Dumbocrat South Bend Mayor Stephen Luecke has really tossed out the threats to the citizens of South Bend in essence telling them, “hey, that shit-head governor of yours just gave you a $21 million property tax break so I’m taking your toys out of my sandbox”.
(South Bend, IN) – South Bend property owners will pay $21.3 million less in property taxes annually by 2010 as a result of reforms through House Enrolled Act 1001, according to the latest analysis conducted on behalf of the City of South Bend.
[...]
The City of South Bend will cut 53 firefighters and 40 police officers over the next two years, while closing a host of park facilities and recreation programs that recently earned the city national accreditation, according to the spending plan.
There’s no better way to get them to agree to a tax increase than to threaten them with public safety cuts. OMG, less police?
The City faces projected annual revenue losses of $18.2 million to the city’s general fund and parks fund, and another $3.1 million to its Tax Increment Financing districts, which fund economic-development initiatives. Those amounts are higher than original projections by the Legislative Services Agency upon passage of the 1, 2, and 3 percent property tax caps plan championed by Gov. Mitch Daniels.
Yes, this is all Mitch Daniels’ fault, right? Bullshit.
Over the next two budget years, the City will cut more than 200 personnel across the board – about 15 percent of staff. The proposed cuts are in addition to the 7 percent citywide reduction of 95 staff, which already has occurred between 2000 and 2008 through efficiencies and greater reliance on technology. Nearly 79 percent of expenditures citywide are for personnel.
Pruitt, how’s that compare with Fort Wayne? It seems high.
At a time when higher gas prices are leading more residents to consider “staycations” they will find far fewer amenities for which to stay. According to the spending plan, the City of South Bend, by 2010, will close:
All city pools. (They’ll close one day per week beginning in 2009.)
All summer playground sites. (Half will close in 2009.)
Howard Park Ice Rink.
Howard Park Senior Center.
Studebaker Golf Course.
Rum Village Nature Center.
The city’s greenhouse and conservatories.
The Martin Luther King Jr. and Charles Black Sr. recreation centers.
Summer track and junior baseball programs.
Public rafting at the city’s distinctive East Race Waterway.
If the city of South Bend is running these attractions at a deficit the answer is simple, charge more money! Make money!
Potawatomi Zoo will remain open – unless officials choose to close the state’s oldest zoo in order to restore a few of the park programs already on the chopping block.
Good! That means more business for the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo. Honestly, they’re never going to close that zoo. Again, if it can’t make it, charge more!
City support will end for social programs and several mayoral initiatives, including the Commercial Corridor program, which has enhanced the city’s primary entryways; after-school programs and initiatives for Healthy Communities and Workforce Diversity.
So let the entryways go to hell and let the city look like Gary, Indiana. It will help Fort Wayne attract more visitors and residents.
There’s more, I won’t bother putting it all here. These types of scare tactics are what get democrats thrown out of office. Sheesh.
Source: Office of the South Bend Mayor
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Déjà vu, South Bend sounds just like the finance plan by our Fort Wayne Mayor to subsidize all developments within Fort Wayne.
Will, Mayor Henry and staff inherit this way of deficiet spending or chart a new course?
I’m sure Fort Wayne tay payers are saving towards our future.
What future?
…I’m saving for more AMMO.
(we’re gonna need it)
B.G.
Dan,
79% of the budget for personnel is quite high. Fort Wayne is at 65%
Warning, this is kinda personal.
Maybe I’m stupid. I’m not an accountant. I am a tax payer.
My taxes on my modest 100k home in 2006 were $792.89
With reassessment in 2007 they went up to $1118.24 a 41% increase
Now with cut and cap they are $760.86 plus a 1% increase in sales tax.
I believe I will probably spend $3203 on taxable items to make ’08 at least as much as ’06.
Question: What did government do with the 41% windfall increase in tax $$$?, and where is the 1% sales tax increase going?
When mayors start saying “we can’t” its time to let them go do something else for a living and find someone who “can” get the job done.
[found this in my file when looking up tax payments]
This is from a little flier called “Property Tax Information Every Taxpayer Should Know” that Lisbeth A. Blosser’s office mailed in 2007 to help us feel better about helping government with more of our money. Yes, we were supposed to feel good about the reassessment, especially for our schools.
Schools get 49.26% of property tax,
Cities/Towns get 23.71%
County 14.52%
Library 5.16%
Welfare 4.26%
Townships 1.32%
Airport .79%
Citilink .76%
TIF Replacement* .22%
* to help pay for “infrastructure improvements” when not enough taxes are collected in TIF areas ($970,201 in 2007… so glad I ‘m subsidizing Jefferson Pointe and Harrison Square).
Don’t Blame Me, I voted for Kelty,
–Kenny S.
Hell, Kenny, I don’t blame you….we’re in the same boat (at different oars, mind you).
Even with our homestead credit, OUR property taxes were higher, with our $76K house in “da hood” than YOUR 100K house (obviously in better confines).
It’s worse than pathetic here…it’s downright DEPLORABLE.
But what do I know?
I live in a (newly founded) ghetto.
Yeah, I feel REAL good about that.
Now for some ROOT CANAL work for shits & grins, eh?
B.G.
It is all a load of Democrap!!!
Kenny thank you for pointing out the painful truth.
I wish everybody will get it. Espescially our elected folks!
Awesome post and true to the marrow.