Evansville, IN – Mayoral Candidate Gail Riecken today discussed a letter she sent to City Controller Russell Lloyd and Mayor Winnecke asking questions regarding the mismanagement and lack of transparency relating to city finances.
“I am asking the Mayor’s Controller Russell Lloyd that the administration respond to these simple questions,†said Riecken. “I am not trying to point a finger, I am trying to show that there is a problem and the city needs to admit that so they can start fixing the problem.†She continued, “Transparency is so lacking in the Mayor’s administration that there is reason to worry about the future of our fiscal health. That is why I authored a bill in the legislature on an accrual method of accounting called GAAP.â€
Riecken discussed the fiscal priorities for her administration. This would start with an evaluation of the city finances and assessing the expenses and revenue. Ensuring public safety and road/sidewalk repairs would be priorities.
“I would look to fix the financial issues that have plagued our great city over the last 3 plus years,†said Riecken. She continued, “We need to start by assessing the shortfalls in the budget and know what our realistic projected revenue is and what our expenses should be. We then need to ensure the basic services that benefit the entire city are fully funded, including ensuring that police and firefighters are equipped with what they need to protect the residents of Evansville. We need to make sure that the roads and sidewalks are maintained so we can drive our streets and walk on our sidewalks without fear of injury. The Riecken administration will concentrate on the needs of all the people of Evansville, and not the wants of special interest groups.â€
“We need to protect taxpayer dollars and make sure that Evansville’s dollars are helping Evansville’s families. We would stress contracting with local businesses for services using a competitive bid process and keeping the process transparent, so the public knows who is making our decisions†said Riecken. “Helping established businesses expand would be a priority and that may mean offering incentives. And bringing new business to Evansville would be a priority and that may mean incentives to help get them here. But that isn’t the same as doling out money. Just because a business wants to come to Evansville, doesn’t mean the city needs to give them money for doing it. Government alone should not be the venture capitalist in projects.â€
Gail Riecken is running for Mayor of Evansville and is a former Evansville City Council-woman, Evansville Parks Director, and a current member of the Indiana State House of Representatives. She is a lifelong Evansville resident, has been married for 46 years, and has 2 children and 3 grandchildren.
You need to learn the roles and responsibilities of City Government. According to the Indiana Code, the Common Council serves as the Fiscal Agent (the financial responsibility role) of the City of Evansville. The Council approves all expenditures by the City and also considers all resolutions and of the ordinances of the City. The Council is composed of nine members. Currently the Democrats control 8 of the 9 positions. Start your learning process with your fellow Democrats on the City Council.
Wayne Parke
Poor Wayne. Keep digging your hole
First of all, there are three Republicans (Weaver,Mosby and McGinn) and six Democrats. Hey, Wayne, cut down on your wine consumption,apparently it’s causing impaired judgement. Santa Lloyd by way of Elf Kelley is dolling out Grant Funds which the council does not have any control over. Of course, went the his crony capitalist kids come to sit on Santa’s lap with their donation checks hanging out their back pockets under the tree lays their Christmas gifts. Over paying for vacant and dilapidated properties. Pitiful.
What does Wayne Park and Donald Trump have in common? Answer,they both insult and discredit women. You seem to have issues with keeping Women Vice-Chairs, namely Michelle and Becky. You publicly insult both Gail Riecken and Cheryl Musgrave. You are a big bag of wind and chauvinistic pig!
Hey Benedict I’m a loyal Republican and many of my lady friends think Wayne Park is the biggest chauvinist pig ever place on this earth.
Im surprised that one of the husband’s of the women Wayne Parke insulted hasn’t punched him in his big fat mouth.
Hey Karen
Attended a Republican event a while back and over heard Mr Parke making insulting remarks about a woman State Representative. What a dick!
Whew, don’t call’em that Susan,B, the old boy would likely take it as a complement. Its guys like such gave reason behind an innovative friend of mines idea to produce a men’s room urinal that is equipped with an angled mirror mounted inside the thing, so as, the user peeing into it’s surface can visualize the business end of his projections stream, cuts down on the shoe drops, and sticky floor syndrome……….
an·gled
ˈaNGɡəld/
adjective
r/. 1. placed or inclined at an angle to something else.
(“he sent an angled shot into the urinal without having to pull back the beltline overhang.”)
r/.2. (of an object or shape) having an angle or angles of a specified type or number.
Wayne
While I am on the subject, one of the major issues many on the CCO have with you is because you repeatedly come on the CCO to bash people who disagree with you or your chosen tool fools, and then you run and hide like the crying little whiny baby that you are. You have failed repeatedly to answer questions from members of the public in response to your bashing of people on here, which only supports the theory held by numerous people that you are a stain on the local community.
Your failed political blundering show up each time you do your patented “drive by” assassination attempts. The people you keep trashing (and especially citizens who devote time and effort to making the community better like Cheryl) are upstanding members of the local community, and it is dimwits like you who cannot stand the thought of bright and intelligent citizens who selflessly give time and expertise to local projects that make me literally sick to my stomach.
