Before you answer consider this, they both cost you money, ticket fees and property taxes, and they both have two primary sides, home and away or Democrat and Republican (yes, I know there are independents and Libertarians but note I said primary). Another thing to consider is the emotions that are involved between the two.  Don’t believe me. Watch the crowd at a sporting event and compare them to the crowd at the next “State of the Union” address.  Or better yet bring up the two subjects at Christmas dinner, then sit back and watch the carnage ensue.

Emotions play a big part in both sports and politics that is why both cater to them.  A good sports team knows that the more you “care” about the team, the more money you will be willing to shell out (jerseys, hats, foam fingers, etc.).  The same is true for a good political movement.  The difference however is that with politics you may end up shelling out more money whether you are willing to or not.  We lose a sporting event and we are affected for a few hours or maybe a few days for some.  We lose a political event such as an election and we are all affected for years.

I think that we have forgotten over time that we the people have a voice in politics.  Unfortunately we have chosen to remain silent far too many times.  We now have an opportunity to hear our fellow citizens and let our voices be heard as well.  What will you chose?  Too often we vote quietly and then complain about the result.  However, we live in a country where we can chose to meld sports and politics into one.  Think about what we could accomplish if we put as much effort into politics as we do our favorite sports teams.

I have been approached by many in our community who have asked me, “Should I go to these re-organization meetings?”  Like most, I learned later in life the similarities and differences between sports and politics and the importance of choosing between the two.  There are many things at stake for WRT right now, property taxes being just one of them.  Yes, you should go and yes you need to get involved.

Many of the meetings I have attended over the last year and half have had attendees who claim to be life long residents or who moved here over 30 – 40 years ago.  My question to those who read this, where are the residents who have lived here for 5 to 15 years?  You folks have an equal say and just as much at stake as those life long residents.  My guess is that many of you have chosen sports.

What does this have to do with anything?  I write this because we today we have a choice; sports or politics.  Tonight the Center Grove basketball team will play the #1 ranked basketball team in the state.  At the same time, in the same building (across the hall), the White River Township board will meet to discuss the plans for re-organization with Greenwood.  As you walk in the doors and head down the hall which choice will you make?  Turn right and go to the auditorium where you can participate in discussions about your future property taxes or turn left and watch a basketball game?

As you have probably noticed, it has been awhile since my last post. This is not because we have given up but rather because there has not been much to update. However, this past week we were able to get a glimpse of the recommendations coming from the reorganization committee. You can find a copy of their initial draft here:   Reorg-Comm-Status-Report-9-21-09-Final

Please take a few minutes to read through this initial draft. You will notice that there are not a lot of details at this point, but you will also start to see where the proposal is heading. Rather than give you my opinion now, read the draft and formulate your own. I encourage you to go to the reorganization meetings, ask questions and receive answers straight from the committee, not through hearsay, conjecture or media outlets. Challenge them on the details and more importantly, provide them with suggestions. Despite what you may have read or heard, this group (of normal citizens just like us) has put a lot of effort into the reorganization effort. We owe it to ourselves, and frankly to them, to take a few minutes out of our day to read what they have and will be proposing. While reading the plan, remember this, you could be looking at the future of our area.

I have said all along that I am for our area being incorporated, one way or another. Why? First, our community pays a large portion of the taxes collected by the county. Those same taxes are then spread like peanut butter across the entire county, with a disparate amount being returned directly to us. In other words, we subsidize the other townships of Johnson County. If we become incorporated, our tax money will come back to us. Secondly, and this is harder for some to grasp, but without proper planning and focus, our area could someday become less desirable to live in than it is today. When this happens, our property values will begin to drop. Right now, we only have two choices: reorganize with Greenwood or not. The self-incorporation effort has always been intended to provide a third option for us.

