IS IT TRUE? August 10, 2011
IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer experienced a record of comments posted regarding any particular article yesterday?…that our two articles regarding the loans receivable accounts as reported by the City of Evansville in the 2007, 2008, & 2009 audits drew lots of questions and comments?…that the biggest objection to any particular loan made by the City of Evansville using public funds was a loan that was made back in 1982 to Citizens Bank?…that our readers found it to be very questionable that a 2% loan was made by the city to a bank in a year in which interest rates were well over 10%?…that it was even more objectionable that the City of Evansville has been serving as the bank’s bank for nearly 30 years and that the balance is still over half of the original principle?…that it is things like this where one giant business is given a financial advantage by the redistribution of public dollars that give city loan funds a bad name?
IS IT TRUE that if the successor to Citizens Bank which we believe is now Fifth Third Bank of Michigan would pay back the 29 year old loan in full that the $1.4 Million balance should be available for making loans to small businesses?…that if the only thing that the paid back money would be used for would be to build 6 more Front Door Pride homes that lose $100,000 per transaction that we would prefer that the loan is not paid back until the next administration is seated next January?…that making such a large loan to a BANK did not keep a corporate headquarters in Evansville and served pretty much as a Front Door Pride for Banks type of program?
IS IT TRUE that the issue of taxable income received due to getting low or no interest loans was raised?…that the IRS does have a rule that makes below market interest taxable as income?…that in an economic reality where the interest rate is 7% that a business that is granted a 3% loan should be declaring that 4% discount as income for taxation purposes?…that it is even preferred that the loan servicer should provide them with an IRS Form 1099 to document such earnings?…that we hope and trust that the City of Evansville and its below market rate loan recipients are aware and in compliance with these IRS rules?
IS IT TRUE that the changing nature of the City of Evansville’s loan portfolio has the City County Observer quite interested to get a look at the 2010 audit which should be available online in about 2 weeks?…that when this is available that we will post a link to the 2010 audit?…that we are also considering making another FOIA request to learn exactly what the present state of the loan programs are and what the receivables that the new administration will inherit?…that we hope that any remaining loan funds will not be raided for capital projects that are unrelated to for-profit small businesses during the final days of the Weinzapfel Administration?
What Admirable Leadership this Town has had for years, and un-appreciated until now, as the chickens are looking for a place to roost,
Looks like the Democrats have a Large Closet Ossuary that would suffice.
Can anyone explain why the City of Evansville’s own 2009 audit shows the City is subsidizing Kunkle Group with a $310,000 0% interest “loan” with no annual payments? Can anyone explain why Mayoral candidates Mr. Davis and Mr. Winnecke are silent on these issues? Do they have a gentleman’s agreement that neither will actively run for office by commenting on any of the City’s many current financial debacles?
3 questions. 1)no 2)no 3)That’s as good a theory as any for Mr. Davis’s self-induced political coma.
Let the record show that the Prime Rate on 2/8/1982 was 16.50 % and on 11/22/1982 it was 11.50 %. Good thing the Citizens loan wasn’t made in 1981: Prime was 20.5 % at several points during that year.
Editor,
RE: Our Mayor’s civic cash incineration program, aka FDP
If you have some advanced information on what our two mayoral candidates will do, differently, please share.
I’m not the editor, but I know what the two mayoral candidates would do differently if elected.
The truth is Mr. Davis would continue to concentrate on getting even with people he’s blacklisted for political revenge, mostly for imagined offenses.
Mr. Winnecke would spend most of his time carefully considering and resolving the critical issues facing Evansville, and reaching out across political lines to pull in the needed resources and available opportunities to build a better Evansville.
This could just as well describe Weinzapfel, too, “carefully considering and resolving the critical issues facing Evansville, and reaching out across political lines to pull in the needed resources and available opportunities to build a better Evansville”, right?
Nobody gives a damn about the fundamental question – at what cost – will you make Evansville “better”?
I take it you mean, they’ll both be happy to continue to incinerate our cash in return for bragging about building a few homes for certain lucky recipients…
The truth is Winnecke has a long record of conservative stewardship of public funds while still accomplishing major infrastructure and administrative improvements in county government. This is my pick for Mayor.
The truth is Davis has secured the endorsement of certain special interests, one of which is headed by Rick’s pick for department head who reportedly was seen circling the Centre yesterday flipping the bird at Winnecke volunteers who were handing out materials to parents with school kids attending the EVSC welcome back to school event. This is your pick for Mayor?
More to your point, the truth is that Rick has promised his bird flipping choice for department head that he will raise taxes to protect a particular special interest from already anticipated departmental budget cuts.
Will Mr. Winnecke try to take the Homestead Tax Credit from our citizens again?
I find this hard to believe. When Davis came out with his Parks Plan, he asked for feedback, but made a point to ask that it be done without trashing his opponent (Mr. Winnecke). If what you say was done, I doubt it came via instructions from Davis to do so. This is a hotly contested election, so I’m sure supporters on both sides get a little over-zealous at times, but this shouldn’t necessarily reflect on either candidate personally.
But it does reflect directly on the candidate when it is he who sends his minions out to destroy incumbants who Rick targets for personal reasons.
You seem to be either a supporter or Rick insider. So if you don’t already know, why not just ask Rick why he took out after Troy when Troy’s only sin was displaying Steve Millay’s yard sign and offering Rick equal space for his yard signs. Ask Rick why he took out after Dave Mosby when Rick spotted a Steve Millay yard sign at a westside radiator shot that Dave no longer even owned. Ask Rick why he took out after BJ Watts simply for being Dave Mosby’s son-in-law. Ask Rick why he recruited an opponent against Missy Mosby for having a last name that Rick considers a red flag.
