Watchdog Indiana will moderate a series of Discussion Panels throughout Indiana from September 8 through December 19. The Discussion Panels will take place in the early evening on weekdays and on Saturdays to encourage working family attendance.

The purpose of the Discussion Panels will be to educate Hoosiers regarding the constitutional property tax caps in Senate Joint Resolution 1. Most Discussion Panels will include one, two, or three local State Representatives. Some Discussion Panels will include a State Senator.

All the Discussion Panels are limited to Panel Members who are state legislators, primarily the local state senator and local state representatives. When you start to add other Panel Members in addition to state legislators, you bring up the question as to why one single-interest stakeholder group was included and another group omitted - apartment owners, chamber of commerce, farm bureau, local elected official, media representative, realtors, school superintendent, working families, etc. Also, the more Panel Members you have, the fewer audience questions you are able to accommodate. There are at least four ways for the single-interest supporters and opponents of the constitutional property tax caps to have their say before, during, and after the Discussion Panel: (1) contact the Panel Members beforehand so their concerns can be addressed by the Panel Members in their opening and closing comments, (2) quickly get in the audience-question line and briefly present their concerns as background for their question, (3) provide handouts to the meeting attendees, (4) write letters-to-the-editor and op-eds agreeing or disagreeing with something that was said at the Discussion Panel. It is expected that the state legislators at a Discussion Panel will factually answer any question to the best of their ability regardless of their personal position on SJR 1.

The format of the Discussion Panels will focus on opening and closing comments by the Panel members with 45 minutes of audience questions in between. The desired result is an even-handed and balanced presentation of SJR 1 facts built around the answers to questions submitted by audience members.

Watchdog Indiana has cordially invited Governor Mitch Daniels and House Speaker B. Patrick Bauer to participate in a Constitutional Property Tax Caps Discussion Panel where they will be the only two Members. This Discussion Panel will be held on a date and at a place of their choosing. Governor Daniels has made the constitutional property tax caps a cornerstone of his administration's agenda. Speaker Bauer is the foremost opponent of SJR 1. They need to take the lead to better inform the public on the pros and cons of the constitutional property tax caps.

Discussion Panel Hosts may include, but are not limited to, an individual citizen (or citizens) or any of the following local organizations: business, chamber of commerce, college, farm bureau, government entity, League of Women Voters, labor union, library, media outlet, non-profit group, political party, school corporation, service organization, taxpayer association.

Please send an E-mail promptly to taxless3@comcast.net if you wish to be the Host for a Discussion Panel. Three meeting date choices will make it easier for Watchdog Indiana to coordinate attendance by the Panel members.

The Discussion Panel Host will need to schedule an acceptable no-smoking meeting place that has sufficient seating for the anticipated audience. The minimum anticipated Discussion Panel audience should be 75 persons, but it is hoped that a few hundred Hoosiers will attend each Discussion Panel to learn more about a very important public issue. Discussion Panel coverage on a local cable TV government access channel would be desirable if it is practical to make such an arrangement.

Acceptable local meeting places include, but are not limited to, schools, libraries, local government buildings, local fair buildings, and local community centers.

A table and chairs at the front of the meeting room will be needed for the Discussion Panel members. A lectern and chair will also be needed for the Watchdog Indiana moderator at the front of the room a few feet away from the Discussion Panel table.

A sound system with at least three microphones is desirable - one microphone on the table for the Discussion Panel members, one microphone on a stand for a line of questioners, and one microphone on the moderator's lectern.

One or more notices should be posted outside each meeting room entrance stating: "PLEASE - No Signs Allowed Inside Meeting Room."

Any brochure-sized handouts are allowed, as long as the source of the handout content is clearly identified.

There will be no admission charge for any Discussion Panel, but a "hat" can be passed at the end of the meeting to help defray meeting expenses.

Every Discussion Panel must be open to all interested persons, but any disruptive persons will be asked to leave the meeting place.

Welcome to tonight’s Discussion Panel on the constitutional property tax caps in Senate Joint Resolution 1!

