The Only Advocate

There is only one consistent advocate on behalf of all citizens to keep more of their own money in their own pockets- the Libertarian Party. Republicans and Democrats are inconsistent on this at best, and more often, are leading the charge to do what they can to take money away from you by raising taxes.

This was enormously evident yesterday in Hamilton County, where only the Libertarian Party bothered to send representatives to both the joint retreat of the County Council and County Commissioners and to the County Council meeting later in the evening.

The value in these appearances is that the elected officials, all Republicans, knew that they were on the spot. They knew that there was someone taking notes, observing their direction either towards or away from new taxes. When I spoke on record in opposition to the proposed food & beverage tax, I raised the stakes. I reminded the County Council that four of them would be up for re-election in 2006, and that the Libertarian Party would eagerly look forward to running candidates against those who were on record voting for any new tax.

Later in the meeting, the vote was taken on the proposed additional wheel tax. This is a tax that I spoke on the record before the Council in opposition, back in early May. Knowing they were on the spot, the Council defeated the wheel tax, 5-1. Notably, all four Councilors up for re-election in 2006 voted against the tax.

It gets interesting from here. The County Council so want to be Governor Daniels' lap dogs. They want to do anything they can for him. When they spoke about the proposed food & beverage tax, they spoke about it in the past tense, as though it had already passed. However, it hasn't passed, and they know that they will again be put on the spot by the Libertarian Party. The Councilors will be made uncomfortable. We will see how uncomfortable. Uncomfortable enough to remember that they serve the citizens of Hamilton County and not the Governor?

The Governor is coming to Hamilton County on Tuesday, June 7 for a 5:30pm Town Hall meeting. It's a nice, inconvenient time, certain to attract the smallest attendance possible during the dinner hour. That's ok. The Libertarian Party will be there, again as the only reliable, consistent advocate for the taxpayers.