IS IT TRUE? August 17, 2011
IS IT TRUE that the future of the Front Door Pride program was the topic of interest at the meet the candidates event in the historic district last night?…that this program has used money that was originally meant to be used as a business loan fund to build houses for about $200,000 and sell them for $100,000?…that of the first 14 houses built that 6 are still sitting empty with no buyer?…that the prevailing value of housing where these expensive homes are being built is less than $50,000?…that the area where these houses have been built is the second highest crime area in the City of Evansville checking in with a rating of 9 meaning that 91% of the census tracts in America are safer?…that the target market for these homes has been young educated professionals of child bearing age?…that the neighborhood schools are among the lowest performers in the entire State of Indiana?…that a mixture of high crime, poor schools, low but declining real estate values, and of course the smells from Bee Slough when the Combined Sewer Overflow is happening does not make an attractive package at any price?
IS IT TRUE that the Front Door Pride houses themselves are quite attractive and would easily sell for between $150,000 and $200,000 in any suburban Evansville neighborhood to the East, North, or West?…that this hodge podge approach to placing nice new homes randomly around a neighborhood that is dominated by abandoned shotgun houses, dilapidated homes, empty lots, drug dealers, and prostitutes is an ill conceived scheme and is unsustainable?…that in the free market of residential real estate that this program has already failed?…that it has failed for the same reason that if some quixotic investor built the world’s tallest building in downtown Evansville that it would fail too?…that some things are just too expensive for some neighborhoods and this is one of them?…that we hope that both of the candidates for Mayor will just stop further building of Front Door Pride houses in its tracks?
IS IT TRUE that fixing up the old shotgun houses is even more costly than tearing down and building new?…that the most cost effective solution is to tear down the old shotgun houses and build nothing?…that the population of Evansville is still in decline and that with nearly 10,000 abandoned and/or dilapidated homes there is no need for construction of residential units at this time?…that to build more homes or apartments adds to the oversupply and actually inhibits the investment of private dollars to do improvements on perfectly viable homes?…that the City of Evansville in recent years seems to have forgotten that Economics 101 lesson about “supply and demandâ€?…that residential housing in the FDP area has very limited demand?…that in spite of that our elected officials continue to invest our tax dollars in additional supply with a guaranteed 50% loss built into the price?…that one definition of INSANITY is to keep doing the same thing and expecting different results?…that by this definition that the Weinzapfel administration’s Front Door Pride program truly is INSANE?…that it is time to STOP THE INSANITY?
IS IT TRUE that demand will only increase when people actually want to live in Evansville?…that the real thing to watch for will be increasing population and elimination of abandoned homes with either the bulldozer or private dollars?…that another indicator is when someone can actually get a conventional loan on a FDP house for 80% of the cost to build it?…that will not happen until Evansville is a net job creator?…that what we really want to see from the candidates is how they will create an atmosphere to bend the wealth creation to the positive?
IS IT TRUE that Republican candidate Lloyd Winnecke actually has published a very comprehensive concept of a “jobs†plan?…that what we are eager to see from Mr. Winnecke is the details about HOW and WHO will be enlisted to execute his plan?…that we are still awaiting a plan from Democratic candidate Rick Davis but are just as eager to see what his plan is?…that if Evansville is to ever start to claw its way back UP the prosperity curve that it will be good jobs that make this happen?…that programs like Front Door Pride, Vision 1505 ($240k apartments), and other residential construction projects in a declining population is not the answer that we need?
Is it true that when asked last night by Historic District homeowners whether he would hire a municipal manager, Rick Davis answered “yes” he would? Is it true that municipal managers are professionals with specialized education and experience that demands annual salaries well over $100,000 and well over what the Mayor of Evansville already is paid to manage our city?
Is it true that there is no provisions in the corporate structure or budget, and no available funds to pay a municipal manager? Is it true that the director of DMD already manages and is paid a great deal of money for the development of the Historic District as well as the redevelopment of the urban area?
Is it true that Rick Davis also told the Historic District homeowners that he would rather continue dumping money into abandoned and condemned housing rather than demolishing that housing stock and building anew? Is it true that one resident of the fine arts community in the Hayne’s Corner area had to be the one to point out to Davis that it is substantially less costly per square foot to demolish the housing and build anew?
Is it true that Rick Davis did not study the issues and carefully prepare to present rational and conservative answers to questions sure to be subject of discussion by the group he and Lloyd Winnecke visited with last night? That essentially, once again, Rick Davis showed he is not up to the job of Mayor of Evansville, and Lloyd Winnecke is?