My name is _____. I am the (title) of (organization). (organization) is pleased to be the host for our Discussion Panel.

(seven sentences introducing each Discussion Panel member) Please welcome State Representative ______ (or other Discussion Panel member)!

Next, let me introduce the moderator for our Discussion Panel. Aaron Smith is retired from the insurance, banking, and health care industries, and he resides in Lebanon, the county seat of Boone County. Mr. Smith founded Watchdog Indiana eight years ago and maintains the watchdogindiana.org website. Watchdog Indiana is a non-profit, non-connected, and non-party advocate for good government that focuses on the state and local tax burden of Hoosier working families. An online community has been established where Hoosiers come together voluntarily to help encourage our state and local governments better respond to the needs of working families. There are twenty-six thousand Hoosiers in seventy-two counties who receive periodic Watchdog Indiana E-mail Updates. Watchdog Indiana evaluates the Governor and all 150 General Assembly legislators based on how their votes and positions on key legislative proposals affect the state and local tax burden of Hoosier working families. Please welcome Aaron Smith!

Thank you [names of state legislators] for accepting your invitation to be Discussion Panel Members.

We are here to learn more about the constitutional property tax caps in Senate Joint Resolution 1. The legal language of SJR 1, together with a digest explaining the constitutional property tax caps, are included in this handout

Please raise your hand if you do not have a copy of the handout, and one will be brought to you.

Other handouts are available at the back of the room. These handouts reflect the opinions of the organizations that have prepared them, and you need to determine for yourself if the information in these handouts is reliable and accurate.

The one percent property tax cap on homestead property, two percent cap on other residential property and agricultural property, and three percent cap on other real and personal property were passed by the General Assembly in 2008 and will be fully implemented next year. Passing SJR 1 would make the property tax caps a permanent part of the Indiana Constitution where they cannot be changed by the General Assembly or court challenge.

SJR 1 passed the State Senate both last year and this year. SJR 1 passed the State House of Representatives last year, and it must pass the House again next year so voters statewide can decide by referendum on November 2, 2010, whether or not the property tax caps are included in the state constitution.

Watchdog Indiana has evaluated the available facts and determined that the constitutional property tax caps will be good for Hoosier working families. However, well-meaning folks have considered the very same facts and want the Indiana House to not pass SJR 1. The primary purpose of this meeting is to help all of you here this evening get the facts you need to decide for yourself whether or not the constitutional property tax caps are a good thing.

Our Discussion Panel members this evening will provide some of the facts you need by answering your questions. Please welcome again [names of state legislators]!

As decided by drawing lots beforehand, [state legislator name] will speak first and have five minutes to make opening comments. [sate legislator names] will then have five minutes to make opening comments. Three-minute closing comments will be made at the end of the meeting in reverse order with [state legislator name] speaking first followed by [state legislator names].

You – the audience – will have 45 minutes between the opening and closing comments to ask questions. I will ask questions if there are no questions from the audience – each Discussion Panel member has been given the same list of 20 possible questions beforehand, but has not been told which questions have been selected for this evening.

If you have a question for our Discussion Panel, please raise your hand and this microphone will be brought to you. Please keep in mind that we cannot solve individual property tax problems at this meeting. A brief discussion of a personal situation may provide helpful background, but any comments should be brief and an actual question should be quickly asked. If someone seems to be getting a little long-winded, I will gently remind that an actual question needs to be asked.

Please ask one question at a time; if you have more than one question and other persons have raised their hand to ask a question, please raise your hand again and wait your turn to ask another question. Please state your name and city or town of residence before you ask your question.

[OPTIONAL, if necessary: I hope you saw the posted notice at the entrance that signs are not allowed in the meeting room – if you have a sign with you, please take it outside the meeting room at this time – signs are not allowed in the meeting rooms at the State House, and this same courtesy will be extended in our meeting room.]

It is expected that someone trying to ask or answer a question will be able to do so without interruption.

