Wayne Township GOP Preparing For Election

(posted may 20)

The Wayne Township Republican Party plans to have a strong grassroots effort for the 2007 Mayoral Election that includes voting for Speedway Town Council and Indianapolis City County Council members.
"The Wayne Township Republican Party is still alive and well," Wayne Township GOP Club President Jeff Dine said. The Republican Party was taken by surprise when they lost control to the Democrats at the township level in 2006. The Democrats won the positions of the township trustee, assessor and small claims court.

Dine is convinced the 275 loyal Republicans that attended the May 19th fundraiser at the Clermont Lions Club shows the tide is turning. "The money raised will go to the candidates," he said.

Dine said he became involved with the Republican Party about six years ago to meet people at different levels of government.

GOP Mayoral candidate Greg Ballard gave about a two-minute speech noting that most of the people he has encountered say their number one concern is the city's growing crime problem

Ballard personally finds it distressing that criminals are becoming more brazen. He said he disliked the fact that an administrative decision was made to close the roll call center at 42nd and College Avenue. He thought the center was a good crime deterrent for the neighborhood.

He explained there are still some negative residuals that are lingering among people over Mayor Bart Peterson's push for fire and police consolidation. The fire consolidation bill failed again this year
because it also included the elimination of the township trustee, but the police merger became
effective January 1, 2007.