Northwest Indiana Comical Politics

Voting Against the Munster Referendum

Today I actually get to vote against all those politicians, sorry educators, making free money off of us taxpayers.  It is a never ending cycle.  When more money is needed, we will tax.  Does anyone know of anything different to do?  I do not see it.

The best paying scam these days is tax payer money for education.  It does not achieve its goals and had not for 40 years; but who is going to speak against it.  Look at how many people have their PhD. in education.  Are they not ashamed?  No?  I am for them.  They are such failures   There has probably been none like this in the history of humanity.

It is because of this that I will be voting "NO" and hope that everyone in Munster, East Chicago, and Lake Station join me.

Little Cal water levels jump -- Munster Flood Again? Where is Daddy Mac When You Need Him?

The McDermotts, baby Tommy and his father the biggest tax cheat in Lake County, are now trying to get new employment for Daddy Tommy with Cabellas or the Town of Munster.  Read the following story from the local paper:

Little Cal water levels jump after discharge.

Cabellas was build by little Tommy after the father made hundreds of thousands of dollars consulting to Cabellas obviously without any conflict of interest.  By the way, so was the flimflam lawyer Joe Allegretti.  But daddy went through the money like it was candy and now he is broke again.  If you have any doubt, just see the property tax debt he owes the County.  He also cannot pay it and he blatantly lied to cover up what he owed.  He than presented a scam that: he was late, or it was under review, or that he had a sugar-high and forgot.  But low and behold one of Baby Mac's Department Heads was taking care of it with Lake County while Baby Mac was Democratic Chairman.  No wonder Mr. White does not want to front these thieves any more money.  In this Country, even billionaires occasionally go to jail.

So the new plan is to flood the Town of Munster again.  Hammond and Cabellas did that two years ago.  The only way the Munster can get out of this problem is to hire Daddy McDermott as a flood consultant.  (Or maybe Munster can get Cabellas to hire Daddy Mac as an "hydrologist"?)  Now I can guarantee all the citizens of Munster that as long as they pay Daddy Mac to be a consultant not a drop of flood water will ever enter Munster again.  (By the way, it will be cheaper than the alternative.)

Speaking of little Mac and corruption, I am wondering what Baby Mac is doing about those ATM machines that are all around Hammond Government buildings that were given free placement to one of the Baby's friend?  Was not the Hammond Sanitary District enough of a place for someone to steal from? 

US Attorney General Investigate: Former mayor owes $120K in back property taxes

Only in NWI.  I take it back.  This is Chicago Democratic politics.  They are doing this now in Washington D.C. with Senator Dodd and Pres Obama's sweet-heart mortgage deals with Countrywide.  Let us not forget their fake assessment values for tax purposes.

Now we have the same thing with a sitting Lake County Mayor and Democratic Party Chair and his father, also a former mayor.  Isn't this the state in which the Chair of the Democratic Party went to jail recently for fraud, kickbacks, and generally being an evil rotten human being?  Yes, is the correct answer and the name is Manos.

Former mayor owes $120K in back property taxes ::  Post-Tribune.

It is amazing that McDermotts try to claim that this is an honest mistake, a misunderstanding, some lost papers, etc.  Everyone knows that it is a lie.  A bold faced fake lie.  The only reason McDermott is not in jail is because everyone is afraid of his son who has been certified by everyone who knows him and I have talked to as "certifiably crazy."  Even his personal lawyer tells people that he is.  By crazy I mean he has a tendency for violence and maiming of those opposed to him.

How can you tell the McDermott, the father, is lying?  (Not, the obvious, that he is speaking.)  McDermott says he was over-assessed at $1.6 million and that is in dispute.  Well he admits that he took out a $1.2 million mortgage originally in 2002.  Then he took out a second mortgage for $700,000.  If he put anything down on this house, which is a big if, than it is obviously worth more than the $1.6 million assessed.  It is a big if, because this is part of the sweet-heart deal from Dean White family and Whitco Industries to McDermott, Jr. and Visclosky.  Now I want to know what legitimate mortgage company gives you loans on over 100% of your houses' assessed value?  And then does not require you to pay the property taxes on their own leveraged property?  I would love to get in on this deal.  Where is the Dean White Bank when I need it?   Did he take care of Dodd and Obama?   Does he know Rizo from Chicago?  Now we all know where to do our banking.

