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Watchdog Indiana provides information about the revenues, spending, and long-term debt
assumption of Indiana local and state governments. An online community is
established where Hoosier working families come together to help control government growth. This volunteer
effort is non-party, non-connected, and non-profit.
Watchdog Indiana is a
good government advocate that focuses on the
state and local tax burden of Hoosier working families.
Watchdog
Indiana was founded by Aaron Smith on November
14, 2001.
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Candidate Ratings: 2008 General Elections 
Please plan to vote in your November 4 general election! Every general election candidate will receive a Watchdog Indiana Candidate Rating. Also, contact information is provided for each of the candidates so you can ask your important election decision questions. All this information can be found by clicking on Candidate Ratings: 2008 General Elections.
Part
of the Solution or Part of the Problem 
The foundation for genuine property tax relief is a meaningful homeowner property tax cap amendment to the Indiana Constitution. A meaningful constitutional homeowner property tax cap will enable Hoosier working families to reasonably predict their property taxes so they do not become an unaffordable burden that could lead to the loss of the family home. A meaningful cap ends the legacy of failure where (1) we suffer permanent tax increases for temporary property tax relief and (2) property tax caps disappear.
Senate Joint Resolution 1 passed the Indiana Senate 40-7 and the Indiana House 79-20 on March 14, 2008, and was signed by the Governor on March 19, 2008. SJR 1 amends the Indiana Constitution to cap homeowners' property tax bills at 1% of assessed value, rental and agricultural property at 2%, and business property at 3%. For property taxes first due and payable in 2012, 90 of Indiana's 92 counties must have a homeowner property tax cap that is 1% of the gross assessed value. Until 2020, existing debt service prior to July 1, 2008, is exempted from the 1% homeowner gross assessed value cap in Lake and St. Joseph counties ONLY. The result of these two existing debt service exemptions equates to a 1.88% homeowner cap in Lake County and a 1.52% homeowner cap in St. Joseph County. The homeowner caps for Lake and St. Joseph counties must become 1% in 2020.
The exact same version of SJR 1 that passed in 2008 must again pass in the General Assembly in 2009 to put the 1% constitutional homeowner property tax cap amendment on the 2010 ballot. We the people can then vote to make the 1% homeowner property tax cap a permanent part of the Indiana Constitution.
Never has it been so easy to separate those who are part of the property tax relief solution from those who are part of the property tax spending problem. A General Assembly candidate who pledges to vote in 2009 for the exact same version of SJR 1 that passed in 2008 is part of the solution, otherwise the candidate is part of the problem. The identification of problem solvers versus problem causers is listed next.
Part
of the Solution
The following Governor, State Representative, and State Senator candidates have promised to be public servants that are part of the property tax relief solution by pledging to vote in 2009 for the exact same version of Senate Joint Resolution 1 that passed in 2008.
Governor: Mitch Daniels.
Indiana Senate
District 6:
Sue Landske (2010
election) District 7:
Brandt
Hershman District 9:
Ryan D. Mishler
District 17:
Gary Dillon (2010 election)
District 18:
Randall Head
District 20:
Luke Kenley
District 24:
Connie Lawson
District 28:
Mike Brinegar, Beverly J. Gard
District 29:
Mike Delph (2010
election) District 30: Teresa
S. Lubbers District 31:
James W. Merritt, Jr.
