Cincinnati Tea Party

Government, the Gift that Keeps on Giving

Dusty Rhodes (D), Hamilton County Auditor and voice for Hamilton County fiscal conservatism has agreed to complete a regular running “insiders” view of Hamilton County’s status. His articles will be published regularly through the CTP blog site, to illustrate his views of fiscal conservation, limited government, and free markets in government action (or inaction).

The Cincinnati Tea Party does not (and cannot) endorse any specific candidates. Dusty’s eighth installment is below, entitled, “Government, the Gift that Keeps on Giving.”

The word that leaps to mind is “hubris”, excessive pride or self-confidence. The Wikipedia definition goes on to say “Hubris often indicates being out of touch with reality and overestimating one’s own competence or capabilities, especially for people in positions of power.

There is no better example of hubris than the government subsidized money pit on the City of Cincinnati riverfront known as “The Banks”.

Remember this overly ambitious project was an “add-on” to the sports stadiums. Once a majority of voters approved the half-percent sales tax promoted for “two stadiums, payments in lieu of taxes to the Cincinnati Public Schools and a property tax reduction”, the County Commissioners got stars in their eyes.

We were told that “extra money” from their wildly optimistic sales tax revenue projections would allow them to create their Valhalla on the riverfront. There would be condominiums and apartments for gracious city living as well as upscale retailers to meet the needs of shoppers and visitors who would flock to the area. In a brief acknowledgment of a changing market the condos have been put on hold and the apartments have been increased in number.

This was justification enough for embarking on this questionable venture.

Those who dared to question this perversion of the voters’ approval were chastised and rebuked for daring to challenge the visionaries who cheerfully committed tens of millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money on their riverfront dream.

We recently learned the Commissioners have spent about $13 million with a private law firm on the project over the past decade. Last year, after years of claiming “there was no General Fund money” in the project, they issued $12 million worth of bonds for it, interest and principle to be paid from – you guessed it, the County’s General Fund.

Next year the Stadium Fund is projected to be $20 million in the red, thanks in no small part to “The Banks” – but the spending on this boondoggle of classic proportions continues missing nary a beat.

Recall that County Commissioner Todd Portune said we will “create our own economic reality here in Hamilton County”. The total cost of his “economic reality” is more apparent with the news that the restaurateurs, bar operators and retailers may need “subsidies” to attract them to this posh locale. That means the taxpayers will be hit again, this time to subsidize private business which our “leaders” want at “The Banks”. Even if the free market says no one wants this development they will build it with taxpayers’ money anyway.

Hubris, indeed.

By itself this is an outrageous proposal. Over-taxed citizens should not have to underwrite private enterprise at a County Commissioners’ preferred location. But what about existing businesses that are struggling? When do they get their subsidy?

We were told the stadiums would “jump start” development on the City’s riverfront. The only thing they “jump started” were demands for more taxpayers’ money. And those demands just keep on coming. Next, we’ll be asked to underwrite rents if not enough people agree to reside between two active sports venues.

It’s bad enough our federal government spending is out of control. Perhaps the County Commissioners are taking their cue from Washington. At some point everyone will recognize this as a mistake. But by then the “leaders” who forced it upon us and saddled us and future generations with the bills will be long gone. Maybe they should be.

Commitment to America

Tired of candidates running on the concept of “Vote for me, because I’m not him.”

Or, maybe you get tired of our Congress putting together bill after bill which only builds up new agencies, taxation or regulation.

You are not alone.

I was lucky enough to attend a conference with an amazing group of people who said – I’m tired of wasting my time, money and resources on these bums! I want some action!

Obviously, these were my kind of people.

So here’s what they decided to do – draft an agenda that we’d like to see Congress follow – starting now!

Not every item is flawless, and some items don’t go far enough, but I’m really excited about this as a start.

Lots of groups helped in the process through feedback and contribution – the Ohio Liberty Council, The Heritage Foundation, Americans for Tax Reform, Americans for Prosperity and many, many more.

We looked at what was the Contract With America and the latest Contract From America. We tried to write language that was actually possible and could be made into legislation.