Everyone is quite aware that there has been a felony committed here.  From everything I know Mr. Capp, the newly name US AG for Northern Indiana, is a straight-shooter who pursues political crimes irrespective of party.  Here is the perfect case.  Democrats, Republicans, new names, old names, business people, and politicians all combined to commit this fraud on the people of the State of Indiana.  Someone needs to go to jail and only the United States Attorney can make it right.  B. Carter, the Lake County attorney, is in McDermott, the son, pocket.  Even the Lake County Sheriff will not move against the father.  Look what happened when he moved against the son's supplier. 

As an added footnote, I am sure the NWI Times newspaper will pursue this story once Tom McDermott, the tax cheat, stops visiting Bill Nangle, the Times editor, weekly.  (For those of you who do not remember, it was this tax cheat McDermott, while working at the Times who broke the circulation union.)

My next entry will be how McDermott, the father, received a luxury car as a gift because of his son.  Auctioneers do a lot of business in Hammond.

Gary is finished!!!

I will be writing some more about why Gary is finished as a city.   But, in the mean time, I want people to consider a simple question:  Why would anyone in their right faculty move to Gary, either as an individual or as a business?   There is none.  Further, there is not any way to get there.

When the financial report came out, a week ago, it was the last ditch effort to stop the end, that is all.  There is no business development possible in Gary until Gary is gone.  If you actually owned a legitimate business, would you ever move it to Gary when you have the whole State of Indiana, the Midwest, or the United States to choose from.

What does Gary have to offer?  Nothing.  Crime, none existent work force, high taxes, criminals for politicians, no infrastructure, etc.  By the way, all this applies to East Chicago and Hammond -- they are also finished.  Only the gang-bangers and the criminal politicians are left in all those cities and Lake County is not far behind (Merriville is Gary it is breathing its last as we write).

Actually when one thinks about it, Gary's demise is good for everyone.

Time for a New County

Now that the State Legislature has completed its session, it has become clear that the big looser, with a big L, is Lake County, south of the Borman.  To achieve property tax relief, or to continue the 2% cap, Lake County will have to impose a 1% income tax on everyone in Lake County. 

The consequence of this new income tax is to shift financial resources from Lake County, south of the Borman, to the three problematic thievery (patronage) controlled cities north of the Borman: Gary, Hammond, and East Chicago.  The reality is that Lake County can no longer afford the existence of those cities under the current management.  Do away with the cities or do away with the leadership.  You are a complete fool if you think other wise (or you are part of Team McDermott, which is saying the same thing.)

This essential solution, thanks to the brilliant legislators we elected (remember these are the people who gave you the RDA) is to have south Lake County residence pay for the thievery and mismanagement of Gary, Hammond, and East Chicago.  There are only two ways to end the debacle.  One, is to vote all incumbents, especially Democrats, out of office next week and then in the November general election. 

This is as likely as the coming of the Messiah.  The thief's have a too great a hold on the County.  One must be amazed at the lack of civic duty of the citizens and the business community of Lake County.  Instead of the Messiah, these changes will happen when Chicago and Illinois become so expensive that the civilized citizens will find it worthwhile to buy everyone out of north Lake County and with that drive the incompetent politicians and their cronies out.

With the current market for housing, this could take longer than a decade.  Civilized people from Illinois are now skipping Lake County in favor of Porter County and east.

The other alternative is to break up Lake County south of the Borman.  Everything from Munster's and Highland's northern borders south will be a new county in Indiana.  This is the only possible future for civilized citizens and will give an opportunity for whites, Hispanics, blacks, Asians who believe is a civil government, not one run by smoke and mirrors or the thievery of $300,000 for a private airlines or the hiring of child molesters, to have a civilized life by moving south.

If you are going to pay a 1% income tax, make it worthwhile for you, your family and your property, don't send it to the charlatans of the northern Lake County cities.  Create your own county!!!  It is time to rebel against our new King George the Thirds: McDermott, Clay, and Pabey

My Man Chester Dobis

NWI's State Representative Chester Dobis is the real front man in the current session of the Indiana State Legislature.  My new moniker for Mr. Dobis is "My Man Chester."

