Tad D. Braner (Taxpayer UNfriendly)

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E-mail: tadbraner@att.net
Website:

Candidate Braner had no cash on hand on January 1. He received $2,050.00 in itemized contributions and $275.00 in unitemized contributions. There were $5.00 in unitemized expenditures. The April 8 cash on hand was $2,320.00. Contributions from the candidate totaled $1,000.00. Candidate Braner also filed a Supplemental Large Contribution Report on April 15 that listed a $1,648.00 contribution from himself.

1. What will be your public service priorities if you are elected to the Boone County Council? ANSWER: Has not responded.

2. Is the county spending enough of its available resources to maintain and improve the county roads in the unincorporated areas of the county? BACKGROUND: The 2013-15 State Budget made better use of the existing state Gasoline Tax and state Sales Tax revenues from gasoline purchases to significantly increase Boone County transportation funding. State revenues deposited into the Boone County Motor Vehicle Highway and Local Road & Street funds increased 38 percent from $2,900,956 in 2013 to $4,016,363 in 2015. However, only $2,888,947 was spent from the 2015 Boone County Motor Vehicle Highway and Local Road & Street funds – $1,127,416 was unspent and added to the cash reserves (the December 31, 2015, cash balances in the Boone County Motor Vehicle Highway and Local Road & Street funds totaled $2,933,169). ANSWER: Has not responded.

3. Do you support a new county-wide Wheel Tax? BACKGROUND: Indiana Senate Bill 67 passed by the Indiana General Assembly this year will increase funding for 2016 to the Boone County government units by a total of $13,044,770. A one-time additional distribution from the state’s county option income tax (COIT) trust account will provide $4,106,918 in additional county government revenue this year, at least 75% of which must be used exclusively by the Boone County Highway Department for local road construction, maintenance, and repair. In addition, Indiana House Bill 1001 passed by the Indiana General Assembly this year created a state Local Road and Bridge Matching Grant Fund, which will provide matching dollar-for-dollar grants to a county or municipality that allocates certain revenues for the purpose of increasing the capacity of local roads and bridges. ANSWER: Has not responded.

4. What is an appropriate level of county cash reserves compared to the county’s annual operating budget? BACKGROUND: The August 11, 2010, Boone County Comprehensive Financial Plan prepared by H. J. Umbaugh & Associates (a PDF version can be E-mailed on request) targets 15% as a prudent level of end-of-the-year Boone County government cash balances compared to annual operating funds disbursements. ANSWER: Has not responded.

5. Do you support a new county-wide Public Safety Local Option Income Tax? BACKGROUND: See page 77 of the Fiscal Year 2015 Indiana Handbook of Taxes, Revenues, and Appropriations at https://iga.in.gov/static-documents/f/9/4/0/f9407ace/2015%20Tax%20Handbook%20WEBPAGE.pdf. ANSWER: Has not responded.

6. Should property tax rate increases be avoided to (a) protect lower income Boone County residents with homes assessed below the 1% property tax cap from tax increases and (2) lessen Boone County units of government budget losses to property tax caps? ANSWER: Has not responded.

7. Should better use be made of the request for proposals (RFP) process to select county government service providers? ANSWER: Has not responded.

8. Is the Boone County Area Comprehensive Plan a good road map for future growth that also preserves agriculture as an economic development industry? BACKGROUND: See http://www.boonecounty.in.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=65. ANSWER: Has not responded.

9. How can the actions and decisions of the Boone County Council be more open and transparent to the public? BACKGROUND: Good examples of how to provide open and transparent local government can be found on the Town of Whitestown web site at http://www.whitestown.in.gov/. ANSWER: Has not responded.

10. Should the individual votes of Boone County Council members be recorded in meeting minutes so the members can be held accountable for their public policy decisions? ANSWER: Has not responded.

11. Should upcoming Boone County Council board appointments be announced ahead of time so interested citizens can apply? ANSWER: Has not responded.

12. Who is your current employer, and would service on the Boone County Council possibly create significant conflicts related to your employment? ANSWER: Has not responded.

13. What is your campaign phone number, E-mail address, and website (or other online presence)? ANSWER: Has not responded.

14. Do you wish to make some additional comments about your candidacy? ANSWER: Has not responded.

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This page was last updated on 04/20/16.