We’re Not Idiots

I found it interesting that Fishers’ attorney Doug Church thinks that they are doing us a favor by temporarily halting our incorporation bid to become the Towns of East and West Geist.

“Our analysis of the incorporation papers demonstrated that it would result in higher taxes for the residents of the proposed towns of East and West Geist and it would call for a reduction in the level of services,” Church said to WISH TV 8. “We believe there were many victors today.”

Right Mr. Church, taxes were going up either way, we’ve been very up front with residents about that. Under the Fishers plan, they will go up over 16% (not including next year’s tax increase you are requesting) while the Towns of Geist would see a 10-1/2% tax increase. As for our levels of service being reduced, there’s more than one fire department in the area that can provide a high level of service. Sewers are already working fine. Police protection is great. So what exactly is being “reduced” in your mind? Nothing, but it sounds scary and you are doing all of us a favor by looking out for us and forcing this annexation down our throats.

At the hearing on Thursday night, Fishers hired gun Brian Babb stated in the hearing (and I’m paraphrasing since we couldn’t record the testimony) that Fishers is represented by elected officials that inherently are looking out for the good of the people while the Geist incorporators are just residents that don’t know what they are doing. Of course this brought some muffled laughter from the peanut gallery, but my jaw dropped that he would say something so ignorant.

This theme of “Geist residents are bumbling idiots” and “Fishers is a world-class town full of trustworthy, upright elected officials” is total bunk. To use Scott Faultless’s words, “this is bull shit.” (view video)

Why talk about “our financial plans” when it’s “your financial plans” that will be under the microscope next spring after we get our 65% signatures in the three areas? Greg Geurrettaz, a respected municipal financial expert that has worked for the Town of Fishers, drafted those financial models that derived the 10-1/2% tax increase for the Towns of Geist. So he was okay when you worked with him, but now he doesn’t know what he’s doing? I forgot, he’s being instructed by idiots instead of your elected officials, that’s right.

To add fuel to the fire, you have Faultless out there telling elementary school parents that if this annexation doesn’t go through, he’s going to pull the privilege from our kids to participate in the HSE S.P.O.R.T.S. programs. Number one, you can’t do that. Number two, what kind of person throws kids under a bus to make a political statement? This isn’t the first time, either.

Oh, and let’s threaten to turn off people’s sewers, too. That was a good one Stu. I have a new name for Fishers Town Council member Stu Easley, “Poo Easley.”

“Who’s going to treat their sewage,” Easley said at a press conference on September 21st. “When they flush their toilets (Geist incorporators) where do they think it is going to go?” (view video)

Who on earth would pull the “terd card” to try and scare people into annexation?

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/Hsmw_yBERv8" width="300" height="250" wmode="transparent" /]Mr. Babb, I know you watched our videos of the Birth of the Towns of Geist because you referenced them in the hearing the other night. Have you watched the press conference by Poo Easley making a bunch of false statements about police protection (“the old Lays potato chip commercial”), Castleton Fire Department being a bunch of rednecks “in their shops” responding to a fire, or his assumption that our incorporation efforts were not sincere and only a delay tactic? Our belly dancing videos and Geist water PSA are funny, but not as comical as Poo’s statements.

Fishers thought that if residents would meet with them one on one and hear their pitch versus the incorporation plan, we would overwhelmingly want to be a part of their town. Especially if they threaten sewers being shut off, kids being locked out of soccer, or snow plows picking up their blades in front of your house.

What they found out was over 51% of all the residents wanted to form the Towns of Geist and their meetings were useless. Given the choice between the GUO’s offer and Fishers, people overwhelmingly wanted to be their own town. I think at the end of the day, that is what this is all about anyways.

And what ever happened to Scott Faultless? Why isn’t he showing up at these hearings anymore? Why was his participation in the failed homeowners meetings limited? Don’t you want your town council leader to dazzle Geist residents with his charm and suave personality?

Taxes aside, residents of Geist feel like a community already. We don’t want another community coming in and forcing their name and identity of us. Especially with a town council with such character and “magnanimous” gestures.

Just leave us alone. We’re not idiots, our residents don’t live in the most affluent area of the state by accident. You are not doing anyone a favor by forcing this annexation down our throats. And you are not unifying anyone, if anything you are digging a deep trench between Fishers and Geist residents forever. Even if the annexation would go through, we’ll never, never think of ourselves as Fishers residents.