Now many of you will recognize that Mr. Dobis and I have had our differences over the years and I have been plenty critical of him when we have disagreed.  But when Mr. Dobis is right, I must support him with the same strength as I have been a critic.

Representative Dobis has consistently shown that he recognizes the realities of over bloated budgeting and useless expenditures of tax dollars by most units of local government in NWI.  He has specifically indicated the gross failures of Lake County Government and of the three largest cities of NWI: Gary, Hammond, and East Chicago.

Mr. Dobis has specifically challenged the political leadership of Lake County Government and the Mayors of the three cities to put up or shut up.  That is not a threat by him or a wish, it is a reality.  The rest of the State of Indiana is not going to keep on getting the unwilling and the incompetents out of the fiscal troubles by increasing tax revenues.

Specifically, the 2% cap ,which is now law to extend the cap to rental units and businesses, will not be amended solely to "save" Lake County without some serious efforts on the part of the political units in Lake County to correct their ongoing thirst for other people's money.  Mr. Dobis was even more specific.  He said I don't buy your promises and I am not going to try to sell those promises to my colleagues.  I have heard those promises before and as soon as the Lake County Mayors and County politicians get their way, they forget their promises.

It is truly time for tough love being directed at Lake County governmental units.  Mr. Dobis is right and everyone in Indiana should let him know they support him in continuing the fight for decent government in Lake County.  Lake County's political leaders are addicted to other people's money and it is time to force them off this addiction.

Thank you My Man Chester.

McDermott Turns Deaf Ear to Low-Income Citizens

Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott, Jr. on his radio show turned a deaf ear to low-income Hoosiers and small businesses.  Essentially, he told them to "go-to-hell."  How did he do that?  By expressing a complete lack of caring in regard to their economic conditions, i.e. inability to pay for his exorbitant budget.

First, he rejects the 2% cap on property tax in favor of an income tax.  It does not matter if the tax is a local Lake County tax or an increase in the Indiana State income tax, they both are regressive.  Regressive means they hit the poorest of our community the hardest. You pretty well pay it on your first dollar and everything after that.  The people who are hurt the most and benefit the least are the people in our society who can least afford it. 

That should not be a surprise coming from McDermott who many individuals -- in their conversations with me -- have characterized as narcissistic and "full of himself."  The last people who he would care about are the low-income and the poor; those who can least help him make more money. 

Who was it who thought of him as a Democrat?  Now he is showing his true colors.  I am fully disgusted that anyone in this great State of Indiana allowed him to even set foot in any Democratic domain.  All you Democrats out there, so called, who supported him should be ashamed of yourself for what he is about to do to the people who depended on you.  McDermott, Jr. does not even pass the test of a "compassionate conservative."

The mayor out of hand dismisses the 2% cap on rental properties.  The only NWI politician to recognize the need to hold the line on spending and the 2% cap is Commissioner DuPey.  Again the Mayor in his usual selfishness is telling the low-income to "shove it." People who own rental properties must pass on the property tax to their renters.  Otherwise logic tells any intelligent person that they will go out of business very quickly.  Who predominantly rents in NWI?  The answer is low-income citizens.  Why should they carry the burden?

When a Hammond small business man called the radio show to appeal for a 2% cap on business because he is being driven out of business, the Mayor had no sympathy.  The caller informed the Mayor that he is currently paying 5% property tax on his business.  The Mayor's indifferent answer was that he should consider himself lucky for having a 2% cap on his residence and quit griping.

Not only is this mixing apples and oranges indicating the Mayor's complete lack of business and economic awareness; it also indicates a Mayor completely out of touch with the small people.  Who is it that owns small businesses?  You and me, our parents, that is who owns them.  It is not like the big five businesses in NWI that have a slew of lawyers and lobbyists for special legislation to protect them.  Small businesses are protected by their local Mayor. 

Well Hammond's small people and small businesses have all been thrown over by the so called Democratic Mayor.  That is the true embarassment of NWI.

NWI Politicians Want to Continue Milking the Public Financially

Lake County is facing a disaster of its own making.  By the year 2010 the 2 percent property tax cap will not only apply to residential property but will also be extended to rental properties in 2008 and then to businesses in 2010. 

