Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 16 March 2001 — Page 7

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2001

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

PAGE A7

BILL Continued from A1 be reduced by that amount to offset the new user fee. Because churches and schools don’t pay property taxes, those organizations would have to create their own means to produce payment. City officials estimate the city could create up to $9 million annually by collecting taxes on exempt property within the old city limits. “Many people took a position to oppose the bill without even talking to me and other state legislators to see what the bill’s purpose was,” he said. “It’s offensive when people you consider friends and allies don’t even take the time to ask, but instead assumed that you’ve betrayed them. “At least give people their day in court. Instead, people who have never read the bill have been jumping to erroneous conclusions,” he said. “This bill would not only be a solution to a problem that could affect every taxpayer in Indiana, but also be a benefit to the state’s Black community because it would spread the tax base and provide incentive for residents and businesses to relocate to the inner city,” Crawford said. The more tax-exempt properties a township or district includes, the higher homeowners’ property taxes will be. Currently pending in the Senate, Crawford’s bill passed the house 5S-41 and garnered the support of all seven Black representatives who voted, including Rep. Vernon G. Smith. Smith said the bill would assure that nearly 9,000 police and firefighters who have retired are properly compensated for risking their lives every day once they retired. Smith added, “whenever you can reduce property tax levies, everyone is going to profit.” Still, church leaders will meet for the second consecutive week at Messiah Missionary Baptist Church to discuss ways to assure the bill never passes. “This bill shouldn’t even be an option,” says Messiah’s senior pastor, Rev. Stephen J. Clay. “They’re (politicians) calling it a user fee, but it’s plainly a tax.” “Mr. Crawford and other politicians betrayed us. If he wanted us to be informed about the bill, why didn’t he speak to religious and non-profits leaders before he drafted it? Why did he send it under the radar?” Crawford said the bill doesn’t mandate local government to order the fee. It allows the authority to act after public hearings in which the community and opponents can protest. “We know we’ll have due process, but we’re going to continue to fight this because we know once this bill is made law it will be harder to repeal,” said Rev. Clay. According to Sen. Glenn Howard, D-Indianapolis, who is cosponsoring the bill in the Senate, there are significantly more non-church tax-exempt properties that would have to pay the fee such as Conseco Fieldhouse, the Children’s Museum and IUPUI. He added that only one local YMCA and church leaders have voiced bill opposition. “I have over 100 churches in my district (District 33),” he said, “and some of them own up to 15 tax-free properties. You mean to tell me you can build a $3 million or $4 million church, but you can ’ t pay $ 100 a year to make sure that homeowners’ property tax doesn’t go up.” Howard also said large amounts of tax-exempt land in Marion County has created property tax inequities, especially in predominately Black neighborhoods. For example, more than a third of the land in Center Township is exempt from property taxes. “Not-for profits don’t pay any taxes, so when police or firefighters have to make runs to their property who pays for it? Taxpayers. “We’re suffering in our inner cities because we don’t have a solid tax base and can’t afford to pay officers to keep our neighborhoods safe. If this is a solution, I’m for it because if we have to raise property taxes, it’s going to beheU.”

State grant aids juvenile offenders

Special to The Recorder The Indiana Department of Correction recently awarded the Aftercare by IUPUI through Mentoring program a $402,000 grant enabling the program to add six additional facilities to its existing three. IUPUI School of Public and Environmental Affairs Professor Roger Jarjoura started AIM in 1996 at the Plainfield Juvenile Correction Facility. The program pairs juvenile offenders with college students and community volunteers who serve as mentors offering advice on jobs, health, education, social skills and money management. They also help participants to set goals for the future and create a reentry plan. ‘To be able to provide this program to the other young men and women at all juvenile correction facilities will allow them to participate in life skills classes, mentoring groups, training and tutoring,” said Correction Commissioner Evelyn Ridley-Turner. “This should decrease the likelihood of relapse of the juvenile offender and offer them the opportunity for a successful transition and reintegration from confinement back to their community.” Professor Jarjoura completed an evaluation of the program last year and revealed a significant drop in the recidivism rate of participating Indianapolis-area youth versus

those who were not in Ihe'progratn. After one year, only 13 percent of those who participated in the program were reincarcerated compared with a 39 percent reincarceration rate for those who did not participate. Over two years, the difference increased even more dramatically with 49 percent of those who did not participate returning to jail, compared with only 18 percent of program participants. Planned expansion sites include facilities in Fort Wayne. Bloomington, Logansport, South Bend and La Porte. The program is voluntary and the youth must be leaving the facility within two to three months to participate. After their release. AIM volunteers continue to stay in contact with the youth. Jarjoura also found that those in the AIM program were more likely to continue their education and get a job. 20 of the program's participants have enrolled in IUPUI alone. Hoping to expand the program to include sites in southern Indiana, he said the program also saves taxpayers money. “First, there is no loss from the crime that is prevented. What’s more, if they become productive citizens and work for a living and support their family this will save us money in welfare spending." Jarjoura is looking for volunteers for the program at each of the sites. If interested call Jud\ Helms at 261-3041.

The Reward of Never Giving Up

r i i <. j

PASSPORT

Choose IUPUI and Ivy Tech

Passport to Your Educational Goal (317) 278-4545 www.iupui.edu/~ivy

ynthia Dupree graduated from North ^ Central High School in 1975 and soon after began a career. But she never gave up her goal of earning a college degree. In 1993, Cynthia enrolled at Ivy Tech with her eye on eventually getting a four-year degree in business. She started with the basics - algebra, computer literacy and composition - and earned an A in nearly every course she took. And, thanks to the lUPUI-Ivy Tech Passport program, she was able to transfer more than 20 hours of college credit to IUPUI, where today she's studying for a degree in accounting and finance from the IU Kelley School of Business. Working full-time as an analyst for Simon Property Group and raising two children makes going back to school a bit of a struggle, Cynthia says. Her advice to others who want to earn a

college degree is clear, "It's a wonderful thing," she says. "You're never too old, and don't ever

be afraid."

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