Of all the various republican chairmen in the history of Evansville, you are clearly the biggest failure of the local Republican party. You are a complete failure who has no clue what leadership really is. Do us all a favor and stop the “drive by” slandering of loyal community and citizen members who work tirelessly to make Evansville and Vanderburgh County a better place.
In short, if you cannot play nice, you are just another example of a failed republican who has no understanding of what leadership really is
Typical political posturing when the Executive Branch has a budget surplus, the Executive Branch takes credit. When the Executive Branch has a budget deficit, they blame the Legislative Branch.
Just depends on who you support (credit) and who you oppose (blame).
One cannot deny the deficit spending trend in Evansville and blatant efforts to cover up the problem.
Gosh Wayne that’s ironic. You know well that the demo to which you refer are bought and paid for by Lloyd and Carol
For all of those who ask what Gail would do differently, here is the beginning of the answer for you. Looks like you need to find another excuse to vote for Winnie.
She is asking questions about the finances of this administration now? Where has she been since 2012? Hell, all of us here have been asking questions for years. She gets no “points” from me until she actually does something.
I am all for roads and sidewalks being a priority, but what will she do different to accomplish that? There are opportunity costs in every endeavor. You’re going to have to be more specific about her specifics. It also seems to me that the Rieken’s have benefited well from this city’s taxpayers.
I will say however that Parks is my real name Wayne makes being giddy for Gail more palatable.
She should make a request to Council to dissolve the ERC. Wonder how many would listen? Probably just the ones that aren’t running for re-election because the others are either corrupt or cowards.
Include the DMD
To Benedict Arnold —-Are you ashamed of your real name? Are you like the real Benedict Arnold—and believe in treason or betrayal?
For your information I do not support Donald Trump even though he currently claims to be a Republican. All of his ideas/beliefs are not bad, but some are totally unacceptable such as his negative comments about women.
Wayne Parke
o I have not insulted Gail Riecken or Cheryl Musgrave—they are just flat wrong in some of their beliefs/positions.
Wayne
You are paid (and probably far too much) to represent the republican brand, so your drive-by postings come with the expectation that you post under your name rather than a pseudonym.
However, there are many people who come on here and post important and salient thoughts that cannot afford the luxury of using their real names due to political retributions. This is not something that is related to them being “ashamed” of their actual names, but rather due to the real-world problem of small-minded politicians exacting retribution and payback when someone “rocks the boat” and calls peoples attention to their shortcomings in how the do (or do not do) their jobs while in office.
You are a proverbial harpy on people who post under a pseudonym, and I am guessing I speak for many that we are sick and tired and fed up with your juvenile and puerile attempts to call people out. To be perfectly frank, you act like a spoiled little kindergartner when you name-call like you do in this post. I would highly suggest that you grow-up and put on your big-boy pants and stop the asinine and grade-school low-brow name calling to people who proverbially “call you on the carpet” due to your support for republican politicians who have done a poor or lackluster job while in office as elected republicans.
Finally, your comments that you have not “insulted” Gail or Cheryl is NOT a defensible position. There have been a number of times when you have insulted and wrote derogatory comments about both people. I would offer that the main problem is that these two people do not kowtow to you, and since you cannot control them you get all pissy about their positions and what they believe in. Maybe you should come down off your high horse instead of making blanket comments that they are “just flat wrong in some of their beliefs/positions”. I would strongly offer that there are tens of thousands of local residents who think EXACTLY the same about you, that you are just “flat wrong”.
Sucks to be you…..
Are we to actually believe your statements about not insulting women? You told Cheryl Musgrave in front of people at a Republican event that she wasn’t a Republican in your opinion. You also wrote it here. That seems like an insult to me. Especially since Musgrave’s beliefs seem to more closely mirror conservatism than yours.
You have said publicly and posted here that Gail Riecken needs to learn. In fact you did it today. That seems like an insult to me. Especially since, and I assume that you know how budget are created, state law basically requires a budget that pretends as if 100% of property tax revenue will be collected to garner the maximum levy from the Department of Local Government Finance. What Winnecke has done, which is new for a Mayor, is spend like 100% will be collected. Most other officials understand the necessary gap between what is projected in revenue, which is a fiction, and what can actually be spent. Winnecke spent more than was taken in 2013, and both more than what was taken in and more than was originally appropriated in 2014. City Council passes a budget and then has to trust the Mayor to monitor revenue and adjust accordingly. That trust has proven to be a mistake with Winnecke.
You also may remember filing a grievance last year with the Disciplinary Commission claiming that SBR should lose her legal license. That seems pretty insulting. That grievance and the subsequent letter from the Disciplinary Commission summarily dismissing your grievance was posted on this site last summer.
You’ve been through 3 independently selected vice chairwomen in the same number of years. Obviously, you don’t like women and they don’t like you.
Excuse me, Excuse Me, but criticizing someone for their actions has nothing to do with their sex; be they male, female, or one of the various sundry categories that have sprung up in the last few years.