Lake County taxing units overall will lose about $280 million.  After decades of promises to cut their budgets, these taxing units will be forced to stop fleecing its citizens and businesses. 

This is uniquely a Lake County problem.  Porter County is projected to loose $380,000 by 2010 – manageable.  The next closest problem is Marion County with a $57 million shortage by 2010.  Marion County is twice the size of Lake County and has NO gambling revenues.  I am sure they will solve their problems without resorting to confiscatory tax measures.

It is Lake County’s elected officials who are crying, “The end is near, the problem is unsolvable.”  Approximately three years ago in one of my early writings, I indicated that the Lake County Commissioners had one member with sufficient fortitude to act like a man and that was Lake County Commissioner Fran DuPey.  This was when she stood up and said no to Mayors Duane Dedelow of Hammond, Robert Pastrick of East Chicago, and Scott King of Gary.  That resounding no was to the passage of a Lake County income tax.  She specifically told them there is no way she was willing to support a new tax until they get their own financial houses in order.  Man that is telling it like it is.

Now we are back again with the same situation and thank God we have the same Commissioner standing up to the Mayors, although now it is Tom McDermott, Jr. of Hammond, George Pabey of East Chicago, and Rudy Clay of Gary, and the other elected officials who have changed nothing over the past four years to address putting their financial house in order.

It is only going to be DuPey’s courage that is going to save the citizens of Lake County from confiscatory taxes.  The politicians will accomplish this by either dropping the 2 percent cap or finding a bunch of new taxes to burden us.  Particularly popular is the idea of fleecing citizens throughout Lake County to pay for the governmental bloat of Hammond, Gary, and East Chicago.

This is twice now that DuPey at critical times has stood up for the citizens of Lake County, even ones not in her district.  The sad fact is that in another two years Commissioner DuPey’s term will be over and she has indicated she will not run again.  Who is going to stand for the citizens?

Not George Pabey, who just sold East Chicago for $100,000 to keep John Aguilera from running against him.  How about an ethical stand from Mayor Tom McDermott, Jr.?  The chief investigator from Chicago’s Better Government Association’s, in personal correspondence to me regarding the Cabella’s deal said that “it is at best highly unethical.”  This same McDermott also raised his budget every year and insisted on a personal raise. These have been the norms in NWI political circles; Fran DuPey has been the exception.  Future politicians elected by the voters of Lake County must be able to govern not to just be pretty boys and girls.

All the citizens of NWI need to vote in less of the Pabey’s and McDermott’s and more of the DuPey’s.  If we don’t the downward spiral of Lake County will continue unabated.

 

The politicians and civic leaders that NWI needs are the ones that can solve problems not create them.  The Pabeys, the McDermotts, the Clays, and their unelected cronies have only caused a disaster through their ignorance and mediocraty.  Ignorance is defined as when you do not know that you do not know.  They have no idea how to get out of their own mess.

The solution is two fold cut spending dramatically and simultaneously increase the assesset value of Lake County.  Neither of these programs have they even made the slightest dent in.  As a matter of fact it is the opposite.  The spending is going up geometrically and the assessed value is droping relative to inflation and the politicians' hunger for more public money to waste.

The only solution is to vote the incumbents out.  There is not one good reason for keeping any of them in office. 

State Sen. Luke Kenley many in NWI Support Your Stand

State Senator Luke Kenley, Chairman of the Senate Tax Committe, should know that there are many citizens of NWI who support his stand on holding the line on the 2 percent property tax cap.  The citizens of NWI support not changing the law the will extend this cap to rental property and then to industrial property.

The only county in Indiana that this has real consequances for is Lake County.  For example, Lake County is expected to loose $233 million if this were to fully take effect; the next closest county is Marion, which is twice the population size and provides twice the service, will only loose $58 million.  The county next to Lake, Porter, is only projected to loose about $400,000.  There is nothing unique about Lake County to explain this disparity except for incompetence and corruption on the part of most public officials.

The corruption is obvious from the work of the U. S. Attorney Van Bokklen.  Given the number of indictments, it would indicate that corruption is the norm in Lake County not the exception.  Since the Democratic Party is in charge of Lake County, it is the Lake County Democratic Party that is the responsible corrupt enterprise.  One needs to remember that not being indicted does not mean that you are not corrupt.

