Larry A. Hysong (Taxpayer UNfriendly)

Watchdog Indiana Home Page Watchdog Lebanon Home Page Keith A. Campbell Candidate Rating

Address: 1342 S. Lebanon Street Lot 15, Lebanon, IN 46052
Phone: (765) 891-0483 
E-mail:  
Website:

Question #1: Will you support involuntary Lebanon annexation attempts, or will you only support city annexations where every property owner agrees to be annexed? Background: On November 26, 2012, the Lebanon Mayor lead the Lebanon City Council to pass an ordinance on first reading involuntarily annexing 8,270 acres in Center and Worth townships. On January 28, 2013, the Lebanon City Council amended the involuntary annexation ordinance to reduce the annexation area to 1,350 acres in Worth Township. The Lebanon Mayor and Lebanon City Council now appear to have abandoned this involuntary annexation attempt. For details see http://www.finplaneducation.net/lebanon_worth_annexation.htm. Answer: Has not responded. RECORD: None.

Question #2: Should the Lebanon Comprehensive Plan be consistent with the Boone County Comprehensive Plan where farm land adjacent to the city is preserved for the agricultural uses that protect our rural quality of life? Background: See the Lebanon Interchange Land Use Plan at http://www.finplaneducation.net/lebanon_interchange_plan.htm. Answer: Has not responded. RECORD: None.

Question #3: Is the willingness of the Lebanon Mayor and Lebanon City Council to award numerous 10-year tax abatements good public policy? Please include in your answer if there are any circumstances where you will support a future tax abatement for a company that does not promise to create a significant number of new jobs that pay a living wage of at least $15 an hour. Background: See the Boone County Tax Abatements at http://www.finplaneducation.net/county_tax_abatements.htm. Answer: Has not responded. RECORD: None.

Question #4: Are there any circumstances where you would consider including more companies within the Lebanon Tax Increment Financing District? Background: See Lebanon Business Park 2014 Property Taxes at http://www.finplaneducation.net/lbp_property_taxes.htm. Answer: Has not responded. RECORD: None.

Question #5: How will you better manage the Lebanon city budget to control the city property tax rate that has steadily increased 57.13% from 54.44 cents in 2009 to 85.54 cents today (when inflation has only increased 10.50%)? Background: See Lebanon 2015 City Budget at http://www.finplaneducation.net/lebanon_2015_budget.htm. Answer: Has not responded. RECORD: None.

Question #6: Do you believe that local Lebanon tax dollars and utility payments should be better spent on existing needs rather than build-it-and-they-will-come wants? Please include in your answer whether you support or oppose the spending on the following projects: (a) $1.710 million from the city for the “decorative” State Road 39 bridge panels over I-65, (b) $3.469 million from the city and $8.193 million from the state for the Indianapolis Avenue roundabouts, and (c) $500,000 from the city and $824,790 from the school corporation for the conference center at Lebanon High School. Background: See Lebanon SR 39 Bridge “Gateway” Project at http://www.finplaneducation.net/lebanon_sr39bridge_gateway.htm, Lebanon Indianapolis Avenue “Gateway” Project at http://www.finplaneducation.net/lebanon_indyave_gateway.htm, and Herman B Wells Community Conference Center at http://www.finplaneducation.net/wells_conference_center.htm. Answer: Has not responded. RECORD: None.

Question #7: Will you oppose circumventing state law by artificially dividing up future city capital projects to prevent concerned Lebanon citizens from initiating the petition and remonstrance process? Background: The Lebanon Mayor and Lebanon City Council divided the new $4.520 million Memorial Park swimming pool into two less costly projects so the petition and remonstrance process could not be initiated to avoid the unneeded property tax increases that were imposed through 2028 – see http://www.finplaneducation.net/lebanon_park_pool.htm. Answer: Has not responded. RECORD: None.

Question #8: Do you support the imposition of a Boone County Wheel Tax? Background: State law allows city and town councils to initiate a county-wide Wheel Tax. Like any action taken by the Lebanon City Council, the Lebanon Mayor can veto a Wheel Tax that is passed by the City Council and it would take a two-thirds vote of all the City Council members to override the Mayor’s veto (see Indiana Code 36-4-6-16). Answer: Has not responded. RECORD: None.

Question #9: Do you think Lebanon city government should be more open to citizen input? Please include in your answer if you support any of the following open government reforms: (a) allow public comment at every Lebanon City Council meeting, (b) allow public comment at all Lebanon board and commission meetings, (c) post all meeting agendas online with links to pertinent documents, and (d) post all meeting minutes online. Answer: Has not responded. RECORD: None.

Question #10: Should all citizens interested in public service on a city board or commission be given the opportunity to apply, should the same person serve on multiple city boards and commissions (unless required to do so by Indiana Code), and should city employees be appointed to city boards and commissions? Answer: Has not responded. RECORD: None.

Question #11: Will you accept campaign contributions from businesses, business political action committees, and business employees who benefit – or hope to benefit – from Lebanon government contracts, development subsidies, and tax abatements? Background: See Friends of Huck Lewis 2014 Campaign Receipts and Expenditures at http://www.finplaneducation.net/huck_lewis_2014.htm. Answer: Has not responded. RECORD: None.

Question #12: Do you wish to make some additional comments about your candidacy? Do you have a campaign phone number and E-mail address? Do you have a website? Answer: Has not responded. RECORD: Candidate Hysong served on the Center Township Board from at least 2002 through 2014.

Watchdog Indiana Center Township Board Candidate Questions - 2014 Primary Election

1. What in your background prepares you to manage the fiscal affairs of the Center Township government? ANSWER: Did not respond. RECORD: Candidate Hysong has served on the Center Township Board since at least 2002.

2. What is Center Township’s proper cash balance as a percent of budget? BACKGROUND: The Center Township June 30, 2013, cash balance was 60.5% of the 2014 certified budget: see https://gateway.ifionline.org/report_builder/unit_reports/unitReports.aspx. ANSWER: Did not respond.

3. Would the public benefit if the Center Township Fire Department ceased to be a separate entity and became part of the Lebanon Fire Department? ANSWER: Did not respond.

4. Should Center Township merge with the City of Lebanon so that the unincorporated areas of Center Township become part of the City of Lebanon? ANSWER: Did not respond..

5. How would you provide better public access, including Center Township Board meetings notification? ANSWER: Did not respond.

6. Do you wish to make some additional comments about your candidacy? Do you have a campaign phone number and E-mail address? Do you have a campaign website? ANSWER: Did not respond.

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This page was last updated on 03/07/15.