Draining The Swamp In Porter County Indiana: October 2015

10222015 - YouTube Video - 2015 Portage Debate with Mayor Jim Snyder at Portage High School

2015 Portage Debate with Mayor Jim Snyder at Portage High School
Kevin Hansberger - YouTube
Oct 22, 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWbVuhFl-0M

2015--Portage-Debate--Mayor-James-Snyder

10222015 - YouTube Video - Mayoral Debate - Portage Mayor James Snyder implies that FBI investigation against him has been completed, without an indictment - 2015 Portage Debate with Mayor Jim Snyder at Portage High School

2015 Portage Debate with Mayor Jim Snyder at Portage High School
Kevin Hansberger
Oct 22, 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWbVuhFl-0M

Audio snippet from Mayor Snyder's debate - October 2015

"... The Federal Government is trying to restore trust and confidence in local government. As a result, they are looking at the Porter County government, Valparaiso Government, Portage Government. And believe you me, they are being very thorough. This is a good thing for the residents of Portage.

Portage can be proud, that with the microscope that we've been under, we have risen above it, and Portage is better for it."

10212015 - News Article - Snyder, Clancy spar over city debt in Portage mayor's debate

Snyder, Clancy spar over city debt in Portage mayor's debate
NWI Times
Oct 21, 2015
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/snyder-clancy-spar-over-city-debt-in-portagemayor-s/article_f8bf4191-507f-5672-8998-21e0fc7aa590.html
PORTAGE | Mayor James Snyder and his opponent Portage Township Trustee Brendan Clancy sparred over the city's debt Wednesday night in their only public debate.

Clancy, a Democrat, called debt the city's No. 1 issue, saying it has increased "astronomically" during Snyder's term in office.

"We have one of the highest debt levels in the state," said Clancy, telling the couple of hundred people gathered at Portage High School the city's per capita debt has increased to $3,115.

Snyder, a Republican, disagreed and during a later question, said Clancy, during his time on the City Council, "voted for more debt than any other."

He said the debt approved with Clancy was one the council totaled $26.5 million while debts from bonds approved during his administration have totaled $21.5 million.

Snyder said when he took office, he inherited a "house with a leaky roof and a crumbling foundation" and has used funds to make improvements.

Both Snyder and Clancy were allowed opening and closing statements and were asked questions from audience members. The questions were written on cards and screened by LWV members before being presented to the candidates.

The two answered questions ranging from crime to diversifying the economy, diversifying Portage's workforce, the role of the redevelopment commission and the city's skate park.

The two disagreed on the $50 million downtown residential/commercial project by Holladay Properties. Snyder said he favored the project, providing upscale house for seniors and millennials. Clancy said it is another example of Snyder's administration subsidizing large business to bring in a project that ultimately increases taxes.

Snyder told the group he and his administration has been able to turn the city around from challenges it was dealt when first taking ones.

Clancy outlined his successes as township trustee, including lowering the cost of delivering services and improvements to the Bonner Senior Center and township parks, saying his leadership could take the city into the future.

The debate was sponsored by the Porter County and Calumet Area League of Women Voters and Lakeshore Public Media. It was moderated by Michael Puente.

10192015 - News Article - Snyder out-earns, out spends Clancy so far in Portage mayor's race

Snyder out-earns, out spends Clancy so far in Portage mayor's race
NWI Times
October 19, 2015
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/snyder-out-earns-out-spends-clancy-so-far-in-portage/article_dae625ee-0e90-5e7e-bc25-a8ef4756bfe6.html

PORTAGE | Portage Mayor James Snyder has out-earned and outspent his opponent in the race for mayor in November.

However, his opponent, Portage Township Trustee Brendan Clancy, has more money in his campaign coffers heading into the final two weeks of the campaign.

Candidates in the Nov. 3 elections had until Friday to file campaign finance reports with the Porter County election board. The reports outline donations received and expenses made from both the first of the year until Oct. 9 and for this reporting period, which began April 11 to Oct. 9.

