Economic Development Provides Long Term Solution
Kokomo Citizen Brett Sanders talks about the need for real Economic Development; the kind that brings jobs.
Annexation can be a good thing if used properly, however the City administration's plan has failed to address the challenges of creating a stable city tax base and providing a long term solution to current and future budgets. In order to solve the current monetary shortfall, we cannot assume the economic impact will be positive when the annexation plan has set goals it is incapable of reaching. In seeking to achieve real long term solutions to these problems we must first define the problem.
Kokomo's budget is being encroached upon on two fronts: one being the increasing healthcare, fuel cost and an unwillingness to cut noble causes the city has no obligation of providing, such as the municipally run daycare center. (If we have enough money to keep a non-essential service like the Early Learning Center when we are laying off city fire, police and street department employees it sends the wrong message to those providing these services and the citizenry they intend to protect.) The second front is the growing number of empty houses within city limits and the shrinking number of quality jobs. With us looking to simply cut the budget it will only look to solve the problem in the short run but will not attend to the nature of the long term issue.
A universal effort to increase economic development, increase our educated workforce, and encouraging entrepreneurship will provide Kokomo a long term solution. A solid approach to economic development comes from understanding how our economy has changed and that we are in the midst of a global age. The options that we need to pursue are ones inside and outside of city, state and national employers.
A multipronged effort to bring jobs and create stability for our local economy is the best way to find that end. Working in concert with regional and state economic development efforts, we should shine a light on our community that will give us additional support and better opportunities to generate new jobs. Kokomo should take steps to guarantee an advantage when they compete with other municipalities across the nation and around the world. It is crucial to take measures to make our community as attractive as possible. Kokomo can declare itself "open for business" by having low taxes for businesses and residents, by building an interstate quality highway, by improving the quality of life for its citizens and by having a proactive
government that recognizes real growth. By taking these steps, Kokomo can create a climate of goodwill with individuals looking to expand or start their operations.
When the current annexation plan was proposed it was intended to address a budget shortfall caused by the 1% cap on local property tax. The tax rate being lower *should* give our citizens a unique opportunity to see the municipal leaders cut some fat and while continuing to provide essential services. This would give citizens a lean city government, but will not answer questions on how to solve our rising costs. If we have city government that says it can't handle a budget for 46,000 people, what evidence do we have that that same government can handle 57,000 people? In effect there are over a thousand empty houses in Kokomo and we don't ask why this is. This question isn't something that we can ignore and to think that
if we annex more people that somehow they will not just move outside of those boundaries and further depress our current housing market is naive.
People are leaving because we are losing jobs; the only solution that we have is to focus in on real economic development and increase efforts to market what Kokomo can provide to potential employers. Such aims can be accomplished through trade missions, sister cities and a variety of other creative ways to build relations to realize common interests and assist in achieving each other's objectives. To do so would enable our community to potentially receive tremendous benefits with minimal costs.
We face many challenges concerning the economic stability and future vitality of our city, they however are ones that can be overcome. There are many factors that can make a significant impact in minimizing negative repercussions from the uncertainty found in global markets and our local economy. Retaining current jobs in Kokomo, while continually looking to attract a diverse set of new labor markets is the key to creating an environment suitable to sustain growth.
Just 'adding people' who already live here can't do anything but hinder progress and keep us from the real work that must be done with economic development.
Annexation can be a good thing if used properly, however the City administration's plan has failed to address the challenges of creating a stable city tax base and providing a long term solution to current and future budgets. In order to solve the current monetary shortfall, we cannot assume the economic impact will be positive when the annexation plan has set goals it is incapable of reaching. In seeking to achieve real long term solutions to these problems we must first define the problem.
Kokomo's budget is being encroached upon on two fronts: one being the increasing healthcare, fuel cost and an unwillingness to cut noble causes the city has no obligation of providing, such as the municipally run daycare center. (If we have enough money to keep a non-essential service like the Early Learning Center when we are laying off city fire, police and street department employees it sends the wrong message to those providing these services and the citizenry they intend to protect.) The second front is the growing number of empty houses within city limits and the shrinking number of quality jobs. With us looking to simply cut the budget it will only look to solve the problem in the short run but will not attend to the nature of the long term issue.
A universal effort to increase economic development, increase our educated workforce, and encouraging entrepreneurship will provide Kokomo a long term solution. A solid approach to economic development comes from understanding how our economy has changed and that we are in the midst of a global age. The options that we need to pursue are ones inside and outside of city, state and national employers.
A multipronged effort to bring jobs and create stability for our local economy is the best way to find that end. Working in concert with regional and state economic development efforts, we should shine a light on our community that will give us additional support and better opportunities to generate new jobs. Kokomo should take steps to guarantee an advantage when they compete with other municipalities across the nation and around the world. It is crucial to take measures to make our community as attractive as possible. Kokomo can declare itself "open for business" by having low taxes for businesses and residents, by building an interstate quality highway, by improving the quality of life for its citizens and by having a proactive
government that recognizes real growth. By taking these steps, Kokomo can create a climate of goodwill with individuals looking to expand or start their operations.
When the current annexation plan was proposed it was intended to address a budget shortfall caused by the 1% cap on local property tax. The tax rate being lower *should* give our citizens a unique opportunity to see the municipal leaders cut some fat and while continuing to provide essential services. This would give citizens a lean city government, but will not answer questions on how to solve our rising costs. If we have city government that says it can't handle a budget for 46,000 people, what evidence do we have that that same government can handle 57,000 people? In effect there are over a thousand empty houses in Kokomo and we don't ask why this is. This question isn't something that we can ignore and to think that
if we annex more people that somehow they will not just move outside of those boundaries and further depress our current housing market is naive.
