I have a friend that runs an auto body repair shop. He can do some pretty amazing things with a dented fender, but sometimes the damage is so bad there is nothing to do but replace it. Sometimes there are so many problems with a car that it simply can’t be fixed.

There are a lot of things in this world that can’t be fixed. One of those things is property taxes. We’ve seen a good example unfold in New Castle over the last few years. The owners of the Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant on Memorial Drive saw their property taxes increase from $5751.26 in 2005 to $31,453.61 in 2009, based on the increased assessed value of their property.

Last week, the New Castle Courier-Times reported that after a two year battle, the Indiana Board of Tax Review has ruled that the property’s assessed value should be reduced by almost half. While that is certainly good news for the property owners, it points out just one of the many flaws in the property tax system.

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A letter to the Editor from Tony J. Keeler, Precinct Organizer, Perry 24, Libertarian Party of Marion Co.

——————-

Libertarian City-County Councilman at- large Ed Coleman has introduced Proposal 39, amending a current ordinance prohibiting carrying a hand gun in public parks and trails. I have seen signs at parks prohibiting weapons, but was unaware that it included adults with a right to carry permit.

Criminals pay no attention to such ordinances or “signs”, but feel that most others will, being easy targets for assault. If assailants were to assume that every adult is armed, assaults would decline dramatically.

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Dear friend of the Libertarian Party of Steuben County,

     This message is to provide official notice of the 2010
 Annual Convention of the LPSC.  Our Convention will be
 held at 4:30 P.M. on Wednesday, April 14.  Once again
 we will meet at the Steuben County Community Foundation
 building - 1701 N. Wayne Street.  (This is in Country Fair
 shopping mall.)  The North door will be unlocked.

     We will be selecting two LPSC delegates to the State LP
 convention, nominating county candidates, and we will discuss
 2010 campaigns.  Several members have already expressed an
 interest in campaigning for a local office in 2010.  I will send a
 proposed agenda to all interested individuals as the date approaches. 
 Please let me know if you are interested in attending.  If you
 would like more information about being a delegate to the State
 Convention, please let me know. 

 Thanks,

 Ken
 --
 Ken Bisson, M.D.
 LPSC Chairman

(By Patrick Culley, a Hoosier Libertarian)

The government that governs least, governs best. Take Libertarian City-County Councillor Ed Coleman’s proposal to end the ban on firearms in city parks for example. Coleman’s timely proposal addresses a glaring problem with our city’s current laws. As it stands now, you have the right to defend your life from an armed assailant on the street, in a supermarket, in a department store, a state park, a federal park, just about everywhere except a city park. Are Indy’s public parks such utopian safe zones that you don’t need to worry about protecting yourself there? What makes a city park safer than a state or federal park where you are allowed the right to defend your life?

Let’s be clear: this proposal is not about “gun rights”. It’s about the most fundamental of human rights; the right to self defense.

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Dear Fellow Hoosiers,

In light of recent events, the Indianapolis International Airport, by order of Transportation Security Administration, has implemented the use of full body scanners. Many are unaware of the nature of this machine. We need all Hoosiers that care about their privacy to contact their Congressmen, Senators, the Indianapolis Airport Authority, and the TSA.

We have written two form letters that you can use to attach your name and send off.  You can download them here and here.

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On Saturday, January 30th, the LPIN held our 2010 Stategic Goals meeting in conjunction with the regular first quarter meeting of the State Central Committee.

Well over 50 LPIN members from all over the state gathered to consider the 2010 LPIN Roadmap developed by Executive Director Chris Spangle for this crucial election year. Any current, dues paying member may recieve a copy of the 2010 Road Map by emailing Spangle at lpinhq@lpin.org.

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WASHINGTON – Libertarian Party (LP) Chairman William Redpath issued the following statement today in response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address:

“Tonight’s speech was a reminder that, for decades, the policies of Republicans and Democrats alike have failed. Libertarians are asking people to take matters into their own hands. Instead of just complaining, we’re encouraging ordinary Americans to step up and run for Congress on the Libertarian Party ballot line.

“I can say exactly the same thing about President Obama’s speech tonight that I said about George W. Bush’s State of the Union speech in January 2008: ‘Tonight’s State of the Union address went much as expected. Instead of calling for a more limited role of the federal government in American society, the President laid out plans that would only increase the government’s intervention into the realm of economics, health care, education and foreign policy.’

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LPIN Executive Director Chris Spangle speaks out against the Indiana Gay Marriage Amendment at the Indiana Equality Action press conference on Wednesday.

By Bill Richmond, originally published in Winchester News-Gazette.

Rex Bell, of Hagerstown, has announced his intention to seek the Libertarian Party nomination for the District 54 Indiana House of Representatives seat.

This will be Bell’s third run for the position.

Bell received 14 percent of the vote in a 3-way race in 2006, and 33 percent of the vote in a 2-way race in 2008.

“We were encouraged by the increased support and vote totals in 2008,” Bell said. “A similar increase this election would put me over the top. Besides, if I was the type of person to give up after two tries, I never would have made it through the third grade.”

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In previous years, the Libertarian Party of Indiana held a strategy meeting in every January of an election year. Chair Sam Goldstein has announced the restarting of this tradition on January 30th, 2010. All LPIN membership is encouraged to attend, and help set our goals for not only the 2010 election cycle, but the next two years. Long range planning is essential to success.

All those planning to run for office in 2010 should attend this meeting.