(2010 election) District 32:
Patricia
L. Miller District 35: R. Michael Young
District 36:
Brent Waltz District 37:
Richard D. Bray District 44:
Brent E. Steele
Indiana House of Representatives
District 1: Fernando Urzua District 11: Cy Huerter District 12: George T. Janiec District 13: Joseph M. Hero District 14: Catherine Campbell District 15: Donald J. Lehe District 19: Andrew Webster District 22: William J. "Bill" Ruppel District 24: Richard "Rich" McClain District 28: Jason Ellis, Jeffrey A. Thompson District 31: Timothy W. Harris District 33: Bill J. Davis District 34: Theodore (Ted) Baker District 35: L. Jack Lutz District 39: Jerry Torr District 40: Nicholas G. Schmutte, Gregory E. Steuerwald District 43: Ryan J. Cummins District 45: Bruce A. Borders District 46: Bob Heaton, Vern Tincher District 49: Wes Culver District 51: Richard A. Dodge District 55: Tom Knollman District 58: Woody Burton District 59: Milo Smith District 65: Eric A. Koch District 66: Jack R. Gillespie District 69: David Cheatham District 72: William C. Cochran District 75: J. D. Strouth District 84: Randy L. Borror District 85: Phyllis J. Pond District 86: Adam E. Nelson District 87: Cindy Noe District 89: Chris J. Swatts District 90: Michael B. Murphy District 92: Phillip D. (Phil) Hinkle District 93: David N. Frizzell District 94: Chad D. Miller District 100: John J. Day
Part of the Problem
The following Governor, State Representative, and State Senator candidates have indicated that they will be messengers for the property tax spenders by NOT pledging to vote in 2009 for the exact same version of Senate Joint Resolution 1 that passed in 2008. Please contact these candidates and ask them to be part of the solution by pledging to vote in 2009 for the exact same version of Senate Joint Resolution 1 that passed in 2008.
Governor: Jill Long Thompson.
Indiana Senate
District 1: Frank Mrvan, Jr. (2010 election)
District 2: Carl
L. Dahlin, Jr., Lonnie
M. Randolph District 3: Earline
S. Rogers District 4: Karen Tallian (2010
election) District 5: Ed
Charbonneau, Larry W. Balmer
District 8: Jim Arnold,
Allen
L. Stevens, Jr. District 10: John E. Broden
District
11: Joe Zakas (2010 election)
District
12: Don
Metzler-Smith, Carlin J. Yoder
District 13:
Fred Demske
District 14:
Dennis K. Kruse (2010
election) District 15:
Thomas
J. Wyss (2010 election) District 16:
David C. Long District 18:
Linda L. Klinck
District 19:
Travis Holdman (2010 election)
District 21:
Jim Buck (2010 election)
District 22:
Ron Alting (2010
election) District 23:
Philip
L. (Phil) Boots (2010 election) District 25:
Tim Lanane (2010 election)
District 26:
Sue Errington (2010
election) District
27:
Allen E. Paul (2010
election) District 30:
Todd
DeGroff District 32:
Ken
Kern District 33:
Greg Taylor
District 34: Jean
Breaux, James
Rainey District 36: Terry Rice
District 37: Joseph E. Osborn
District
38: Timothy D. (Tim) Skinner (2010
election) District 39: John
M. Waterman (2010 election) District 40: Leslie O. Compton, Vi Simpson
District 41:
Greg Walker (2010 election)
District 42: Warren
Goodrich, Jean
Leising District 43: Johnny
Nugent (2010 election) District 44:
Matthew S. Colglazier
District 45:
James (Jim) Lewis (2010 election)
District 46:
Connie Weigleb Sipes
(2010 election) District 47:
Richard
D. Young, Jr. (2010 election) District 48:
Lindel O. Hume (2010
election) District 49:
Bob
Deig (2010 election) District
50:
Vaneta G. Becker
Indiana House of Representatives
