Watchdog
Lebanon Home PageRichard "Dick" Robertson (Taxpayer Uncertain)
Address: 649 Kara Court, Lebanon, IN 46052
Phone: (765) 891-2604
E-mail: dick.robertson67@yahoo.com
Website:
2016 City Council Voting Record
Voted NO against a county-wide 50% Local Income Tax increase that is twice what is needed for the Boone County Sheriff 2016 Business Plan – AND much of the excessive Local Income Tax increase will NOT be used to pay for new and necessary spending by other county police and fire departments: see http://www.finplaneducation.net/sheriff_business_plan.htm.
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: I believe my 8 years as a City Councilman and 12 years as County Highway Supt. in preparing and managing budgets will be a big help to me in trying to do the same with Center Township Board.
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: I have not had the time to review the budget of the Board completely, but I do believe in trying to maintain an healthy balance in the General Fund. However if it is 60% percent then that seems to be a lot to me that I would be concerned.
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: I'm sure there would be some benefits in a merger of the two fire departments. I don't think we are ready to do that at this time.
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: I vision that one day the City of Lebanon will be all Center Township. Should that happen now I don't know. I would want to know what the benefits would be to the city residents and township residents at this time.
5. How would you provide better public access, including Center Township Board meetings notification? ANSWER: I believe the board meetings to be public meetings and advertised. I wouldn't want any other way.
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: No other comments.
2005 Lebanon City Council Voting Record
On September 29, 2005, the Lebanon City Council passed city ordinance 05-14 and imposed a new 1% sales tax effective November 1, 2005, on food and beverages sold in Lebanon restaurants. Robertson voted YES.
Watchdog Indiana Lebanon City Council Candidate Questions - 2003 Election
1. What are your plans to bring high-pay, full-benefit jobs to Lebanon? ANSWER: Did not respond.
2. Are city services adequate or inadequate to meet the needs of our population today? In two years? In four years? Please specify those areas you feel are inadequate. ANSWER: Did not respond.
3. Compared to inflation, what percentage increase in per capita city government spending is reasonable? What percentage is unreasonable? Please explain your answers. BACKGROUND: Lebanon general fund disbursements per citizen in 2001 and 2002 increased 16.16% and 15.90% respectively from the prior year. The average annual inflation increase was 2.17%. ANSWER: Did not respond.
4. Will you ask City Council to build a scaled-down Municipal Building without issuing bonds? Please explain your answer. BACKGROUND: City Council approved a $8,056,316 Municipal Building Project (and a $6.5 million bond issue) on August 25. Action will have to be taken before the bonds are issued if City Council is to reverse its Municipal Building decision. ANSWER: Did not respond.
5. If $6.5 million in bonds are issued for a Municipal
Building, what will you do to keep property tax and utility bills from
increasing?
BACKGROUND: Bond payments would start in 2004 and conclude in 2024. Money for
the bond payments will come from leasing the new Municipal Building to the city
for an average of $615,000 annually. The city will use COIT revenues to make the
lease payments. To offset some of the COIT revenue loss, the city will sub-lease
the new Municipal Building to Lebanon Utilities for about $369,000 annually
(which creates the possibility of utility rate increases). It is feared property
taxes will go up to replace the remaining COIT revenue loss. ANSWER: Did
not respond.
6. Do you think the
alley adjacent to the Lebanon Library should be closed so the Library Board can
issue $8 million in bonds to expand the Library? Please explain your answer and
include your opinion regarding the Library expansion.
BACKGROUND: For the Library Board to go forward with the Library expansion as
currently designed, the City Council will have to approve the alley closing.
RECORD: Robertson is likely to follow the lead of his political friends on the
library board and vote for closing the alley. October 21 Lebanon Reporter:
As long as the library could provide easy access to the north half of the alley
for the businesses north of the library, I would not have a problem closing the
library for expansion....
7. Do you support property tax relief for Lebanon's homeowners? Please explain your answer. If you favor property tax relief, how do you propose re-structuring local taxes to provide such relief? BACKGROUND: One option for property tax relief is provided by Indiana Code 6-3.5-6-13 (b), which allows the Boone County Council to use County Option Income Tax revenues to increase the homestead credit by an amount up to 8 percent (from 20 to 28% in 2004). Should the County Council decide to do this, COIT revenue received by the City of Lebanon would be decreased by an amount that would be used to provide the increased homestead credit. ANSWER: Did not respond.
8. Will you support a Lebanon City Council resolution asking the General Assembly to restore the property tax relief promised to homeowners during the 2002 special session through a Manufacturing Inventory Tax Credit or other acceptable means? Please explain your answer. BACKGROUND: The Indiana General Assembly in its 2002 special session promised a certain level of property tax relief to residential homeowners through an increase in the Homestead Credit. This year the General Assembly allowed the governor to reduce the promised Homestead Credit increase with a so-called "correction." Establishing a Manufacturing Inventory Tax Credit will allow the state to make up the inventory tax revenue the City of Lebanon will lose next year without a property tax or individual income tax increase. The inventory tax will decline next year because that is when the exemption of manufacturing inventory from inventory tax calculations will be phased in. The cost of a Manufacturing Inventory Tax Credit will be almost the same as the reduction in the Homestead Credit caused by this year's "correction." ANSWER: Did not respond.
9. Even if the General Assembly does not establish a Manufacturing Inventory Tax Credit, what will you do to absorb next year's reduction in inventory tax revenue without a property tax or individual income tax increase? BACKGROUND: Lebanon's inventory tax revenue will decline about $500,000 next year when manufacturing inventory is exempted from inventory tax calculations. If this revenue loss is divided equally between Lebanon's general fund and TIF district, the city will have to cut spending $250,000 (about 3 percent of total general fund expenditures) to avoid a property tax increase or a personal income tax increase (through the establishment of a county economic development income tax). The TIF district has enough of a cash surplus to absorb a $250,000 loss in inventory tax revenue without a problem. ANSWER: Did not respond.
10. If you decide that Lebanon Utilities should have a sewer rate increase, will you insist that it be offset with a water rate decrease? Please explain your answer. BACKGROUND: Dwindling net margins is one reason why wastewater utility reserves will decline to an estimated $311,252 at the end of 2003. Because of this, Lebanon Utilities plans to request a sewer rate increase next year. Water utility reserves, which are estimated to be $3,997,671 at the end of 2003, may be robust enough to absorb a water rate decrease if net margins are properly managed. ANSWER: Did not respond.
11. Are you in favor of using public money to support a Boone County Family YMCA? Please explain your answer. BACKGROUND: Paul Kruse, Boone County Family YMCA President, insists, "We will not be seeking or requesting public funds. We will be raising funds from memberships, donations and grants to pay for everything, in the same fashion as all other YMCAs." ANSWER: Did not respond.
12. Do you support a new Local Option Highway User Tax (or "wheel tax") on all vehicles registered in the County? Please explain your answer. BACKGROUND: A Wheel Tax is completely unnecessary because of the county's considerable COIT revenue and ample cash reserves. RECORD: Robertson spoke in favor of imposing a new Boone County Wheel Tax at the March 17, 2003, Boone County Commissioners meeting. He stated that voters would have short memories and not hold county politicians accountable.
13. Do you support a stop light on State Road 39 at the Flying J Truck Stop? Please explain your answer. ANSWER: Did not respond.
14. Do you wish to make some additional comments about your candidacy? Do you have a website? What is your preferred E-mail address? ANSWER: Did not respond.
This page was last updated on 10/12/16.