People are leaving because we are losing jobs; the only solution that we have is to focus in on real economic development and increase efforts to market what Kokomo can provide to potential employers. Such aims can be accomplished through trade missions, sister cities and a variety of other creative ways to build relations to realize common interests and assist in achieving each other's objectives. To do so would enable our community to potentially receive tremendous benefits with minimal costs.
We face many challenges concerning the economic stability and future vitality of our city, they however are ones that can be overcome. There are many factors that can make a significant impact in minimizing negative repercussions from the uncertainty found in global markets and our local economy. Retaining current jobs in Kokomo, while continually looking to attract a diverse set of new labor markets is the key to creating an environment suitable to sustain growth.
Just 'adding people' who already live here can't do anything but hinder progress and keep us from the real work that must be done with economic development.
City Resident Rejects Tyrannical Annexation Plan
The following letter was recieved from Aaron Williford, a citizen of Kokomo(who gets it.)
Tyranny; it is an abomination to Americans. We bristle at the very thought of it. At least we used to. Sadly, these days, far too many Americans don’t even seem to recognize it. Open your eyes my friends, it is staring you straight in the face. Fellow citizens of Kokomo, I am referring to the mayor’s ill-conceived, ill-considered, bombshell proposal pushing for the forced annexation of our friends and neighbors in the county and also, the city council’s apparent complicity, complacency, and stunning lack of leadership in regard to this extremely serious issue. My assessment of the annexation “plan” may initially strike some as too harsh but, I assure you it is not. Every word in that opening was painstakingly considered and deliberately chosen. It is the most accurate description of what is transpiring that I can devise and I will vigorously defend it in this narrative.
Tyranny; no doubt, using such a word to describe what is occurring would provoke some people to accuse me of engaging in hyperbole. I flatly reject that charge. The English Encarta Dictionary defines tyranny as “cruelty and injustice in the exercise of power or authority over others” and “oppressive government by one or more people who exercise absolute power cruelly and unjustly.” I challenge anyone to point out to me where this proposal contains even the slightest shred of “justice.” When you look up synonyms for the word “annexation” you will find words like “capture, seizure, takeover” and “appropriation.” Folks, there was no clamor from city residents demanding that our elected leaders launch such an aggressive act against our county neighbors. Likewise, there was no clamor from county residents requesting that they be made part of the city. The only clamor has been the tremendous outcry of resistance to the idea from those who stand to be annexed. These people have no representation in city government and they are not even allowed a simple up or down majority vote to accept or decline the proposal. All they can do is voice their grievances and, from what I witnessed at the second council meeting, they might as well go argue those grievances to the cornfields that will soon become part of the city (you know, “urban” cornfields). My friends, for the mayor and the city council to be so completely obstinate in the face of such overwhelming opposition, it is downright shameful. There is simply no grass-roots support for this issue. There is only antipathy and apathy. It is indeed tyranny. To describe it as anything less is to sugar coat it. Period.
Moving on, I labeled the mayor’s “plan” a bombshell, because it undeniably was. If you consider the size of the area that the mayor originally proposed be annexed (or even the “scaled back” version), I think you will agree that it is not just some modest little proposal that he has made. Quite the contrary. It is exceedingly ambitious and will have a broad, deep, far-reaching, and long-term impact on the future of Kokomo. Yet, candidate Goodnight made no mention of it in his campaign. No city official, neither the mayor nor any representative on the council, campaigned on the issue of annexation. Fellow residents of Kokomo, this is absolutely unacceptable. A proposal of this magnitude has to be rolled out during the campaign, so that there can be public debate and public scrutiny focused on the issue. Voters deserve the opportunity to hear and participate in that debate, reflect on it, make up their own minds about it, and then cast their votes accordingly. We do not deserve to be broadsided by those we have just elected with sudden, poorly planned, fallacious “grand-designs” that they neglected to mention to us when seeking our votes. If we allow this to stand, we will be demonstrating our own irrelevance and carelessly inviting future “surprises” from our elected officials.
When you consider the fact that Goodnight was inaugurated in January and he unveiled his forced annexation proposal in April, it is only reasonable to conclude that he had the idea in his mind all along and deliberately withheld it from the voters until after securing his election victory. That is one aspect of why I consider the proposal to be “ill-conceived.” By all rights, given the scope of this proposal, it should have been a centerpiece of his campaign. Isn’t that the whole point of a campaign? You tell the people “Here’s what I want to do and here’s why…” and then they decide whether or not they want to let you take a crack at it? Are we to believe that, after just a few short months, the new mayor had already successfully addressed all of the issues that he did run on, and now he was seeking some new challenges to tackle? You can be assured that this proposal will bring on plenty of those. Folks, the way this issue has been handled from the get-go is just plain “shady.”
In addition, I find the plan to be “ill-considered” because the mayor (and apparently the council too) seem to be willing to flip the world on its head and literally refer to “East” as “West,” so long as it helps them ram this thing through. You see, there are two ordinances; one for the Westside and one for the Eastside. What you may not know is that Indian Heights has been included in the Westside annexation ordinance. This defies all common sense. Indian Heights is south and east of Kokomo’s city limits. How is it that it has been included in the Westside proposal? When I asked the council members this question at the last meeting, none of them had an answer. Council President Kennedy essentially shrugged off the question saying something to the effect of “That’s just the way the mayor wanted it.” I was fine with that answer because it was just a rhetorical question. In fact, it was a perfect answer. It was just one more countless example of how clueless the council is about this “plan.” I know full well why Indian Heights was included in the Westside ordinance. Councilman Kennedy probably does as well but, he just didn’t have the guts to openly admit it. It was done in a deliberate effort to dilute the possibility of a successful remonstration from the county residents who actually live on the west side. You see, residents of Indian Heights have signed a waiver abdicating their right to remonstrate against annexation. By placing them in with the Westside ordinance, west side residents would have to gather remonstration signatures from 83% of their population instead of the only 65% required by state law. At the second reading of these ordinances, the city council voted to amend the Westside proposal and cut out 1108 parcels, none of which were in areas where people have signed waivers. This is the master stroke that pretty much dooms any chance for successful remonstration. When city officials are willing to call “up,” “down,” and “night,” “day,” just so that they can get what they want by craftily circumventing the rights of those whom they seek to govern, it should raise a huge red flag. I say again, if we the citizens of Kokomo allow this to stand, we are openly declaring our own irrelevance and abandoning our civic responsibilities.