According to you, It was O.K. to criticize Riecken’s male colleagues for going AWOL from their duties in the Indiana Legislature by fleeing to Illinois, but if you criticize her for the same thing, you’re sexist.
My post is a direct response to Parke writing that he has never insulted Gail Riecken or Cheryl Musgrave. I gave two examples where he had insulted both of them. I did not claim that he did so because they were women. However, I did add a couple of other issues that indicate he has a problem with women.
Well, Excuse Me, he seems to have pi**ed off 95% of the men on this forum too. Which made me wonder whether you see any criticism of the actions of a woman as unjust and sexist, therefore insulting: a common affliction of Democrats. Maybe not.
BTW. I think the criticism of both Musgrave and SBR was unwarranted.
Dear CCO Editors
****NOTE**** This was posted on another thread that Parke hijacked, so I sincerely hope you allow thoughts and commentary on this thread as well (since it is related and pertinent)
Since Parke is local chairman of the republican party, I would offer that his posts need a higher level of scrutiny by CCO.
Wayne does the same thing every time he posts something. He jumps on and either write something inflammatory and unsupportable by facts and reporting, or he spouts cheerleader nonsense that nobody believes. But the pertinent issue is that every time he does that, he never responds to repeated requests for clarification or answers.
His ability to do “drive-by commentary†is a farce and should not be tolerated. If he cannot behave and answer or respond to the tripe he posts, then maybe his commentary should not be allowed to stand. I would offer him a couple of hours, but after that if he ignores everyone, than as chair of the republicans (and their “mouthpieceâ€) I think he should be held to some sort of standard to respond to what people ask of him.
If he cannot answer and support the crap he posts, then why should he be allowed to use the CCO as a bulletin board?
+1
To ClassyEvillePolitics
I must be doing something right—-there are more Republicans holding political office in SW Indiana today than there ever has been. We have some very good candidates running for office on the Republican ticket. Please vote November 3.
I receive no compensation or benefits serving as Chairman of the Republican Party. I do it because I want our area of the State to be the best it can be. I am proud to live in Evansville/Vanderburgh County. Are you?
It sounds like you believe in censorship–shame on you. That is not the way this country was built.
Wayne Parke
The censorship comment is an absolute hoot. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I find it humorous and sad that this is the first time you have ever replied to a question or comment by anybody from the CCO, and I firmly believe that the only reason you did so was because you were concerned that the editorial staff at the CCO might consider exactly what was proposed, which was to make you accountable for your “drive by” posts where you ridicule and slander all the people who (correctly) disagree with the outrageous positions you spout.
The CCO was never designed to be a right-wing bulletin board for hacks like you, a place where you (and by that I mean YOU Wayne) could comment without any fear of anybody questioning not just your motives, but also the accuracy and veracity of what you post. It is clear that I am but one of many who are starting to demand some accountability from you as republican chair. It is clear that people are demanding that if you spout off some slanted nonsense, then you deserve to have your “feet held to the fire” of proving the hack-job writing you do.
Maybe you should reply to what the writer “Excuse Me” just wrote. That person did an exceptional job of calling you (pretty much) a liar when you wrote you never “insulted” anybody. What Excuse Me wrote is a well-laid accounting of a point-by-point refutation of your lies about not “insulting” anyone.
Go ahead, dazzle us with your reply to that one. It has multiple paragraphs that show how you lied and was false in your “drive-by” about not “insulting” anybody, especially Cheryl and Gail.
We are ALL just a-quiver in waiting on your response.
Yeah, I figured as much…..
You still suck
Not , “assgut. What you are doing is alienating the true conservatives in that minor little regional almost to the point of repulsion. No save with that, crud, the stripes appearing on that largess hind end are target zeros laid in by those you keep trashing by posting as a republican in these United States of America.
Your own will remove you, prediction, and likely as fact. Cut the stupid “lip boxing” or be removed from the conversation in its entirety.
assgut
When you’re so fat you have a duplicate belly hanging over the back of your pants.
“Lip boxing ”
Talking shit over social media (twitter,Instagram) or talking shit to somebody else without the person they are taking about knowing.
PS To Wayne
I am a proud resident of Evansville and Vanderburgh County, having spent my entire life here along with family, loved ones, and friends.
Therefore, you can “step off” on that one, as the British would say…
Ah, shut up. you “insipiosexual” nut job.
insipiosexual
From Latin “insipiens” (opposite of “sapiens”) and “sexualis” (sexual), meaning “attracted primarily to fools.”
Awesome comment.
“Just because a business wants to come to Evansville doesn’t mean the city needs to give them money for doing it. Government alone doesn’t need to be the venture capitalist in projects.” says Gail.
Well Hooooray! You do realize, you just condemned giving $80+ million to the downtown med school project and hotel. Good for you.
It does seem odd though to view giving millions of taxpayer dollars to locate here (bribe?), and receiving no ownership in the project, as venture capitalism.
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