Democrats continue to pound away at the tax votes by Paula Hughes when she was serving on the County Council, while Hughes has remained publicly silent regarding those accusations – to the point that a response is long overdue.
Since soon after Hughes signed a no-new-taxes pledge, the campaign of Democratic Mayor Tom Henry has been running repeated TV commercials about her record of supporting property tax increases on the County Council.
And he’s getting help from the state party, which has sent at least three separate mailers.
Considering that Hughes has so far based her campaign on city finances and seeking to cast Henry as a pro-tax liberal who has run up the city’s debt, it’s not surprising that Democrats are seeking to get the upper hand by highlighting Hughes’ votes. But her silence since the Henry counterattack began has been surprising. Without answering the accusations, Hughes is all but conceding them.
She finally launched her first TV ad, which is mostly a feel-good, introductory spot, though the Henry campaign has taken issue with some supposed facts in the commercial.
No flexibility
Many Hughes supporters may agree with Travis Buell, who defended Hughes in a letter to the editor last week:
“Has she voted to raise taxes? Yes,” Buell wrote. “Was there a valid reason to raise taxes? Yes!
“Unlike Tom Henry, Hughes is a rational conservative who realizes there are times when taxes need to be raised to produce revenue for capital improvements and times where taxes need to be held constant or reduced to ease the effects of recession. Hughes has now pledged not to raise taxes because economic conditions are different from the time she voted to raise them.”
A sound and reasonable argument, except for one thing: Under the Americans for Tax Reform’s no-new-taxes pledge, there is never a time “when taxes need to be raised.” As far as Grover Norquist and his organization are concerned, the pledge applies forever.
Everywhere’s a sign
Four years after the City Council banned signs from public rights of way, campaign signs are creeping back onto street corners and along roadways. While signs in the yards of private properties are permitted, council members decided just weeks before the 2007 election to adopt a clear ban on signs in the right of way. The city issued a reminder about the law before the May primary; expect another one soon.
On the ‘Radar’
As the Nov. 8 election draws near, Indiana’s NewsCenter will launch an evening, half-hour-long “Political Radar” show beginning at 7:30 p.m. today on WPTA-TV, 21 Alive. After today, the show will move to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Nov. 2. News anchor Melissa Long will host the show, which will include commentary from Republican and Democratic points of view. I will be a regular guest.