Each of you at this meeting understands the constitutional property tax caps in Senate Joint Resolution 1 better than most of your fellow Hoosiers. Please multiply your knowledge of SJR 1 by sharing what you know about property tax caps with your friends, neighbors, and family members. Personal discussions and letters to the editor are good ways to share your knowledge.

You can also take the opportunity provided by this meeting to multiply your personal impact by sending a message directly to your elected public servants.

If you have decided that you oppose the constitutional property tax caps in SJR 1, please applaud at this time.

If you think the property tax caps are a good thing, please applaud at this time.

This has been a great meeting! Please thank again our host and our Discussion Panel members!!

PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever a section of the Indiana Constitution is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type, additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in ~~this~~ ~~style~~ ~~type.~~

SENATE ENROLLED JOINT
RESOLUTION No. 1

A JOINT RESOLUTION proposing an amendment to Article 10, Section 1 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana concerning taxation.

SOURCE: CON 10; (08)SJ0001.4.2. -->     SECTION 2. ARTICLE 10, SECTION 1 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF INDIANA IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. (a) Subject to this section, the General Assembly shall provide, by law, for a uniform and equal rate of property assessment and taxation and shall prescribe regulations to secure a just valuation for taxation of all property, both real and personal.
    (b) A provision of this section permitting the General Assembly to exempt property from taxation also permits the General Assembly to exercise its legislative power to enact property tax deductions and credits for the property. The General Assembly may impose reasonable filing requirements for an exemption, deduction, or credit.
     (c) The General Assembly may exempt from property taxation any property in any of the following classes:

        (1) Property being used for municipal, educational, literary, scientific, religious, or charitable purposes.
        (2) Tangible personal property other than property being held as an investment.
        (3) Intangible personal property.
        (4) Tangible ~~real~~ property, including curtilage, used as a principal place of residence by an:
            (A) owner of the property;
            (B) individual who is buying the tangible ~~real~~ property under a contract; or
            (C) individual who has a beneficial interest in the owner of the tangible ~~real~~ property.
    ~~(b)~~ (d) The General Assembly may exempt any motor vehicles, mobile homes (not otherwise exempt under this section), airplanes, boats, trailers, or similar property, provided that an excise tax in lieu of the property tax is substituted therefor.
     (e) This subsection applies to property taxes first due and payable in 2012 and thereafter. The following definitions apply to subsection (f):
        (1) "Other residential property" means tangible property (other than tangible property described in subsection (c)(4)) that is used for residential purposes.
        (2) "Agricultural land" means land devoted to agricultural use.
        (3) "Other real property" means real property that is not tangible property described in subsection (c)(4), is not other residential property, and is not agricultural land.
     (f) This subsection applies to property taxes first due and payable in 2012 and thereafter. The General Assembly shall, by law, limit a taxpayer's property tax liability as follows:
        (1) A taxpayer's property tax liability on tangible property described in subsection (c)(4) may not exceed one percent (1%) of the gross assessed value of the property that is the basis for the determination of property taxes.
        (2) A taxpayer's property tax liability on other residential property may not exceed two percent (2%) of the gross assessed value of the property that is the basis for the determination of property taxes.
        (3) A taxpayer's property tax liability on agricultural land may not exceed two percent (2%) of the gross assessed value of the land that is the basis for the determination of property taxes.
        (4) A taxpayer's property tax liability on other real property may not exceed three percent (3%) of the gross assessed value of the property that is the basis for the determination of property taxes.
        (5) A taxpayer's property tax liability on personal property (other than personal property that is tangible property described in subsection (c)(4) or personal property that is other residential property) within a particular taxing district may not exceed three percent (3%) of the gross assessed value of the taxpayer's personal property that is the basis for the determination of property taxes within the taxing district.
    (g) This subsection applies to property taxes first due and payable in 2012 and thereafter. Property taxes imposed after being approved by the voters in a referendum shall not be considered for purposes of calculating the limits to property tax liability under subsection (f).
     (h) As used in this subsection, "eligible county" means only a county for which the General Assembly determines in 2008 that limits to property tax liability as described in subsection (f) are expected to reduce in 2010 the aggregate property tax revenue that would otherwise be collected by all units of local government and school corporations in the county by at least twenty percent (20%). The General Assembly may, by law, provide that property taxes imposed in an eligible county to pay debt service or make lease payments for bonds or leases issued or entered into before July 1, 2008, shall not be considered for purposes of calculating the limits to property tax liability under subsection (f). Such a law may not apply after December 31, 2019.

