IS IT TRUE March 28, 2014

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Mole #??
Mole #??

IS IT TRUE March 28, 2014

IS IT TRUE Mayor Winnecke’s reaction to the Gallup survey that placed Evansville in a four way tie for 180th out of 189 American metro areas with respect to well being is perplexing?…we wonder if the Mayor clearly understood that the data that produced this low ranking came from a survey of his constituents and not from some New York based travel consultant?…since the sample size of about 750 is statistically significant the results of the polling should be assumed to be an accurate representation about what greater Evansville thinks of itself relative to how the other 188 metro areas think of themselves?…one would think that any Mayor who digested this information would have the presence of mind to know that there is either a massive communication problem or that the results are accurate?…for a guy who ran on the premise of collaboration and inclusion to attack a poll that was taken from his own constituents just makes no sense at all?

IS IT TRUE on the bright side of the results of the well being study it must be realized that the results are subjective and relative to other metros?…a ranking of #180 out of 189 does not mean that Evansville is a rotten place to live, it simply means that the people who live here think less of this area than residents elsewhere think of their homes?…Evansville in our eyes with all of its legacy problems is still an okay place to live?…in most scientific metrics Evansville ranks at or near average in nearly every category?…of course these metrics do not ask questions about Billion dollar sewer problems, pot holes, shoddy houses, and dilapidated sidewalks?…these are the kind of things that make the people who actually live here think less of their hometown and poorly toward the legacy of politicians who fiddled while Evansville melted around them like a month old Halloween pumpkin on the porch of an abandoned house?

IS IT TRUE this Gallup survey is about the RIGHT NOW and not about projects on the perpetual drawing board like the downtown hotel, dog parks, ball fields, or even the IU Medical School?…for a Mayor to read about constituents who are unhealthy and diminish that by saying “we have a once a month free exercise class”, is just disconnected from the reality of today?…for that same Mayor to listen to a constituent that has minimal earnings and suggest a trip to the zoo is disconnected from the reality of today?…for a Mayor to hear of a recent college graduate that can’t find a job who is thinking of leaving town and respond with “we will be opening a new hotel downtown in 2 years” is disconnected from the reality of today?…we could go on all day but the reality of today is that Evansville’s Mayor, it’s City Council, and the good old boys who pull their strings need to step outside of the golden echo chambers that they live in and start solving the problems of today instead of pouting about accurate polls and pushing fun and games before everything?

IS IT TRUE the Securities and Exchange Commission has launched investigations into municipalities that may have misled investors about their financial condition?…LeeAnn Gaunt, chief of the municipal securities and public pensions unit at the SEC said Thursday that a review of past disclosures by financially stressed states and local governments has resulted in an unspecified number of investigations?…the unit is looking for instances where there is “tension between the disclosures and the subsequent announcements” of financial stress by municipal bond issuers, she told a National Association of Bond Lawyers conference in Boston Thursday?…this increased scrutiny on proper disclosure by cities that issue bonds to finance projects and operations should get the attention of every city council in the United States that is pondering bond issues to raise money to finance new projects?…accurate pro forma documents of the cash stream that is being pledged to pay off the bonds will become more and more accountable as these cash streams vaporize in the face of real day to day operations?…there are a couple of projects in Evansville that are underperforming substantially when compared to the projections used to get the projects approved and the first place?…some of the people may come to rue the day that they made those projections if the feds come knocking and ask the question “was this fraud or was this simply incompetence?”…we should be learning the results of the 2012 city audit and the responses from the city to any issued raised by the SBOA any day now because the time to respond has lapsed?

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47 COMMENTS

  1. You refer to the mayor’s constituents as those who were polled, so, we can assume the 750 were all citizens of Evansville and not the county or metro area?

    • The correct assumption is that the 750 all are from the Evansville metro area. That is why we use the term greater Evansville. If the sample was proportional the constituents of the Mayor should be in the 350 range. That does not diminish the accuracy of the results or the conclusions about how the citizens of greater Evansville think about their home.

      • Nice backpedal, but you did infer the entire 750 by writing of Winnecke’s constituents. And the citizens of Kentucky do not consider Evansville their home, nor do the citizens of Vanderburgh’s surrounding Indiana counties.

        And anyone with any experience with polling will tell you a 350 sample is inadequate unless the entire pool consists of only about 60000.

