NWI’s State Reps Worry They’ll Be Petersoned

Filed Under politics, property tax crisis, tax revolt

Nobody in Region politics wants to be Petersoned, like Indianapolis’ mayor was in Tuesday’s election.

Northwest Indiana’s state representatives worry they’ll suffer the fate of Indianapolis’ mayor Bart Peterson — who lost to a GOP candidate who was underfunded and under supported by his party — in next year’s elections.

While Democrats came out on top as is to be expected in the heavily “blue” Northwest Indiana, there are signs that Indiana’s property tax crisis could come back to haunt incumbents.

Two local lawmakers — Bob Kuzman and Duane Cheney — have already jumped ship in what many see as an anticipation of a rough election year.

Hammond’s close election and the Griffith’s secessionist movement to break away from Calumet Township because of high property taxes also have lawmakers fearing soon-to-be-sent tax bills will be front and center on voters’ minds as they cast ballots in 2008.

Lake County Commissioner Gerry Scheub says he’ll veto a Lake County income tax after “soul searching” and many telephone calls from overtaxed Lake County voters.

Writes Patrick Guinane for the Northwest Indiana Times:

Lake and Porter counties have yet to issue property tax bills, meaning the legislative elections next year will be the first opportunity for region voters to take out their frustrations.

“All of us will have to look at what happened to the mayor that everyone said couldn’t be touched,” state Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, said of Peterson. “He did get touched because of all (the unrest over) property taxes and the income tax.”

If Northwest Indiana’s politicians want to get back into good graces with taxpayers, they’ll have to work on ways to end government waste and corruption, as well as cut back on spending. Public service in Northwest Indiana has for too long been seen as a way for the power elite to get rich or consolidate their power using taxpayers’ money.

If lawmakers can’t cut back on the taxes and spending, they may end up being Petersoned as voters decide to dump “unbeatable” incumbents.

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