District 1: Linda C. Lawson District 2: Earl L. Harris District 3: Charlie Brown District 4: Larry Chubb, Ed Soliday District 5: Craig R. Fry District 6: B. Patrick Bauer District 7: David L. Niezgodski District 8: Dale R. Devon, Ryan M. Dvorak District 9: Scott D. Pelath District 10: Kenneth M. Kaminski, Charles "Chuck" Moseley District 11: Dan Stevenson District 12: Mara Candelaria Reardon District 13: Chester F. Dobis District 14: Vernon G. Smith District 15: Myron M. Sutton District 16: Douglas L. Gutwein, Bill Reutebuch District 17: Nancy Dembowski, Mark MacKillop District 18: David A. Wolkins District 19: "Shelli" Rochelle VanDenburgh District 20: Tom Dermody District 21: Jackie Walorski District 22: Larry E. Rensberger District 23: William C. Friend District 25: Jeb Bardon District 26: John Polles, Randy Truitt District 27: Sheila Klinker District 29: Kathy Kreag Richardson, Joseph L. (Joe) Weingarten District 30: Ron Herrell District 31: Joe Pearson District 32: P. Eric Turner District 33: Andy Schemenaur District 34: Dennis Tyler District 35: LeeAnn Mengelt District 36: Terri Jo Austin District 37: Kelly S. Gaskill, Scott E. Reske District 38: Jacque Clements, Bob Snow District 39: Rusty Skoog District 41: Timothy (Tim) Brown, James Stytle District 42: F. Dale Grubb District 43: Clyde Kersey District 44: Nancy A. Michael, Amos P. Thomas District 45: Rick Marshall District 47: Ralph M. Foley District 48: Timothy Neese District 50: Dan J. Leonard District 51: Lon Keyes District 52: Marlin A. Stutzman District 53: David Baxter, Robert "Bob" Cherry District 54: Thomas E. (Tom) Saunders District 56: Phillip C. Pflum District 57: Sean R. Eberhart District 59: Rhonda Roush Bell District 60: Peggy Welch District 61: Matt Pierce District 62: Sandra Blanton, Brook Tarr District 63: John G. Burger, Mark B. Messmer District 64: Kreg Battles District 66: Terry Goodin District 67: Cleo Duncan, Mike Keller District 68: Robert J. Bischoff District 70: Tim Hunt, Paul J. Robertson District 71: Steven R. Stemler District 72: Edward D. (Ed) Clere District 73: Steve Davisson, Dennie Oxley District 74: William Marcrum, Russ Stilwell District 75: Dennis T. Avery District 76: W. Trent VanHaaften District 77: Gail Riecken District 78: Suzanne Crouch, James Pete Rapp District 79: Matthew S. Lehman District 80: Phil GiaQuinta District 81: Winfield C. Moses District 82: Jeff Espich District 83: Matt Bell District 84: Mark Wehrle District 86: Edward O. DeLaney District 87: Pamela Hickman District 88: Brian C. Bosma District 89: John F. Barnes District 91: Robert W. Behning, Timothy J. Huber District 92: Stephanie DeKemper District 93: Shayne Merritt District 94: Cherrish S. Pryor District 95: John L. Bartlett, Ray G. Shearer District 96: Lawrence T. Newman, Gregory W. Porter District 97: Jon Elrod, Mary Ann Sullivan District 98: William A. Crawford District 99: Vanessa J. Summers
Immediate action needed!
05/11/2008: Please
contact your November 4 General Assembly
candidates and ask them to send their responses to taxless3@comcast.net
for the following Watchdog Indiana Candidate Questionnaire:
1. QUESTION: Do you pledge to vote in 2009 for the exact same version of Senate Joint Resolution 1 that passed in 2008?
2. QUESTION: Do you wish to make some additional comments about your candidacy? Do you have a campaign E-mail address? Do you have a campaign website?
Your General Assembly candidates are listed above by District Number. You need your State Representative and State Senator District Numbers to identify your candidates. You can go to Who's Your Legislator? at http://www.in.gov/apps/sos/legislator/search/ to find your Indiana House and Indiana Senate District Numbers. Just click on the names of your candidates above to access their contact information!
Watchdog Indiana believes Hoosier working families are best served by Taxpayer Friendly state legislators who are results-oriented, compassionate, and fiscally conservative.
Never has it been so easy to separate Taxpayer Friendly candidates from Taxpayer UNfriendly candidates.
Job #1 for Taxpayer Friendly legislators will be to pass in 2009 the exact same version of Senate Joint Resolution 1 that passed in 2008.
A General Assembly candidate who pledges to vote in 2009 for the exact same version of Senate Joint Resolution 1 that passed in 2008 is a public servant who is part of the property tax relief solution.
