Elise Nieshalla (Taxpayer Uncertain)

Watchdog Lebanon Home Page

Address:  
Phone: 317-966-0306
E-mail: nieshalla@gmail.com 
Website:

Candidate Nieshalla had no cash on hand on January 1. She received $9,997.30 in itemized contributions and $368.38 in unitemized contributions. There were $4,944.46 in properly itemized expenditures. The April 8 cash on hand should have been $5,421.22. Contributions from the candidate and her parents totaled $6,444.46 (62 percent of her total contributions). The only contributor who might hope to benefit from doing business with the county is an employee of the State Bank of Lizton. Candidate Nieshalla's campaign finance report Summary Sheet is "imprecise" because it does not include (a) the proper amount of recorded itemized expenditures ($4,944.46 should have been listed instead of $7446.37), (b) the proper amount of cash on hand at at the close of the reporting period ($5,421.22 should have been listed instead of $7446.37), and (c) the candidate's signature. 

NOTE: Candidate Nieshalla filed an amended campaign finance report on April 20, 2016, that corrected the "imprecise" entries on the originally filed campaign finance report Summary Sheet. Candidate Nieshalla also filed a Supplemental "Large Contribution" Report on April 20, 2016, that listed another $5,469.30 loan from the candidate and her husband.

Detailed information from Candidate Nieshalla's originally filed campaign finance report is included in the following spreadsheet:

NOTE: Candidate Nieshalla was asked on March 11 to please respond no later than April 1 to the Watchdog Indiana County Council Candidate Questions listed below. Candidate Nieshalla provided a "position statement" on April 1. Candidate Nieshalla's position statement comments were adjusted to conform to the Candidate Questions format and are posted below.

1. What will be your public service priorities if you are elected to the Boone County Council? ANSWER: Bringing the best value of limited government to the taxpayer is my top priority. I am studying the county's finances in order to more fully understand where we are financially, and have also been seeking the input county leaders, office holders and citizens to better understand our needs moving forward. It is with the highest regard for the financial vested interest we all have in our county's government, that I commit to serve. With that goal in mind, I look forward to helping ensure that we pass on to the next generation a thriving and safe community by: Managing a fiscally responsible county budget; Maintaining county roads and bridges; Strengthening public safety and addressing the infiltration of heroin; Championing a vibrant, diverse economy, while honoring our cornerstone industry of agriculture.

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: In addition, both with the issues identified by Watchdog and those that are yet unknown, I support: Dedicated funding sources going to fund corresponding needs; Finding innovative solutions that are within our means; Prioritization of critical needs as essential for proper management of funds; Smart planning to manage cash flow needs internally; Carefully weighing the impact on taxpayers that proposed tax changes would bring.

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: In addition, both with the issues identified by Watchdog and those that are yet unknown, I support: Dedicated funding sources going to fund corresponding needs; Finding innovative solutions that are within our means; Prioritization of critical needs as essential for proper management of funds; Smart planning to manage cash flow needs internally; Carefully weighing the impact on taxpayers that proposed tax changes would bring.

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: In addition, both with the issues identified by Watchdog and those that are yet unknown, I support a stable property tax situation.

7. Should better use be made of the request for proposals (RFP) process to select county government service providers? ANSWER: n addition, both with the issues identified by Watchdog and those that are yet unknown, I support RFPs as a tool to use taxpayer dollars wisely.

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: In addition, both with the issues identified by Watchdog and those that are yet unknown, I support the Boone County Area Comprehensive Plan.

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: In addition, both with the issues identified by Watchdog and those that are yet unknown, I support good communication as that translates into respect for citizens and their input.

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: I am self-employed as an owner and manager of residential property.

13. What is your campaign phone number, E-mail address, and website (or other online presence)? ANSWER: 317-966-0306, nieshalla@gmail.com , https://www.facebook.com/EliseNieshalla/

14. Do you wish to make some additional comments about your candidacy? ANSWER: A fresh perspective and a commitment to manage a fiscally responsible budget is what I am ready to bring to the Boone County Council. Coming from a family of Boone County farmers, small business owners and public servants, my aim is to be a conservative problem-solver on behalf of all our county's communities. Keeping our focus on delivering the fundamentals of county government will be significant as we face the challenges of being the fastest growing county in Indiana. It comes back to bringing the best value of limited government to the taxpayer as we tackle those challenges and grow opportunity. And, may I offer a few additional notes about my background for your review...
- Married twenty years to Chris, and we have four children
- Member of Zionsville Fellowship Church
- Founding Faculty Member, Hoosier Leadership Series
- Served on Governor Mitch Daniels' Economic Development Policy Team
- Former Head of Business Attraction, Indiana Department of Commerce
- Former Adjunct Faculty, Indiana University, Indianapolis
- Bachelor's Degree, Oral Roberts University
- Master's Degree, Indiana University
I look forward to meeting you!

