In Part 1, we described the delicate balance of municipal government finance – revenues, expenses and the tax base. We also discussed how any increase or decrease in one requires an offsetting increase or decrease in the others to keep thing in balance. Since first elected as mayor of Carmel in 1995 – nearly […]
Category: Economic Development & other Voodoo
PART 1: Just how does Carmel keep tax rates low while spending more and more each year?
A major talking point of Carmel mayor Jim Brainard and those councilors aligned within him on the City Council is how Carmel’s taxes have remained low, even as the city and demand for its services have both grown substantially. Even as they make this claim, the city budget — and spending — grows year after […]
Noblesville Levinson Building; Will it ‘create a Frankenstein of design that tries to please everyone’?
How high is it? – On February 12, 2019 Noblesville Common Council quietly passed Ordinance 07-01-19 allowing “The Levinson” to violate the existing Downtown District height ordinance restricting buildings of 4 stories or 50 feet. (Quietly, because nowhere in the Council Agenda or Minutes is the word “Levinson” used). The new Ordinance states: “the maximum […]
Brainard & The CRC – Master illusionists with an agenda and no oversight.
The purpose of the Carmel Redevelopment Commission is to maximize TIF! By maximizing TIF they create debt instruments to add infrastructure. Infrastructure is added to attract new taxes that hopefully results in additional TIF growth and then the cycle is repeated. So long as buildings are occupied, by lessors paying the market rate and is […]
Shaver asks more questions (third request) about development in Carmel Posted By: The Reporter April 4, 2019
Dear President Worrell and Members of the City Council, First, it is important to note that your most recent response still does not include a single document related to the “Developer Guarantees,” despite multiple requests. Graphic provided Respectfully, I have no alternative but to attach the Records Request documents for the third time. I’m sure […]
Mayoral Deb(t)ate: your turn to ask the candidates about proper fiscal management and restraint
A very simple thought for the day. Would you ever allow someone to take your checkbook and write checks from your account, without regard for how much money is in your account? When all of the checks in your checkbook are used up and they come asking to use your credit card, […]
Carmel City Council President Worrell responds to letter from Mike Shaver
Posted By: The Reporter March 22, 2019 Dear Editor, On March 18, Mr. Shaver addressed the Carmel City Council claiming Carmel taxpayers were unprotected regarding buildings not yet constructed in Carmel City Center. Unfortunately, before given an opportunity to respond, Mr. Shaver made the same claims in a letter to the editor the very next […]
Shaver: What exactly did Pedcor “guarantee”?
March 27, 2019 Dear Editor: The following is a response from Carmel resident Mike Shaver to the members of the Carmel City Council, including Council President Jeff Worrell. Dear Mr. Worrell & Members of the Carmel City Council: Thank you for responding to my inquiry regarding the “Developer Guarantees” for City Center, and for including […]
TIF: Tax-Increment Financing or Taxpayer-Indebted Future?
Tax-Increment Financing (TIF) has been a prominent funding tool used by local and regional governments for decades to spur redevelopment of blighted areas within those jurisdictions. The basic premise of TIF is that redevelopment of a blighted area results in an increase in the value of the redeveloped parcel(s). TIF captures the additional revenue generated […]
Carmel’s missing buildings and the phantom TIF; Worrell’s response to Mike Shaver’s Second request for documents
Posted By: The Reporter March 28, 2019 Dear Editor: The following is an email response sent from Carmel City Council President Jeff Worrell to Carmel resident Mike Shaver. Dear Mr. Shaver, I have received your second email regarding the matter of Developer Guarantees for City Center. Thank you for your kind words. Your second complaint […]