Press Release

***For Immediate Release

Libertarian Party of Indiana Calls for an End to Partisan Redistricting; Urges Public to Attend Upcoming Seminar to Get Informed and Join Forces with Reform Coalition

INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- Today in Indianapolis the Libertarian Party of Indiana reaffirmed its long-time support for changing the way that federal and state legislative districts are drawn.  Redistricting reform has finally become a hot topic in Indiana recently, starting with Secretary of State Todd Rokita’s push for a less partisan process and followed by Senate President Pro Tem David Long’s announcement that he will work for a set of redistricting criteria and the eventual creation of a non-partisan redistricting commission. 

White House orders Dems to ‘punch back’ as union organizers attack citizens.

WASHINGTON -- America’s third largest party Friday called on Democrats to end what appears to be a budding campaign of union violence targeted at citizens who differ with the White House at town hall meetings across the country. Libertarians oppose not only the White House’s plans for government-run medicine, but the use of violence to achieve political or social goals.

A Tampa Bay Tribune story and a video posted to the Drudge Report both report physical assaults on dissenting citizens by union organizers brought to meetings by Democrats. In Tampa, union organizers blocked citizens who differed with the White House from entering a public town hall with Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL,) and allegedly scuffled with some of them. A video posted to YouTube appears to show union organizers physically attacking citizens who disagreed with the White House.

Libertarian Party of Marion County
Press Release

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – In back to back votes, a majority of Council Republicans voted to transfer $1 million of taxpayer money to private “arts organizations” and then immediately moved to restrict the freedom of speech of panhandlers who may be passively seeking VOLUNTARY contributions.

Tim Maguire, Chairman of the Libertarian Party of Marion County said “There are already significant laws on the books regarding panhandling that perhaps just need better enforcement, but this fell on deaf ears as Republicans worked to rob taxpayers on behalf of private arts organizations and then, immediately following, tried to tell poor people they can’t even hold a sign asking for money.”

President considering backing what he called the “biggest middle-class tax increase in history”

WASHINGTON -- America’s third largest party Tuesday reminded President Barack Obama that supporting a proposed $246 billion tax on employer-provided health care benefits – a proposal he opposed as “the biggest middle-class tax increase in history” in campaign ads – would break his promise to oppose any form of tax increase on families making less than $250,000 a year.

Indianapolis, IN - School choice and educational reform were at the center of the budget fight, and in the end, the taxpayer and students won. This budget ends the unquestioned support of the failing public education system, and creates a spark for alternative educational choices to be created. The General Assembly passed a pilot program for online virtual schools, and created a $2.5 million a year tax credit for private schools. The destructive caps for charter schoolson charter schools have been removed, which may provide additional future funding through grants.

Indianapolis, IN - Indiana Senator Luke Kenley (R) and Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard (R) presented the State's plan to bailout the Indianapolis Capital Improvement Board (CIB) today. Instead of asking the users of CIB properties in Indianapolis to step up and pay their fair share first, lawmakers will be considering a statewide increase of alcohol taxes, ticket taxes, food and beverage taxes, and the Innkeepers tax.

Timothy Maguire, chairman of the Libertarian Party of Marion County, criticized the move to attach this bailout to the state budget. "There is no excuse to force those who don't directly use the stadiums to pay for the short-sightedness of the CIB first."

"The appropriate step should be a direct tax on the immediate users of the CIB facilities," said Maguire. "These Republican-sponsored increases will give us the highest hospitality taxes in the nation, which will only serve to drive off the convention business the City leadership claims to protect. Hurting a $3 Billion industry with unwise taxes will only put more Hoosiers out of work."