NOTE: Candidate Nieshalla stated on April 4 that "I see the need to offer more comprehensive information, beyond a position statement." The additional information provided by Candidate Nieshalla is listed next.

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: Road maintenance is a core responsibility of the county's. I would need to understand the reasoning for adding roughly a quarter of the money to cash reserves before being able to offer a thoughtful answer.

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: We are receiving COIT funds back from the state this year, and I look forward to seeing calculations on the monetary value the matching grant will bring to us, as well. Also, I'll be paying close attention to the developments at the Statehouse next session as they will impact our road funding position. By analyzing these outcomes and potentially identifying more internal funds, we may find our needs sufficiently met. I have seen the recent Pavement Surface Evaluation and Repair (PASER) engineering study that found the cost to cover all needed maintenance and repairs at significantly more than the county's total budget, therefore the prioritization of needs will be critical as they are addressed over time.

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: Smart planning is necessary - if we don't have enough in cash reserves, it is difficult to manage the swings in receipts. We need to be able to internally manage temporary cash flow shortages, thereby saving taxpayers the interest costs of outside borrowing. On the other hand, if we have too much of a cash reserve, we run the risk of facilitating non-prioritized spending. I am thankful that we as a county are in the position to be able to have this discussion.

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: The first place I must look for funds is from within - first examining potential savings to be had through the re-prioritization of spending, gains in efficiency, and a responsible review of cash reserve levels. Public safety is central to our county's quality of life, and, in particular, the drug issue is a challenge we must face head on. It is costly to fund more public safety efforts, but it is also costly for our county to bear the weight of broad sweeping, negative ramifications that come from harmful drug use including increased crime, job loss, poverty, and the death of our citizens. The responsibility to further address this need is pressing as we have seen what the problem looks like in a more advanced stage in Scott County...and the cost to address the problem only skyrockets. There are additional public safety needs including the shortage in jail staffing and improving mental health care for inmates. Embedded in this discussion is the necessity to review a detailed report of the costs associated with our additional public safety needs. Furthermore, I am most interested in a goal-oriented plan and the incorporation of a reporting schedule to communicate back to the council and to taxpayers the value being added through efforts to tackle the drug problem and other public safety needs. My priority will be to fund these additional needs in a manner that is within our means. If it were to become evident to the County Council that a PS LOIT merited consideration, the impact on the taxpayer would need to be carefully weighed. On a parallel track, I also see a compelling need to reach out to the faith community and schools to ask for their additional help to vastly improve our situation.

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: I will be most mindful of taxpayers and work to preserve a stable property tax situation.

7. Should better use be made of the request for proposals (RFP) process to select county government service providers? ANSWER: RFP's are a necessary tool to gain the best value of service for the taxpayers. I support their use as the competitive bid process allows the benefits of free markets to be at work in county government.

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: Yes...much time and thought was invested into this plan by many stakeholders in our county. It presents a necessary balance that respects our key industry of agriculture, while directing the location of smart growth to diversity our economy.

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: On the first page of the County Council's portion of the Boone County website, publish the meeting dates, times and upcoming agenda as an easy reference for residents. I would support having the meetings consistently in the evenings so more citizens have the opportunity to attend and provide input. In addition, I support streaming County Council meetings and posting Boone County board appointments online with a month's notice. I've been attending the County Council meetings and have witnessed the difficultly councilors have in filling certain appointments. Notices online, in conjunction with the current notices in the newspaper, would be helpful in raising awareness of service opportunities in our county and attracting interested citizens to apply.

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: Yes.

11. Should upcoming Boone County Council board appointments be announced ahead of time so interested citizens can apply? ANSWER: Yes.

12. Who is your current employer, and would service on the Boone County Council possibly create significant conflicts related to your employment? ANSWER: I am self-employed as a residential property owner and manager and do not see a related conflict.

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This page was last updated on 04/23/16.