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REGULAR MEETING JULY 13, 2009
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<br />County as well. He stated that this tax is a shift not an increase. He urged the Council’s
<br />favorable consideration.
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<br />Mr. John Roos, 1730 Oak Park Drive, South Bend, Indiana, gave kudos to the Council for
<br />being transparent and having open and clear discussions on issues just like this. When an
<br />issue of this magnitude comes up, the Council schedules meetings to discuss the issues
<br />and options. He stated that he has read the reports from Umbaugh, Crowe, Horwath &
<br />Associates and has a copy of the Legislative Research Agency estimate of what the effect
<br />is going to be. $45 million dollars is the total amount going to be cut from all units of
<br />government in St. Joseph County. He stated that it’s not the City of South Bend, St.
<br />Joseph County’s or the citizens fault, the State of Indiana decided that they were going to
<br />cut $45 million dollars out of all the budgets in St. Joseph County and now the local
<br />government officials are going to have to deal with the deficit. Lake, St. Joseph and
<br />Delware Counties are the most effected by this change. He stated that 11 ½ percent in
<br />Lake County; 9 % in Delaware County and 8% in St. Joseph County. Elkhart, LaPorte
<br />and other surrounding counties are down 1 % or 2%. He stated that as the Mayor stated
<br />earlier St. Joseph County is in the bottom 10 out of 92 counties for percentage of option
<br />income tax. He advised that by cutting city services and laying off police and fire, the
<br />city won’t be able to compete for the high tech jobs, the new industry jobs and so on. He
<br />stated that the Council got dealt a bad hand and he hopes that the Council will face it
<br />head on and pass this additional option tax.
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<br />Mr. Scott Ruszkowski, 25740 Henning Road, South Bend, Indiana, President, Fraternal
<br />Order of Police #36, stated that he has a few “bullet point” that he would like to highlight
<br />tonight. He stated that as President of the FOP #36 he is here tonight in full support of
<br />this tax. He stated that it’s quite simple because neither the police department nor the
<br />residents of South Bend can afford to lose one officer let alone nineteen. He stated that
<br />was his statement as the President of FOP #36, as Scott Ruszkowski, tax paying citizen
<br />with a family of five, has no idea of how he is going to manage another increase in debt.
<br />However, he will figure it out; he has before, and will do it again. Also, Scott
<br />Ruszkowski with a family of five also looks to the bright side if there is a bright side if
<br />there is a good thing to all of this tax is that the money stays here, it stays in the
<br />community. It is not going to the State of Indiana, who in his personal opinion feels they
<br />are fully responsible for this mess. Certainly, not to the Federal Government, who with
<br />all their spending of tax dollars, GOD only knows where that money has gone, into some
<br />kind of abyss. The bottom line is that the tax money stays here in the community where
<br />it is deserved and earned the most. He asked the Council for their favorable
<br />consideration on these bills.
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<br />Mr. Jay Freel Landry, 1749 N. Adams, South Bend, Indiana, stated that he is speaking on
<br />behalf of himself and his family. They support the increase in the local option income
<br />tax for many of the reasons that have already been given. They do not see it as a tax
<br />increase, they see it as a tax shift, and they believe that the community is in trouble,
<br />specifically education. They participate and enjoy the libraries, which they think are
<br />wonderful, the public services such as swimming lessons at the pools, summer and winter
<br />sports, Silver Hawks, parades, and picnics that make South Bend wonderful. He stated
<br />that his family’s greatest concern is public safety. He stated that they live on the
<br />northwest side of South Bend in the Marquette Park Area, which is quite diverse. Middle
<br />income to low income and in the summer of 2001 there were approximately 50-60 non
<br />violent if there is such a thing break-ins in the area. A couple of drug addicts who were
<br />looking for cash or assets that could be pawned for cash so they could get a quick fix.
<br />The police officers and patrol were very present; they did not use bullets or guns, only
<br />their presence to find the perpetrators and did this by building relationships. He stated
<br />that in the last nine months there have been approximately 15 break-ins in the area, one
<br />of which was his home, on March 25, 2009 at approximately 11:00 – 11:30, he believes
<br />someone was watching his home and robbed his home after they had left. He stated that
<br />they lost some property, some assets, and the greatest thing that was lost was trust. Trust
<br />cannot be brought back to his family by cutting police officers. He stated that in 2000
<br />when his family moved in there were many active businesses on Lincoln Way West, now
<br />if you drive down the street there are approximately 20 businesses that have closed.
<br />Many homes are abandoned and boarded up, the community is eroding, and this is what
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