Now It's Westfield

The onward march of liberal, tax-and-spend Republicans continues to plow over Hamilton County like a steamroller.

First, the all-Republican Hamilton County Council voted to enact a 1% food & beverage tax. The next day, the all-Republican Noblesville Common Council voted to enact a 1% food & beverage tax of its own. Three days later, the all-Republican Carmel City Council voted to enact its own 1% food & beverage tax.

See a pattern here? Republicans are enacting taxes. The hospitality industry is the whipping boy.

On Monday, the Westfield Town Council will introduce an ordinance for -you guessed it- its own 1% food & beverage tax. Then on Thursday, July 14, Westfield will vote on the new tax.

Westfield's Council members must have gone to the same school of governance as Noblesville's and Carmel's. Both of those cities introduced and voted on their ordinances with lightning speed, so as to minimize organized opposition and public input. Westfield posted the item to their website late Friday afternoon. Thanks for the lead time, and your deep interest in the public viewpoint!

The Libertarian Party will again mount the only organized opposition. Please attend these meetings, especially if you are an owner of an establishment that serves food and beverages, or if you are a Westfield resident, or someone who frequents Westfield restaurants & taverns.

Meeting info:

Monday, July 11, 2005 at 7:00pm
Town Council Meeting
Town Hall - Assembly Room
130 Penn Street
Agenda

Thursday, July 14, 2005 at 7:00pm
Town Council Meeting
Oak Trace Elementary School
16504 Oak Ridge Road
Agenda

If attending, be early! These items can blow by in a matter of seconds. If you are late, you lose your opportunity for public comment. The meeting on Thursday features the food & beverage tax as the first of only two items on the agenda, so it could be over in as little as 5 minutes.

Call or write the Council members immediately. Be polite and friendly, but firm in your opposition.

Jack Hart / 317-896-5707 / hartjb@insightbb.com
David Mikesell / 317-896-5147 / dmikes4860@aol.com
Teresa Otis Skelton / 317-896-2636 / teresa@taos-westfield.org
Bob Smith / 317-896-3728 / bsmith@westfield.in.gov
Ron Thomas / 317-867-5318 / ronthomaswf@cs.com

If they don't hear the voice of opposition, they assume that there isn't any, and they will proceed with this tax. Be heard!