A General Assembly candidate who does NOT pledge to vote in 2009 for the exact same version of Senate Joint Resolution 1 that passed in 2008 is a messenger for the property tax spenders and is part of the property tax burden problem. FAILURE TO RESPOND TO THE CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE will signal that the candidate is part of the problem.
Did
You Know?
06/28/2008: If
Watchdog Indiana had enough money, the following TV ad would be run on cable
systems throughout Indiana.
[the graphic below appears on the screen unchanged throughout the ad]
Vote for SJR 1
Vote For Property Tax Caps
Vote for Mitch Daniels
Paid for by Watchdog Indiana
not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee
[each line of the script below is read off-screen by a different Hoosier with an ordinary-sounding voice; no slick-voiced announcer-types allowed]
Hoosier working families win next year if our governor leads our General Assembly to pass Senate Joint Resolution 1.
Passing SJR 1 next year would allow we the people to vote in 2010 for a state constitution amendment that permanently caps property taxes at one percent of our home’s value.
We would be protected from shocking property tax increases that threaten our budgets.
Runaway property taxes would not force us to make terrible choices between three meals a day, necessary medicines, and property tax bills.
We would be able to keep the home we worked all our lives to buy.
The cost to our governments would be cut because we can afford to stay in our home.
The property tax relief we were promised from this year’s sales tax increase would not go away.
SJR 1 would also protect other property taxpayers from abuse.
The property tax caps for all apartments and farm land would be lowered to two percent of their value.
The existing business property tax cap of three percent would never be increased.
Farmers and businesses would be able to safely predict their property taxes so they can stay in business.
Finally, SJR 1 would be a great starting point to eliminate some or all property taxes.
There is only one candidate for governor who pledges to lead the General Assembly to pass Senate Joint Resolution 1 next year.
Hoosier working families must vote for Mitch Daniels this year so we the people can vote in 2010 to permanently cap our property taxes.
We all want to protect our homes and jobs.
[end of ad]
Hot
Topics.
Indiana General Assembly & Governor Ratings: Watchdog Indiana provides the only ratings of state legislators and the governor based on how their votes on key legislative proposals from 2002 to the present affect the state and local tax burden of Hoosier working families.
Property Tax Assessment Issues: There are those who question the importance of the 1% homeowner property tax cap because the cap is based on the gross assessed value of the homestead property, which is allowed to fluctuate. Homeowner property tax assessments will likely CREEP UP over time, but these assessment increases BY THEMSELVES are NOT expected to cause homeowner property taxes to LEAP UP. In other words, the 1% homeowner property tax cap in Senate Joint Resolution 1 is the foundation for genuine property tax relief even if homeowner property tax assessments increase because of market value increases.
Jeff Thompson Property Tax Reform Plan: The typical Hoosier working family will have its property tax eliminated in return for a variable local income tax of 4.1%. As shown by Accurate Property Tax Math, Hoosier working families already spend 4.1% of their state taxable income to pay their property tax. The Jeff Thompson Property Tax Reform Plan Impact is a real eye-opener!
Property Tax Betrayal & Incompetence: Indiana General Assemblies and Governors have turned a promised 16.3% homeowner property tax reduction in 2003 into a decrease of just 2.4% in four years. Details regarding the betrayal and incompetence over the years are included in the General Assembly Property Tax Legislation.
Indiana Foreclosure Prevention Network: If you or someone you know is behind on the mortgage, or even in danger of falling behind, please contact the IFPN, a statewide program to provide free mortgage foreclosure counseling and education to at-risk homeowners. All Network services are free, and all Network counselors are certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD.
IHCDA University: The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority has a free online course to educate prospective homebuyers on the home purchasing process.
"Major Moves": The 2006 Indiana House Bill 1008 is Taxpayer UNfriendly because it authorizes a toll road for an I-69 extension between Martinsville and Evansville.
Watchdog Indiana Topics Index
Click here for access to the various Watchdog Indiana web
pages related to 25 different topic areas.
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This page was last updated on 07/19/08.