You may have noticed that anytime I use the word “plan” to describe this proposal, I put it in quotation marks. That is because there appears to be no “plan,” just a proposal and its vast, unknown, unintended consequences. The only planning involved seems to have been focused exclusively on keeping this under the radar of city residents (by avoiding any public debate before the election) and strong-arming the county residents (by attempting to torpedo their remonstration efforts). I’ve covered the “tyranny, bombshell” and “ill-conceived” remarks, now it’s time to move on to “ill-considered.”
Being a resident of the city already, I was only following this story casually but, I was following it. Everything I kept hearing about it, whether it was anecdotal or in the press left me scratching my head in puzzlement. I heard several people say that when they had asked a city official “Why is the city doing this?” the answer they got was “We need the money.” My instinctive response to that was “Well, isn’t all that new money going to be offset by the cost of added infrastructure and services?” For weeks and weeks, county residents were repeatedly assured that there was no cause for alarm, that this would not take any additional money out of their wallets. Again I’m thinking, “Well, where is all of this money that you say you “need” going to come from?” Then I hear local news update on the radio which reports that the county government is voicing concern about the proposal because of the loss of revenue that they will incur. The story went on to relate that the city government had told the county government not to worry about it because it would be “revenue neutral” for them. I thought to myself, “How can it be revenue neutral for them but not for you? How do you square that one?” Then, a few weeks later I hear another local news update on the radio which reported that the city was hiring a company that specializes in analyzing the economic ramifications, to actually crunch the numbers and study the potential impact on both the city and the county. “What!!?” I thought, “After all your assurances you’re just now getting around to looking into the actual ramifications and costs?” At that point, I decided that I would be attending the council meeting at which the second reading of this proposal would occur. What I witnessed was nothing short of astounding.
I presented the council with many of these questions and points but, I did not get anything close to a satisfactory response. There were many others there who raised excellent questions and made terrific points (for example, all of the unknown, tangled mess of city ordinances that will have to be addressed when these areas become part of the city, such as leaf-burning, discharging a firearm, owning livestock, having a septic system and who knows how many others) but, none of them got satisfactory responses. If I heard “We don’t know” once, I heard it two dozen times. These people, who had legitimate questions and concerns, could not get straight answers because the council simply didn’t have any solid information to impart. They had no answers to give. I’ll tell you what I told the council. I came to that meeting a little confused about this issue but, by the time the meeting was over, they had made one thing nice and sparkling clear; they really had no idea what they were voting for or what the ramifications would be. Yet, despite being so utterly uninformed about the proposal, all but one of them (Bob Cameron) voted for it anyway. That is why I say they are either complicit or complacent on this issue. Real leadership would be displayed by telling the mayor he should have campaigned on this issue if he wanted to pursue it and that the next time he has a major proposal in mind, he had better display far more transparency and preparation.
Now, I understand that this is the mayor’s proposal and not the council’s. I also understand that voting in favor of it at the first and second reading does not necessarily mean that a council member will vote in favor of it at the final reading. I assume Mr. Cameron will oppose it again and I understand that Cynthia Sanders has announced her intention to vote against it. The others can still be brought to their senses. They are obviously not the slightest bit concerned about angering county residents who cannot vote for them but, a flurry of phone calls and emails from people who can vote for them might just get their attention. I am asking you, fellow citizens of Kokomo, how much do you know about this proposal? Do you know that they cannot do this on either side of a census year? Doesn’t that explain the urgency driving this? If they don’t do it now, they won’t be able to do it until 2012. Are you comfortable allowing them to make such a monumental decision so hastily? Are you comfortable allowing them to pass it even though you don’t really know much about it? Are you O.K. with it even though the people who are being annexed, your neighbors (and customers), are adamantly and decidedly hostile to the idea? I sure hope not. A quick phone call or brief email to your representative, indicating your opposition, will have an impact. Let’s let our elected officials know that we are paying attention and we demand much better from them.
It’s the eleventh hour Kokomo. Time is short. The final reading is set for Monday at 7:00. It is up to us. Now is the time. The court may strike down this abomination but, I would much prefer to see the people slap it down. It’s time to send our elected officials a message.
Tyranny; it is an abomination to Americans. We bristle at the very thought of it. At least we used to. Sadly, these days, far too many Americans don’t even seem to recognize it. Open your eyes my friends, it is staring you straight in the face. Fellow citizens of Kokomo, I am referring to the mayor’s ill-conceived, ill-considered, bombshell proposal pushing for the forced annexation of our friends and neighbors in the county and also, the city council’s apparent complicity, complacency, and stunning lack of leadership in regard to this extremely serious issue. My assessment of the annexation “plan” may initially strike some as too harsh but, I assure you it is not. Every word in that opening was painstakingly considered and deliberately chosen. It is the most accurate description of what is transpiring that I can devise and I will vigorously defend it in this narrative.
