Gene Thompson (Taxpayer UNfriendly)

Watchdog Lebanon Home Page Tom Santelli Watchdog Indiana Candidate Rating

Address: 60 Smith Lane, Zionsville, IN 46077
Phone: (317) 873-6171 
E-mail: Eagletownship@aol.com 
Website:

2014 County Council Voting Record

Voted YES to increase the 2015 property tax rate by 6.56 percent. Because almost all of the of the homes in Zionsville are already taxed to the property tax caps threshold, very few of the high-income Zionsville residents will pay the 2015 property tax increase. It is Taxpayer UNfriendly that Boone County businesses, farmers, and low-income residents outside Zionsville will pay a property tax increase because the County Council did not have the political will to cut their ample 2014 total certified budget by just 3.62 percent.

Campaign Contributions: January 1, 2014, through April 11, 2014

As detailed in the spreadsheet below, Candidate Thompson is self-funding 43% of his campaign. The only apparent cause for some concern is a $250.00 contribution from the Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Realtors (MIBOR). On balance, MIBOR favors public-private partnerships where subsidies from taxpayers and utility ratepayers benefit developers.

Watchdog Indiana County Council Candidate Questions - 2014 Primary Election

1. Should annual county expenditures exceed annual county revenues? BACKGROUND: See http://www.finplaneducation.net/county_financial_analysis.htm and http://www.finplaneducation.net/county_expendiitures_comparison.htm. ANSWER: Did not respond.

2. What is an appropriate level of county cash reserves compared to the county’s annual operating budget? BACKGROUND: See http://www.finplaneducation.net/county_ccd_tax.htm. ANSWER: Did not respond.

3. Do you support a new county-wide Wheel Tax? BACKGROUND: See http://www.finplaneducation.net/wheel_tax_.htm and http://www.finplaneducation.net/transportation_funding_increases.htm. ANSWER: Did not respond.

4. Do you support an increase in the county-wide Cumulative Capital Development property tax rate? BACKGROUND: See http://www.finplaneducation.net/county_ccd_tax.htm. ANSWER: Did not respond.

5. Do you support a new county-wide Public Safety Local Option Income Tax? BACKGROUND: See http://www.in.gov/dlgf/files/Local_Option_Income_Tax_Fact_Sheet.pdf. ANSWER: Did not respond.

6. Do you support the elimination of the business personal property tax for any new business equipment? BACKGROUND: Effective July 1, 2015, the county income tax council (which includes county council members) is allowed by the recently passed Indiana Senate Enrolled Act 1 to adopt an ordinance to exempt from property taxation any new business personal property that is located in the county. ANSWER: Did not respond.

7. Do you support the elimination of the business personal property tax for any business with less than $20,000 worth of equipment and machinery? BACKGROUND: Starting with the Pay 2017 property tax year, the county income tax council (which includes county council members) is allowed by the recently passed Indiana Senate Enrolled Act 1 to adopt an ordinance providing that if the acquisition cost of a taxpayer's business personal property is less than $20,000: (a) the taxpayer is not required to file a personal property return for the taxpayer's business personal property; and (b) the taxpayer's business personal property is exempt from taxation. ANSWER: Did not respond.

8. Should county department heads and elected officials obtain approval from the County Council before making offers of employment to fill full-time employment vacancies? BACKGROUND: http://www.finplaneducation.net/boone_county_employment.htm. ANSWER: Did not respond.

9. Should the county help pay for road projects within the municipal limits of the county’s cities and towns, or should county dollars be dedicated to road improvements and maintenance within the unincorporated areas of the county? ANSWER: Did not respond.

10. 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: Did not respond.

11. Should the individual votes of County Council members be recorded in meeting minutes so the members can be held accountable for their public policy decisions? ANSWER: Did not respond.

12. Should upcoming County Council board appointments be announced ahead of time so interested citizens can apply? BACKGROUND: See http://www.finplaneducation.net/county_appointed_boards.htm. ANSWER: Did not respond.

13. Should the County Council have the same attorney as the City of Lebanon? ANSWER: Did not respond.

14. Should the Mapleview Rest Home remain open? BACKGROUND: See http://www.finplaneducation.net/boone_county_mapleview.htm. ANSWER: Did not respond.

15. Should there be a tax-supported Boone County Animal Shelter? ANSWER: Did not respond.

16. 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: Did not respond. RECORD: There appears to be repeated “gotcha” questions on a multitude of topics that Boone County Councilman Gene Thompson asks Sheriff Ken Campbell at each and every County Council meeting - see http://www.finplaneducation.net/boone_county_sheriff.htm. 