It was absolutely amazing to see wonderful think-tanks, tea party leaders, motivated donors and activists of all kinds going down the same road together, that road being – A new Commitment to America with an expectation that the political class listen to what every American already knows. Because without an agenda which revolves around common sense changes and restrictions on government, our Republic will die.

Tea party groups across Ohio, united through the Ohio Liberty Council, are asking our candidates for November and our elected officials – Will you listen to us by honoring this Commitment to America?

2010 Commitment to America

We the People of the United States of America, reclaiming our inalienable rights, demand that Congress bring an end to the out-of-control spending of our tax dollars and the intrusive growth of the Federal Government.

To this end, we demand that Members of Congress do the following:

1. Stop the massive spending that is bankrupting America. Start with no new bailouts. Roll back federal spending to 2007 levels and cap annual spending growth at the rate of inflation plus population growth.
2. Vote for a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution that also requires a 2/3 supermajority to raise taxes.
3. Repeal or defund the government takeover of our health care. Start over with health care reform that is patient centered and reduces – not raises – our health care costs.
4. Repeal the automatic tax increases scheduled for 2011. Vote against increased taxation, including energy taxes and value added taxes.
5. Require “sunset” provisions for every spending program passed and every agency created by Congress.
6. Legislate limits on excessive agency rule making by requiring that Congress vote to approve all major new rules.
7. Demonstrate legislative transparency. Five days in advance of a vote, post online all bills, resolutions and conference reports. Require roll call votes on all measures that spend money.
8. Hold no votes in a “lame duck” session that would increase spending, taxes or regulation. This would include, for example, cap and trade, card check and immigration.
9. Abide by the principle that any law that does not apply to Congress or its staff does not apply to the American people.
10. Provide specific citations from the Constitution for any legislation introduced.

Members of Congress must remember that they derive their just powers from and serve by consent of the governed.

The premise of every law enacted by Congress must be that the American people know best how to conduct their own affairs.

— End Commitment to America

It’s just that simple. It’s a commitment to start fixing the insanity that has become the United States Congress.

What you can do?

Call your congressmen and simply ask – Will you make this commitment to me?

Talk to candidates and tell them, can the rhetoric. Will you commit to supporting these things?

We’ve heard that the tea party movement is about anger, fear, racism, blah, blah, blah. This is a great starting point for some very specific things we could support, not just oppose.

But, its going to require you telling every congressmen and every candidate – this is what I want from you.

How the Media Slants an Issue

Dusty Rhodes (D), Hamilton County Auditor and voice for Hamilton County fiscal conservatism has agreed to complete a regular running “insiders” view of Hamilton County’s status. His articles will be published regularly through the CTP blog site, to illustrate his views of fiscal conservation, limited government, and free markets in government action (or inaction).

The Cincinnati Tea Party does not (and cannot) endorse any specific candidates. Dusty’s seventh installment is below, entitled, “How the Media Slants an Issue.”

On Sunday morning, July 18, I appeared on Channel 12’s “Newsmakers” program to talk about the current County Local Government “Reform” Task Force. During the program as I spoke the program ran a banner at the bottom of the screen identifying me with the phrase “Blocking Government Reform Efforts”. That is how the program is labeled on the station’s website.

Assuming that most people believe “reform” is good and “blocking” is bad, there was an immediate negative impression before I said a word. There was no banner under proponents of radical changes in County government when they appeared reading “Seeking Bigger County Government”.

While program host Dan Hurley personally apologized to me for the loaded terminology it did provide an excellent example how the media can distort an opinion or position on an issue.

Credit those promoting this for appropriating the word “reform”, but the kind of structural change they seek is actually bigger government that would turn the County into a second tier Cincinnati-style government and would take away the people’s right to elect their county officials.

That might be progress to some but I do not believe a majority prefers a bigger, more intrusive County government that can make additional regulations and add more taxes. That would be the result of this effort if successful.

Mr. Hurley believes that a fundamental, expensive and wide-ranging change in County government is something we need. Concluding the interview he said the County needs this radical change which he called “modernization” to compete with metropolitan governments in Indianapolis and Louisville.