For property taxes first due and payable in 2012 and thereafter, requires the General Assembly to limit a taxpayer's property tax liability as follows: (1) A taxpayer's property tax liability on homestead property may not exceed 1% of the gross assessed value of the homestead property. (2) A taxpayer's property tax liability on other residential property (residential rentals, apartments, mobile home land, long term care facilities) may not exceed 2% of the gross assessed value of the other residential property. (3) A taxpayer's property tax liability on agricultural land may not exceed 2% of the gross assessed value of the property that is the basis for the determination of the agricultural land. (4) A taxpayer's property tax liability on other real property may not exceed 3% of the gross assessed value of the other real property. (5) A taxpayer's property tax liability on personal property may not exceed 3% of the gross assessed value of the taxpayer's personal property that is the basis for the determination of property taxes within a particular taxing district.

Specifies that property taxes imposed after being approved by the voters in a referendum shall not be considered for purposes of calculating the limits to property tax liability under these provisions.

Provides that in the case of a county for which the General Assembly determines in 2008 that limits to property tax liability are expected to reduce in 2010 the aggregate property tax revenue that would otherwise be collected by all units and school corporations in the county by at least 20%, the General Assembly may provide that property taxes imposed in the county to pay debt service or make lease payments for bonds or leases issued or entered into before July 1, 2008, shall not be considered for purposes of calculating the limits to property tax liability. Specifies that such a law may not apply after December 31, 2019.

Permits the General Assembly to exempt a mobile home used as a homestead to the same extent as real property. Specifies that an exemption may be granted in the form of a deduction or credit.

Specifies that the general assembly may impose reasonable filing requirements to obtain an exemption, deduction, or credit.

The preceding SJR 1 digest needs some clarification regarding the constitutional homeowner property tax cap amendment. For property taxes first due and payable in 2012, 90 of Indiana's 92 counties will have a constitutional homeowner property tax cap that is 1% of the gross assessed value. Until 2020, existing debt service prior to July 1, 2008, is exempted from the 1% homeowner gross assessed value cap in Lake and St. Joseph counties ONLY. What it all boils down to is that the constitutional homeowner property tax cap amendment for 90 counties is 1% of the gross assessed value while the caps for Lake and St. Joseph counties are estimated by Watchdog Indiana to be 1.88% and 1.52% respectively. The caps for Lake and St. Joseph counties will become 1% in 2020.

The Watchdog Indiana moderator will ask questions if there are no questions from the audience. Each Discussion Panel member will be given the following list of 20 possible questions beforehand, but will not be told which questions have been selected for their Discussion Panel.

Completed & Proposed Discussion Panels
(those General Assembly members who have thus far agreed to participate are highlighted)

Clarksville (Clark and Floyd Counties) Discussion Panel HELD ON September 22 (Tuesday, 7:00 PM) with Ed Clere and Steve Stemler was hosted by the Southern Indiana REALTORS Association in the auditorium at Our Lady of Providence Jr-Sr High School, 707 Providence Way, Clarksville, IN 47129 (contact Lynn Bunn, Executive Assistant / Office Administrator).

Greenfield (Hancock County) Discussion Panel HELD ON September 29 (Tuesday, 7:00 PM) with Beverly Gard and Bob Cherry was hosted by the Daily Reporter at the Hancock County Public Library, 900 W. McKenzie Road, Greenfield, IN 46140 (contact Randall Shields, Publisher).

