We hope today’s “IS IT TRUE” will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address rationally and responsibly.
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IS IT TRUE that the Parks Board voted 3-2 to pass a $24 million bond measure that will raise your taxes? …that at the city council meeting Monday, city controller Robert Gunter estimated the tax cost $60 for a $100,000 property valuation for the first year and $30 for each subsequent year. …Vanderburgh County controller Brian Girth has told people that the tax difference will be higher for county residents? …that the parks board was not involved in the development of the parks bond? …that Parks and Recreation Director Danielle Crook presented the fully written park bond to the parks board in late September?
IS IT TRUE that we are still paying on $10 million in parks bonds that were passed two years ago? …that in the 2022 bond, $240,000 was allocated to improve Hartke and Helfrich pools and both of those pools are closed? …that in 2025 we will pay $1.8 million toward the 2022 debt?
IS IT TRUE that at the recent Parks Board meeting, one citizen commented that meeting at noon on Wednesdays, prohibits ordinary working people from attending and commenting? …that board president Michelle Peterlin makes every effort to keep the meeting under an hour to accommodate those who attend during their lunch hour? …that the beginning of the bond hearing was delayed for over 20 minutes due to technical issues?
IS IT TRUE that 20-year parks board veteran Jerome Stewart stunned the attendees of the Parks Board meeting when he methodically made a case for why the $24 million bond should be denied by the board? …he pointed out that after the giraffe barn was removed from the list of projects to fund, the total of the other projects added up to $9 million? …that $15 million dollars of the bond sits unappropriated? …that Stewart’s full comments can be heard on the video record of the meeting by clicking here? …that we wonder how sensible people could pass a bond issue without identifying how the funds will be spent?
IS IT TRUE that Parks Director Danielle Crook said the giraffe breeding barn is still needed? …that “still needed” is code for the “Longneck Hotel” will be built one way or another?
IS IT TRUE that, earlier in the week, the Evansville City Council voted unanimously to approve the $24 million parks bond? …that the only two officials to vote for good public policy and refuse to approve further debt and expense to the taxpayers were Michelle Peterlin and Jerome Stewart?
IS IT TRUE that it is time for the taxpayers of Vanderburgh County to keep a watchful eye on our government officials to get spending under control and promote “Good Public Policy?
Everything sounds right. I left a little early & missed the final approval of the money laundering scheme (I mean the giraffe barn that was removed) from the list of projects which added up to $9 million? …leaving $15 million dollars of the bond sitting nonappropriated since $15 million dollars for the giraffe BREEDING barn should have been removed from the list of projects to fund!
I would prefer to send the $15 million to N. Carolina to help the flood victims..
$15 million for a giraffe breeding barn? The people running Evansville have lost their minds. Giraffes breed in the wild because nature compels them to do so. Just turn them lose and put on some Barry White music. The deeds will get done.
Agree Sherry………..
DO YOU EVER WONDER WHY CHURCHES DONT GET INVOLVED IN WHO RULES OUR COUNTRY?
This morning the Lord woke me up to the sound of a popular Christian station here in Evansville IN airing an interview of Vernon McGee, one of Americas leading Baptists preachers advising the Church NOT to collectively get involved in politics while he went on to say it was ok to be involved on an individual basis!
Well, wonder no more…
Sherry Farmer
My issues with the bond, and I told the Board of Park Commissioners in person, is they set the overall bond amount before agreeing on the projects and amount needed for each project on the list, the bond would cover. Then the Board ditched the most expensive project, the giraffe barn, $10 million, and kept the bond amount the same, deciding to use the “windfall” to spend MORE on the remaining projects claiming those projects were estimated at a “bare bones ” amount. I was there, I heard them say it. Bait and switch? Was the giraffe barn DOA? That bond should have been reduced. Why? Because next year the giraffe barn will reappear and they will ask for another bond. Just show us when government gets its hands on our money they won’t let go.
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