IS IT TRUE? April 9, 2011

IS IT TRUE that in the final possible hour the federal government averted the so called and much hyped “shutdown” by passing what both sides are calling historic with respect to spending cuts?…that cutting a whopping $37 Billion from the federal budget is the equivalent of cutting the average personal budget in Evansville by $12.45 per week?…that amounts to a couple of brain sandwiches per week?…that the people in charge of our country must have very little experience with budget cutting if they think that the equivalent of two brain sandwiches a week is a historic exercise in anything?…that the last minute deal was cut for political expediency as opposed to making any real significant financial difference?…that this whole exercise seems more like a three act play that could be named “The Washington Cycle” in honor of “The Kentucky Cycle” that was touring the country several years ago?…that neither play would be flattering to the choices of the actors?…that just this week the City County Observer called for more substance and less play acting from elected officials and especially candidates for office?

IS IT TRUE that there are still some candidates for office who have not been very enthused about accepting their invitations to participate in e-debates published by our sister publication The Community Observer?…that even more disturbing is the fact that we have offered every candidate for Mayor of Evansville the opportunity to have a position paper of substance published on the subject of consolidation with no restriction on the number of words they choose to use to articulate their positions?…that sound bite size word restrictions on issues that have dissertation size needs are not even worth the ink that it takes to print them?…

IS IT TRUE that City Centre Properties is the owner of record of the McCurdy Hotel?…that the McCurdy property is located at 100 SE Riverside Drive and is delinquent with respect to the November 2010 property tax payment in the amount of $9,792.31 and has been assessed a penalty of $979.24?...that City Centre Properties is currently delinquent on the property taxes for the McCurdy Hotel in the amount of $10,771.55?…that to bring this account current that City Centre Properties will have to bring a payment of $21,040.21 in by the next tax due date of May 10, 2011?…that if taxes are not brought current by May 10, 2012 that the McCurdy may just find its way onto the tax sale the following August?

IS IT TRUE that it has now been 1,437 days since the announcement was made on May 14, 2007 that the McCurdy Hotel was to be refurbished into luxury apartments?…that it has now been 1,291 days since the Evansville Redevelopment Commission at the request of Mayor Weinzapfel approved the spending of $603,000 to purchase the parking lot?…that City Centre Properties and Scott Kosene the developers of the McCurdy project are both listed as contributors to the Weinzapfel for Mayor committee for 2010?

IS IT TRUE that David Coker wrote an excellent article in today’s Courier and Press making some of the same points that have been made in the City County Observer for a long time now?…that Mr. Coker is one of the best minds in Evansville for recreating visual memories of the beauties of the past with the written word?…that instead of a home for pigeons and bats or even an upscale apartment building that the McCurdy Hotel could be and should be a HISTORIC HOTEL like the Seelbach in Louisville or the Canterbury in Indianapolis?…that we encourage you all to read Mr. Coker’s editorial?…that we are pleased that other media outlets in Evansville are coming forward to call attention to the travesty that the McCurdy project has become?… that the following link is to Mr. Coker’s article?

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2011/apr/09/mccurdys-beauty-now-for-the-birds/

IS IT TRUE that there are now 572 days remaining in the two years that the EPA had given the City of Evansville to present an acceptable solution to the Combined Sewer Overflow problem?…..that this plan is an expensive and complex endeavor that needs immediate attention to avoid the embarrassment and expense of another round of fines?