This is the kind of emotional appeal which the big government crowd loves to make. It is not supported by the evidence. The unemployment rate in longtime charter governed Summit County is 11 percent. The unemployment rate in neighboring non-charter (up to now) Cuyahoga County is 9 percent.

Regardless of media bias a bigger county government is not “reform”. We have an obligation to demand better government. To me that means resisting demands to expand it while recognizing the hidden agenda of the “reform” crowd and their handmaidens in the media.

Legally Reducing Property Taxes

Dusty Rhodes (D), Hamilton County Auditor and voice for Hamilton County fiscal conservatism has agreed to complete a regular running “insiders” view of Hamilton County’s status. His articles will be published regularly through the CTP blog site, to illustrate his views of fiscal conservation, limited government, and free markets in government action (or inaction).

The Cincinnati Tea Party does not (and cannot) endorse any specific candidates. Dusty’s sixth installment is below, entitled, “Legally Reducing Property Taxes.”

Recent news about Duke Energy’s effort to reduce their Public Utility tax liability has raised a question in the minds of many taxpayers: How can an entity not pay the full amount of assessed taxes if they appeal an assessment?

Actually, though Public Utilities are governed by separate statutes, any Hamilton County property owner who files a valuation complaint on their real property between January 1 and March 31 can ask the County Treasurer (513-946-4800) to permit a “tender and accept” arrangement. This allows you to pay a reduced tax amount based on what you believe your value should be while you await the decision of the Board of Revision (BOR) on your complaint.

The risk is that should the BOR disagree with your opinion of value, you are immediately liable for the additional taxes and interest on the value they set, unless you stay the process by appealing the Board’s decision.

Most who make use of the tender and accept approach purchased the subject property in an arm’s length sale. The Board of Revision uses such sales as the best evidence of current property value.

Information about the BOR is available on our website, www.hcauditor.org, by clicking on Departments and Board of Revision.

Two other possible means of reducing your property tax bill are owner-occupier credits. The 2.5% credit is available under Ohio law to most who own and occupy their homes. Property owners are eligible on their domiciles (one property) only. The vast majority of Hamilton County homeowners are receiving the credit and also the related “Stadium Credit.”

Check the summary page for your property on our website and make sure you see “YES” next to the line item: 2.5%/Stadium credit. If you have questions, call us at 513-946-4099.

And if you are 65 or older or totally disabled and you own and occupy your home, you may qualify for the Homestead exemption. The application process for this credit takes place from the first Monday in January to the first Monday in June each year. Again, check your summary page on www.hcauditor.org if you are not sure whether you are enrolled. For more information, read the Homestead FAQs on our website 24/7 or feel free to call 513-946-4099 during business hours.

Fundamental Change: Tampering With the U.S. Constitution

By Nick Noel

Tea party organizations and other groups of concerned ordinary citizens have risen to awaken a slumbering American electorate to many of the attacks on our freedom that are currently underway.

More Americans are realizing every day that we made a serious mistake in 2008. We were too complacent in our belief that we could correct any mistake at the polls during the next election; too confident that all we have to do is “vote the bums out next time.” We must do that, of course, along with our other efforts, but the mistakes we elected are working diligently to make their damage permanent, and too little attention is being paid to their potentially most damaging attack on our freedom.

In 2008, we handed our highest office to a man who had told us plainly of his contempt for our country and everything for which it stands. He told us he would “fundamentally transform” America, but few took his words seriously. Many voters assumed that he just wanted to make a few changes. We elected him and gave him all the votes he needed in Congress to “fundamentally transform” our country by destroying our Constitutional rights.

The fundamental difference between the United States and other countries is that “We, the People” control our government, while governments of other countries control their people. The U.S. Constitution safeguards our freedom by limiting the powers of government, and that is what Barack Hussein Obama and his rubber-stamp Congress are fundamentally changing by trashing the limits on government powers.