Ask Rick to tell you the story about going into the mayor’s office on October 1, 2010, and telling Weinzapfel he was running against him because Weinzapfel had recruited Steve Millay to run for county treasurer. (Ask the editor of this online magazine who really recruited Mr. Millay.)
Ask Rick why he tried to recruit Fred C. to run against Connie Robinson for who knows what bizarre reason, and now disrespects Connie by falsely claiming she is running for reelection only to bilk the city out of health insurance, when she already has equal coverage by her husband’s employment.
Ask Rick why when all the other candidates were offered a preview walk-thru of the new arena, Rick responded by saying he didn’t need to see the damned place. Ask him why he disregards the work of all those skilled craftsmen and engineers who designed and built the Arena. Ask him if now that the Arena is a fact of life, why he would not support and promote it as a resource.
Ask Rick why he’s strutting around town all puffed up with turkey breasted pride claiming he is 18 pts. ahead in the mayor’s race, and that everyone better get used to him being mayor because it’s a given. Ask him if he knows that the same week he conducted the unreliable robo poll (that even called residents outside the city limits) that a direct contact poll by his opponent showed the opposite results.
Then ask yourself is this the kind of person you want for Mayor of Evansville? Someone whose focus is on political revenge rather than building Evansville?
A Framework for Ethical Decision Making
Recognize an Ethical Issue
1. Could this decision or situation be damaging to someone or to some group? Does this decision involve a choice between a good and bad alternative, or perhaps between two “goods” or between two “bads”?
2. Is this issue about more than what is legal or what is most efficient? If so, how?
Get the Facts
3. What are the relevant facts of the case? What facts are not known? Can I learn more about the situation? Do I know enough to make a decision?
4. What individuals and groups have an important stake in the outcome? Are some concerns more important? Why?
5. What are the options for acting? Have all the relevant persons and groups been consulted? Have I identified creative options?
Evaluate Alternative Actions
6. Evaluate the options by asking the following questions:
* Which option will produce the most good and do the least harm? (The Utilitarian Approach)
* Which option best respects the rights of all who have a stake? (The Rights Approach)
* Which option treats people equally or proportionately? (The Justice Approach)
* Which option best serves the community
as a whole, not just some members?
(The Common Good Approach)
* Which option leads me to act as the sort of person I want to be? (The Virtue Approach)
Make a Decision and Test It
7. Considering all these approaches, which option best addresses the situation?
8. If I told someone I respect-or told a television audience-which option I have chosen, what would they say?
Act and Reflect on the Outcome
9. How can my decision be implemented with the greatest care and attention to the concerns of all stakeholders?
10. How did my decision turn out and what have I learned from this specific situation?
This framework for thinking ethically is the product of dialogue and debate at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. Primary contributors include Manuel Velasquez, Dennis Moberg, Michael J. Meyer, Thomas Shanks, Margaret R. McLean, David DeCosse, Claire André, and Kirk O. Hanson. It was last revised in May 2009.
I find fault with Mr Winnicke’s bid for Mayor and speak to it , as well as his closeness to the shady character that occupies the Mayor’s office. But your BITTER comments about Mr. Davis reveal, that you sir, are a sick puppy, or is that puppet.
My comment was direct to Mr “teapartyfriend” and other associates of the puppetmaster.
@crashlarue: Sir, you may resort to name calling if you wish. It’s a free country. But it speaks volumes that neither you nor any other Rick Davis surrogate has been able to deny or refute a single thing I’ve said.
You find fault with Winnecke? How so? I don’t know the man but he seems well educated, well spoken and capable of representing our city to potential employers, government leaders and the public in general. I want someone who puts our best face to the world not someone who is always spoiling for a fight and who never lets a moment go by with out mentioning every his litany of slights and grievances with every political figure hes ever met. I also don’t want a mayor who will promise to raise my taxes. My taxes are high enough Crash, arent yours?
Well Tom, you do realize YOUR Homestead exemption is $45,000
don’t you, Evansville would have been the ONLY part of the State to scuttle it. Since Mr Winnecke chose to keep his mouth shut, —logic says he was giving tacit approval of Weinzapfel’s plan. If he liked the idea then, what makes you think he’s changed his spots?
Taxes?- I cannot put my trust in Mr. Winnecke,-actions speak louder than a slick empty sales pitch!
PS He also stuck it to the county voters on the consolidation threshold,–I’ll let them tell you about it.
Good Luck to Mr. Davis.
Winnecke has acknowledged his mistake, and promised not to repeat it. To err is human. You should show some humanity and take him at his word. But when’s the last time you heard Rick admit a mistake or a misstep? He just keeps marching chest puffed out, nose raised high, blindly toward the ledge.
Yeah, and I used to tell my momma and daddy the same thing, “I won’t do it again, I promise!”
I don’t think that “promise” is going to save Mr. Winnicke from a whipping this November.
does not anyone else question campaigning at a back to school function?
Oh, I don’t know, Henry. I heard from a friend that your boy Rick wears his Pick Rick emblazoned polo shirts to wedding receptions. How tacky is that?
This has to be our C&P friend and regime cheerleader Della posting under yet another name from her neighbors unprotected wireless network.
Why is his record suddenly irrevelent? Political expediency perhaps?
Wake up and take off the rose colored glasses!
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