IS IT TRUE? February 13, 2012
IS IT TRUE that when the numbers were added up there have been 160 houses in Vanderburgh County that have been condemned due to meth related explosions or reactions gone bad in the last two years?…that amounts to more than a house and a half per week?…that these are the ones that get caught due to starting a fire and there must be many more houses out there that have problems that are not reported or are snuffed out with fire extinguishers?…that there has been some minimization of the meth problem in SW Indiana recently in other media outlets?…that the CCO formally would like to be on record as stating that media outlets, politicians, civic organizations, and even business advocacy groups that try to minimize problems like meth lab explosions with hollow meaningless phrases like “it’s a great place to raise kids†or “great quality of life†are really a big part of the denial problem that exists with this most horrible situation?…that when people try to paint a pretty picture of meth problems that they really are reduced to being “PARROTS OF PROPAGANDA†and can actually do as much damage to the quality of life of an area as a meth maker can?…that those of you who repeat such idiocy (and you do know who you are) would be well served to stop being PROPAGANDA PARROTS post haste?
IS IT TRUE that we now have the President of the Evansville City Council Connie Robinson on record stating that “we can’t afford fire trucks and police cars†if Casino Aztar is not granted an exemption from the pending smoking ban?…that whichever side one is supporting on this resolution this has got to be one of the lamest excuses ever?…that in a mere 15 years that the City of Evansville has gone from seeing the revenue from riverboat taxes go from being a positive lifestyle enhancement tool to basic survival?…that riverboats were sold to voters as a way to help schools and now if we tweak them slightly politicians cower that they can’t fix fire trucks or make the payments on the Ford Center?
IS IT TRUE that whichever way this vote goes that it is clear from the public statements of many of the elected members of the Evansville City Council that Casino Aztar is Evansville’s Daddy and our leaders know it?…that there needs to be the municipal equivalent of the Betty Ford Clinic for cities that find themselves with a monkey on their back in need of rehabilitation?…that this situation was not caused by Casino Aztar, they are just a business, it was caused by politicians who did not have the knowledge or the will to manage the influx of tax money without putting themselves into a position of needing cash that was supposed to be for extras and not for day to day operations?
IS IT TRUE that we learned of a deal where a struggling golf course was bought and refurbished using roughly $35 Million sourced through the EB-5 program?…that the doubting Thomas’s on the Evansville City Council should take note and study such things that are becoming routine elsewhere?…that EB-5 may be the most viable way to finance a new downtown Convention Hotel and the refurbishment of the McCurdy both of which are making as much noise as a cemetery?…that rejecting viable financing options in a city that is now cowering in fear over spare parts budgets for municipal vehicles is bordering on being the fodder of a Saturday Night Live skit?
IS IT TRUE that whatever the outcome of tonight’s vote that tomorrow the sun will rise over the Ohio River and there will sit the City of Evansville with its future before it?…that one thing for sure is that radical changes of many types are needed to get us out of the leadership positions in meth labs, suicide, and obesity?…that thus far the politics of the local government class of 2012 in whole do not appear up to the task?
Being an ex-smoker (and we are the worst), I wholeheartedly support the city wide smoking ban, but believe Casino Aztar should be exempt. Aztar is an outstanding corporate citizen, has fulfilled all of their promises (and more) and continue to pump much needed revenue into the city’s coffers.
Pete, don’t you mean “coughers” instead of “coffers” ?
Pete, you miss the point entirely. Why should the city be put in the position to NEED what should be extra money to do the niceties? This shows how bad the budget process has been the last 10-15 years at least here in Evansville.
This should be a wake-up call to everyone, not just say “Okay, we saved our butts this time by not including Aztar in the smoking ban” and then go blindly back to business as usual.
What about the small bars that now have to compete with the giant? And do you really believe that any of the statistics given about Aztar losses were not stretched and padded? Aztar is a business model that sells hope and addiction. They know how to sell a case to the city council and the public.
You seen like a nice guy. I am sorry you smoke.
I think Pete started his message by saying he’s an EX-smoker, not a current smoker.
Evansville and Vanderburgh County budgets need Aztar’s boarding pass revenue because our property tax base is frozen by state legislation, while local residents continue to want a higher level of services than could be delivered without the Aztar’s boarding pass revenue. Also, inflation continues while tax revenues decline, which puts further strain on municipal budgets.
BTW, I too am an ex-smoker, do not patronize Aztar, and am only concerned about the exemption issue with regard to its impact on the level of boarding pass revenue.
I’m not quite clear what you mean by property taxes are “frozen.” The way I understand it, they are simply capped, and that many properties in V.C. do not reach that cap (but, I am subject to being wrong). Furthermore, it was just the tax rates which were capped, and not the assessment rates, which have the possibility to rise. Now, who would be brave enough lately to sign off on allowing these loopholes to be exploited is beyond me.
residential property taxes are capped at 1% of the assessed value of the property. In todays property market many homes are declining in value and many savvy owners are successfully contesting their assessments, which has the effect of lowering the tax money available for the city to use.
Okay, I’ll redirect my answer into a question: Would you rather Aztar’s boarding revenues continue to cover for a portion of municipal budgets, or would you rather property tax increases take up the slack when boarding revenues fall or disappear?
Soon, property taxes are capped and cannot be arbitrarily raised unless property values rise. The only place the city can really raise taxes is to increase the local option income taxes, another burden on the working middle class. BTW I am against the smoking ban in bars, I think that the owner of the establishmment should decide how he wants to run it.
Re: the Casino having been “sold” on the premise of helping Schools:
1) Perhaps City Councilpersons should do some “due diligence” on whether Aztar has lived up to its 1985 commitments to helping schools before granting the requested smoking exemption to the Casino tonight ?;
2) Perhaps the CCO should call Aztar and ask them for an accounting of all monies paid by Aztar directly to schools or paid by Aztar to the City ‘earmarked’ for use by schools since 1985? ; and
3) Perhaps the investigative reporter for CCO should go down to the Civic Center and make FOIA requests on these matters . . . no wait, this won’t work. We don’t even have City Council meeting minutes from 6 years ago to determine if the racing pigeons were grandfathered in to the “coop ordinance” (or was that a “coup” ordinance ?).
Casino Aztar came to Evansville in 1995 – not 1985. If I am not mistaken, all contributions to the City were public and part of the agreement between the Casino and City.
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