Tyranny; no doubt, using such a word to describe what is occurring would provoke some people to accuse me of engaging in hyperbole. I flatly reject that charge. The English Encarta Dictionary defines tyranny as “cruelty and injustice in the exercise of power or authority over others” and “oppressive government by one or more people who exercise absolute power cruelly and unjustly.” I challenge anyone to point out to me where this proposal contains even the slightest shred of “justice.” When you look up synonyms for the word “annexation” you will find words like “capture, seizure, takeover” and “appropriation.” Folks, there was no clamor from city residents demanding that our elected leaders launch such an aggressive act against our county neighbors. Likewise, there was no clamor from county residents requesting that they be made part of the city. The only clamor has been the tremendous outcry of resistance to the idea from those who stand to be annexed. These people have no representation in city government and they are not even allowed a simple up or down majority vote to accept or decline the proposal. All they can do is voice their grievances and, from what I witnessed at the second council meeting, they might as well go argue those grievances to the cornfields that will soon become part of the city (you know, “urban” cornfields). My friends, for the mayor and the city council to be so completely obstinate in the face of such overwhelming opposition, it is downright shameful. There is simply no grass-roots support for this issue. There is only antipathy and apathy. It is indeed tyranny. To describe it as anything less is to sugar coat it. Period.
Moving on, I labeled the mayor’s “plan” a bombshell, because it undeniably was. If you consider the size of the area that the mayor originally proposed be annexed (or even the “scaled back” version), I think you will agree that it is not just some modest little proposal that he has made. Quite the contrary. It is exceedingly ambitious and will have a broad, deep, far-reaching, and long-term impact on the future of Kokomo. Yet, candidate Goodnight made no mention of it in his campaign. No city official, neither the mayor nor any representative on the council, campaigned on the issue of annexation. Fellow residents of Kokomo, this is absolutely unacceptable. A proposal of this magnitude has to be rolled out during the campaign, so that there can be public debate and public scrutiny focused on the issue. Voters deserve the opportunity to hear and participate in that debate, reflect on it, make up their own minds about it, and then cast their votes accordingly. We do not deserve to be broadsided by those we have just elected with sudden, poorly planned, fallacious “grand-designs” that they neglected to mention to us when seeking our votes. If we allow this to stand, we will be demonstrating our own irrelevance and carelessly inviting future “surprises” from our elected officials.
When you consider the fact that Goodnight was inaugurated in January and he unveiled his forced annexation proposal in April, it is only reasonable to conclude that he had the idea in his mind all along and deliberately withheld it from the voters until after securing his election victory. That is one aspect of why I consider the proposal to be “ill-conceived.” By all rights, given the scope of this proposal, it should have been a centerpiece of his campaign. Isn’t that the whole point of a campaign? You tell the people “Here’s what I want to do and here’s why…” and then they decide whether or not they want to let you take a crack at it? Are we to believe that, after just a few short months, the new mayor had already successfully addressed all of the issues that he did run on, and now he was seeking some new challenges to tackle? You can be assured that this proposal will bring on plenty of those. Folks, the way this issue has been handled from the get-go is just plain “shady.”
In addition, I find the plan to be “ill-considered” because the mayor (and apparently the council too) seem to be willing to flip the world on its head and literally refer to “East” as “West,” so long as it helps them ram this thing through. You see, there are two ordinances; one for the Westside and one for the Eastside. What you may not know is that Indian Heights has been included in the Westside annexation ordinance. This defies all common sense. Indian Heights is south and east of Kokomo’s city limits. How is it that it has been included in the Westside proposal? When I asked the council members this question at the last meeting, none of them had an answer. Council President Kennedy essentially shrugged off the question saying something to the effect of “That’s just the way the mayor wanted it.” I was fine with that answer because it was just a rhetorical question. In fact, it was a perfect answer. It was just one more countless example of how clueless the council is about this “plan.” I know full well why Indian Heights was included in the Westside ordinance. Councilman Kennedy probably does as well but, he just didn’t have the guts to openly admit it. It was done in a deliberate effort to dilute the possibility of a successful remonstration from the county residents who actually live on the west side. You see, residents of Indian Heights have signed a waiver abdicating their right to remonstrate against annexation. By placing them in with the Westside ordinance, west side residents would have to gather remonstration signatures from 83% of their population instead of the only 65% required by state law. At the second reading of these ordinances, the city council voted to amend the Westside proposal and cut out 1108 parcels, none of which were in areas where people have signed waivers. This is the master stroke that pretty much dooms any chance for successful remonstration. When city officials are willing to call “up,” “down,” and “night,” “day,” just so that they can get what they want by craftily circumventing the rights of those whom they seek to govern, it should raise a huge red flag. I say again, if we the citizens of Kokomo allow this to stand, we are openly declaring our own irrelevance and abandoning our civic responsibilities.
You may have noticed that anytime I use the word “plan” to describe this proposal, I put it in quotation marks. That is because there appears to be no “plan,” just a proposal and its vast, unknown, unintended consequences. The only planning involved seems to have been focused exclusively on keeping this under the radar of city residents (by avoiding any public debate before the election) and strong-arming the county residents (by attempting to torpedo their remonstration efforts). I’ve covered the “tyranny, bombshell” and “ill-conceived” remarks, now it’s time to move on to “ill-considered.”