They have unconstitutionally seized control of private businesses. They have rammed an unconstitutional health care takeover bill down our throats—against the will of the people. They are rushing to complete “banking reform” that will make it easier for government officials to meddle in private businesses and extort bribes. An attempt to list all the ways they have attacked and damaged our freedom would require hundreds of pages.

But the most permanent way this president can hurt the American people is by appointing Supreme Court Justices who will destroy the U.S. Constitution’s ability to safeguard our rights. All of his unconstitutional actions can be made constitutional by erasing limits on the powers of the federal government. He has already installed one activist political ideologue on the Court, and a worse threat to our future is awaiting confirmation by the Senate. Will Sotomayor someday cast the deciding vote to silence free speech or take away our gun rights? Or will that vote be cast by Kagan, or Obama’s next appointee?

It now falls to the people to not only “vote the bums out next time,” but to bring every possible pressure to bear now on every Senator to stop this president from fundamentally changing the U.S. Constitution through his Supreme Court appointments. If stopping his assault on our rights causes fewer than nine justices to serve for now, so be it. The U.S. Supreme Court has survived in the past with fewer than nine members, and can do so again. Our freedom, however, is at risk of not surviving this presidency.

Fourth of July Weekend activities

Local community Tea Party groups will participate in Parades and Celebrations around town on Friday July 2 through Sunday the 4th. Find an event near you; walk in a parade, collect some signatures for the Health Care Freedom Amendment and End Ohio’s Estate Tax Petitions, and spread the word about the Cincinnati Tea Party.

Independence Weekend Event Details

Friday, July 2nd
Madeira Parade 6:30 p.m., festival at Sellman Park 7:00 – 10:00 p.m., fireworks at 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 3rd
Indian Hill Parade 10:00 a.m., fireworks at Indian Hill High School 9:45 p.m.
Harrison, Ohio Parade 11:00 a.m., festival at Harrison Community Center 1:00 – 11 p.m., fireworks at dusk
Anderson Twp. Parade 11:00 a.m., 7954 Beechmont avenue to Anderson Towne Center
Sunday, July 4th
Liberty Twp. Parade 1:00 p.m., Lakota East High School to Liberty Park on Yankee Road
Hyde Park Children’s (bike/scooter) Parade 12:00 – 2:00 p.m., Ault Park: concessions open at 6:00 p.m., Blue Stone Ivory concert at 8:00 p.m., fireworks at dusk

So the tea party was born

I was fortunate enough to have an editorial picked up by the Washington Times in May. If you havent gotten a chance to read it, I hope you enjoy.

So the “tea party” was born

Two classes define modern America — a political class and a producing class.

I’ll explain by unpacking the modus operandi of our famed two-party system. Political parties exist to provide an apparatus for achieving elected positions. At no point does either party adhere to a specific set of principles — it is merely responsible for cobbling together a coalition of people who loosely share beliefs in order to achieve victory.

A well-run party consolidates its voting bloc by doing more for its constituents than anyone else. Over time, these constituents become supportive of the chosen party, paying little attention to the actual policies generated by their supported political class.

We are then left with Republicans whose primary goal has become to manufacture prosperity as a defense for a complete lack of fortitude, and Democrats whose primary goal is to manufacture equality as justification for their so-called superior moral status — both equally destructive.
At what point does this highly detached political class consider, “Why am I doing this?” or “Is it right?” The system perpetuates decisions and alliances based on the preservation of their electoral apparatus. Intent and rhetoric are valued far beyond method or outcome, and character and principle are easily abandoned in favor of expediency.

All this is possible only when our producing class has disengaged from the political process altogether. Why? They incorrectly made the assumption that the party they support works for their best interests.

Simply compare President Bush’s policy with President Obama’s policy.

Mr. Bush’s was based on blind trust through disengagement that brought us (at the time) the most fiscally irresponsible and greatest entitlement expansion in my lifetime through Medicare Part D, the largest intrusion into free markets in American history through the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), and the liberty-killing, Constitution-trampling Patriot Act.

Mr. Obama’s policy has continued fiscal irresponsibility in a monstrous stimulus package, new programs and expanded departments, on top of his free-market and liberty-killing health care act, cap-and-trade legislation, and much, much more.

