A Real Look at Annexation

Someone here recently suggested that Kokomo adopt a new anthem as championed by the sometimes-appearing-clueless Mayor. It was further suggested someone design a bumper-snicker... so here it is:



The anthem's theme was "Wow..Really...Wow!".

This clever bit of phraseology pokes fun at quotes brought forward in the Kokomo Perspective recently.

Well, I thought it was about time someone really looked into Kokomo's vaunted Annexation 'Plans'. You can see them here and here (East and West side, respectively).

These things are so full of discrepancies and holes I wonder if the Mayor and his staff really know what they're getting themselves into....

More on that....

First, let's talk about PROPERTY TAXES.

On page 7 of BOTH of the plans, it very clearly lays out 'Net Tax Rate Conversions' for the various Townships targeted. The Mayor's own data predicts property owner taxes in these areas will increase anywhere between 47 to 61 percent. INCREASE!

Of course, the administration is also quick to point out this little carefully-worded tidbit:

Well... the Mayor must certainly be disappointed that our Governor and Republican Legislators pushed that through this year, much to the chagrin of both himself and Democratic yes-man Ron Herrell.

Here's the deal: Currently, your property taxes are likely to go DOWN. That was the intent of the Governor and the State legislature, and it was the will of the people in Indiana.

If these folks in the County are annexed, they'll never see that intended tax cut. In fact.. it is very likely... their taxes will instead spiral upward.

I suppose the Mayor believes he's more clever than the Governor, most of the Statehouse, and virtually all the people living in Indiana.

After all.. it would be a GREAT deal if the County homeowners would only look at the 'Big Picture'.

You'd get all the wonderful benefits of Kokomo citizenship... like high property taxes, deteriorating infrastructure, various city departments literally under siege and confronted with multitudes of moral or operational troubles, ever increasing fees for services...

Why, the list of 'benefits' to living in the city limits just goes on and on. Come on folks, you're getting a super deal .

All kidding aside, annexation is not a good move for Kokomo right now. It's a money grab and that's all... and someone always loses when the grabbing is done.

That 'someone', of course, would be the County... a governmental unit already so strapped they're scrutinizing car wash receipts and fretting about how in the World they'll continue to pay for locking up Kokomo's miscreants.

Has Mr. Goodnight even considered how his plans might drive the County into more chaos? That's doubtful, as he just recently began even discussing the situation with them. That alone smacks of Greed and not a desire for the best welfare of everyone in the area.

Now, on to the holes in these 'plans'.

The East side plan says 46.8 percent of the land is agricultural... the West side 54.1. Why in the World does an incorporated 'City' have any business sucking up a bunch of Ag farmland into its borders? Does the Mayor believe there will be some major housing or industrial boom in the area that would necessitate this move? I don't see it.

The City's own policy, as outlined in Council Resolution 2341 and adopted in April of 2000, recommends annexation for areas in proximity, being developed in ways that make them 'urban' in character and create a need for municipal services.

I find it unlikely that nearly 5,000 acres of agricultural land is 'urban' in character... unless cows and chickens have taken to illegal drug use or robbing non-existent convenience stores on their country corners.

When analyzing anything, I tend to also look for specifics and try to 'prove them out'. Since I already had some data on Police operations, I chose to examine 'facts' the Mayor and his staff told us about in their Annexation plans.

They've based 'predictions' on Law Enforcement cost(s) with information that doesn't seem to add up. I used a comparison with the Noblesville Police Department just because the data was readily available.

After looking over everything, I find their basis-data a little hard to believe.

Comparing population counts, calls for service (as reported), department personnel, and budgets... it seems like Kokomo's numbers are way, way over inflated.

Adjusted for population, Kokomo claims a Police Department budget 21.48 percent higher than Noblesville (per citizen), Noblesville officers perform 9.11 percent more calls (per sworn member), while Noblesville has 18.3 percent FEWER officers per resident than Kokomo.

Does this look like somebody 'cooked the books'? It sure does to me.

In the end, Kokomo will need to annex some land one of these days. The 'pockets' in the City certainly make sense, and so does land to the East where the new 31 will proceed.

What doesn't make sense... right here and right now... is this poorly-planned scheme.. the only goal of which may be to delay Kokomo governmental demise at the expense of County services.

Sorry.. the numbers don't add up to me.

Wow...Really?... Wow!

NIK