While some apologists for the food and beverage tax pretend that students actually had a voice in the matter, The fact of the matter is that the Democrat-dominated county council knowingly and intentionally scheduled the vote on this tax smack dab in the middle of Finals Week. The Democrats knew (or at least hoped) students would not be paying attention to a tax targeted directly at them. A number of students showed up anyway, but that does not excuse this dishonorable, cowardly behavior.

The Democrats showed contempt for IU students' voices. You cannot spin your way out of that.

The timing of this vote was a shameful, premeditated, cowardly, anti-democratic attack on transparency and open government. They targeted a specific population for a tax increase and then voted on that tax increase when they knew it would be difficult for those people to attend.

Of course, this is not new or surprising. The Democrat-dominated county council has a long history of anti-democratic attacks on transparency and open government, as I have documented previously.

Those who do not have the integrity to face the students they are targeting with a tax increase do not deserve to represent students or anyone else on the council. The Democrats have proven they cannot be trusted with political power in Monroe County government. The Democrats have proven they do not have the integrity needed in elected officials. This is a scandal, and we will remember the contempt the Monroe County Democratic Party has for both permanent residents and Indiana University students.