According to Snyder's report, he entered the year with $621 on hand, but has raised $193,234 since Jan. 1. He has also spent $170,666 since the beginning of the year, leaving his campaign with $23,188 to spend. He also reports having debts of $18,307.

Clancy started the year with nothing in the bank and has raised $111,635 since Jan. 1. His campaign has spent $61,824 so far this year, leaving him with $49,810 in the bank. He also reports debts of $110.

"Raising money for a campaign is hard work just like the rigors of the door to door and attendance of city events. My team and I have worked hard and we are earning our support, not expecting it," Snyder said in a written statement.

"It just proves that I can do more with less," Clancy said Monday, adding his campaign is more of a grassroots effort, garnering smaller donations from "working class people who want a change."

Both candidate's largest campaign donors are labor unions.

Snyder received $10,000 from the Northern Indiana Operators Joint Labor Management Political Action Committee. Clancy received $16,685 from the Iron Workers Local 395 IPAL and another $5,000 from the Indiana State Ironworkers PAC.

"Our largest contributor the Operating Engineers Union Local 150 is a testament to my belief in the hard working Portage union family and my representation of their hard work in Portage and downstate. It also exemplifies the respect that I personally have of our city employees and their fair treatment as most of them are represented by the Operating Engineers," Snyder said.

Snyder's largest contribution from an individual was $7,500 from Stewart McMillan, of Valparaiso. He also received more than 30 other donations of $2,000 or more from individuals, corporations and PACs.

Clancy's donations came in a smaller amounts. He had only four other donations reaching the $2,000 mark or more, including a $10,000 donation from the Citizens for Chuck (Moseley) Committee.

As for expenditures, one of Snyder's largest expenses was for consultants. The report state he paid KLT Consulting LLC, owned by campaign treasurer Kenard Taylor, $6,500 for his work. He also paid Mark it Red, a Lebanon, Ind.-based consulting firm, $23,530.

Clancy's largest single expense was to Baxter Printing of Highland for $9,965.

"If I need a consultant to tell me what the people of Portage want, then I'm not doing my job," Clancy said.

10192015 - News Article - Portage mayor raised more campaign cash than Dem rival

Portage mayor raised more campaign cash than Dem rival
Chicago Tribune
October 19, 2015
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-portage-mayoral-money-st-1020-20151019-story.html

Republican Portage Mayor James Snyder has outpaced his Democratic challenger in the fundraising department, and in spending campaign money.

Campaign finance documents released Friday show that Snyder, who's running for a second term, raised $193,855 to Brendan Clancy's $111,635.

Much of Clancy's support is coming from organized labor unions. Iron Workers Local 395 gave him $16,500. The International Longshoreman's Association gave $2,000. The Indiana State Ironworkers Political Action Committee gave $5,000.

A group called the Citizens for Chuck Committee, which represents State Rep. Chuck Moseley, D- Portage, gave Clancy $10,000 and U.S. Rep. Peter J. Visclosky's campaign committee donated $1,000.

Gore Realty, of Portage and Johnson Excavation Co., Inc., of Valparaiso, were Clancy's biggest corporate contributors at $2,000 each.

Snyder's biggest individual contributor was Stewart McMillan, of Valparaiso, who gave him $7,500.

Snyder racked up $2,000 contributions from 16 corporations and $10,000 from the Operating Engineers, Northern Indiana Operators joint labor/management political action committee of Countryside, Ill., and $4,200 from the Next Gen PAC, of Valparaiso.

Among other contributions, Snyder received $3,250 from the Country Lounge restaurant in Hobart and $500 from the Friends of Karen Freeman-Wilson, of Gary.

Snyder's wife, Deborah, received $10,115 from the campaign. Snyder also reimbursed himself $5,226 for campaign expenses.

"She's the event coordinator," Snyder said Monday, adding she coordinated a golf outing, among other events. "She's probably spent, this year alone, 20 to 30 hours a week on the campaign."

