don't we just forget county government and give all power to Indianapolis. In fact, let's forget Indianapolis and give Washington, DC full control over the entire nation in every area! That is the ultimate streamlining. How responsive will DC be to Butte, Montana? How about Cedar Lake, Indiana? Right now we have a township trustee who has made very good use of his office to systematically care for the food supplies, provide day care/preschool training for the small fry, make sure any expenditure has a record so that the office is self-auditing. He is looking to use the smallest amount of money to modernize the IT resources and allow people to access the network files when they are off-site.
In Lake County, Indiana, giving central control of anything to the County means disenfranchising every voter not tied to the Democratic Machine. Republicans might as well all leave and move to another county if the guys who turned Gary into a heap of foreclosed housing and failing businesses can have the controls to everything!
Please go ahead and show me why we should take Townships and make them irrelevant? In these times of economic hardships, it is the Indiana Townships that have conserved money and spent frugally and kept budgets within reason. We don't have our Townships bankrupting because they tend to be focused on their communities and they will not spend more than they have.
Yes, the money is not the Township's, it is the voter's money. Taking it away from Townships and giving to the County takes that money farther away and makes it less likely to come back.
SB 452 - Such a bad idea they should name it the "Edsel Bill."
As to vote centers where you do not need to be in the precinct to vote, that is surely something thought up to encourage voter fraud and confuse honest voters. Right now we have books that match voter to address. The ballot is specific to the precinct where the voter lives. Having county-wide ballots would be terribly unwieldy and trying to keep track of voters and match them to records would be a nightmare in a county-wide voter center world. Again, this seems to be a power grab by big government types trying to remove the government several steps away from the people and subtract accountability in the process.
Hoosier Pundit supplies this information:
Indiana 3rd-Fastest Growing, 3rd-Most Free State in USA
Indiana's economy grew at 4.6% in 2010, the third-fastest growing state in the union:
Also, the Mercatus Center rates Indiana as the third-most free state in the United States:
Obama and company have pooh-poohed this as impossible. Indiana came pretty close to that goal in 2010, even as the rest of the country remained mired in economic hard times.
If he were still in the presidential running, this would be quite a feather in Mitch Daniels' campaign cap (and it still could be, if he ends up on the Republican ticket as a vice presidential nominee).
5% growth, or something close to it, can be done. Indiana and a few other states prove that. The question is why Obama continues to think it's not possible.
A new report says that Indiana’s economic growth is third only to North Dakota and New York. The Bureau of Economic Analysis says the Indiana GDP grew at 4.6% in 2010.
Also, the Mercatus Center rates Indiana as the third-most free state in the United States:
#3 OverallConsider for a moment that Tim Pawlenty wants, under his economic plan, to have the American economy grow at 5% a year.
#13 Economic
#4 Personal
Obama and company have pooh-poohed this as impossible. Indiana came pretty close to that goal in 2010, even as the rest of the country remained mired in economic hard times.
If he were still in the presidential running, this would be quite a feather in Mitch Daniels' campaign cap (and it still could be, if he ends up on the Republican ticket as a vice presidential nominee).
5% growth, or something close to it, can be done. Indiana and a few other states prove that. The question is why Obama continues to think it's not possible.
Sunday, July 03, 2011
ISTA Teachers union. Bad for Indiana parents, bad for students, bad for taxpayers and bad for education? So what are they good for?
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| (231) 733-4202 | info@edactiongroup.org 801 W. Norton, Ste. 1 Muskegon, MI 49441 |
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The above post is from EAG and the website is linked in the title.
What exactly is the teacher's union good for? Why are they willing to allow the worst possible schools continue to fail to educate students? Why? Because it is always about the money!
Here is the truth: In America, we parents are responsible for the education of our children. Over time we began to give more and more of that responsibility to the State. Soon we simply accepted that the State would educate our children while we gave them our tax dollars to do it for us. That way the two-paycheck family could raise our standard of living while lowering our expectations for our children. Oh, you didn't plan it that way? I believe you! But it is what has happened.
What we have had is a trust. We all pay taxes to support the schools. While my children were in schools, your tax dollars helped me educate my kids. Then when my kids were all the way through school, my tax dollars would help your kids get through school and so on and so forth. But while the schools were educating my children, I was making sure they were not INDOCTRINATED. I taught my kids my values and belief system and I taught them to think critically. That way I knew my kids would learn without being brainwashed. Not by anyone other than myself. I taught them to be good citizens, I taught them to be Christians, I taught them to learn what you are taught in school and, when it is wrong, learn that which is wrong well so you could logically argue against it and defend your own position. So I am confident that my children had an opportunity to learn.
But I also chose my home with the school system in mind. I chose to be in a school district where I believed the level of education and the opportunity to be involved in extra-curricular activities was there. Every one of my children was required to pick an activity (sports, choir, academic team, yearbook and journalism, plays and musicals, show choir, key club, art club...I did not choose for them but I did ask them to use their gifts) and stay with it for a minimum of two years. Different kids chose different things.
But I was able to chose what town in which to live. Not all parents have that choice. I could pick the school district I approved of after having tried some private schools earlier on. I could not afford to send all my kids to private schools so I chose the best public school district I could find. Not all parents can do that. Some parents are stuck in places where the public schools are complete failures. Some parents believe their children should have training in their own faith instead of our State religion, which is Secular Humanism.
