We hope that today’s “IS IT TRUEâ€Â will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address in a rational and responsible way?
IS IT TRUE on Monday Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke presented proposed his 2019 city budget? Â …his proposed budget has been increased by 15 percent over last years? …his proposed 2019 budget is over $395 million and the city plans to collect around $402 million in revenue from various taxes? …its reported by City officials that utility fees and property taxes are the largest revenue sources for the city to draw their working capital from?
IS IT TRUEÂ it’s time that the taxpayers and members of the City Council force an open and honest dialogue with City Controller Russ Lloyd, Jr., CPA concerning the current financial status of the Evansville Thunderbolts? Â … that members of City Council are the stewards of the public trust and should start acting like it?…if members of City Council don’t question the current financial status of the Evansville Thunderbolts then they can expect this will be a re-election issue in 2019?
IS IT TRUEÂ by 2021 many miles of water and sewer pipes will be replaced and its estimated that the City of Evansville water rates may be increased by 118%? …it’s also estimated that the new pipes alone could cause a major increase in the rates for the next 3 years? …we should also be prepared for this to happen many more times as the sewer and water pipe replacement program comes to its conclusion?…while the CCO is supportive of and an advocate for these updates, we hope that some of the people who live in Evansville won’t be ruined out of town by the costs associated with this much need public works project?
IS IT TRUE over the years we have made numerous reference that the Evansville Water and Sewer Utilities Board was also used as a funding source to help the City of Evansville in their occasional financial cash flow problems?  … it’s safe to say that over the last several years the Evansville Water and Sewer Utilities Board give the City of Evansville many millions of dollars in cash advances to help the city with cash shortfalls? …we must remind our city officials that the Evansville Water and Sewer Utilities Department isn’t a bank?
IS IT TRUEÂ that the recent revelation that Evansville City Controller Russ Lloyd Jr., CPA hasn’t paid the $369,000 in Victory Theater bills for 2017 has really got the attention of many people? Â …he has taken $369,000 from the 2018 city budget to pay for the operating expenses of the Victory Theater for 2017? Â …we wonder how City Controller Lloyd is going to find the money to pay for the Victory Theater bills for 2018? …we hope that members of the Evansville City Council will force this subject to be discussed in an open budget meeting?
IS IT TRUE after Mondays evening City Council budget meeting City Council Missy Mosby made the following post on her Facebook account?  …Ms. Mosby posted “The City administration has always provided City Council with the prior year’s actual expenses, the current year’s budget, the current year to date, and the following year’s proposed “This year, for 2019 Budget Hearings, the administration mysteriously chose not to include year to date information in the budget books. Instead, the Deputy Mayor suggested we consult a separate book with a different organization and numbering.”  “He even sarcastically offered to turn the pages for us”. “The Taxpayers deserve more professionalism from its City employees.”  ….all we can say about Ms. Mosby post was that it hit the mark?
IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Regional Airport has been short three (3) Airport Safety Officers for almost 2 years now? Â ..there are 5 board members on the Airport Board, 3 appointed by the Mayor and 2 by the Vanderburgh County Commission? …the Airport gets $2 million in Vanderburgh County tax dollars? Â …we have been told the Vanderburgh County Council has given Airport employees raises 4 of the last 5 years? Â …it’s been reported that the Airport Manager salary over the last 5 years went from $100K to $121K? Â …if this statement is correct the Airport Manager now makes more than the Mayor of Evansville?
IS IT TRUE that the Safety Officers at Evansville Regional Airport has eight (8) different functions? …the functions are: 1) Fire Response. 2) Medical Responders: all officers are medically certified and AMR. 3) Security Responders: they patrol the airport terminal and rest of the 1400 acres of ground on foot and by a patrol car. Â 4) Dispatchers: The dispatch office must be manned 24/7. 5) Weather Spotters and Monitors- they call in snow removal and weather crews during bad weather. 6) Wildlife: they remove flocks of birds and mammals such as coyotes that could crash a plane. 7) Maintenance- there is no maintenance personnel after hours so they do all kinds of functions to keep the airport operating. 8) Customer Service: they assist customer 24/7 with any needs they might have.
IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Regional Airport has experienced several multi-million dollar expansion projects over the last several years?  …there has been some extensive expansion of the flight terminal and the runways and also an increase in new flight destinations to other cities during the last several years?  … it’s obvious that the expansion of the Evansville Regional Airport has increased the responsibilities of the Safety Officers at Evansville Regional Airport?  …we wonder why the Evansville Regional Airport Board of Directors decided to cut three (3 ) Safety Officers from their employment during a time of extensive growth?  …maybe its time for our city and county officials have a serious conversation with the airport board members about this issue?
Todays “Readers Poll†question Is: Are you planning to attend President Trump political rally at the Ford Center?
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