Government Property Controls

HARBESON: Whose property is it?

> SOUTHERN INDIANA — If asked, most people would say they want control over their property. And yet, at the same time, they often support various government controls, which is the exact opposite. This tendency toward the fickle gets everyone into a pickle and below is a jar full of juicy examples.

Clark Regional Airport

Two government controls are stuffed neatly inside the airport expansion fiasco — zoning and eminent domain. The airport tried to take advantage of government-imposed zoning classifications to seize a neighbor’s property at a lower value. The neighbor sued, won, and is now owed significantly more based on the “highest and best use” of the land. (Another property owner has now piggy-backed off of this ruling and will also get a higher price upon seizure.)

This case leaves county residents in the weird position of feeling better that someone whose property is being seized by the government is getting a better deal, while at the same time realizing that they, as taxpayers, are the ones really paying the price.

In addition, no one really has a clue what the price should be for such property because government interference has corrupted the process. The value of a property can only really be determined when both parties freely consent and the buyer does not use taxpayer dollars to complete the transaction.

Floyd County Parks Department

The dispute concerning property near Budd Road is another twist of the same two government powers. The parks department successfully seized private property through eminent domain but those same private property owners managed to stop the parks system from getting the full zoning classification the department wanted.

Or so the private owners thought. The parks department is accused of ignoring the law and overstepping their zoning classification. I imagine these property owners, who thought zoning laws were there to protect them, are now wondering how true that is when the one you want protection from is the government itself.

Ed Clere’s law

Republican State Rep. Ed Clere, R-New Albany, is pushing for a law to increase tax credits for historical preservation purposes. (He is also taking advantage of the latest political propaganda fad by defining this attempt to increase the benefits given to a government-created special class of property owners as a “jobs bill.”)

One of the problems with such government control is that it creates an atmosphere where no one has any idea what could be done in the voluntary market, with owners controlling their property and making their own preservation decisions.

Greater Clark Schools/city of Jeffersonville

This example is noteworthy because this was a property transaction between government entities. The school system had property in the Franklin Square area that has been sitting vacant and, with the push of a school board member, the property was sold to the city of Jeffersonville for one-third of its appraised value. (Not sure what zoning value was used.) Promoters of the deal are now talking about grand plans that will be of great benefit to all.

No one is saying much about the actual transaction though. The school corporation says it could not sell the property at that price to a private entity, only to another government entity. This means we have no idea how this building may have been used if the offer was open to any potential buyer. All we have are politicians proudly relishing the sweet deal.

Ohio River Bridges Project

One problem associated with the high cost of this project has been the use of a federal historical preservation designation to protect a property from eminent domain seizure. Of course, Ed Clere and anyone else who advocates government-imposed historical preservation can’t really be irritated at them for doing this. After all, those Kentucky folks did exactly what historical preservation proponents would want someone to do: Use government to control how a property is used.

People are so busy running around trying to gain control over other people’s property through zoning, eminent domain seizure and historical preservation that they don’t seem to notice that the same government property controls that can be used to benefit you can also be used to harm you. And in all cases, one way or the other, the sour truth is that you will pay for these controls.

— Clark County resident Debbie Harbeson once found herself in a pickle but ate her way out of it.

Special Deal: Three Columns in one Tidy Package

COLUMN NOTES: When possible, I'm linking to articles that give more information on a topic for anyone who wants it. However, often there are several articles as a story progresses so you can always search the newspaper's website to get other articles.





HARBESON: It’s three, three, three columns in one

JEFFERSONVILLE — For many people, spring is a time to work on huge cleaning jobs. Not me though. I’d rather just throw stuff out —it’s much easier. The point is always to avoid work, which is why I’ve decided to clean out my files and throw three topics I’ve been meaning to write about into one column.

Clark County Airport taxing authority

Keeping with the theme of throwing useless things out, Clark County definitely needs to toss the idea of adding yet another layer of government with the ability to take money by force.

Really now, how many Clark County residents think we need to give another group of people the power to take other people’s money to do what THEY think is important? The only time most of us would think this is a good idea would be after flying at too high an altitude in an unpressurized aircraft.

Besides, we’re already funding various airport operations through federal grants and matching funds. If the airport is a solid business idea, then they should be able to figure out how to fly on their own.

I’m certainly not against flying or the Clark County airport. As a matter of fact, our son earned his private pilot’s license there when he was 17. I remember this well because we completely transferred roles the day he took me for a ride in a tiny two-person plane.

I was like a child, excitedly pointing out features like our house and the mall. He smiled, rolled his eyes and said, “Yeah, that’s really cool mom.”

So, our family has a fond connection with the airport, but that doesn’t mean I think other people should be forced to subsidize it even more than they are now.

The airport board says they want a “constant, consistent, dependable” stream of funds. Well gee, don’t we all? Airport officials need to concentrate on finding creative ways to run the business rather than taking funds from their neighbors.

Let’s not add to the local tax messes we already need to clean up.

Haven House and the homeless

I’ve been reading with renewed interest about the changes that appear to be happening regarding the homeless. It’s very encouraging to see several organizations getting involved now. These are all organizations I’ve heard of before and as far as I know they are professionally managed and operated.

Most encouraging of all is that they actually seem to be cooperating with each other as they work to see what can be done to improve the way this issue is handled. I know this issue is strongly tied to and likely even caused by horrendous government intervention in many areas, but it’s very encouraging to see the local homeless issue finally being spring-cleaned of silly territorial and personal power plays.

Clarksville Town employees living rent-free

Speaking of homelessness and spring cleaning, maybe we can all learn from the Clarksville Town Council. Council members have somehow gotten their government hands on several homes and decided to let town employees live there rent-free. Apparently all they have to do is dust and sweep once in a while.

We’re told the town gives these employees 1099 tax forms for the fair market value so I guess this benefit is counted as taxable income. If their salary is reduced in these instances, then I guess it works as a temporary situation.

However, I don’t understand why the town should be holding onto real estate and playing landlord. It’s time for town officials to start their spring cleaning by actively working to sell the extra property they have found themselves hoarding.

SIGLINE:
Sellersburg resident Debbie Harbeson loves to throw useless things out but swears it was a mistake that year her husband ended up on the curb.

(Photo Courtesy Wikimedia Commons)