As a taxpayer who pays to educate my neighbor's children, I want to give that neighbor some choice in where the kids go to school. I will not grump about paying part of the tab. But I will grump about our current situation. You see, Indiana voters chose legislators who would pass a law to enable parents to have some choice in schooling for their children even if those parents are not financially well off. I do not mind paying to help a family educate their children. But if we voted for school choice and that law has passed so that poor people could choose to send their kids to a better school instead of just the rich, then the teacher's union is the enemy of parents and children, especially poor parents and poor children.
Barack Obama can afford to send his children to private schools. He doesn't send his kids to the DC public school system. Come to think of it, I am paying part of his salary so that he can do that! So why can't my neighbors in Griffith or Gary or Hammond or Dyer or Hobart have the opportunity that rich people have and Barack Obama has? Why do a disproportionate number of the poor and minority families have to send their children to substandard schools? Why for that matter should any parents be stuck with one choice for schooling? Why should they be told that they have to pay their tax dollars for the public schools but only go to one? Why should they be told that they have to pay their tax dollars for public schools and also pay for private schooling if that is what they choose? In fact, why can't they pay for an accredited home-schooling program if one parent wants to stay home and be the teacher? Why do we dictate to the people who are paying the bills?
We are a Federal Republic. Our State has the right to do the will of the people. The will of the people is school choice. The teacher's union doesn't believe in that, they believe in taxation without representation and absolute dictatorship over your children's choice of schooling...because it enriches the teacher's union and rewards bad teachers and bad schools.
What if you were taxed to pay for your food and limited to one grocery store? What if you were taxed for your music and forced to listen to one radio station? What if you were taxed for your housing but you were told to live in one house and either take it or go live in the street? Would you stand for that? Then listen to Raymond Dix discuss the Indiana Constitution and DO NOT STAND FOR THIS, EITHER!
Raymond Dix: Teachers union lawsuit does not add up (click to read)
Pastor and Editorial author Raymond Dix (from the linked post)
Saturday, July 02, 2011
The Birth of a Patronage Scheme
Update:I since have finally got a chance to look at the conservancy district proposal. They're budgeting a little over a quarter of a million dollars in yearly administrative costs, including salaries. Also, the district will only run as far as Portage. It doesn't take in the eastern arm of the Little Calumet.
The Little Calumet River Burns Waterway conservancy district is the subject of a recent Rich James post. I covered some of the relevant facts and figures in the comments there and thought that the local readership here might appreciate it.
The facts are that we don't have a simple waterway with a unity of interests. The only unity of interests is big pot of money available to the politicians to dole out in patronage posts that don't come under the tax caps.
Water flows from Hart Ditch to Illinois and then out to Lake Michigan. That's a river. Water flows from Hart Ditch out to the Burns Channel, that's a river. Water flow from La Porte and into the Burns channel, that's a river too. You've got two sources, 3 flow directions, and two widely separate exits. That's what the US Army Corps of Engineers calls "a complex waterway". And elected officials aren't going to put their source, their flow stretch, and their exit first? Dream on.
For instance, we're going to have freeholders from LaPorte sticking their nose into Hammond/Munster when no water that flows through LaPorte ever gets near here and none of the water flowing west gets near there. That's not a good basis for a conservancy district
Every year the State Board of Accounts has these conservancy districts (among many others) file reports, including how much they spent on salary (that's part 4 page 1 and 2 in case you want to check for yourself). About half of the reporting districts don't pay out in salary. The other half pay out over two million dollars in payroll. The biggest local example is Independence Hill Conservancy District which pays out a third of a million all by itself. This district is going to be bigger than Independence Hill. It's a patronage machine waiting to happen. The only thing stopping the other districts from doing the same is a healthy political culture.
Wake me up when Lake County gets a healthy political culture. I'll support a conservancy district then.
The Little Calumet River Burns Waterway conservancy district is the subject of a recent Rich James post. I covered some of the relevant facts and figures in the comments there and thought that the local readership here might appreciate it.
The facts are that we don't have a simple waterway with a unity of interests. The only unity of interests is big pot of money available to the politicians to dole out in patronage posts that don't come under the tax caps.
Water flows from Hart Ditch to Illinois and then out to Lake Michigan. That's a river. Water flows from Hart Ditch out to the Burns Channel, that's a river. Water flow from La Porte and into the Burns channel, that's a river too. You've got two sources, 3 flow directions, and two widely separate exits. That's what the US Army Corps of Engineers calls "a complex waterway". And elected officials aren't going to put their source, their flow stretch, and their exit first? Dream on.
For instance, we're going to have freeholders from LaPorte sticking their nose into Hammond/Munster when no water that flows through LaPorte ever gets near here and none of the water flowing west gets near there. That's not a good basis for a conservancy district
Every year the State Board of Accounts has these conservancy districts (among many others) file reports, including how much they spent on salary (that's part 4 page 1 and 2 in case you want to check for yourself). About half of the reporting districts don't pay out in salary. The other half pay out over two million dollars in payroll. The biggest local example is Independence Hill Conservancy District which pays out a third of a million all by itself. This district is going to be bigger than Independence Hill. It's a patronage machine waiting to happen. The only thing stopping the other districts from doing the same is a healthy political culture.
Wake me up when Lake County gets a healthy political culture. I'll support a conservancy district then.
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