Friday's Odds N Ends...


Geez, just when you thought you saw ENOUGH of these "specialty plates"...BAM...here's yet ANOTHER one...! Welcome to the weekend, and with it, the news that I can't wait to rant about. One thing positive you CAN always say about Indiana...If it's not ONE thing...it's ANOTHER.

And wherever you go...there you are.


Indiana Property Taxes:
The headline said that legislators were "stunned"....in the projected SURGE in Indiana property taxes. And we're talking a whopping 24% people. Initially the 14.6% projected increase would be "difficult" to deal with (why...THEY can afford it without batting an eye), but the 24% projection would be impossible. If the state legislature doesn't deal (seriously) with this, it will most likely result in a special session (OT for the state reps..what WILL they think of next?).

The biggest contributor to this increase is "trending" (annual updating of property values based on sales data). Well, to ME that means that my taxes "should" go DOWN (instead of going UP as they have been), because houses in MY area are (usually) NOT well-maintained, and are primarily RENTALS, which in and of itself is predicated upon the notion that "It ain't mine, so why bother takin' care of dis crib?". Two other controlling factors are the state's "cap" on the property tax replacement credit, which is state revenue funneled to local governments to OFFSET large property tax increases. Yeah, let's forget about those THIRTY-PLUS entities such as the FWCS, the FWIA Authority, and so on who ALREADY have their hands DEEP in our pockets, shall we? And some counties are feeling the final pangs of the inventory tax phase-out.

In this person's view, this is surely not a democrat OR republican issue (or at least shouldn't be), but rather an issue that affect everyone whatever political affiliation you subscribe to.

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Prison Riot At New Castle:

Over 200 inmates (including those transferred to INDIANA from ARIZONA) were again transferred from the correctional facility they felt the need to damage Thursday. The cause of the riot was that prisons did not WANT to wear the GREEN SHIRTS that have to when going to chow. Other inmates COMPLAINED about a "lack of recreation" and other policies. Many didn't know that New Castle was a NON-SMOKING facility (John Crawford strikes AGAIN?), because in Arizona they are permitted to smoke in the courtyard.

You don't WANT to wear the GREEN shirt...FINE...don't bother to f$cking EAT then...more money saved. Lack of recreation? Read a goddamn BOOK, or learn to play CHESS or CHECKERS, you moolie. You don't NEED to "bulk up", and you don't need damn cable (or satellite) TV...try something called a R A D I O !

The riot occurred six weeks after the first 600 prisoners arrived from Arizona (don't worry, there's more of them from AZ on the way). Now I "could" relate a story about how Philadelphia sent prisoners up around Williamsport, PA and how that affected that area to no end. I could tell how, when these prisoners were released, they STAYED in the area, causing crime to rise, and creating a welfare system and blighted areas near this quaint little town, nestled in the mountains of North-Central PA...but I won't.
I will say that every damn one of those inmates that was involved IN that riot should be helping to repair the damage THEY caused, however long it takes. Or they should be made to live in those areas without any repair. That might teach them a lesson about acting like human beings, and not the animals they are.
Of course this facility is not under the auspices of the state or federal government, but has be "privatized" by a Florida company (GEO Group, Inc), so we can see how well they handle situations such as this. At least only 2 staff members were slightly injured. And 7 prisoners were hurt in the fracas involving over 500 men from both Indiana and Arizona.
Arizona felt these transfers were necessary to alleviate overcrowding. I say just bring back the Roman Colosseum and have at it. Hell, we're enough like Rome NOW (read Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire...all THREE volumes)...what's one more venue that will most assuredly deal with prison overcrowding, eh?

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Safety Concerns Regarding Gang Violence:
As the mayor's race heats up, the candidates each have their views on how to address this issue (and here I thought we were told by the FWPD that we didn't have a "gang" problem...just cliques..silly me).

Nelson Peters wants more patrols in problem areas dedicated to drug crimes. Great idea...why don'cha run that past "Da Rev" (Latham) and Hana Stith, and see how much THEY will just love the idea of black men being pulled over in predominantly black areas. That'll go over like a pregnant pole-vaulter, my friends! Candidate Peters also wants stricter fines for ILLEGAL gun use. Already had a mandatory FIVE-YEAR program in Philly (no pre-release, no work release) and they STILL have an inordinate number of shootings...not working all that well there.

And a gun buy-back program won't fly either, unless you want to pay (up to $500 like in Indy) for rusted non-functional, and sundry TOY weapons. Hell, I could hand in enough TOY GUNS to get a roof for the house, fix my car AND buy me another pistol...LOL! Other cities tried that too....with negligible results.

Matt Kelty agrees that gang violence, along with the drug and gun elements is one of the biggest problems to the city's safety (hmm...at least HE must be reading my blog). He says this is not limited to one section of the city (but I know where it stems from Matt...trust me), citing a northeast side home riddles with bullet holes (not to mention that guy on the SE side that had his placed hit with a firebomb a few months back for calling in drug dealers).

Peters wants PERFORMANCE evals for PD and FD officers (not a good idea....back to quotas) with incentives (can't make a LEO a "salesman" working on "commission").

Kelty wants pay raises (nice idea) for officers to increase morale (Indy=poor morale...a lesson to learn THERE).

Peters wants a public-safety DIRECTOR to oversee the PD, FD, and HS (Homeland Security)...that sounds like MORE government, instead of less. I would take the HS director (Bernie Beyer) and make HIM director, if anything...he's got the "cred" (imho).

Kelty wants to keep the new Public Safety Academy (southtown) a secure facility exclusively for the training and use of police and fire, and should not be "leased" out to local schools (tours would be OK though, right?).

Peters does have the blessing of Neil Moore and Joe Squadrito (former PD Chief and AC Sheriff, respectively), and that's a "biggie".

Kelty looks to working with them after winning the May 8th primary (one thing I'll say...the boy's got "chutzpah")!

Now it's off to the part of the week we ALL enjoy (except all those poor, oppressed, down-trodden people of every color that pretend to be poor for the Feds, so they can get more of YOUR hard-earned money...but you DIDN'T hear me say that, kapesh?).

Get out and come on down to OUR part of town, where there IS a freakshow EVERY hour ON the hour! Admission is free (just don't stop to "feed the animals"), and who knows, you might even get to see our local SWAT team in action...it's BEEN known to happen.