Strangely, both parties defend their respective positions as different from the other. Yes, their agendas are different. Yes, their rhetoric is different.

But their methods and outcomes are identical.

Both use government expansion and influence to achieve their goals. Neither has a problem engineering the economy to fit their needs, and God forbid fiscal responsibility should be a part of either agenda.

So the “tea party” was born — not to rebel against one party or official, but to begin the great American re-engagement of the producing class. Those who were too busy looked at their children, knowing the political classes were destroying any semblance of the American dream, and finally crossed their line.

They knew that democracy’s own prosperity had bred this new entitled lifestyle and therefore saw complicity in the political class’s abuse of power. They recognized this political class had chosen roles as administrators, not statesmen, people had gotten comfortable accepting the idea of good enough to get by, even sacrificing individual liberties as long as it wouldn’t interrupt their lives too much. Comfort was valued ahead of everything else.

And, just as Alexis de Tocqueville wrote in “Democracy in America” — they realized the only salvation would be the local independence brought forth by the organization of communities, townships and neighborhoods that still “forms the principle lifeblood of American liberty.”

Liberty was not defined or created by law; therefore, no administrator from the political class could provide it or take it away. Those who gave birth to the tea party remembered that we look not to political parties, but to ourselves, for guidance. We were never meant to have rights administered or abused.

So in the end the tea party movement wasn’t a departure to the right. It was the rebirth of the American conscience — a conscience previously too busy, as members of the producing class, to worry about engaging. Now, they no longer trust blindly nor do they seek to divide, but rather to unite through principles — shared beliefs in limited government, free markets and fiscal responsibility.

The tea party movement isn’t about taxes or a third party. It’s the new conscience of the body politic. At its very essence, the tea party movement is the overdue paradigm shift required for the continuation of this “great experiment.” Without a conscience rooted in liberty and accountable through action, the political class will destroy the very fabric of our republic. It will be necessary for some time because a famine of principles has become standard in our political class, infecting both parties with equal virulence.

The political class must be reforged with principles of liberty, not self-preservation, as a guide.

Promoting an Honest Marketplace for Fuel

Dusty Rhodes (D), Hamilton County Auditor and voice for Hamilton County fiscal conservatism has agreed to complete a regular running “insiders” view of Hamilton County’s status. His articles will be published regularly through the CTP blog site, to illustrate his views of fiscal conservation, limited government, and free markets in government action (or inaction).

The Cincinnati Tea Party does not (and cannot) endorse any specific candidates. Dusty’s fifth installment is below, entitled, “Promoting an Honest Marketplace for Fuel”, which provides an overview of the role of the auditor at gas stations and the quality of the fuel at the pump.

The success of free markets is based on accurate information for potential buyers. One of the basic services of government is to assure consumers are getting what they pay for. Our office participates in this process with our Weights and Measures Division. A small, highly trained staff checks dispensers and price scanners across the county.

The effectiveness and professionalism of the Hamilton County Weights and Measures Division was honored last month with the Frank Gallo Award from the Ohio Weights and Measures Association. This award is given annually to an agency for a commitment to excellence in this important work.

Most people see our sticker on the gas pumps when they fill up. But they are surprised to learn that while we can tell them how much fuel they are getting we can not tell them what is being put in their tank.

Ohio is one of only four states that do not test fuel quality and octane. How important is this? Channel 19 in Cleveland recently tested fuel quality at twelve gas stations in that area. Three of them failed the test. That is a 25 percent failure rate. People paying for high octane were getting regular octane fuel.

That failure rate is not inconsistent with other states and areas that checked fuel before beginning quality testing began. It is a safe bet that without such testing; one in five people paying for high octane gas are not getting it.

Aside from being ripped off, if your vehicle requires high octane and you are not getting it could cause your engine to run poorly. Without an active fuel quality testing program you could be getting impurities which could damage your engine.

Here’s the best part. Our office could test for fuel quality at the same time we test for volume. When we visit local gas stations we could add a quality check. Aside from the one time cost of hand held testers we could provide this critical service with existing staff, from our existing budget with little additional cost.