Kenard Taylor, Snyder's campaign treasurer and executive director of Porter County's Republican Party, said Deborah Snyder has been making campaign phone calls, coordinating volunteers, and assisting with mailings and other tasks.

"She's been spending a lot of time doing those types of things," Taylor said.

SRC LLC, at 3173 Willowcreek Road, which Snyder owns, received $11,320 in rent money according to his campaign finance reports.

Snyder declined to comment on the payments to SRC, referring questions on the matter to Taylor.

"We set up a campaign headquarters there and we set up volunteers there," Taylor said.

The campaign also paid off a $1,050 loan from First Financial Trust, also owned by Snyder. Taylor said the loan was from Snyder's first run for mayor and the campaign has been carrying the balance since then, and Taylor wanted to pay it off.

According to the Indiana Secretary of State's website, First Financial was voluntarily dissolved and has been inactive since June 14, 2010, which Taylor confirmed, adding the check to pay off the loan was made out to First Financial/SRC.

The Secretary of State's Office also shows that SRC was administratively dissolved and inactive as of Feb. 14, 2013, but Taylor said that could be a matter of not filing paperwork.

"I have no idea of that," Taylor said. "It would be James' money one way or the other."

Snyder later provided a statement: "Raising money for a campaign is hard work just like the rigors of the door-to-door and attendance of city events. My team and I have worked hard and we are earning our support not expecting it.

"Our largest contributor the Operating Engineers Union Local 150 is a testament to my belief in the hard-working Portage union family and my representation of their hard work in Portage and downstate."

Clancy, meanwhile, spent $5,805 at Clancy's Pub, a bar he owns in the Portage Mall. He said the money was for post-primary party and a golf outing dinner. He also spent $9,965 at Baxter Printing Inc., in Highland and $5,459 at Shoreline Promotions in Portage.

Campaign coordinator Sarah Ferrero, of Crown Point, has received $4,356. Clancy's wife, Michelle, served as his treasurer but she was not paid.

Clancy said he wasn't surprised that Snyder raised more money. "It shows I can do more with less and I have great support from people who can't afford to make large donations."

10162015 - News Article - Will Portage campaign tactic backfire on Dems?

Will Portage campaign tactic backfire on Dems?
Post-Tribune
Jerry Davich
October 16, 2015
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/opinion/ct-ptb-davich-political-flier-st-1019-20151016-story.html

The large, glossy political flier arrived in my mailbox with a handful of other similar fliers, but its accusatory tone immediately grabbed my attention. Just as its creators hoped it would.

"Is an indictment imminent?" the flier asks in bold black lettering.

The flier shows a dark, shadowy photo of Portage Mayor James Snyder alongside bullet-point accusations of an alleged investigation into his City Hall office by federal prosecutors.

"Portage cannot afford another four years with James Snyder as mayor," the flier concludes.

At the bottom, in fine print: "Authorized and paid for by the Porter County Democratic Party."

Surprised? Of course not. Snyder is a Republican incumbent hoping to stay in office against his Democratic challenger, Portage Township Trustee Brendan Clancy. Clancy's party obviously believes the flier will benefit their Democratic candidate's chances of winning the city's mayor's office in the Nov. 3 General Election.

I'm not so sure.

I posted a photo of the flier on my social media sites to gauge public opinion, asking a simple question: Is this typical politics in action or is this going over the line?

The responses were divided by partisan political lines, as expected, but the majority of readers (aka voters) believed it crossed the line into shady campaign tactics.

"I may not like (Snyder) but that's a low blow," wrote Heather K.

"This propaganda is disgusting," added Rozana B.

"Absolutely disgusting they would spend so much to tarnish the competition by repeating known unfounded allegations," said Shannon R. "They must be getting desperate."

No, countered Jeremy S., adding, "Being investigated by the FBI as a public official definitely should be made known."

But no formal investigation has been announced or confirmed by the feds, as others noted.

