Democratic Party Chairman Calls On Bosma And Winnecke To Explain Lack Of Support For Full IU Medical Center Funding

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    Vanderburgh County Democratic Party Chairman Rob Faulkner today urged House Speaker Brian Bosma and Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke to explain their support for the smaller, more limited version of the proposed IU Medical Center when Bosma is in the city for a Republican Party fund-raising event tonight.

    “The two Republican leaders owe it to the citizens of Evansville, as well as the state, to explain why we should settle for a medical center, rather than a cutting-edge, state-of-the-art facility that will revolutionize the way medical sciences professionals are trained in the future,” Faulkner said. “We deserve to hear it from them, in person, in a public forum. We shouldn’t have to buy a ticket to a Republican event to get an understanding of their logic on this very important issue.”

    The City of Evansville has committed over $57 million to the project, which as originally proposed has a total cost of over $100 million for the creation of a medical and research center. The bond level was left at $36 million in the House version of the budget, while the Senate budget set the bond level at $25 million. A conference committee is now working to find common ground on a budget.

    The plan for the more expansive project would allow for participation by Ivy Tech Community College, University of Southern Indiana and University of Evansville along with IU. Ivy Tech and USI would not be included in the more limited version of the plan.

    “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, over which Republican leadership in Indianapolis and Evansville have control,” Faulkner continued. “They need to tell us why we should settle. Why the smaller project is being described as practical.”

    Bosma is advertised as the featured speaker for the GOP event in Evansville.

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    14 COMMENTS

      • Winnecke’s party. . . .super majority in both houses. . . .Governor’s Mansion. . . Mayor’s office. . . Commissioners. . . .County Council. . . = no cigar. . . this sort of stuff should make folks wonder just how persuasive our Mayor is. . . NOT!!!. . . like ol Rodney Dangerfield would have said, “I get no respect”. . .

        BTW just wondering why if the local union leadership believes that this is “their man” why did “their man” not head off the elimination of the common construction wage?. . . .probably it is the Persuasiveness thing again. . .

        and Why did he not sign the resolution to repeal the Religious Freedom act since that legislation will have a profound effect the Convention industry in Indiana?

    2. Just forget having anything nice down here as long as the people of IN up North are in control of the legislature. Indianapolis gets everything they want and we get the crumbs down here in Evansville.

      And for them to NOT include USI and include UE is outrageous to me. What the hell does UE Have that USI doen’t have? Answer: A smaller tiny Campus and less students. I would have thought that the State would be willing to support a State Institution like USI vs a Private College like UE. Why does UE get preferential treatment?

      • Could it be the leaders of USI and Ivy Tech were working behind the scenes to arrive at this plan. Most schools don’t like to give up their “turf”.

    3. “The city of Evansville has committed over 57 million dollars to the project.”
      Really? In the end the city will own nothing and taxpayers will be on the hook for years to come.
      Or has another phantom TIF zone been invented?
      Incidentally, earlier in this legislative session I saw that a committee was exploring the possibility of allowing a change of site for the Evansville Medical School. Seems as though, by law, it must be sited at U.S.I. Never saw the outcome.

      • But we’ve got a new stadium. Everything that is happening downtown is because we have a new stadium. The democrats are playing this town for what they are, democrats which is equivalent to fools. Winnecke is in office because of democrats. We have a new stadium because of democrats, we lost our hotel because of democrats. Winnecke may well be the best democrat mayor this city has ever had. The medical school was a switch and bait deal, everyone thought it was a done deal and we come to find it was 37 on a list of 37. We are not committed to the IU medical school if it was a switch and bait, build it in Warrick County. Gail will be no different if by slim chance she becomes mayor, she is committed to downtown Evansville and the IU med center.

      • Hey Dis if you don’t like it you can always go over to the Evansville Courier and Press GOP web site and pay to play there. Have a great day kido!

    5. Nevertheless, the D-Patrick got one hell of a deal. . . 8,4 million for property assessed at 3.1 million. . . .wonder how much they contributed to Santa Lloyd?

    6. It is encouraging to see that the building that houses the Democrat Party Headquarters managed to get current on their property taxes for that building last year, after paying $13,907.64 in delinquent taxes and $3,823.69 in penalty. We will be checking to see if a spring installment is offered this year, or if they fall back into delinquency.

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