Incompetence is indicated by the condition where no taxing unit in Lake County has reduced or held its budget growth to zero during the past five years.  This was also during a time of increased income to municipalities and the county government from gambling revenues.  Performance on the part of elected officials has been truly incompetent. 

The reality is that they do no know what to do except raise more taxes.  This has been the continuous mantra of all, with the sole exception of County Commissioner Fran DuPey.  Commissioner DuPey and State Representative Dobis have both said they will not support any change to the property tax cap until there is significant movement on reducing the cost of government in Lake County.

All the government entities in Lake County have increased their budget and have continued with absolutely no changes whatsoever.  Everything has only been lip service; no real action.  Since the main reason is corruption and not knowing what to do, the only way to bring about change is the forced "conversion" of the property tax cap.

So Senator Kenley remember that you have support here in NWI for holding these no-nothing and corrupt NWI comical politicians' feet to the fire.

Rep. Chester Dobis is to be Commended

The Indiana Legislature passed several good laws on property tax limits. By the year 2010, they have limited everyone's property tax to 2 percent of assessed value.

Its first implementation was for homeowners -- limiting the tax liability of Hoosiers actually living in their home property by utilizing the homestead exemption. Although this has probably helped some wealthy people, it continues to be a real safety net for the middle class and lower middle class, which is of particular importance in Lake County. Although the 2 percent safety net is not meant as a solution to all the sudden increases in property taxes for Hoosiers, it is a cap preventing many Hoosiers from loosing their homes and property.

The property tax that rental-building owners have to pay is passed on to the renters who must ultimately bear the burden of the increased property tax. Consequently, the Legislature placed a 2 percent tax cap on rental property to go into effect in 2008. After 2008, the rents in Indiana will not have to go up exorbitantly and, in many cases, may even go down or at least remain steady. All of this is good for the rental market, both the people renting and rental-property owners -- a true win-win situation.

For decades, Indiana has been unable to develop new business, while losing old businesses. In Northwest Indiana itself, there has only been a net 300 new business growth over the past decade. It would make no sense, then, for Indiana to put all the weight of local government growth on the back of business, while claiming to help it. Therefore, starting in 2010, the Legislature has included business property under the 2 percent cap. This not only is a matter of equity and fairness, but also smart economic development. Over the past 15 years, Tom McDermott Sr., as president of the Northwest Indiana Forum, argued vehemently for limiting property tax on businesses as a way of promoting economic growth for Lake County.

With the sole exception of Lake County, everyone in the state accepts these limitations, believes they are fair and will promote economic activity, and are living within their limits.

This legislative program seems to have minimal consequences for other counties. Out of 92 counties in Indiana, only Lake County is screaming that the "sky will fall" if it is forced to live within these limits.

However, Lake County politicians have created their own bed and now they need to lie in it. Despite almost a decade of economic warnings and legal indictments, politics as usual continues to rule in Lake County.

In East Chicago, 81-year-old City Councilman Gus Kouros gets a two-year extension, to 2011, on his yearly $72,000 contract "managing" the school district's food programs.  Mayor George Pabey decided to give information technology guru John Aguilera an $85,000 contract and he no longer is considering a bid for mayor. It is so blatant that the very next day after receiving the contract, Aguilera holds a news conference announcing that he is not running for mayor.

Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott Jr. continues to exponentially increase the city's budget annually, while spending millions on legal settlements and lawyer fees.

In fact, since the property tax issue came to the forefront four years ago, not a single Lake County taxing entity has lowered or even maintained its spending levels.

Regrettably, the only way to put a stop to this is by ending the free-flowing spigot of taxpayer money. Corruption and incompetence is neither an explanation nor an excuse for changing the statewide law. If everyone else can live with it, so must Lake County.

State Representative Chester Dobis is the sole politician in NWI to take up the challenge and to show courage by standing up against the waste and abuse he has watched for years. He has informed Lake County politicians that he is not going to support any change downstate until he sees substantial improvements in how local government operates. To show how clearly he is thinking, he is not going to fall for promises again, since they never materialize.

Representative Dobis is a representative who is truly speaking truth to power. His stand is the true hope for the citizens of NWI for a responsive government in Lake County. All citizens in Indiana should commend him and support him in his stand.