Councilwoman Robinson will be the Senior Member of the Evansville City Council in 2012
CCO: The City of Evansville has poured much money into housing programs in the 4th Ward. The most visible is the Front Door Pride program. Please tell our readers how you as a resident of the 4th Ward feel that the practices of the Front Door Pride program affect the 4th Ward and the City of Evansville?
Councilwoman Robinson“I believe that the practices of the Front Door Pride Program has affected the 4th Ward in a positive manner. You have some people that moved into the 4th ward from other areas of town and them you have some individuals that live in the area and they was so impressed with the new homes that they purchased one. What we are doing in the center city, should be done in all the older areas of the city. Throughout the city we have a old housing stock that we have neglected far too long. As the Front Door Pride Program matures like any other program you will and should see changes that can be made to increase its effectiveness. I feel that if we do one block at a time, it would make more of an impact instead of one or two houses on a block. A person has to have a vision to purchase a $100,000 house next to a house worth $20,000.00”
CCO: How does your experience as a successful entrepreneur influence your judgement as a long term member of the Evansville City Council?
Councilwoman Robinson“I understand the importance of meeting budgets and extrapolating revenues and expenses. I do this on a daily basis. When I look at projects, I want to know how it will impact my cash flow/tax revenue. I understand the bottom line. I understand the need to leverage dollars to make things happen and how it will enhance the everyday lives of people and my employees. I realize that you must measure short term benefits/gains against long term investments that produce greater future benefits but may decrease short term satisfaction. I am a small business person who brings to the city a level of fiscal pragmatism and social insight with a compelling belief that a successful city government must provide a matrix to promote a successful economical, educational, political and safe environment for its citizen to achieve success, personally and as a part of a dynamic community. I learned that just as in business, when times are rough a city must have a plan and have a strong belief in that plan and the understanding that like a successful business you move forward by stepping briskly not by crawling backward.”
CCO: The City of Evansville is under consent decree by the EPA to design and repair the sewers on the south and southeast sides. Are you pleased with the mandate to repair the Combined Sewer Overflow problems within about 20 years or would you like to see that happen faster? Please explain how the CSO affects life in the 4th Ward and economic development in greater Evansville.
Councilwoman Robinson“Hopefully we can take care of this problem before 20 years. I feel that the current administration has been proactive with the projects we are currently doing. This is a quality of life issue and a issue that no one was eager to touch in the past because of the cost. Bee Slough is also a quality of life issue that I hope we can eliminate in the near future. Anything that is detrimental to a person health affects economic development. Companies are concerned about health care cost and the physical well being of their employees.”
CCO: The 4th Ward is very highly populated with legacy parks that were designed and placed there many years ago. What are your thoughts about the state of the parks in the City of Evansville and how can these parks be made to be pristine again?
Councilwoman Robinson“There is room for improvement in the majority of the parks in the City Of Evansville, not just in the 4th ward. Evansville is bless to have some beautiful parks, the time has come for us to make their care and upkeep a priority. Some of the parks in the center city could use a good power raking and over seeding that would not cost that much to do. In Caldwell Park, we have done the following this year Seal/stripe basketball courts, added new swings, planted additional trees and installed a new water fountain, In Tepe Park, they demolish the pool and installed new playground equipment.”
CCO: You voted yes on a strengthened smoking ordinance last year in a most emphatic way proclaiming that “I am my brother’s keeper”. You have not always been in favor of smoking restrictions. Please tell us about what enabled you to change your position on this locally controversial issue?
Councilwoman Robinson“I changed my opinion after listening to the speakers, for and against the ordinance and I realized that I am my brother’s keeper. I travel all over the United States and people seem to accept the fact that you are not allowed to smoke in restaurant and bars. I have grown wiser and I realize that it was the right thing to do.”
CCO: Please tell us what you like most about serving on the Evansville City Council and what you like the least about that service?
Councilwoman Robinson“I love this city, I was born and raised in Evansville, I graduated from Bosse High School and University of Evansville. My parents started a business in this city, my family has deep roots here. Serving on the city council is a way for me to give back to a city that facilitated my development. I love seeing the development that has happened during my tenure. The McDonald’s on Washington and 41 , Memorial Community Development Corporation, Memorial Housing , In conjuction with Rev Brooks, we started a summer Youth Program that Memorial community Development Corporation is running, Habitat Shadeywood Project, The African American Museum, Rochelle Landers Neighborhood Pool, Cape Senior Housing and Carver have all developed major projects during my tenure.”
She is a racist and must be removed from the city council.
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