Being a resident of the city already, I was only following this story casually but, I was following it. Everything I kept hearing about it, whether it was anecdotal or in the press left me scratching my head in puzzlement. I heard several people say that when they had asked a city official “Why is the city doing this?” the answer they got was “We need the money.” My instinctive response to that was “Well, isn’t all that new money going to be offset by the cost of added infrastructure and services?” For weeks and weeks, county residents were repeatedly assured that there was no cause for alarm, that this would not take any additional money out of their wallets. Again I’m thinking, “Well, where is all of this money that you say you “need” going to come from?” Then I hear local news update on the radio which reports that the county government is voicing concern about the proposal because of the loss of revenue that they will incur. The story went on to relate that the city government had told the county government not to worry about it because it would be “revenue neutral” for them. I thought to myself, “How can it be revenue neutral for them but not for you? How do you square that one?” Then, a few weeks later I hear another local news update on the radio which reported that the city was hiring a company that specializes in analyzing the economic ramifications, to actually crunch the numbers and study the potential impact on both the city and the county. “What!!?” I thought, “After all your assurances you’re just now getting around to looking into the actual ramifications and costs?” At that point, I decided that I would be attending the council meeting at which the second reading of this proposal would occur. What I witnessed was nothing short of astounding.
I presented the council with many of these questions and points but, I did not get anything close to a satisfactory response. There were many others there who raised excellent questions and made terrific points (for example, all of the unknown, tangled mess of city ordinances that will have to be addressed when these areas become part of the city, such as leaf-burning, discharging a firearm, owning livestock, having a septic system and who knows how many others) but, none of them got satisfactory responses. If I heard “We don’t know” once, I heard it two dozen times. These people, who had legitimate questions and concerns, could not get straight answers because the council simply didn’t have any solid information to impart. They had no answers to give. I’ll tell you what I told the council. I came to that meeting a little confused about this issue but, by the time the meeting was over, they had made one thing nice and sparkling clear; they really had no idea what they were voting for or what the ramifications would be. Yet, despite being so utterly uninformed about the proposal, all but one of them (Bob Cameron) voted for it anyway. That is why I say they are either complicit or complacent on this issue. Real leadership would be displayed by telling the mayor he should have campaigned on this issue if he wanted to pursue it and that the next time he has a major proposal in mind, he had better display far more transparency and preparation.
Now, I understand that this is the mayor’s proposal and not the council’s. I also understand that voting in favor of it at the first and second reading does not necessarily mean that a council member will vote in favor of it at the final reading. I assume Mr. Cameron will oppose it again and I understand that Cynthia Sanders has announced her intention to vote against it. The others can still be brought to their senses. They are obviously not the slightest bit concerned about angering county residents who cannot vote for them but, a flurry of phone calls and emails from people who can vote for them might just get their attention. I am asking you, fellow citizens of Kokomo, how much do you know about this proposal? Do you know that they cannot do this on either side of a census year? Doesn’t that explain the urgency driving this? If they don’t do it now, they won’t be able to do it until 2012. Are you comfortable allowing them to make such a monumental decision so hastily? Are you comfortable allowing them to pass it even though you don’t really know much about it? Are you O.K. with it even though the people who are being annexed, your neighbors (and customers), are adamantly and decidedly hostile to the idea? I sure hope not. A quick phone call or brief email to your representative, indicating your opposition, will have an impact. Let’s let our elected officials know that we are paying attention and we demand much better from them.
It’s the eleventh hour Kokomo. Time is short. The final reading is set for Monday at 7:00. It is up to us. Now is the time. The court may strike down this abomination but, I would much prefer to see the people slap it down. It’s time to send our elected officials a message.
Breaking News: Kokomo's 5th District Says 'No' to Annexation
Look Out Kokomo! has received word from Councilwoman Cindy Sanders (5th District)that she will vote 'No' on the Annexation ordinances.
Full Text:
The past several months since being elected as 5th District Councilwoman have been eventful and challenging. I feel very fortunate to be serving with other dedicated individuals on the council. I’ve also enjoyed speaking to people about their concerns, needs and addressing a variety of issues. But, certainly the topic at the forefront has been annexation. After much consideration, with the high cost of fuel, goods, services and with the uncertainties I feel in the city’s ability to make needed capital improvements I will vote no to the annexation plan. Making sure we can provide the necessary services and protecting our citizens is the goal. Furthermore having the flexibility to invest in economic development in order to expand our tax base will be a major factor in determining our future.
As elected officials and good stewards it’s time for cooperation and consolidation. Combining departments which overlap services thus being more efficient and cutting costs just makes sense. Aspiring to the “Gold Standard “ of putting party affiliation or being elected as city, county or state officials will be one key in meeting the needs and providing stability, security, and strength to our community.
Sincerely,
Cindy Sanders
Full Text:
The past several months since being elected as 5th District Councilwoman have been eventful and challenging. I feel very fortunate to be serving with other dedicated individuals on the council. I’ve also enjoyed speaking to people about their concerns, needs and addressing a variety of issues. But, certainly the topic at the forefront has been annexation. After much consideration, with the high cost of fuel, goods, services and with the uncertainties I feel in the city’s ability to make needed capital improvements I will vote no to the annexation plan. Making sure we can provide the necessary services and protecting our citizens is the goal. Furthermore having the flexibility to invest in economic development in order to expand our tax base will be a major factor in determining our future.
As elected officials and good stewards it’s time for cooperation and consolidation. Combining departments which overlap services thus being more efficient and cutting costs just makes sense. Aspiring to the “Gold Standard “ of putting party affiliation or being elected as city, county or state officials will be one key in meeting the needs and providing stability, security, and strength to our community.
Sincerely,
Cindy Sanders
How Do I Help Fight Annexation?
1. Make use of the resources on this site to find out how this non-plan could affect you.
2. Notify:
a. Your Friends and Neighbors who live in the city that we need their help. Refer them to http://lookoutkokomo.blogspot.com/ We can make a difference with a just a few clicks.
b. Your Common Council Members that you expect better leadership. Notify them you don't accept incomplete plans and compounded problems. Notify them you don't support the annexation ordinances.
3. Visit www.SayNoToKokomo.com or www.naekokomo.com to find out how to help out financially or get a No Annexation yard sign (for those of you with sign envy:)
Let's help our neighbors fight this hasty scheme of Annexation.