Since my last post, several of you have contacted me expressing your desire to participate in the self-incorporation effort. If you have volunteered, I will be touching base with you in the next few weeks. Remember, we have plenty of time. The public vote is not until May next year. Meanwhile, please consider my advice above. Read the reorganization plan, ask questions, and get engaged.

Unfortunately, while I have received hundreds of emails expressing support and a desire to sign the petition, at this time we do not have enough volunteers to tackle the amount of work and due diligence that will be required to determine if self incorporation is a viable option for our area. While disappointing, this does not mean that we are giving up on the effort.

I will continue to accept the names of those willing to volunteer to participate on committees until we reach the critical mass necessary to move this effort forward, even if that takes another several months. One change we will make to the requirements for volunteering is that resumes will no longer be necessary. As long as you live in the area we are seeking to incorporate and are willing to volunteer your time and talents we will add your name to the list.

I want to say thank you once again to those who have volunteered. At times we get so wrapped up in our daily lives that we forget that “we the people” have the ability to enact change by getting involved and turning our words into actions. It is one thing to sign a petition and quite another to donate time and talent. So thanks again to those who have volunteered, and thanks in advance to those of you who will volunteer in the coming months.

While not expecting an open arms greeting, I was expecting to engage in an open dialog with lots of questions.  That did not happen.  Instead, the council informed me that it would be inappropriate for them to grant such a request at this time since they have already committed to the reorganization effort.  While disappointing, I understand and respect their decision.  If we were in their shoes, we may have the same viewpoint.  My personal opinion is that adopting such an ordinance would be a “win-win” for all parties.  But we all know what opinions are like.

I could have left the meeting defeated and made this post a “throw in the towel” rant.  Instead, surprisingly, I left the meeting feeling invigorated.  Perhaps it was the three emails I received on the way to the meeting from fellow citizens stating they wanted to sign the petition, or the two gentlemen that approached me as I was leaving the meeting who also expressed their support and willingness to get involved.  Call me crazy, but I am more motivated today than I was yesterday.

Every effort worth fighting for is bound to experience set backs.  It is how we react to these set backs that will ultimately determine the outcome.  While we were dealt a set back last night, I am more determined now to press forward. 

I have heard many say that we should have incorporated years ago.  I have heard this so many times in the last few months that if I got a nickel each time I heard it, I could fund the entire incorporation effort myself.  Unfortunately, no one can do this alone.  This is the reason we didn’t incorporate years ago.  It takes the efforts of many.  

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be looking at what it will take to form our own committees and begin studying incorporation on our own.  Stay tuned to the website.  We will post what the committees will be and how we plan to organize.  If you have suggestions, please send them to cgtown@gmail.com.  We will listen to all ideas and thoughts on how to proceed. 

We move forward with the knowledge that Greenwood can still in the end deny our request.  However, I do not want to say to myself a year from now “What if?” or five years from now “We should have incorporated five years ago”.  Now is the time.  If self incorporation is going to happen, we have one shot at it.  We will not have another opportunity like this again.  For those who still think that the status quo is an option, you need to look around.  We will become incorporated one way or another.  The decision we have to make is do we want to control our own destiny or do we want it dictated to us?  The choice is ours.  It is time for the White River citizens to unite. 

1.  The territory is used or will be used generally for commercial, industrial, residential or similar purposes – No problem here

2. The territory is reasonably compact and contiguous – Again, no problem

3.  There is enough undeveloped land to permit reasonable growth – We have 37 to our west that will some day become 69.

4. Incorporation is in the best interest of the citizens – This is entirely up to us.  Incorporation will allow us to control our own destiny and determine where and how our money is spent. 

All signatures must be verified and the verification must include a statement that the petitioners are owners of land in the territory.  All signatures must come from only one person having a interest in a single parcel of land.  In other words only one signature per household.  Also if you own rental properties you cannot sign for each property.  Your signature only gets counted once.

While this may seem easy enough.  This is just what the petition must show.  Soon I will cover what must be submitted with the petition.