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Legal Guides
Dec
29
Good news! Not only did the proposed Lake County income tax proposal fail, convicted Lake County Councilman Will Smith, Jr. will resign Monday.
H/T: Blue County in a Red State.
Dec
28
Time For A COIT Revolution?
Filed Under COIT, Elsie Franklin, Income Tax, Lake County Council, Ted Bilski, Thomas O'Donnell, Will Smith Jr, government spending, tax revolt, taxes | Leave a Comment
Professor Maurice Eisenstein calls on Lake County’s taxpayers to picket their elected officials if they support the imposition of a new Lake County income tax — a tax that isn’t guaranteed to stay at only 1 percent and could rise even more to keep up with the government’s insatiable spending habits.
There are two things all the citizens of Lake County must to do to keep our honor as Americans. First, attend todays (12/28/07) meeting of the Lake County Council (at 4:00 p.m.) and stop them from overriding the veto of the Lake County Commissioners (by any means). If we have over a thousand people show up, that will tell them what we think and what we are about to do (say, take away their paycheck at the next election), it will actually scare them and they will have to take more hormones.
Second, if they get away with voting for the income tax, start picketing their homes, their work, and everywhere they go, include their supporters, such as the Mayors of the three northern cities. In that process, make sure that no one is re-elected. Show the Lake County Democratic Party that this is a Party vote and if the Party votes for it, you as a voter, and a true American, will make the Party pay in Lake County in the next election.
Dec
28
Bilski Might Vote No On Lake Income Tax
Filed Under COIT, Income Tax, Lake County Council, Ted Bilski, Will Smith Jr, property tax crisis, taxes | 3 Comments
The Northwest Indiana Times reports that Lake County Councilman Ted Bilski might vote “NO” on the new Lake County income tax because it doesn’t fairly distribute tax revenues because the money taken from taxpayers’ paychecks doesn’t necessarily stay in their communities.
Writes Bill Dolan for the Times:
County Councilman Ted Bilski, D-Hobart, said Thursday he is prepared to vote against the 1 percent personal income tax he supported only last week because its redistribution as property tax relief would be unfair under the current proposal.
“I’ve been waiting a month for this hybrid option, but we don’t have it yet,” Bilski said.
Four council members who support the tax are counting on Bilski’s vote today to overcome a veto on the tax by the Lake County Board of Commissioners.
Bilski said he has been soul searching since his vote for the tax. “I did not feel comfortable after that night. I’ve been meeting with our mayors and talking to everyone.
Dec
23
Merry Christmas Porter Co! Lake Co.’s New Tax Will Cost You $1 Million
Filed Under COIT, Income Tax, Lake County, Lake County Council, Porter County, Will Smith Jr, corruption, politics, property tax crisis, tax revolt, taxes | Leave a Comment
Lake County’s soon-to-be approved 1% income tax — masterminded by convicted tax felon Will Smith, Jr. who was called an “asset” for getting the Lake County Council to support the imposition of a new tax burden behind closed doors away from public comment — will cost Porter County $1 million, reports the Northwest Indiana Times.
Merry Christmas, Porter County, from the Lake County Council!
Meanwhile, Will Smith, Jr. prepares to go away to the slammer for his own tax woes when he is sentenced by a federal judge in January.
Too bad he won’t be able to get work-release so he can continue to “serve” on the Lake County Council — the law probably isn’t crystal clear on that issue.
Reports Bill Dolan in the Northwest Indiana Times:
Lake County Councilman Will Smith, D-Gary, underwent a humiliating public trial and was found guilty three months ago of filing a false federal income tax form.
Critics say those circumstances — and the Lake County Council’s refusal of public input before adopting the measure — cast a pall over the county income tax that appears poised to become reality.
Smith and like-minded council members met outside public view to maneuver a fractious council — within a brief window of opportunity — into a series of votes that seem likely to conclude Friday with enactment of a 1 percent county income tax.
At that time, the Lake County Council is expected to override a veto of the tax cast by Lake County commissioners last week.
Sources within county government claim council members who supported the tax timed the only public discussion to take place late enough in the year so the move would not influence the election of big city mayors supporting the tax. The timing also satisfies a Dec. 31 deadline to avoid a state-mandated freeze of property tax increases.
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