So why hasn’t this basic consumer protection been instituted?

The State Legislature has refused to give us the authority to do so. Efforts to gain this ability dating back at least fifteen years have been repeatedly thwarted by petroleum industry lobbyists in Columbus.

Most recently the petroleum industry succeeded in giving authority for testing fuel quality to the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA). They had to know that ODA had no funds to set up such a program, much less to duplicate the inspectors which County Auditors already have in place and on the job across the state.

I hope members of the next State Legislature will be able to stand up to the lobbyists and give us the ability to provide this critical service to consumers. You should have some assurance that you are really getting what you are paying for at the gas pump.

Arizona: State’s rights in Action?

For the benefit of those folks who have spent the last month in a remote cabin with no access to media, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed into law a bill that allows authorities to ask anyone lawfully stopped for any violation about their immigration status and if in doubt require that person to produce a document showing that they are lawfully in the U.S. To those of us not living in a border state this may seem authoritarian and an affront to our libertarian sensibilities, but to citizens in Arizona, drug trafficking and other directly related crimes across a porous border are a stark reminder of the immense U.S. market that exists for drugs even during a long recession.

In addition, the Arizona taxpayer has been subsidizing the education and medical care of many folks here illegally, but the problem is really an unwillingness by the federal government to assist with control of the border and enforcement of laws already in place to deal with illegal immigration.

This is a no win situation for Gov. Brewer. Arizona made certain that their law closely mirrored the federal regulations on illegal entry and residence in the U.S., yet the screams are echoing far and wide with protest rallies and relentless media scrutiny. Among the many efforts to force repeal of this new law is a call for everyone to boycott visiting or doing business of any kind with Arizona. Some cities have already cancelled planned conventions.

PJTV commentator and Cincinnati Tax Day speaker Sonja Schmidt along with Radio host Tony Katz are taking a different tack. They are promoting an “Arizona Buycott.” They want America to visit and to buy goods and services from Arizona to offset the boycott efforts. Please follow this link to learn more:

A Lesson for the Tea Party: Focus Pays Dividends

Races where endorsement and engagement in the form of volunteers, money and viral activity were focused – big wins!

As a perfect example, see Mike Wilson’s run for State Representative race for OH-28. Mike outraised challengers by raw dollars and total number of donors, had volunteers at every poll on election day and tea party supporters provided well over 100 volunteers for day to day campaign activities throughout the campaign.

Result – win by almost 20% margin.

Of the 9 races where the Ohio Tea Party PAC endorsed candidates, 6 of the 9 won.

Of course the only statewide race where the Ohio Tea Party PAC endorsed was Seth Morgan for Ohio Auditor. The role of the PAC should be noted as it is important. Being a fledgling organization, the primary role played by the PAC in this race was press and editorial writing.

Due to both lack of funds and statewide infrastructure – the PAC did not provide any money to the campaign, nor did it provide volunteers, websites or social networking for Morgan. Without this focus, very little was formally done.

More time and effort will be invested into the statewide infrastructure moving forward. The goal isn’t just to see successes in the Cincinnati area, but eventually the whole state.

In this election, there were only down ticket statewide races and no hotly debated issues on the ballot. Yet another factor that plays into lower engagement from the Tea Party movement – many are disgusted with the party system, so they stayed home having no desire to engage in party politics. Can’t blame them.

We have a whole new playing field moving forward as candidates from most political parties will be considered for support and endorsement by the Tea Party PAC. We will be working in a highly motivated voters environment with governor’s race, US Senator, swing seats in the US Congress and a potential healthcare amendment to the Ohio Constitution (if signatures achieved to make ballot).

What does it all mean?

It means the training wheels stayed on. Valuable lessons were learned. Strategies were noted, and valuable knowledge was added.

The homework was fascinating, and we’ll continue studying for the test.

Cincinnati – congrats!! You lead the way yet again!!

Interesting article from Enquirer on the election:  http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20100505/NEWS0108/5060344/0/NEWS0103/Tea-Party-State-losses-local-gains