Representative is confused about Ethics

We have a major problem in our elected official thinking that ethics apply to everyone but themselves.

Every session of the state government we get bills that are so narrow it becomes very apparent that the bills are aimed at one group or even one person without any regard to the rest of the state. Or actions to stop bills so whatever they were doing can continue to the benefit of that legislator or their buddies.  At the same time House Speaker Bosma talks about improving the laws on ethical behavior. Lets look at one of the latest Bills submitted to the house.  HR1611.

It appears another Indiana Representative is confused about ethics. Rep. Jud McMillin, R-Brookville, has proposed cutting statewide funding by 6 million dollars for DNR enforcement and at the same time he wants all that money to go to his district. Forget the rest of the state, just take care of my district and get rid of the cops so my hunters can do as they please. As a resident of the Geist area I don’t want to see more drunk boaters on the lake or any other lake. But these cuts will result in more boating accidents, more hunting accidents and more illegal hunting. Rep McMillin complaints the DNR enforcement people are targeting his residents, well if you break the law you get a ticket or arrested you go to court. I wonder how many are found not guilty? Doubtful if any.  Also if a DNR Police officer see a drunk driver, Rep McMillin wants to prevent them from stopping that driver if they are on a regular road. I guess if they kill someone while drunk the Representative could care less. At least his buddies don’t have to worry about being stopped.

Do we want to see state wide money going to one district just for his parks and at the same time stopping enforcement of natural resource laws statewide.

House Leader Bosma has been talking about ethics and yet his number 2 man in the House is becoming the latest poster boy on unethical practices.

BMV moves license plate production away from prisons

Indiana prison inmates will no longer be a part of the license plate production process starting May 1.

I have to wonder when I see something like this, why?

It is beyond my comprehension that the state will save even one penny by doing this. Somewhere another answer may be found unless they hid it very well. Will there be a big campaign contribution to someone running for office. When I worked for the Feds I saved a ton of money by buying furniture from the Federal Prison Industries.

So now the State of Indian is going to buy license plates from a private company instead of the state prison system. Its just like the state prison system that makes furniture and then the state house goes out of its way to avoid buying form them. What is even funnier is the claim they are going to save 14.4 million dollars over 5 years. The odds are it is going to cost a lot more than they will ever save.

But then again this is Indiana.

Today Carl Roberts, Jr. was laid to rest.

Carl was 90 years old well known to family and friends, but today most people did not know him. Many of his friends have already passed on, his wife was gone and as you grow older your circle gets smaller. But Carl was like so many other Americans of the greatest generation. Born in 1925, he was just 16 when WWII started and soon this boy went of to war and became a B-17 Aerial Gunner, then as faith would have it he was shot down over enemy lines. Hiding in bales of hay, 15 of them he recalls, he slowly made he way back towards the allied lines. One day a little boy spotted him and he was certain he would be captured. The boy got his mother and she told he the Germans had just pulled back and showed him the way to the town of Bastogne, it was cold on that December 1944 morning when he made his way across the American lines.

Little was this “airmen” to know a major battle was starting around him and now he was an infantry soldier, just one of 610,000 Americans in the largest and bloodiest battle fought by the United States in WWII. The Battle of the Bulge.  He was one of the few airmen to have earned the Combat Infantry Badge while still an airman during the battle.  He was very quiet man but I am certain his uniform looked good with his Air Force Aerial Gunner Wings and his Combat Infantry Badge.  What a rare combination.

He came home, married, taught history, had a family which grew to where today a lot of grandchildren and great grandchildren came to see him being laid to rest by an Air Force Honor Guard and hear a 21 gun salute and taps being played.

The drive from the Funeral Home to the Cemetery was about 30 minutes. As we drove the back roads of Indiana hundreds of cars pulled over to the side of the road as we passed. They sat there until the cars with lights on and purple flags passed and then went on their way. Little did they know by doing this they were honoring a true American Hero.  Even business vehicles and trucks pulled over. Just a very few were too busy to stop. Thank you for stopping for a few minutes to all of you who did not know Carl as we drove by. 

Have the Politicians gone crazy.

Ted Cruz in charge of NASA and Science in the new congress.

Congressman Randy Weber comparing Obama to Hitler.

Republcian Presidential (maybe) Candidate Huckabee tells Obama he should not allow his daughters to listen to Beyonce. So will he as President enforce censorship. Sure sounds like it.

Rep. Tom Miles of Forest says he and fellow Democratic Rep. Michael Evans want to adopt the Bible as the State Book in Mississippi.  OK Guys which one? Of course this is for the local folks back home as any court will throw out any law like this.

In 2013 Eric Cantor proposed that overtime pay be banned for hourly workers. No wonder he didn’t get reelected.