2. Notify:
a. Your Friends and Neighbors who live in the city that we need their help. Refer them to http://lookoutkokomo.blogspot.com/ We can make a difference with a just a few clicks.
b. Your Common Council Members that you expect better leadership. Notify them you don't accept incomplete plans and compounded problems. Notify them you don't support the annexation ordinances.
3. Visit www.SayNoToKokomo.com or www.naekokomo.com to find out how to help out financially or get a No Annexation yard sign (for those of you with sign envy:)
Let's help our neighbors fight this hasty scheme of Annexation.
Lafayette Gets It: Voluntary Annexation Is The Way To Go
Read how the good people of Lafayette accomodate their growth, Voluntary Annexation.
Of course, this is in direct contrast to how YOUR elected officials chose to go, Kokomo. Instead of using annexation to accomodate growth, Kokomo seems entrenched on using annexation to give the illusion of growth. You'll pay in the end.
Look Out, Kokomo!
Of course, this is in direct contrast to how YOUR elected officials chose to go, Kokomo. Instead of using annexation to accomodate growth, Kokomo seems entrenched on using annexation to give the illusion of growth. You'll pay in the end.
Look Out, Kokomo!
Here is what we're afraid of folks...
Read how West Lafayette annexed a bunch of land and now may need to increase taxes on its citizens to cover the ballooning costs. Could this happen here? We suspect so, with the rush to pass this thing without a full financial plan.
Kokomo Annexation: The Model of How Not To Do It
Though you'd be sure they were discussing Kokomo, they are actually talking about North Carolina's forced annexations:
Open Letter to Kokomo
Kokomo,
We, your neighbors, as people who work, dine, shop, worship and study in your city, believe you deserve better than what you have been presented by your current "leadership." Mayor Goodnight and the City Council have neglected to tackle the issues you elected them address. Instead, they choose to turn a blind eye to the issues affecting you the most, in favor of a large power and money grab in the form of an annexation of a large part of Howard County.
At the second reading of the proposed annexation ordinances, question after question was answered by the council with a common refrain: "We don't know that yet." This is indicative of a lack of planning and fact gathering before the ordinances were announced. It wasn't even until well after the plans were released that an outside firm was contracted to determine the financial impact that annexation would cause to the county and city taxpayers. Of course, this came after weeks of promises that residents should not be concerned because taxes would not increase and the proposal would be "revenue neutral" for the county. How could they make those promises then when the full financial impact is still unknown? In another misstep, the original plans regarding the areas to be annexed had to be changed because they did not meet the requirements set forth by state laws concerning annexation. Questions remain whether or not the amended plans even comply.
With the absence of any real planning, the first major initiative of the administration has been a disaster from its inception. By bringing an incomplete plan to the table, the administration has shortchanged the citizens of Kokomo. What makes this all even more appalling is that these local leaders are ignoring the existing problems that they campaigned on in order to pursue the annexation plan that they never mentioned when they were running for office. Be assured that this forced annexation plan will only compound your existing problems and add new ones that the city tax payers cannot afford. You've seen this pattern before, Kokomo. It happens all the time. The only planning that seems to have occurred is how to obscure the fact that the plan is incomplete and how to force the plan through the process in order to meet the deadline.
So, even with all of these unanswered questions, the ordinances live to see a third reading. With only one dissenting vote, your Council chose to turn a blind eye as the administration's plan moved one step closer to causing a still undetermined financial shock to city and county taxpayers. No matter what the administration and the city council claim the costs will be to city residents, (for infrastructure, police and fire service, trash removal, and other increases in city services) the real financial impact will not be known for years. You can be certain, every question that was answered with "We don't know yet" will have a dollar amount attached to it as the facts solidify. Kokomo politicians for years to come will propose tax increases on current and future residents to pay for the holes in the plan that cannot be explained now.
This is not idle speculation: the council made its intentions clear at the July 16th meeting. During a discussion of the recent state property tax reform bill, it was pointed out that the Indiana state legislature has recommended that the best strategy for municipalities under the new laws would be to reduce spending. Instead of embracing that advice, the council seems to be entrenched in the mindset of "raising more money." In a tell-tale sign of what is to come for Kokomo, the council discussed new ways of taxing people who choose to engage in commerce in Kokomo. This arrogant disregard for the principles of limited government and fiscal responsibility should frighten every citizen of Kokomo and Howard County alike. New taxes that punish those who contribute to the Kokomo economy will likely speed up the decline of the community which is already underway, due to a lack of leadership. As the manufacturing sector declines nationwide, we'll see the collapse of the local economy accelerated exponentially as these new taxes are levied. 'Commuter' taxes and 'Food and Beverage' taxes were mentioned as possibilities in Kokomo. Instead of working to create jobs for the new economy, city officials seem to have turned a blind eye to Kokomo's labor concerns with talks of "economy-killer" tax plans.
Kokomo, it is clear that your current city administration and council are unwilling to face the challenges presented by the local and state economic climate. Instead of looking for ways to become more efficient at solving the existing problems that they campaigned to solve, they have invested their time and effort into compounding those problems with an incomplete forced annexation plan.
Friends and neighbors, this is where it all begins: Leadership. Leadership does not occur putting forth a plan full of holes; It can't happen by voting in support of a plan that isn't finished. An opportunity existed at the second reading for the city council to exhibit real leadership by striking down the ordinances. Regrettably, your representatives (save one) chose to ignore that opportunity.
