Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 31 May 2002 — Page 4

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PAGE A4

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, MAY 31, 2002

June 10th Thru August 10th • 7:00am 0:00pm

Forest Manor

MSC Summer Camp 2002

CCDF ACCEPTED

Mentoring and Chumcler Development • Arts and Crufts • Field Trips • Aftes 4-!4^t • Daily Breakfast, Lunch, and Snack\ " Ages Appropriate Activities • $70.00 per#

MY FOR THE FIRST 3 WEEKS BY JUNE 7TH AND OR THE LAST 3 WEEKS FREE Forest Manor Multi Service Center 5603 E. 38th Street • Indianapolis, IN Call Mr. Patrick for more information at 545-1204 423 Forest Sltmor MM Sen U e Center is a member of Community Centers of Indianapolis a United ttin \

FUNERAL AND CEMETERY BURIAL $4,975 C\IK STOtM^WIV.seCMI’MUl) IC IK \Dl I ION \l PR K INC!)' Rt>t assunnl wt* cnn take care of all your funeral and burial need* in "lie platv. for one low prira. For more details, visit Memorial Park at E. VVashinKton St., or give us a call. <178^8,4 462

New Black district eyed as council asks public’s redistricting help Continued from A1

Blacks were in the majority. Those districts and their current council members are: • District 6, Elwood Black • District 9, Monroe Gray • District 10, William Douglas • District 11, Rozelle Boyd • District 14, Steve Talley • District 16, Maggie Brents • District 22, Jackie Nytes According to The Recorder’s analysis of the redistricting data, four council districts in the city/ county’s fastest growing areas are now so large that they must be drastically reduced in redistricting. District 5 in Lawrence Township must shave off 16,746persons, Pike Township’s District 1 must reduce by 14,628, District 18 in western Wayne Township must reduce by 9,757 persons and District 23 in fast growing Franklin Township must reduce by 7,391 persons. Five districts lost the most population and must be expanded through redistricting. Those council districts and the people it must add are: District 10 heeds 7,030

people; District 22,6,669 people; District 11,6,083 people; District 17,5,578 people; District 6,5,288 persons; District 21, 4,345 persons; District 14, 4,244 persons; and District 15,4,123 persons. Except for District 14, all have much of their area in Center Township, which lost population during the 1990s. Five council districts, according to The Recorder’s analysis, are the right size and could remain intact: Four of them are Districts 4 in Lawrence Township, Districts 12 and 13 in Warren Township, and District 19 in Decatur and Wayne Townships. The fifth council district that’s stable in population is District 9 which serves parts of Center, Washington and Pike townships. However, this Black-majority district was involved in a creative gerrymander in 1991, where the district was drawn around several integrated Washington Township neighborhoods, to accommodate a district for council President Beurt

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REGINALD B. BISHOP ROBERTS & BISHOP Attorney and Counselors At Law Office Roberts - Bishop Building 118 North Delaware Street Indianapolis, IN 46204-4261 (317)631-1151 (317) 631-0178 Fax e-mail: [email protected] General Practice Attorneys s/>ecializin,i> in Acciilental hijuty, Bankruptcy, and Insurance Late aiaaaL-iaaaiauiaauiuiqiaiamam.maL-iBiciiaiaaKnaaiaiaLmiauiauauiaaL-iuiL-iiaiaauiiaaaai; |

SerVaas. The growth of African Americans in Pike, western Washington and northern Wayne townships has been large enough to create two council districts out of parts of Districts 1,2 and 9. This is where, according toThe Recorder’s analysis, an eighth Black-influenced district could be created. However, the creation of such a district would reduce the Republican council majority, which if the GOP doesn ’twin some or all of the four at large seats in next year’s elections; Republicans would be

redistricting themselves out of a council majority. That’s why public involvement in the redistricting process, especially from the African-American community, is critical. Since the council has invited the community to participate, they should. Materials on the redistricting process are available on the city’s Internet site at www.indygov.org/council/redistricting. Materials are also available at the City-County Council office, Room 241 of the City-County Building or by calling 327-4242.

MONEY Continued from A1

from sales and income taxes. An increase in the unemployment rate accounts for a decrease in state income taxes. According to Inside Indiana Business, between October 2000 and October 2001, over 49,000 jobs were lost in Indiana. Sixtyfive percent of the job loss was in the durable goods sector. Since Indiana is No. 1 in the percentage of manufacturing jobs, the state has been hit excessively hard by the slow down in the manufacturing sector across the United States. After October, with the tragedy of Sept. 11, businesses suffered and unemployment increased further. Hoosiers that are not employed and businesses that are not profiting do not have income to pay taxes. With the loss of jobs or fear of

potential unemployment came a decline in consumer spending. If people are not spending then there is a reduction of sales tax revenue. This can become a cyclical process. If business revenue is down, then people are laid off. If unemployment increases then people do not spend and business revenue continues to decrease. Thereby accounting for the loss of state tax revenue. In April 2002, the state’s total tax collections were less than projected. Individual income taxes were down 7.7 percent. Corporate income taxes were off by 28.6 percent. And sales taxes were down almost 0.8 percent. The state is on track to end the fiscal year on June 30, with two years of declining revenue. Gov. O’Bannon said, “It’s Indiana’s worst recession since 1980.”

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