2013 County Council Voting Record

Two votes were taken by the Boone County Council to pass an unneeded Cumulative Capital Development (CCD) property tax rate increase that was ultimately disapproved by the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance because, "The County has neither explained nor justified why an increase to the Fund's tax rate is necessary despite the County's existing cash balances." The first vote was taken on July 9 when the Council passed a motion with a 4-3 roll call vote that would enable the county’s Pay 2014 CCD property tax rate to be increased by 160% from $0.0127 to $0.0330. The second vote was taken on October 8 when the Council passed a motion with a 5 voice votes to approve CCD spending in the 2014 budget that would increase the county’s Pay 2014 CCD property tax rate by 67% from $0.0127 to $0.0212. Gene Thompson cast a Taxpayer UNfriendly Yes vote to increase the CCD property tax rate during the July 9 Boone County Council meeting. Gene also cast a Taxpayer UNfriendly Yes vote on the motion that would have increased the CCD property tax rate at the October 8 Boone County Council meeting. Gene explains his October 8 vote as follows: “I voted ‘yes’ on the CCD rate at ($0.0300), with the lower amount budgeted into that account. I believe the budget passed by Council (on October 8) will provide a good value to all Boone County residents.” The CCD property tax votes cast by Gene Thompson are identified as Taxpayer UNfriendly.

Watchdog Indiana County Council Candidate Questions - 2012 Primary Election

1. Will you vote to impose a regressive Wheel Tax in Boone County? BACKGROUND: See http://www.finplaneducation.net/wheel_tax_.htm. ANSWER: Gene Thompson recently provided the following response to a constituent: "As a Boone County Councilor, I am willing to look at all sources of new revenue (taxes) during this year. The County Council has significantly cut expenses and county employees have gone three years without any raise. I am willing to consider all new taxes, along with expense controls, to make sure that we adequately fund services to our citizens. Until such time that the matter has been fully studied, I have not yet decided whether or which taxes I might support." 

2. Will you urge our Indiana General Assembly public servants to pass legislation that makes better use of our Indiana Gasoline Tax dollars? BACKGROUND: See http://www.finplaneducation.net/gas_tax_reform.htm. ANSWER: Gene Thompson indicated in a recent E-mail that he will call State Representative Jeff Thompson to discuss Representative Thompson’s decision to author a Preliminary Draft of the legal language necessary to implement the Indiana Gas Tax Reform Plan to better use our Indiana Gasoline Tax dollars for the construction and maintenance of our Indiana streets, roads, and highways.

3. Would you have voted Yes for the Boone County Council to send the August 31, 2011, letter to the Boone County department heads and elected officials requiring them to cut an additional 5% from their 2012 general fund budget because of revenue shortfalls? BACKGROUND: The Boone County Council voted 4-2 to send the following August 31, 2011, letter (indicated in ITALICS):

Boone County Department Heads and Elected Officials,

First and foremost, let us express our gratitude for your efforts in confronting our county’s serious financial situation. The thoughtfulness and professionalism displayed throughout last week’s budget hearings, despite the stressful and sometimes arduous process, were a credit to your offices and to our community as a whole. The council applauds your efforts and appreciates all the work you and your staffs have done to plan for the upcoming year.

Unfortunately, the county faces such a dramatic decline in revenue that the cuts made last week are still insufficient to balance our budget. County revenue has fallen more than $4.7 Million over the past two years. Through your efforts and those of your staff to find efficiencies, to make do with less and to identify alternative sources for funding outside the county’s general fund, by week’s end over $2.2 Million had been trimmed from the submitted budget requests. But this still leaves the total of requested expenses more than $2.5 Million over the county’s anticipated income.

To help close this gap, the Council voted Friday to require that each department review its budget and cut an additional five percent (5%) from the general fund budget reviewed by the Council. Because the projections for county revenue in the coming years show a continuing decline, you should not anticipate these funding cuts being restored next year but rather consider them as permanent reductions in funding. The Council recognizes, regretfully, that in many departments these cuts can only be achieved by reducing expenditures on personnel. While we have worked to protect our employees as this budget crisis has approached, the grim fiscal reality may mean that the county workforce will have to be trimmed. The Council also recognizes that achieving this further five percent will be extremely difficult, particularly for some smaller departments, and such extreme cases will be reviewed as necessary.

These additional cuts, painful as they will be, will still leave the county far short of a balanced budget. Last year the Council shifted roughly $1.85 Million of the general fund budget to the Rainy Day Fund to help cover the 2011 shortfall, and the Council plans to draw on the Rainy Day Fund again for 2012. However, this course cannot be sustained indefinitely, and without significant, permanent cuts or significant increases in revenue, our reserves will be exhausted in just a few years. For longer-term planning purposes, further reductions of an additional five percent should be anticipated for 2013 and beyond.

We ask that you have your revised budgets – including these additional 5% cuts from the General Fund – submitted to the Auditor’s office by the end of business on Friday, September 9th. The Council expects to discuss the issue further at its regular meeting on September 13, and likely at the joint meeting with the County Commissioners in the first week of October. One or more additional meetings to discuss and review these measures may also be forthcoming, as we continue to work together to address this very difficult and complex predicament.

Thank you for your service,

ANSWER: Gene Thompson voted Yes for the August 31, 2011, Boone County Council letter to the Boone County department heads and elected officials requiring them to cut an additional 5% from their 2012 general fund budget because of revenue shortfalls.

4. Would you have voted Yes for the August 9, 2011, Boone County Council motion stating, "If a full-time position is vacated an offer of employment to fill the position shall not be extended until approval from the County Council."? BACKGROUND: The Boone County Council failed to pass this motion by a 3-3 vote. ANSWER: Gene Thompson voted Yes for the August 9, 2011, Boone County Council motion requiring County Council approval for an offer of employment to fill a vacated full-time position.

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This page was last updated on 12/14/14.