        • Here is a link to how Gallup selects a sample size. They sample 1,000 for the entire nation to have an accuracy of +/- 4%. They are a proven pollster and know what they are doing. Yes 350 is more than sufficient to accurately assess the city of Evansville if it is the right 350. Gallup has their selection criteria very well spelled out on their website.

          I think Gallup has enough experience to discredit your last sentence. My source is Gallup. Who among your circle of “anyone” cares to refute that?

          http://www.gallup.com/poll/101872/how-does-gallup-polling-work.aspx

  2. Does it surprise anyone that the Mayor just “doesn’t get it”? He is totally out of touch with reality.

  3. Polls like the current one about the effect of Earthcare on the IU Medical Center decision, you should just offer answers of only Yes, and No. There are two negative answers and only one positive. The negative votes are going to be split and the extra comments that ofter accompany an answer e.g. “That is ludicrous!” are often biased and leading. Ask a question and let the readers answer it without comment or bias. Leave that for IIT?

  4. I hope the SBOA guys don’t have to hand over any of their space in the Civic Center basement to SEC workers. You do realize that this disclosure likely sent Hizzoner scurrying back under his desk and into the thumb-sucking fetal position again, don’t you? That is, if he wasn’t already there, with the days of “reckoning” that are coming up shortly.
    I expect he’s pretty nervous already, considering the fact that Cheryl Musgrave has a Letter to the Editor in the Courier endorsing the Promenade as the best location for the IU Medical School. Seems there is discord among the GOP ranks. Then, there is the challenge of keeping rescinding the Earth Care loan off the City Council’s agenda, the deadline for the real paperwork for HCW’s financing to be delivered, and shortly thereafter, the announcement of the placement of the IU Medical School. Soon, we’ll be getting at the truth of the SBOA audit, although Mr. Mayor can share that onus with his predecessor.
    It’s enough to give a Mayor ulcers,hypertension, and insomnia.

    • I don’t care where the IU Medical Center is built as long as it’s in walking distance of Rajos. – per Jim Tomes

    • We’re not surprised by Cheryl Musgrave and the promenade endorsement. It would make more sense than downtown,what does surprise us about her is, in the state government she always seemed to find decent pathways acceptable forward for actually improving some state or city gateway activities. You know that first impression visual a person perceives upon arrival at any given gateway. Face it, The location there will become the regional gateway,if it isn’t already.

      EKB: Evansville and the whole metro ought to work that now,badly,before it becomes part of the rolling,clattering,and struggling first impression that seems to compound as one approaches the “event center” of the funk bomb around the civic center(Gulag building).

      As Innovationists we’ve continued to be amazed no one actually found the most useful and viable location for the Medical school complex per actual IU medical,student,state.and metro benefits. Unbelievable,if anyone in politics would’a found it we think Cheryl would have,however,shes pretty close with that call.

      “We shape our buildings therefore they shape us” (Winston Churchill)

      “I call architecture frozen music” (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)

      • I completely agree with Ms. Musgrave’s comments on the best placement for the campus. She did earn a lot of my respect by not marching in the Mayor’s lockstep parade.
        It is time for people to recognize that Evansville has moved, but it left a forwarding address. It now lives near the Vanderburgh-Warrick county lines.
        I suppose if downtown is not too environmentally scarred, it could become a Historic district with green space, high end housing, and entertainment between significant structures, surrounded by an industrial park. I truly don’t imagine that the “inner city” is going to come back as middle-income neighborhoods anytime soon, and the presence of middle class housing is what spurs retail-type development.

        • You’re right EKB,In every “tug “o” war” the teams pull against each other,the one with the right cadence usually will win. Anchormen who lead realize that,and keep their eye on the contests point of “affect.” “The flag at the middle of the rope.”
          A really good coach told me that once,its,
          effective.

          “A good hockey player plays where the puck IS,a great hockey player plays where the puck is going to BE” (Wayne Gretzky)

    • His plan is coming to fruition, it took two administrations to perfect it but it’s coming together.

      As squads of state auditors, Haney wannabes, various tea and carpetbaggers, prosecutors, hot dog vendors and municipal gawkers (with their attendant support staffs of concubines, steer men, toadies, body guards and PR people) descend on Evansville it will seem to revitalize downtown. A temporary spike in the innkeepers tax should be considered.

