Published: February 20, 2008 05:03 pm            

LETTERS: Feb. 21, 2008

Reader: ‘In Ingle we trust?’



I for one could not believe the audacity Dwight Ingle had when he told residents that the police do not support neighborhood watch programs. However, I gave him the benefit of the doubt and did not pay much mind to it, but then a girl was raped and beaten on school grounds right near one of Clarksville’s largest neighborhoods, and it took two months for us to hear about the incident — two months in which citizens could have taken precautions in case the suspects were to do it again. Her attackers roamed our schools, attended our schools, walked in our stores, walked in our neighborhoods, and the people surrounding them were clueless to the danger they posed.

So, our police chief does not think it would be beneficial to make sure that our citizens were aware of this incident in case maybe information could be brought forth or even for just the sake of being a little more cautious.

When concerns were brought up on The Evening News’ forums and got the reporters curious, Ingle said (referring to the forum?) “We don’t have any problem communicating with the community. That’s only one or two people, who don’t have a life, sitting around at the computer.”

I think telling the several hundred households that live in the vicinity of where the crime occurred would garner a reaction that would differ from Ingle’s view of “no problem with communicating with the community.” As far as I can tell, we have nothing but a problem with communicating with our community - not supporting neighborhood watches, not participating in a program like D.A.R.E., in which this particular incident involved a potential drug purchase, which could of had a chance at being deterred,

If the police had better communication and managed to pay our officers a little more, maybe fewer people would resort to selling drugs.

We have some very excellent police officers in the town and if they are being lead by a person who does not appear to be concerned with our citizens’ safety, then maybe its time for one of those excellent police officers to replace him.

I look forward to Ingle addressing this in either a council meeting or a press release, because he has lost my faith in his leadership. I am done giving him the benefit of the doubt.

— Joseph Merideth, Clarksville



Senators: Property taxes are a priority



State Senators — Republicans and Democrats alike — committed at the onset of this 2008 Session that property taxes would be “job one.” Hoosiers should know we are hard at work and will not stop until the job is done.

Legislators know Indiana’s antiquated tax system — which dates back to the agrarian 1800s when property translated into income — is in dire need of repair if not eventual repeal. It is unacceptable fellow Hoosiers are losing their homes or facing life-changing decisions due to unaffordable and unexpected property tax bills.

This marks the fourth consecutive Session many of us have attempted to address the complexities of property taxes. Earlier reforms have not garnered enough public support and political will to prevent the crisis too many Indiana property owners face. This year, public support and political will must prevail.

Local and state leaders owe it to our homeowners, businesses, farmers, landlords and renters to work together to cut and cap property taxes, control local government spending and allow voters to weigh in at the ballot box on large government construction projects.

As leaders of both Senate caucuses, we speak for our Senate colleagues when we say property tax relief and reform is too important to be hindered by partisanship and political posturing. Fortunately, the Indiana Senate has a reputation and record of bipartisanship and bold proposals. Last year, Senators passed 97 percent of bills with bipartisan support. Gridlock and bickering can not and should not stand in the way of property tax relief and reform.

Relief: Indiana’s current state budget includes a record $2.1 billion in traditional property tax replacement to help fund local government. Another $550 million is appropriated over this year and next to help offset local property tax increases. Some property taxpayers are already seeing the additional, direct relief in their mailboxes in the form of a state-funded rebate check. Most taxpayers should soon receive their checks or in a few cases, the tax relief will come as a credit on their property tax bill.

Reforms: This year, we are working to shift child welfare costs and remaining school operations expenses to the state budget. These reforms would provide additional relief to property taxpayers and better align state responsibilities with state budgets.

Also, to achieve accuracy and fairness in property assessments, reforms include combining duties of Indiana’s 1,100 separately elected assessors, adding professional experience and educational requirements to their job descriptions, and making assessment software uniform and compatible statewide.

Other key reforms include closer public scrutiny of spending and debt, as well as increased taxpayer participation in decisions to proceed or not with large government construction projects.

Repeal: Total repeal of property taxes — as some Hoosiers and legislators would like to do — requires raising about $7 billion in income and sales taxes resulting in tax rates economists say would drive away workers and employers. Especially at a time when Indiana’s economy remains fragile, lawmakers must be certain of intended and unintended consequences. Presently, more questions than answers surround this concept of property tax repeal. However, the issue of repealing property taxes entirely remains a worthy long-term goal.

Hoosiers who are closely following progress of property tax relief, reform and possible repeal, know that lawmakers have worked diligently for the past 18 months on this issue. The Senate will continue to “burn the midnight oil” until we get the job done. Hoosier taxpayers should expect nothing less.

— State Sen. David C. Long (R-Ft. Wayne), Senate President Pro Tempore

— State Sen. Richard D. Young (D-Milltown), Senate Minority Floor Leader



Study identifies work force needs





Indiana must do a better job of preparing its work force for the 21st Century economy. That in itself is not a new revelation, but one that is confirmed and documented by the recent release of a national groundbreaking study, “Indiana’s Adult Education and Workforce Skills Performance Report.”

As Indiana transitions from an industrial to a knowledge-based economy, the ability of education providers to train and retrain the workforce is critical. They must provide a larger and more diverse group of Indiana residents with the skills needed to compete in the new economy, e.g., critical thinking, teamwork and advanced knowledge in science and technology.

The stars of Indiana’s economic future are beginning to shine but are not yet fully aligned. At odds are the recent and projected changes in the types of employment opportunities available to Indiana’s residents and the skills these same residents possess.

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development estimates by 2014 there will be an additional 222,410 high-wage, high-demand jobs requiring at least a postsecondary degree.

Indiana ranks 41st compared to other states in the percentage of working-age adults with an associate degree or higher (American Community Survey, 2006).

Of Hoosier adults (age 18-64), 931,366 need additional education or training; challenges include lack of high school diploma, insufficient English skills and earning less than a living wage. This represents 23.6 percent of Indiana’s entire working-age population (American Community Survey, 2006).

A recent study conducted by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems concludes that even if Indiana were to become the best-performing state on measures of high school completion, college participation and graduation of traditional-age students, it would still fall short of reaching the level of educational attainment needed to be globally competitive. It must also rely on improved success in raising the education levels of adults age 25 and older.

As a follow-up to the Indiana Chamber Foundation’s “A Demand-Side Strategy to Meet Indiana’s Workforce Basic Skills Challenge” study released in early 2005, the 2008 Performance Report offers more comprehensive information than any previous effort.

A high-level policy team is already addressing the shortcomings raised in the Performance Report, focusing on retooling the current system to better meet the needs of the state’s employers and economy. Progress will be tracked with information published in an updated Performance Report within the next two years.

The full report is available at indianachamber.com/adulteducation.

— Mark Lawrance, senior vice president of Foundation and Operations, Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Indianapolis

        

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