IS IT TRUE it has been reported that high levels of hazardous dry cleaning solvents are contaminating groundwater near two schools (Bosse High and Hebron Elementary school) and prompting immediate environmental cleanups?  …we find it extremely interesting that an environmental consultant declares neither school is at risk of hazardous contamination?  …we wonder why the Vanderburgh County Health Department and State officials took their sweet time in alerting officials at Vanderburgh/Evansville School system, our elected officials or adjoining property owners of this serious health problem caused by high levels of hazardous dry cleaning solvents?
IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer continues to be impressed by the courage exhibited by Courier and Press reporter Jon Webb?…he is literally beginning to pick up the message that we have been trying to send for the last 10 years?…in a nutshell that message is that substance and depth have been missing for many decades and that an irrational obsession with cosmetic actions that merely distract the populace from real problems?…Webb has once again published an article that makes us proud as it is a message that we have been pounding home for years?
IS IT TRUE that Jon Webb’s latest article while congratulating the Winnecke administration for subsidizing a downtown hotel in a way that actually worked and spending $18 million on a Jimtown bike lane, went further in calling both of those projects nothing but surface buffing while the economy and infrastructure are stagnant at best?…we concur with Mr. Webb that the Winnecke Administration has indeed succeeded in building some downtown projects to the tune of roughly $100 million that with the sole exception of the IU Medical School at the expense of ignoring real serious needs?…if Webb or some other CP reporter would have been writing about this 15 years ago, Evansville may have made better decisions than spending taxpayer dollars on jaguars, penguins, rhino, temples to hockey, and other nonsense while ignoring a sewer system under an EPA mandate that needs a billion dollars to achieve compliance? …we are still also plagued by antiquated water pipes, crumbling roads, serious deficit with city employee healthcare insurance and non compliant sidewalks?…we join Webb in declaring the spending habits of local government as the equivalent of building Pleasure Island for Pinocchio and his friends to be turned into donkeys while eating nothing but candy and smoking cigars?
IS IT TRUE that we encourage Mr. Webb to continue to push the envelope a little further?…we will continue to do the same?…that yesterday YOUR city council voted 9-0 to establish a special tax on already struggling downtown businesses?…the Ford Center did not transform downtown but we do hope this special tax will help the downtown merchants to become more profitable? Â …we also hope that this special tax idea won’t prove to be another useless overreach of local government?
IS IT TRUE Amy Word-Smith , founder of Franklin Street Events Association (FSEA) and Abby Elpers of GAGE, were recently interviewed on television about exceeding their monetary goal for TED (Trolley of Evansville Districts)?  … Bob Warren, Executive Director of  the Convention and Visitors Bureau said “he is very supportive of TED and how great it is for “connectivity” and “tourism”?  …we are told that Bob Warren and his board didn’t donate towards the funding of TED? …that Bob Warren did not even allow FSEA or GAGE to present their proposal to his board?
IS IT TRUE we commend Amy Word-Smith and Abby Elpers for raising $30,000+ for TED (Trolley of Evansville Districts)?  …we commend Mayor Winnecke and County Commissioner Ben Shoulders for also doing a joint video for TED?  … we  also give kudos to the Vanderburgh County Commission for passing a resolution in support of this much needed project?
IS IT TRUE the segment held at the end of City Council  that allows public comment is  now dubbed as the “3 Minutes of Censorship”?
IS IT TRUE throughout the year we heard claims of “explosive growth” comments made by Mayor Winnecke? …we believe that the City of Evansville is indeed experiencing “explosive growth” in the deficient spending area?
Todays READERS POLL question is: Do you feel that the newly renovated North Main Street project is going to attract new retail businesses?
I like the idea of the TED trolley. If you want it to be successful it needs a stop at UE and USI. They are the ones that will travel from bar to bar. Thanks for making the streets safer. All of this without taxpayers dollars. Great job Amy for all your hard work.
Does the new EID for downtown raise taxes on business or the consumer? With all the new taxes the city and county are forcing on Evansville/Vanderburgh county residents, how exactly is this helping anyone? I for one don’t go downtown now, so again, how will this attract the rest of us to the ghost town? I would rather spend my money at the mall!!! I think most of us would prefer downtown to just blow away!!!!
It taxes businesses that are already struggling. This will cause these businesses to pass these taxes on to consumers in the form of price increases further jeopardizing the prospects for said businesses. It is sort of a death spiral.
This new downtown tax – sounds like someone needed a new job. $125k of the $500k is for “administration.”
More of Whiney’s friends and family program. Does anyone know how low the population of our fair city has dropped since all of this crap started?
Also, speaking of how big a success downtown is, I see the bank tower, formerly ONB, is back on the market. More dust blowing in the ghost town. Hear it???
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