IS IT TRUE AUGUST 21, 2015

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IS IT TRUE that the  plans for the “Call To Assemble” movement  is gaining support among the populous ? …people are getting sick and tired of broken political promises from our elected and appointed City and County officials?  …the date set for the “CALL TO ASSEMBLE” is September 23, 2015? …during the next couple of days we shall provide you with more details about this historial political event?

IS IT TRUE 3rd Ward City Councilwoman Stephanie Brinkerhoff- Riley requested that City Controller Russ Lloyd  Jr provide a detailed accounting of the $30,0000 for 2013, 2014 and 2015 Chamber of Commerce “Voices” program through “Leadership Evansville”?  … the last time Director Lynn Miller Pease appeared before City Council was November of 2013? …the program initiated by Mayor Winnecke to gain insight into the community’s desires has returned exactly zero initiatives?  …Brinkerhoff-Riley specifically requested “an accounting of our funds and any reports available related to the agenda taken on (stated purpose) and any accomplishments related to the stated purpose by this initiative and Leadership Evansville?” … that interacting with Neighborhood Associations, which are subsidized by the Mayor’s Office for more than $30,000 annually, could have actually accomplished something and save the taxpayers $90,000?  … we hope City Council will look into the $35,000 plus funding of the newly appointed Chambers of Commerce “Promoter Of Downtown” business activities?

IS IT TRUE the City Clerk manages the City’s Parking Meter Department?  …the  City Clerks office monitors 600 parking spots and writes tickets when a car is parked illegally or in the same spot too long?  …under Alberta Matlock, the office ran a deficit of $70,000 annually? …under present City Clerk Laura Windhorst, that gap has jumped to $140,000 annually? …taxpayers citywide must shell out $140,000 so that downtown businesses can limit parking in the area?  …that parking should be free and first-come-first-serve at this rate or downtown businesses should pay for the service?  …Laura Windorst put out campaign materials stating that she would keep parking in Evansville free while her opponent suggested meters in certain locations to balance the books?  …Windhorst won her primary election and the taxpayers of Evansville are paying for her mistake? …most Evansville residents don’t go downtown unless they have to go to the Courthouse, and that parking is not monitored?

IS IT TRUE the capital budget of Evansville grows smaller every year, as the Mayor pushes operating expenses out of the General Budget, which is primarily funded by property taxes, and into being paid by Riverboat funds and collected income taxes? …traditionally, about half of income taxes paid operating expenses and the other half went to capital projects such as fire trucks, police cars and repairs to equipment and buildings? …the 2016 budget has about 80% of collected income taxes paying operating expenses? …the annual operating deficits at the Ford Center ($600,000) and Victory Theater ($700,000) will not be covered by income taxes, as well as the deficiency in the Parking Meter Department? …shifts such as these will take about $4 million out of capital funds in 2016?

IS IT TRUE the Riverboat funds are also be driven into operating expenses and away from capital projects? …about $5 million of the anticipated $16 million in collections will go to pay debts in the downtown TIF, including a bit less than half of the annual bond payment on the arena, which will be $3.8 of the $8.2 million payment? …Riverboat funds will take over paying for sidewalk end caps to be made ADA compliant and also the City’s sidewalk replacement program, which requires residents to pay a portion of the sidewalk they request to be replaced?

IS IT TRUE the Zoo is the biggest loser in the budget for 2016?  …it has been more eight years since a major investment has been made at the Zoo, and while the cost of maintaining the zoo goes up, the Zoo staff are struggling to keep visitor numbers constant? …the Zoo Director spoke to Council yesterday and said the zoo “is behind the 8 ball?” ….Finance Chairman Conor O’Daniel noted that investment in the Zoo with the penguin and African exhibits has been kicked down the road for the last four years? …the zoo representatives responded that the administration was going to have to decide whether they wanted to invest in the Zoo?  …the gap between revenue and expenditures is estimated to be negative more than $3 million this year and will grow next year? …the Zoo has the ability to be an economic driver in the area if investment is strategic? …the zoo is approaching the shape it was in financially before the City invested in Amazonia?  …all investments wear off in time, and the zoo is desperately in need of another, but the African exhibit requested has a price tag of $25 million?

Please take time and vote in today’s “Readers Poll”. Don’t miss reading today’s Feature articles because they are always an interesting read. Todays video features Mayoral Candidate Gail Riecken talking about mismanagement of our taxpayers money by the Winnecke Administration. Also we inserted a video of PETER, PAUL and MARY singing “TIMES ARE A CHANGING”.

Please scroll at the bottom of our paper so you can enjoy our creative political cartoons.