Shipshewana (Lagrange County) Discussion Panel offered on October 1 (Thursday, 7:00 PM) with Marlin Stutzman and David Wolkins was hosted by the Shipshewana Town Center at 760 S. Van Buren St. (west side of SR 5 one mile north of US 20), Shipshewana, IN 46565 (contact Cathy Forbes, Director of Sales & Marketing).

Kokomo (Howard County) Discussion Panel HELD ON October 27 (Tuesday, 7:00 PM) with Jim Buck, Jacque Clements, and Ron Herrell was hosted by Citizens United for Tax Relief in the Theater of the Johanning Civic Center, 1500 North Reed Road (US 31 North), Kokomo, IN 46901 (contact Dick Davis, Secretary).

Greencastle (Putnam County) Discussion Panel HELD ON October 29 (Thursday, 7:00 PM) with Connie Lawson and Nancy Michael was hosted by the Putnam County Board of REALTORS in the cafeteria at the Tzouanakis Intermediate School, 500 Linwood Drive, Greencastle, IN 46135 (contact Diane Ummel, Executive Officer).

Indianapolis #2 (Marion County) Discussion Panel HELD ON November 10 (Tuesday, 7:00 PM) with Greg Taylor, John Bartlett, and Brian Bosma was hosted by the We The People students at St. Richard's School in the Fortune Room at Trinity Episcopal Church, 33 East 33rd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46205 (contact Andrea Neal, Language Arts and History Teacher).

Muncie (Delaware County) Discussion Panel HELD ON November 12 (Thursday, 7:00 PM) with Bill Davis was hosted by the Citizens of Delaware County for Property Tax Repeal in the auditorium of the Northside Middle School, 2400 W. Bethel Avenue, Muncie, IN 47304 (contact Chris Hiatt, CDCPTR President).

Indianapolis #6 (Marion County) Discussion Panel HELD ON December 1 (Tuesday, 7:00 PM) with Jean Breaux, Scott Schneider, Greg Taylor, Ed DeLaney, and Cindy Noe was hosted by the Meridian-Kessler Neighborhood Association at the Basile Opera Center (formerly the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church), 4011 N. Pennsylvania Street, Indianapolis, IN 46205 (contact Alicia Byers, Ad Hoc Tax Committee Chairperson). The Moderator was John Ketzenberger, Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute President.

Fulton (Fulton County) Discussion Panel HELD ON December 3 (Thursday, 7:00 PM) with Randy Head and Douglas Gutwein was hosted by the Caston School Corporation in the cafeteria at Caston Elementary and Jr.-Sr. High Schools, 9815 South State Road 25, Fulton, IN 46931 (contact Russell Phillips, School Board Member).

Fort Wayne (Allen County) Discussion Panel HELD ON December 10 (Thursday, 7:00 PM) with David Long, Dennis Kruse, Randy Borror, Jeff Espich, and Phyllis Pond was hosted by Paula S. Hughes (Allen County Council Vice President) in Meeting Room AB at the Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, IN 46802. The Moderator was Ryan Elijah, Indiana NewsCenter Morning News Co-anchor.

