League of Women Voters debate gets tense

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Not unlike this election season’s televised debates, tension ran high at last Monday’s League of Women Voters of Hamilton County debate on the governmental referenda this election.

The hot seats were occupied by City Yes chairman Doug Allman, Citizens to Reorganize Fishers chairman Wayne M. Crane and Fishers Town Council President Scott Faultless.

Faultless represented a town viewpoint.

During opening remarks, Crane asked the audience – more than 100 people – who was undecided and approximately one dozen audience members raised their hands.

One of the first questions asked concerned why the city question on the ballot was held until this election.

Faultless explained low voter turnout in previous elections.

“The turnout’s probably going to be 75 percent (of voters this election), so if I’m guilty of delaying it, I want all of the people to vote,” Faultless said. “I don’t want 15 to 20 percent of the population deciding the future of Fishers. I want the biggest percentage, the biggest population vote. And, unfortunately, there is no grand conspiracy…”

Each called facts into question, specifically at points concerning the claimed council-manager forms of government and whether they have elected mayors, as well as economic impact on the HSE School District and taxes in general.

Crane argued HSE will not be impacted, but Allman refuted the point based on the amount of people in Fishers increasing if reorganization happens, as well as the schools’ upcoming referendum for senior academies.

Topics continued to range from the basic mechanics to the bigger scope issues, including annexation if reorganization does not occur. Faultless said future annexation could be expensive for the Town.

“I watched the Geist annexation and again they pitted the government against the people,” Allman said. “In a good annexation you should have a win-win situation where (they) make it something (for) the citizens, and it’s good for the government and all the people.”

Each representative was given time for a closing statement.

Faultless said the decision comes down to what’s going to be the most fiscally prudent to run the town and made mention of awards and services.

“This is about our future, our kids’ future and the future of Fishers,” he said.


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