"That is the way the Republicans have been doing it and no one said anything then," noted Diane B.

Yes, true, but it doesn't make it the right thing to do. Nor does it make it the smart thing to do, at least in my book.

Last fall, just before Election Day, Porter County Republicans took a similar jab at the Democratic candidate for sheriff, David Reynolds. Like most voters, I thought it appeared strictly as a last-ditch campaign tactic, not relevant or informational.

The Republican Party filed a complaint with the election board, claiming Reynolds didn't properly itemize donations he received during a fundraising golf outing.

"They made this an emergency meeting to get it in the papers this weekend," Reynolds told me before Election Day.

It worked. The filed complaint made the newspapers, but it also made the Republican Party look bad, I wrote. And most voters would agree with me regardless if they voted for Reynolds or his Republican opponent, Valparaiso Police Chief Mike Brickner.

Filed just a few days before the primary, that complaint "reeks of politics," Reynolds said. He was right. This is precisely what irks voters and what keeps non-voters from registering to vote, let alone getting off their butt to cast a ballot.

Voters are forced to wade through the knee-high muck of politics to choose candidates they believe will do the right thing once in office. This latest campaign flier also reeks of politics.

Snyder agrees.

"Portage is winning and Portage critics and opponents can't stand it," he told me.

"We will continue to run a campaign that represents the hard-working men and women of Portage, including worn shoe leather, calloused knuckles and a hoarse voice from walking, knocking on doors and talking to the good people of this city," he said.

"I don't need to go negative because my record and the accomplishments of Portage can be seen and felt by every Portage resident," Snyder concluded.

For the record, Clancy said he had nothing to do with the flier, which was created, produced and distributed by the county's Democratic Party.

"Quite frankly, I think it's informational," he told me, noting he gave no permission for the creation of the flier. "I don't think it's slanderous or a smear campaign."

Clancy has distanced himself from the flier, insisting his home-stretch campaign is still founded on his award-winning accomplishments as Portage Township Trustee and his mayoral plans for Portage.

"My job as a candidate is to talk about my past accomplishments and my future plans," he said. "I think my record speaks for itself."

In May, Clancy easily beat longtime Portage real estate developer Leo Hatch Jr., garnering more than 80 percent of primary voters. In his acceptance speech, the former City Councilman told supporters he would run his campaign with "class, dignity, honor and respect."

Those four words were not illustrated in any form on that political flier, regardless who created it. Instead, I suggest voters look for these admirable words during Wednesday night's Portage mayoral debate at Portage High School. Hosted by the League of Women Voters, the "Meet the Candidates" debate begins at 6 p.m. in the PHS west auditorium.

Both candidates will discuss the issues, not rumorous indictments. Action plans, not accusations. Platform promises, not political fliers.

Election Day is already like a masquerade ball and voters are the naked guests trying to figure out who is who behind the masks of lies, complaints and allegations.

Similar to last fall's election for county sheriff, I believe such campaign tactics do more harm than good in the big picture. Candidates – and their supporters at the county level – need to know this, too.

10072015 - YouTube Video - Humane Society of Hobart - Illegal euthanization of Abbi and Bailey

Portage, Indiana:
A man with a PPO against him and a previous conviction for domestic violence, breaks into his ex's home - with the police present. He takes his ex's dogs - which are registered in her name - one of which is a companion dog / a gift from a police officer.

The abuser hides the dogs for several months. When an animal rescue group locates the dogs, the abuser takes the dogs to the Hobart Humane Society - instead of returning the dogs.

Although the Hobart Humane Society had been alerted for months about the dogs, they ignore the alert. And, despite the fact that neither dog is registered to the abuser, the Hobart Humane Society euthanizes Abbi Mae and Bailey Su.

AND, no one does anything about it. WHY?

What's wrong with this picture?

Abbi And Bailey From The Heart

Michigan Officer Involved Domestic Violence

Draining The Swamp In Porter County Indiana