Is it true that this is the second time Rick Davis showed that he would be willing and ready to spend money, hire more bureaucrats, and therefore raise taxes to subsidize his obvious shortcomings to do the job he’s running for – Mayor of Evansville?
Is it true that when asked the same question whether to hire a city manager, Lloyd Winnecke answered “That’s why you are going to the polls in November to vote for one of us (to manage the city)?”
Is it true that Winnecke also promised to find the most technically qualified department heads? Is it true that Winnecke’s answers show far more thoughtful, conservative approach, and practical knowledge of the administrative responsibilities of the office of mayor? That Winnecke’s election to mayor, his administrative skills, and his conservative approach will raise the professional level of municipal management, raise the quality of municipal services without busting the budget and raising taxes to pay for additional and unnecessary employees and layers of bureaucracy?
I dont understand – so what is LW going to do? “That’s why you are going to the polls…” isn’t a plan.
I dont support what you wrote about RD’s thoughts on the subject, I just dont see a counter-plan in what you wrote about LW’s response.
I for one would have a professional city manager than Rick Davis as mayor. I think someone who is trained in meeting goals, budgets, dealing with businesses and knows how to work with people would make a great deal of sense to hire for our great city. Oh wait, we have a similar option: Vote for Lloyd Winnecke. Nuff said.
I do not see anything wrong with either one of the candidates hiring a city manager. It is a wise man who knows his own limits.
I would expect that the if you had the right man in the position as city manager you could expect to save many multiples of that $100K salary per year.
There would be an added benefit that it could just free up the mayor to focus like a laser on bringing jobs to Evansville.
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Or in the case of Davis, focus like a laser on which higher office to seek, or which street politics to prosecute against his latest enemy, while campaigning on the city’s nickel.
Do you have any idea what the current regime is paying Mr. Kish?
Isn’t it about $300,000 per year? How is that for setting priorities?
We are willing to pay $300,000 per year for a construction manager to orchestrate building a temple to sport but balk at paying even $80,000 to department heads.
Friends we are getting what we have paid for. That would be a beautiful temple to sports in a crumbling city.
Apples to oranges.
I think the Mayor should mow the cemetary grounds too! Why hire somebody to do it? The mayor has nothing better to do.
He/she should do the snow plowing and shoveling in the winter too.
Steve, I hear that Rick Davis, if he is fortunate enough to be our next mayor, has someone in mind to mow cemetery grounds, and already has informed Chris Cooke to start packing. Nice of him to give Chris such an early warning isn’t it?
Isn’t it a little like some guy running for Dog Catcher and saying he would be open to hiring another guy to actually go out and find dogs?
Not a good analogy. Running the 3rd largest city in the state is slightly more complicated than your average animal control officer’s job.
Well,remember the Animal Control Officer who got the job of getting the alligators off the guy who got the job of draining the swamp?
Bet HE wished he’d run for mayor!
It think it is a great analogy. Mayor of Evansville is a full time job that pays about $100,000 annual salary. If it were a part time, political figurehead job, then yes, hiring a full time city manager might make financial sense.
However, over the past few decades, Evansville has elected (hired) professionals as their full time mayor. Why now should we hire a mayor, pay him a full time salary, and then double the cost by hiring a full time city manager to fulfill the same responsibilites we hired the mayor to fulfill? That’s just dumb.
Or maybe Davis has plans that would require a high dollar consultant to run things while he’s out somewhere furthering his political career.
We piss away $100.K on the sale of one (1) front door pride home. From a financial standpoint, a competent city manger would be well worth the money, IMHO.
Isn’t the FDP program subsidized by federal grant money? From a financial standpoint, do you have any humble opinion of how we can finance a competent city manager?
Kish’s contract in January 2009 called for $ 195/hr, not to exceed 1,500 hours per year ($ 292,500 annually). In March 2011, Kish gave an accounting to City Council stating that he had been paid $ 725,000 to date. This is for the Arena only. No idea what he is paid for the Hotel work.
Disgusting
Veracity, your desparation is showing.
Thanks for the professional diagnosis, Steve. I’ll be happy to compare my political success to yours any day, my friend.
I’m sure you would, just as soon as come out from behind that ID.
I will be happy to do that in due time. Meanwhile, why don’t you just continue what appears to be your campaign to become Rick’s City Controller. But keep in mind it might end up being strike three in your political ball game.
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