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23 COMMENTS

  1. The indictment is in,–Evansville’s Politico “Brain” Trust doesn’t know their ass from a HOLE (their digging for Evansville) IN THE GROUND..

    • Anyone on the City Council (the Purse holders) who will not admit that Evansville’s Finances are on shaky ground,–has their head in that same hole.

    • When are you guys going to catch on. According to the Indiana Code, the City Council serves as the Fiscal Agent of the City of Evansville. The City Council approves all expenditures. The Council is composed of nine members, six (6) of whom are elected from wards of the City and three members who are elected at large. There currently are eight (8) Democrats and (1) Republican on the Council. John Friend and Stephanie Brinkerhoff Riley have no one to blame except themselves. So CCO get off the Mayor’s back and get on the City Council if you have complaint.

      Fortunately we will at least four (4) new City Council members next year.

      Wayne Parke

      • Hey Wayne,

        You must have written this after your third bottle of wine. Please submitted the number of checks that bare the name of any council member. We want to know how much that council spent. In addition, please provide the citizens evidence of any council members written authorization to transfer fund, payment of claims, execution of DMD loans, purchase of over priced real estate by the DMD. Please provide the list of those council members who sit on the Public Works Committee and the Utility Board. We hope you have informed Russ that when he over drafts the General and Parks fund being the financial officer he is personally responsible. Your Boy is a financial moron. Stop being his junk yard DOG. Let him stand on his on two feet. Santa Lloyd Winnecke NEVER accepts responsible for any mistakes. His certainly is NOT Evansville’s messiah.

  2. This is not the first time the CCO has called out the parking enforcement group for losing money while pissing off downtown shoppers. The best solution is just to disband the meter reader brigade and send them home. The very concept of losing $140,000 a year by pissing off shoppers is utterly absurd.

    • Parking police are there to avoid chaos. They do indeed monitor the Civic Center as well as downtown parking places. Not doing so would do little to provide more spaces for “shoppers” as tenants of the lofts and business owners would park in the same spots for unlimited hours. They could tie up two spots by straddling lines, which they do anyway.

      Without monitor the Civic Center, emplyees would park in the front all day long, leaving no spaces for visitors, or they would park on 9th Street all day. The parking lot would be a nightmare with the way people would park.

      The Parking Meter Department was not created as a profit center but to maintain some semblance of order.

  3. An extensive listing of Winnecke’s accomplishments as mayor is being formulated. It will be released sometime. I know most of the items should be evident to the naked eye and not require much chest beating but the package being concocted will be easier for the people to understand. I’m not sure who will usher it into the media. They are running out of people whose credibility they haven’t used up. Ole Bob Warren just fired another sports parker, he’s been laying kinda low lately, sopping up that big salary. I wonder if they’re going to call his number on putting the Litany of Accomplishments out (‘kid, grab a mike’).

    Anybody hear if Kunkel closed on the McCurdy financing yesterday, as promised?

      • They need to convert that section 8 housing to “affordable housing” I learned the other day its much better. The difference: with affordable housing they charge the renter a reduced (subsidized) amount, the subsidy goes directly to the landlord; with section 8 they give the subsidy to the renter and he gives it to the land lord. I don’t understand the difference except the new term is easier to sell to the uninformed public and dose’t yet have the stigma.

          • I thought they got a voucher? Maybe the difference is the subsidy on “affordable” is paid to the developer upfront before construction with the promise of low rent to low income groups? What is the difference? I seem to have a hard time grasping this?

          • It’s called a “voucher” program but the payment goes directly to the owner. Affordable housing isn’t some specific other program but a general term used for any low income housing. It’s called a voucher because the tenant still seeks out their own housing, it’s just subsidized. This is opposed to projects where the funding is tied to the property itself. I didn’t know the McCurdy was being discussed as use for low income housing. I’d think even with exodus from this town there would still be people with some income interested in living with that view. They’d need to be realistically priced of course.

      • ONB might like the McCurdy as section 8 housing, There would be more people bathing in ONB fountain on Riverside Dr.

    • Bandy
      We didn’t hear about Kunkel getting financing.
      You can bet your butter & egg money – this means it didn’t happen.
      If it had, the administration would be doing their “Happy Dance” –
      down a barricaded Riverside Dr! …

  6. While on the subject of promises, Kunkle Groups multi-million dollar loan for the McCurdy renovation was supposed to close yesterday. (crickets chirping). Any news that the loan closed? (crickets chirping). Any action by the ERC? (crickets chirping). Also, are there any plans to repair and reopen Mesker Amphitheater? (crickets chirping)…..

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re72di5phM0

  7. I can’t help but wonder how far in the hole the zoo would be if not for the thousands of kids that are sent there every year by the EVSC.

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