Anderson (Madison County) Discussion Panel: Tim Lanane, Terri Jo Austin, Jack Lutz, and Scott Reske.
Bloomington (Monroe County) Discussion Panel: Vi Simpson, Matt Pierce, and Peggy Welch.
Bluffton (Wells County) Discussion Panel: Jeff Espich and Matthew Lehman.
Boonville (Warrick County) Discussion Panel: Vaneta Becker, Dennis Avery, and Russ Stilwell.
Brownsburg (Hendricks County) Discussion Panel: Greg Steuerwald and Jeff Thompson.
Columbus (Bartholomew County) Discussion Panel: Greg Walker, Sean Eberhart, and Milo Smith.
Connersville (Fayette County) Discussion Panel: Jean Leising and Tom Knollman.
Corydon/Lanesville (Harrison County) Discussion Panel: Richard Young and Paul Robertson.
Covington (Fountain County) Discussion Panel: Phil Boots and Dale Grubb.
Crawfordsville (Montgomery County) Discussion Panel: Phil Boots and Tim Brown.
Crown Point (Lake County) Discussion Panel: Chester Dobis and Shelli VanDenburgh.
Elkhart (Elkhart County) Discussion Panel: Wes Culver and Tim Neese.
Evansville (Vanderburgh County) Discussion Panel: Suzanne Crouch and Gail Riecken.
Frankfort (Clinton County) Discussion Panel: Brandt Hershman and Jacque Clements.
Gary (Lake County) Discussion Panel: Earline Rogers, Charlie Brown, and Vernon Smith.
Greensburg (Decatur County) Discussion Panel: Jean Leising and Cleo Duncan.
Greenwood (Johnson County) Discussion Panel: Brent Waltz and Woody Burton.
Hammond #1 (Lake County) Discussion Panel: Earl Harris and Dan Stevenson.
Hammond #2 (Lake County) Discussion Panel: Frank Mrvan Jr., Mara Candelaria Reardon, and Linda Lawson.
Huntington (Huntington County) Discussion Panel: Gary Dillon and Dan Leonard.
Indianapolis #1 (Marion County) Discussion Panel: Mike Delph, David Frizzell, and Cherrish Pryor.
Indianapolis #3 (Marion County) Discussion Panel: Bill Crawford and Mary Ann Sullivan.
Indianapolis #4 (Marion County) Discussion Panel: James Merritt Jr., John Day, and Vanessa Summers.
Indianapolis #5 (Marion County) Discussion Panel: Michael Young, Jeb Bardon, and Phil Hinkle.
Indianapolis #7 (Marion County) Discussion Panel: Patricia Miller, Greg Porter, and John Barnes.
Indianapolis #8 (Marion County) Discussion Panel: Bob Behning and Mike Murphy.
Jasper (Dubois County) Discussion Panel: Mark Messmer and Dennie Oxley.
Kendallville (Noble County) Discussion Panel: Dick Dodge and David Yarde.
Lafayette (Tippecanoe County) Discussion Panel: Ron Alting, Sheila Klinker, and Randy Truitt.
Lawrenceburg (Dearborn County) Discussion Panel: Johnny Nugent and Bob Bischoff.
Madison (Jefferson County) Discussion Panel: Jim Lewis and Dave Cheatham.
Marion (Grant County) Discussion Panel: Joe Pearson and Eric Turner.
Martinsville (Morgan County) Discussion Panel: Richard Bray and Ralph Foley.
Michigan City (LaPorte County) Discussion Panel: Jim Arnold, Tom Dermody, and Scott Pelath.
Monticello (White County) Discussion Panel: Brandt Hershman and Don Lehe.
Mt. Vernon (Posey County) Discussion Panel: Bob Deig and Trent VanHaaften.
New Castle (Henry County) Discussion Panel: Beverly Gard, Phillip Pflum, and Tom Saunders.
Noblesville (Hamilton County) Discussion Panel: Luke Kenley, Kathy Richardson, and Jerry Torr.
Paoli (Orange County) Discussion Panel: Brent Steele and Sandra Blanton.
Peru (Miami County) Discussion Panel: Randy Head and William Friend.
Plymouth (Marshall County) Discussion Panel: Ed Charbonneau and Nancy Dembowski.
Seymour (Jackson County) Discussion Panel: Terry Goodin and Eric Koch.
South Bend #1 (St. Joseph County) Discussion Panel: John Broden, Ryan Dvorak, and David Niezgodski.
South Bend #2 (St. Joseph County) Discussion Panel: Craig Fry and Jackie Walorski.
Spencer County Discussion Panel: Richard Young and Russ Stilwell.
Terre Haute (Vigo County) Discussion Panel: Tim Skinner, Bruce Borders, Clyde Kersey, and Vern Tincher.
Valparaiso (Porter County) Discussion Panel: Ed Charbonneau, Chuck Moseley, and Ed Soliday.
Vincennes (Knox County) Discussion Panel: John Waterman, Kreg Battles and Bruce Borders.
Wabash (Wabash County) Discussion Panel: Gary Dillon and Bill Ruppel.