We Are Still Sorting out Bugs, If Something Doesn't Display Properly, Try Using Internet Explorer."Our Councils' Gift to Us" - The logo adorning the now popular “sea of red” T-shirts having made public appearance at the December 2008 option tax hearing is an image of a grinchly figure withdrawing money from the pocket of a sleeping taxpayer.Text Box: Welcome to the Citizens for Common Sense website! If you are looking for specific information not available through this online resource, want to contribute, or get more involved: see the Contact Us page. Text Box: Tax Abatement Ordinance Takes Suspicious Turn Just what is St. Joe County Democratic Party Chairman Butch Morgan up to? Could he be any more blatant? With the public liking some elements of the Tax Abatement ordinance but more concerned that its cumbersome provisions, including union-scale wages, would be a death blow to St. Joe County's future business prospects (the Chamber of Commerce spoke against it, a state redevelopment official spoke against it, Citizens for Common Sense spoke against it), Morgan seems irrationally determined to see the measure proceed. Citizens for Common Sense pointed out that at least two County Councilman voting on the ordinance had received 90% of their campaign funding over the last two years from the very construction unions favored by the ordinance. The vote proceeded anyway, with all three Republicans voting against, and the five Democrats who were present voting in favor. A week later, the three County Commissioners vetoed the bill, with one of the two Democrats joining the Republican to vote against. Commissioner Kovach (D) commented, "We should not put our community at a disadvantage.” When the ordinance returned to the County Council, who would need six votes to override the veto,  attention focused on the one Democrat who had been absent from the original vote: Kevin Kubsch. Kubsch, at this point, was cited in the Tribune as saying he was open to listening and that he expected tons of phone calls. Citizens mustered to contact him. Unfortunately, Kubsch does not live at the address he gives in his contact info, and the telephone he lists actually belongs to the County Council secretary. The fact that Kubsch did not live in his district had been common knowledge since before he was elected (when his Republican opponent, Andy Kostielney, protested it), but it never seemed to bother County Democrats until now. With Kubsch leaning against the Tax Abatement Ordinance (confirmed by State Rep. Jackie Walorski who had provided him compelling information about Elkhart County vs. St. Joe if this ordinance were to go through), suddenly Kubsch's residency becomes an issue and he announces his resignation? Who resigns right before a key vote!? Then we hear that Kubsch's potential successors, both of whom support the ordinance, have already been selected, apparently without notice to people in the district who were interested in running. Aren't there laws about this notification process? (See IC 3-13-11-4)Did Morgan and the County Party follow them? All of which has people wondering: Just why is this ordinance so critical to the County Party? What did Morgan really have over Kubsch to make him resign – and why did Kubsch yield to it? And does this ordinance really mean so much to somebody in this County that laws would be broken for it? The citizens of St. Joe County want some answers. Text Box: T.E.A. Parties Update T.E.A. Parties occurred all over the country on April 15 (tax day). The one on the courthouse steps in South Bend had 300+ people despite being held in the middle of the day! Another good crowd came out to Mishawaka's Beutter Park the following Saturday and rallied there. At these and other local tea parties, the most stunning fact was that most of those in attendance, when questioned, said they had never done anything like this before. This was truly grassroots, mainstream America saying, “Enough!” There is already talk of holding additional events near July 4 and other dates down the road. Perhaps the most ambitious is talk of a Million Man March on Washington DC. The “Thomas Paine” speaker from the Indianapolis Tea Party can tell you more about that if you follow this link: http://www.indianapolisteaparty.com/ .

(forgive incomplete development—we need people like you to help our online sector get moving)
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