Dear Democrats:I have been following the two bigger issues facing you as council member is the past few weeks. On the hotel issue, I applaud you thorough research into the issue of the incentive package, financing and quality of developer. If you have solid, demonstrable evidence of serious deficiencies in any of these issues, you should certainly air your evidence publicly and take action to correct the matter. However, unless there is such evidence, I perceive more support for moving forward on the project. Politically, I always supported the Ford Center Project because I believed it would prove to be very popular and successful. I believe it has proven to be a success and has certainly revitalized the downtown. I also believe a first rate, adequately sized hotel is essential for promoting the convention business in Evansville. I am certainly no expert on hotel sizing, but believe the quality issue is critical to attract top end convention business. The State Democratic Party has decided to move the State Convention to a site outside of Indianapolis in alternate convention years. The 2014 convention will be in Indy. The 2016 convention is presently planned to be elsewhere in the state. I would love to be a part of a movement to bring it to Evansville in 2016. Having a great hotel with the available facilities there now and having a Democrat Mayor would certainly improve our chances.On the recent issue involving the police interaction with the firefighter, I support  Connie on her position 100%. While she and I have had a difference on a political issue, I have never had any lack of respect for her leadership skills and dedication to your community. I am very uncomfortable with the way the police department handled this matter. Because of the serious nature of the matter and its probable volatility, an outside investigating agency (VCSD of ISP) would have been a better option for the city administration to have taken. This matter received world wide publicity.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2395250/George-Madison-The-moment-African-American-firefighter-pastor-handcuffed-waved-police.html Since the city did not seek an independent inquiry, the council might consider appointing a blue ribbon committee of Evansville Citizens to do an independent investigation and submit a report to all citizens as to its findings. On it face, what happened in this incident just doesn’t square with me. I know only what has been reported by the media but I am still uncomfortable with it.You may already do it, but I believe Indiana Law allows you to caucus as a group on political matters. This might be a vehicle whereby you as a group can discuss the political aspects relating to Council issues and be able to share your personal views with each other outside the public arena.Whatever action you take on these important issues, do your very best as I know you will. Treat each other civilly, remember, we agree on probably 95% of the issues you face. I look forward to working with you in the future. Thanks for taking the time to let me weigh in on these matters.Democratically yours,S. Anthony Long,Eighth District Democrat Chair
POSTED BY THE CITY COUNTY OBSERVER WITHOUT OPINION, BIAS OR EDITING.
OK 8th District union boss Long we shall start to build the hotel next week since you told us so. Who in the hell cares if the citizens of this community is giving the builder 50% of the total cost of project. It’s obvious that you don’t because you live in another area.
However I do agree with comments about Connie Robinson and the police department.
I think the U S Department of Justice Civic Rights Division should review this case when they visit the Mayor and Police Chief later this month.
I also hear that Connie is going to file a formal violation of her Civil Rights lawsuit against the FOP and others in the very near future.
Connie was in error. Not Winnecke or Bolin
Thanks Mr. Long for standing up for Mrs. Robinson. I hope she sues the hell out of the FOP, Chief Billy Bolin with a civil rights lawsuit for the way they have mis-treated her.
Mr. Long, You left out your opinion on her support for a Republican for Mayor in the last Election,–as an avowed Democrat, what say you about that?
I heard that a lot of 8th district dems voted for Bucshon too. Sounds like Long is having trouble keeping them down on the farm nowadays.
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Connie Robinson messed up big time at the City Council meeting. Her demeanor and statements to Chief Bolin came accross as if she was a racist. What was surprising was she did not recognize what she was doing. I hope she does some reflection on her statements. She is a good person and should not resign as president, but she needs to work on her problem as how she should view the world.
On the hotel “If you have solid, demonstrable evidence of serious deficiencies in any of these issues, you should certainly air your evidence publicly and take action to correct the matter.” I guess he does not call basically giving a developer a free hotel a “serious deficiency”
“The State Democratic Party has decided to move the State Convention to a site outside of Indianapolis in alternate convention years. The 2014 convention will be in Indy. The 2016 convention is presently planned to be elsewhere in the state. I would love to be a part of a movement to bring it to Evansville in 2016. Having a great hotel with the available facilities there now and having a Democrat Mayor would certainly improve our chances.”
WOW. I wonder when they decided to move the Democratic Convention outside Indy in off years. Could it have been just about the time it was looking like the votes for the hotel weren’t going to be there..
This is political bribery.
Brad–I cannot follow what you are saying. “the available facilities there now”. There is zero chance of having the Democrat Convention in Evansville “the available facilities there now”. Zero!
The Republican Party is having their Convention in Fort Wayne in 2014. They got two big Convention Hotels downtown–if you can believe the C/P.
In fact they are having 55 conventions this year in Fort Wayne—over one per week.
No kidding Wayne, two downtown hotels? Maybe that has SOMETHING to do with Ft Wayne’s population being 254,555, versus Evansville’s population of 117,429. Yes, it is true, Ft Wayne has over twice the population of Evansville.
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Time for some fact checking. First Long, is a lawyer, not a union boss. 2nd the Indiana State Convention was held in 2008 in FT Wayne and approved in 2006 and the continuing effort to hold it outside Indy has nothing to do with our inability to build a hotel. Back to your tin hats conspiracy nuts!
Who said anything in this microcosm of a conversation about Long being a union boss?
Maybe it’s you who needs that tin hat; your brain is picking up errant signals the rest of us can’t perceive.
Yes they do have twice the polulation and have two hotels. The Mayor and most people in Evansville wants one convention hotel.
Will you now support the Evansvile Hotel?
Not under the present financing scheme. I am all for businessmen doing their own thing and keeping their hands out of the public till.
So much of this public largess has just become obligatory. That is not the way to run things. I see where MJ wants $230K to do a project. At least this time they are applying before, and not after, the fact.
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And BTW Wayne, if this hotel is built, downtown Evansville will also have 2 hotels, right?
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I did not include the Le Merigot because it only has 96 rooms, but technically downtown has two now and the proposed project would make that three.
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Four: LeMerigot, Tropicana, Comfort Inn (old Riverhouse), Doubletree (new one)
Giving away 37.5 million dollars is just not a good deal for Evansville!
Tap, tap, tap. Is this thing on?
Also, Long supported the Democratic Candidate for Mayor, Rick Davis, in 09 and lead the effort to remove Mark Owen and Connie Robinson from the Democratic party for disloyalty. Reading these posts is like watching Fox News, no need to pay attention to the facts. Just throw feces at the wall and see what sticks!
I agree with True Blue Barb comments about Davis, Mark Owens, and Connie Robinson. What she is saying is totally correct.
Lets get back on subject concerning the way our police department is mis-treating poor people (black and white) of this community.
Robinson and Owen are still party members and still very active. The machine is still in control, and Long, who is not a resident of Evansville or Vanderburgh county is on here advocating for the convention hotel. He of course is astute enough to stay away from the issue of the gift of half the cost of the project to the hotel owners that will cost the local taxpayers $82.million over the next 25 years.
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They are not mistreating poor people,
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