So, Kokomo, it appears the leadership in this case will have to come from the city's voters and taxpayers, laborers, small local businesses and large employers: Notify the mayor and council that Kokomo isn't interested in plans that are full of holes. Doing so will pay long-term dividends for residents. Rest assured, if these ordinances are passed, you can expect more half-baked plans for at least the next three and a half years. Your vocal rejection of the plan will serve your elected officials a notice of the elevated expectations you have for them. The taxpayers deserved to have all of the facts before the second reading to make their decision and let their voice be heard. Notify your council representatives and mayor that as a citizen, you aren't willing to accept incomplete plans and compounded problems. Notify them that you expect real leadership. Notify them you do not support the forced annexation plans.
Find out how to help.
We, your neighbors, as people who work, dine, shop, worship and study in your city, believe you deserve better than what you have been presented by your current "leadership." Mayor Goodnight and the City Council have neglected to tackle the issues you elected them address. Instead, they choose to turn a blind eye to the issues affecting you the most, in favor of a large power and money grab in the form of an annexation of a large part of Howard County.
At the second reading of the proposed annexation ordinances, question after question was answered by the council with a common refrain: "We don't know that yet." This is indicative of a lack of planning and fact gathering before the ordinances were announced. It wasn't even until well after the plans were released that an outside firm was contracted to determine the financial impact that annexation would cause to the county and city taxpayers. Of course, this came after weeks of promises that residents should not be concerned because taxes would not increase and the proposal would be "revenue neutral" for the county. How could they make those promises then when the full financial impact is still unknown? In another misstep, the original plans regarding the areas to be annexed had to be changed because they did not meet the requirements set forth by state laws concerning annexation. Questions remain whether or not the amended plans even comply.
With the absence of any real planning, the first major initiative of the administration has been a disaster from its inception. By bringing an incomplete plan to the table, the administration has shortchanged the citizens of Kokomo. What makes this all even more appalling is that these local leaders are ignoring the existing problems that they campaigned on in order to pursue the annexation plan that they never mentioned when they were running for office. Be assured that this forced annexation plan will only compound your existing problems and add new ones that the city tax payers cannot afford. You've seen this pattern before, Kokomo. It happens all the time. The only planning that seems to have occurred is how to obscure the fact that the plan is incomplete and how to force the plan through the process in order to meet the deadline.
So, even with all of these unanswered questions, the ordinances live to see a third reading. With only one dissenting vote, your Council chose to turn a blind eye as the administration's plan moved one step closer to causing a still undetermined financial shock to city and county taxpayers. No matter what the administration and the city council claim the costs will be to city residents, (for infrastructure, police and fire service, trash removal, and other increases in city services) the real financial impact will not be known for years. You can be certain, every question that was answered with "We don't know yet" will have a dollar amount attached to it as the facts solidify. Kokomo politicians for years to come will propose tax increases on current and future residents to pay for the holes in the plan that cannot be explained now.
This is not idle speculation: the council made its intentions clear at the July 16th meeting. During a discussion of the recent state property tax reform bill, it was pointed out that the Indiana state legislature has recommended that the best strategy for municipalities under the new laws would be to reduce spending. Instead of embracing that advice, the council seems to be entrenched in the mindset of "raising more money." In a tell-tale sign of what is to come for Kokomo, the council discussed new ways of taxing people who choose to engage in commerce in Kokomo. This arrogant disregard for the principles of limited government and fiscal responsibility should frighten every citizen of Kokomo and Howard County alike. New taxes that punish those who contribute to the Kokomo economy will likely speed up the decline of the community which is already underway, due to a lack of leadership. As the manufacturing sector declines nationwide, we'll see the collapse of the local economy accelerated exponentially as these new taxes are levied. 'Commuter' taxes and 'Food and Beverage' taxes were mentioned as possibilities in Kokomo. Instead of working to create jobs for the new economy, city officials seem to have turned a blind eye to Kokomo's labor concerns with talks of "economy-killer" tax plans.
Kokomo, it is clear that your current city administration and council are unwilling to face the challenges presented by the local and state economic climate. Instead of looking for ways to become more efficient at solving the existing problems that they campaigned to solve, they have invested their time and effort into compounding those problems with an incomplete forced annexation plan.
Friends and neighbors, this is where it all begins: Leadership. Leadership does not occur putting forth a plan full of holes; It can't happen by voting in support of a plan that isn't finished. An opportunity existed at the second reading for the city council to exhibit real leadership by striking down the ordinances. Regrettably, your representatives (save one) chose to ignore that opportunity.
So, Kokomo, it appears the leadership in this case will have to come from the city's voters and taxpayers, laborers, small local businesses and large employers: Notify the mayor and council that Kokomo isn't interested in plans that are full of holes. Doing so will pay long-term dividends for residents. Rest assured, if these ordinances are passed, you can expect more half-baked plans for at least the next three and a half years. Your vocal rejection of the plan will serve your elected officials a notice of the elevated expectations you have for them. The taxpayers deserved to have all of the facts before the second reading to make their decision and let their voice be heard. Notify your council representatives and mayor that as a citizen, you aren't willing to accept incomplete plans and compounded problems. Notify them that you expect real leadership. Notify them you do not support the forced annexation plans.
Find out how to help.
Random Thoughts on Annexation
One of my favorite opinion writers is Thomas Sowell, who once every month or two publishes a list of 'random thoughts.' Below are mine related to Kokomo's proposed annexation non-plans:
It’s too bad that Kokomo’s citizens are being thrown into this mess along with those being annexed. Though the administration promises the contrary, if the annexation ordinances pass, city folks (current and annexed) will eventually be paying higher city and county taxes. This will be the result of some council member’s willingness to vote for a plan full of holes. Without the financial impact figures, no real guarantees can be made.
The one percent cap on residential property taxes isn’t permanent. Unscrupulous state politicians will soon be looking to remove their self-imposed limit on raising revenue to fund their pet projects. For those annexed, the loss of freedoms and the eventual and perpetual tax hikes as Kokomo citizens will be permanent.