In Montana Rep Steve Lavin wants to give the right to vote to Corporations in municipal elections. Anyone want to guess which party he belongs too? I am surprised no one in Fishers came up with this one first.

What about Sen Mile Lee in Utah who wants to roll back child labor laws to allow kids to work under the age of 14. Are we in India or Pakastain?

Indiana Law - IC 35-46-1-5 Sec. 5. - A person who knowingly or intentionally fails to provide support to the person's dependent child commits nonsupport of a child, a Class D felony…. But

It is a defense that the accused person, in the legitimate practice of his religious belief, provided treatment by spiritual means through prayer, in lieu of medical care, to his dependent child.

Pray Baby Pray.

Massive Pig Farm coming to City of Fishers

Directly cross from the Del Web community and Cyntheanne Park, a mega farm is going to be built to house 2000 pigs. This is also near the Hamilton Southeastern Junior High School. The farm is expected to be completed within six months. This is the latest project of the New Jersey Mega Corporation. When asked why this location they indicated they were only a stones throw from I-69, which would connect them with markets for the pigs after they had been raised. Also they indicated the surrounding farms would be customers for the waste products to be used for fertilizer. They refused to comment when asked about any odor from the farm.  Professor Geruch of Purdue indicated that there are no known odor controls for such an operation.

The City of Fishers has stated their hands are totally tied and that the farm is exempt from local zoning due to the recently enacted state law, that prohibits a county, municipality, or township from adopting an ordinance, resolution, rule, policy, or other requirement that prohibits a person who meets certain conditions from building or repairing an agricultural building or structure that is or will be used for livestock. Senator Jean Leising, Republican from District 42 who authored this law could not be reached for comment.

This is the latest example of where the Republican members of the Indiana State Government have taken away local control and moved it to the state level.

Note: This has not yet happened, but it could SB 249 which is called Agricultural Structures could in fact allow a massive pig, chicken or feed lot in Fishers or Carmel or any other city, town, etc in the State of Indiana. It is an ill-conceived bill and needs to defeated. It is part of the continuing trend of the State elected Republicans in the House and Senate moving more and more away from local control. Which in its own right is rather funny since they keep tell the public they are for more local control.

BTW- This same Senator has also authored a bill to require local school districts to include reading and cursive writing in its curriculum.  Another removal of local control. Also she is a co-author on another bill that makes no sense: “Repeals the prohibition against manufacturing, importing, selling, or possessing a sawed-off shotgun.”

IRS, FBI, and more phone calls.

Today I got have a call from the IRS that I owe $1568.71 in back taxes and I need to sent them a money order right away or they are going to seize my bank account. Go for it.

Then I got a call from the FBI that crime is up in my area and I need to buy an alarm system, just sent them a money order for $700 and their agents will come right away to install it. I went to the dog pound and got a free German Sheppard. Very nice dog and understands the command kill.

Then I got an e-mail that my great uncle in Outer Mongolia pass away and left me 10.3 million dollars. I just need to send a money transfer to an attorney that will represent me in Outer Mongolia to secure my money. This came as a very big surprise to me that I had an Uncle in Outer Mongolia.

The fun just kept coming with another call this time from the county prosecutor’s office that I didn’t pay tickets and need to send the money or they are coming to arrest me. I hope they do it would be good training for my dog.

I also won the Upper Volta Lottery today. Justin Bieber called; as did Jennifer Aniston that I won the contest they are sponsoring on line.

Then the washing machine died – the only real thing to happen today. Time to get out the screwdriver and pliers.

My phone number is on the do not call list. Oh well.

Fishers Tax Payers Robbed

No it was not a stick-up, no guns, knifes etc were used. It was paper and ink and the Town Council that robbed the citizens of Fishers to the tune of one and half a million dollars a year for many years to come.

The ultra-ugly downtown construction is the reason. Lets look at some of the numbers.

The developers are putting $60,850,00 dollars of their money into the projects. Sound like a lot and it is. But the town is putting in even more with no hope of return to equal the amount.

Look at the tax waivers:

Sewers Impact Fees:                        $981,700.00

Road Impact Fees:                         $1,097,210.00

Bridge Impact Fees:                        $84,744.00

Total Fees waived:                         $2,285,654.00

The City will have to pay interest on its debt, which totals $2,61,000.00

So right out of the gate in the first year we lose and this does not include the value of the land the City gave free to the developers.

Next this does not end at the end of the first year but continues year after year and around $1.5 million ever year. So is worth $1.5 million a year for the next 25 years to have this added traffic and ugly projects that use to be the front of Town Hall with its open space and majestic 100 year-old trees. Maybe that is why they are doing this to become more hidden from the public.  This is what happens when you have one group in total power and control of the community.

Is this why the new Mayor has been saying the city government will cost more or is because he and others are giving away money to their pet developers.