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Various Letters to the Editor - Oct. 20, 2009

Daniels should admit mistake and rescind property tax plan
Congratulations to Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels for acknowledging that the experiment in wholly privatizing the delivery of welfare services by the state’s Family and Social Services Administration was not working as he had hoped and for taking steps to correct the situation.

It takes courage for anyone, but especially a high-profile political figure such as our governor, to admit publically that a program for which he or she was responsible failed to deliver as promised.
To his credit, Gov. Daniels’ tenure has been marked by innovation and action. But even as he has proceeded with an aggressive agenda, there have been times when he has demonstrated the flexibility to reconsider and adjust his position as new information or public reaction dictated.

Cancelling the IBM contract with FSSA is the latest example of this. He demonstrated similar flexibility when he decided not to pursue the Central Indiana “commerce connector” highway when the public failed to embrace his vision of a 21st century transportation network.

Times change; circumstances change; the economy changes. When those changes happen, government needs the flexibility to react. That’s why it is so difficult to understand why our governor, who has demonstrated the courage to acknowledge that major policy initiatives don’t always play out as anticipated, is so adamant that the 1-2-3 property tax caps – which are already placing severe hardship on many local units of government – should be locked into the state’s Constitution.

Indiana Farm Bureau and its members heartily endorse the governor’s initiative to control spending at all levels of government. We agree that measures to reign in excesses need to be pursued.
At the same time, we recognize the danger in irrevocably committing to any initiative before its ramifications are fully understood. We don’t want Indiana to end up like California where overly ambitious property tax controls have driven the state into virtual bankruptcy. Therefore, while we applaud Gov. Daniels for his courage and wisdom in addressing the FSSA situation, we ask him to exercise similar conservative discretion and reconsider his endorsement of the constitutional amendment to render the 1-2-3 property tax caps irrevocable.

Bob Kraft
Director of State Government Relations
Indiana Farm Bureau Inc.

Reader enjoys Farm World, especially Varvel cartoons

Farm World, thank you for a great American paper. Not only do you give great insight on farm news, but you cover stories of real people, FFA, youth events, neighbors helping neighbors, etc.
I especially like Gary Varvel’s cartoons on our government. He hits the nail on the head. Three cheers for Gary! Keep up the good work, and God bless,

Wilma Stephens
Oldtown, Ky.

TIME article criticized industrial agriculture

Dear Farm World, the Sept. 9 story titled Farm groups lash out at TIME article presented an interesting view concerning the current debate in agriculture. I am one of those “sustainable, ignorant, elitist food purists.” While I had never thought of such a label for those of us farming this way, I like it. In fact, I’m honored to be called such.

The only fear and guilt I see is from addicts who cannot or will not change their addictions because big business lobbying is interested in only one thing – it’s continued profitability. Some farm groups are nothing more than the prostitutes of corporate pimps. I bet more data gathering would reveal one political party dominates in these groups. But that’s an entirely different matter altogether.

“Something is happening, and you just don’t know what it is. Do you Mr. Jones?” sang Bob Dylan 40 years ago. Those words are just as powerful and relevant for our day. What breaks my heart today is how increasingly polarized Americans are in politics, religion, education, economy, and now, farming.

God help us.
Jeff Chandler
Cross Plains, Ind.

10/21/2009