I am writing in response to Detective Paul M. Haub’s article on Nov. 21. First of all, no one in our city is against the police and fire department. Some city and county employees need to stop making this a personal issue.

Citizens for Accountability is against wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars. We demand accountability to the taxpayers on how our tax dollars are spent.

LOIT tax should not be passed as it should not be a “bailout tax” for the city of New Albany. House Bill 1001 was designed to put accountability back on local government and not taxpayers.

There are normally two sides to an issue. Like I stated at the last Floyd County Council meeting, there are three sides — county’s, city’s and the taxpayers’.

The city claims they need more money, the county needs more money, but taxpayers need their money. The city needs to stay within its budget. Unlike the city, the county stays within its budget.

Our city of New Albany has a $16 million general fund and about 84 percent goes to police and fire. How can our city survive on about $3 million in our general fund? Can residents survive another tax?

Taxpayers are facing increased fees for sewers and stormwater in 2009. What you are saying to residents, Mr. Haub, is that residents should be penalized for working so our local government can spend more and tax us more?

You work for the taxpayers and the taxpayers don’t work for you.

The problem with local government is:

• Taxpayers have no accountability from local government

• No city take-home car policy

• No city cell phone policy

• City police officers no longer pay for gas

• City police officers use their cars for second jobs, shopping and errands

• Taxpayers pay for car insurance, maintenance and repairs on city police cars

We have officers on city and county councils voting for raises that affect their pay — is that not a conflict of interest?

Some police officers were supposed to retire and didn’t. Our top 20 paid employees in 2007 made $1.78 million? Compared to other second-class cities, our police officers have an excellent salary and insurance package. So who is looking out for the taxpayers?

Indiana State Board of Accounts has listed violations by the New Albany Police Department for not keeping logs on mileage and cell phones for the last two years. We look at city financial reports and see the parks department spending $10,000 a month on cell phones. We can’t have much compassion for city employees. A few police officers and firefighters have been overpaid and never had to repay that money back. Nice bonus ... huh?

During the last 17 years, each new mayor has had his/her “feel good projects” at the expense of the taxpayers. Do we really need a statue for our city of Mr. Floyd or a new “Welcome to New Albany” sign? When money gets tight, police officers scream, “we need take-home cars,” and a majority of the officers live outside our city? How does that prevent crime in New Albany? Why is the police department not willing to make more concessions?

Officers received a 3 percent raise plus 1 percent longevity pay in 2007. It’s pretty sad when taxpayers see a former union representative stand before our City Council stating that “we got more in arbitration than we asked for. What are we supposed to do ... give it back?” That was truly unbelievable to hear. Taxpayers only wish we had that problem.

Residents have been fighting past and current mayors and council about spending, tax abatements, increased fees, city audits and wasteful spending. Our city wants us to support another tax?

There comes a time when taxpayers can afford only what we can afford, and not one nickel more.

We agree with Councilman Steve Price — go back to 2007 salary levels, as he suggested, and renegotiate contracts. Quit pricing yourselves out of a job. Stop being a detriment to the common good of the residents of New Albany.

When things get tough, every department should sacrifice just like the taxpayers. What happens if the economy gets worse? What happens if the department of Local Government Finance cuts our budgets even more?

More families are losing their homes and will be moving out of our city. Where can you get new revenue? You mention about living paycheck to paycheck — imagine raising a family on $30,000 or under? If things are as tight as you say, why not sell the boat you own?

Taxpayers have to sacrifice to keep our homes, feed our kids, buy groceries, pay utilities and keep our cars running, so we can keep our jobs.

This is our solution for city government:

• New Albany police officers should do exactly what Louisville and Jeffersonville are doing — they pay, every two weeks, for taking home police cars or park these taxpayer-owned cars. Jeffersonville made a good decision and ruled police cars should not leave the city limits. New Albany should follow the same plan.

• Elected and appointed officials are driving around in taxpayers’ vehicles; they should pay every two weeks or park their vehicles at City Hall.

• We suggest that city employees give up three paid holidays a year or face layoffs.

• We suggest the mayor give up 17 percent of his salary and eliminate deputy mayor and city operation manager. Mayor England should lead by example instead of threatening to cut services or raise other fees.

Residents need police, fire and basic services; we don’t need politicians with personal agendas. It’s called accountability to taxpayers.

I would like to close this letter on a personal note. I have two retired brother-in-laws, who retired from NAFD, and a sister who retired from the NAPD. I know what they sacrificed for this city, and I know the politics that is being played here. Fear tactics don’t work with taxpayers. It’s common sense of needs versus wants. City police officers took the oath to protect residents. Elected officials also took an oath to do what is best for all residents.

We encourage Floyd County residents to contact County Council members and ask them to vote “No” on the LOIT tax on Tuesday.



Vicki Denhart is the president for Citizens for Accountability in Local Government in New Albany.