If Kokomo’s elected officials cannot convince people who live three minutes away to agree to join the city, how do they hope to ever attract people from outside the area? Recommendation: Exhibit better leadership than you have shown thus far. A good start would be to strike down those annexation ordinances based on incomplete plans.
How many of their buddies will they need to hire if this thing passes?
If the administration and council was serious about their Economic Development plans outlined during the campaign season, they would focus on bringing business to the area, not acquiring new citizens through annexation. If the city succeeds in bringing new employers, the businesses will take care of bringing the jobs and people to the city. Government’s role is to set the stage for growth, not force it to occur.
How can city officials hope to put Kokomo in a financial situation to partner with new business in order to generate jobs for the future if they will already be committed to providing new infrastructure and services to new residents “acquired” through annexation? Only by raising taxes on all of us.
Imagine the impact to the city budget to provide infrastructure and services to the new residents; ...No, really, you have to imagine it… the incomplete plan put forth by the city administration is missing those numbers.
Getting the financial impact figures to the public should have happened before the 1st reading. There is absolutely no excuse for not having the information at the second reading. Now, we are less than a month away from the third reading of two ordinances that will shape the future of Kokomo and Howard County for decades, and the public still has no numbers. The council should strike down the ordinances. The public should have the time allotted by the three reading process to digest the information and make their voice heard. This is especially true with a plan that has as much down-side potential as this annexation. Rushing the plan through to beat the census is a disservice to the community.
Aside from what some would have you believe, county folks already contribute to the Kokomo budget simply by spending money in the city. The businesses we frequent pay a capped limit of 3% assessed value in property tax (that is, three times the amount that citizens pay.) In return, the administration provides city streets and other infrastructure to get us county folk in the doors of Kokomo establishments. Those taxes are passed to us, just like you, in the price of goods. The sales of these goods and services create jobs and income tax revenue. Thus, the city already has mechanisms in place to offset the ‘negative impact’ of us so called ‘freeloaders.’
And finally, since council members brought it up in the context of annexation discussions, so will I:
Why is the Kokomo City Council talking about new taxes like ‘food and beverage’ or ‘commuter’ taxes at its meetings if the annexation will make things better? Fact: City and county residents alike enjoy a meal from the local restaurants. Fact: Some of your elected officials have expressed a desire to profit on that. Prediction: If these types of levies occur, ‘Mom and Pop’ will go under first. This will make room for a new Dunkin Donuts or perhaps a new chain pharmacy store to be built right across the street from your local chain pharmacy store. Somehow, that’s supposed to be economic development.
Find out how to help.
It’s too bad that Kokomo’s citizens are being thrown into this mess along with those being annexed. Though the administration promises the contrary, if the annexation ordinances pass, city folks (current and annexed) will eventually be paying higher city and county taxes. This will be the result of some council member’s willingness to vote for a plan full of holes. Without the financial impact figures, no real guarantees can be made.
The one percent cap on residential property taxes isn’t permanent. Unscrupulous state politicians will soon be looking to remove their self-imposed limit on raising revenue to fund their pet projects. For those annexed, the loss of freedoms and the eventual and perpetual tax hikes as Kokomo citizens will be permanent.
If Kokomo’s elected officials cannot convince people who live three minutes away to agree to join the city, how do they hope to ever attract people from outside the area? Recommendation: Exhibit better leadership than you have shown thus far. A good start would be to strike down those annexation ordinances based on incomplete plans.
How many of their buddies will they need to hire if this thing passes?
If the administration and council was serious about their Economic Development plans outlined during the campaign season, they would focus on bringing business to the area, not acquiring new citizens through annexation. If the city succeeds in bringing new employers, the businesses will take care of bringing the jobs and people to the city. Government’s role is to set the stage for growth, not force it to occur.
How can city officials hope to put Kokomo in a financial situation to partner with new business in order to generate jobs for the future if they will already be committed to providing new infrastructure and services to new residents “acquired” through annexation? Only by raising taxes on all of us.
Imagine the impact to the city budget to provide infrastructure and services to the new residents; ...No, really, you have to imagine it… the incomplete plan put forth by the city administration is missing those numbers.
Getting the financial impact figures to the public should have happened before the 1st reading. There is absolutely no excuse for not having the information at the second reading. Now, we are less than a month away from the third reading of two ordinances that will shape the future of Kokomo and Howard County for decades, and the public still has no numbers. The council should strike down the ordinances. The public should have the time allotted by the three reading process to digest the information and make their voice heard. This is especially true with a plan that has as much down-side potential as this annexation. Rushing the plan through to beat the census is a disservice to the community.
Aside from what some would have you believe, county folks already contribute to the Kokomo budget simply by spending money in the city. The businesses we frequent pay a capped limit of 3% assessed value in property tax (that is, three times the amount that citizens pay.) In return, the administration provides city streets and other infrastructure to get us county folk in the doors of Kokomo establishments. Those taxes are passed to us, just like you, in the price of goods. The sales of these goods and services create jobs and income tax revenue. Thus, the city already has mechanisms in place to offset the ‘negative impact’ of us so called ‘freeloaders.’
And finally, since council members brought it up in the context of annexation discussions, so will I:
Why is the Kokomo City Council talking about new taxes like ‘food and beverage’ or ‘commuter’ taxes at its meetings if the annexation will make things better? Fact: City and county residents alike enjoy a meal from the local restaurants. Fact: Some of your elected officials have expressed a desire to profit on that. Prediction: If these types of levies occur, ‘Mom and Pop’ will go under first. This will make room for a new Dunkin Donuts or perhaps a new chain pharmacy store to be built right across the street from your local chain pharmacy store. Somehow, that’s supposed to be economic development.
Find out how to help.
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