      That was his plan for downtown all along. Much better than seeing him go back into the Lycra for another exercise video to try to sell us as a physically if not financially healthy area.

  5. Conversation from Evansville:

    Citizen: damn my Vectren bill is $600, my water bill is $150 and heading higher and it smells bad.

    Mayor: Sounds like you need to go to the Zoo.

    Citizen: and I just blew a tire on my scooter in a pot hole.

    Mayor: were you heading to the museum? it’s nice

    Citizen: No I was heading to work where my hours were just cut to 29 per week so I am barely getting by. I can’t afford entertainment.

    Mayor: Just think how great it will be in two years when the new convention hotel opens. You can get a martini at the rooftop bar and burn it off next month at our free exercise class.

    Citizen: Are you on drugs? I’m moving. You really don’t get it dude.

    • Post of the day! +alotta++++! The newly “licensed scooters” will move faster than your metro does if it spits a little snow…though. 😛

      Love it or leave it right? Geez, Whats a fella to do?

      Hint. “Build for climate change”, solves lots of negatives across the nation,even evansville.

    • You did more to illustrate the messed up priorities of the Weinzapful-Winnecke alliance than a hundred other posts.

      Of course we have free entertainment here in Evansville free tickets to DII basketball where our citizen(s) can sit with the families of the players and coaches and 10 other people

    • True fact if you had bought 100 shares of vectren in December you would be up $468 dollars today.

  6. Evansville is like a trap. Moving is expensive, and it’s hard to save money to do it with astronomical utilities. Wages won’t improve because what industry would locate here over places with lower costs? The cheap labor and no regulation of pollution is a draw, but still all we have are RTW $8.00 / hr jobs available. Why would anyone like living here?

    • I’ve lived here all my life. The first 32 years in the city and 15 now in the county. I own a home, shop and dine here, go to events at the Ford Center, pay county taxes on my income that is well above the local average, and give a fair share of my time and money to local charities, But I’m one of those high-tech computer guys that doesn’t contribute squat. They don’t care if I stay or go. I do have the resources to pick up and leave. It’s getting harder and harder to come up with reasons to stay.

    • RTW is freedom of choice. I paid my union dues because I had to and the unions support democrat candidates. Unions are good if you’re a marginal worker and cause a lot of work related problems.

      • ” Unions are good if you’re a marginal worker and cause a lot of work related problems.”

        Not so much, but they do work very well for good workers who expect to be treated fairly, especially if those good workers are a part of a minority or just isn’t liked by “the boss.”

  7. I posted this on the C&P as well. I am guessing that many people commented on this prior to actually looking over the data but that is not too surprising. My conclusions based on the Trenton vs. Evansville rankings is that this survey is complete BS. I’m not saying we don’t have our share of problems but we should file a law suit against Gallup and see if we can get them to pay another 10 million like they had to in the past for their lies.

    This Gallup survey is interesting… Our area also includes part of Kentucky who is only saved from being the worst state in the survey by WV. This area is far from perfect but when I compare our ranking at 180 with Trenton, NJ coming in at a 131, I immediately smell something bad and its not just the Evansville sewer issue. I have been to Trenton and can assure you that most everyone there would trade places with a person in Evansville if they could. Comparing a few statistics…
    EVV Trenton
    Unemployment 7.8% 11.6%
    Crime Rate* 332.9 594.0
    Poverty Rate 19.2% 27.2%

    *National crime rate avg is 319.1

    Obesity rates are close with our adult population edging them by a few percent. However their low income pre-k childhood obesity rates beat us 20.1% to 12.8%.

    Has anyone else had the pleasure of experiencing Trenton? I suspect those persons complaining about how unsafe our downtown is never have.

  8. “Derp” Winnecke acts a college mascot, for a team who is 180th in a field of 189. … Derp mugs merrily, on the sidelines, in a smiling chipmunk suit enthusiastically waving a “WE’RE #180th” banner.

    What’s wrong with this picture?
    “Derp” is not the cheerleader of this team; he is the head coach.
    As the coach he should not be satisfied with continuing failure and ridicule. His charge is to assess the team and it’s strategies and make adjustments that will result in better performance. At this, he fails!

    BOOOOO! “Derp” … BOOOOOooo. …

    • You make a good analogy, bubba. He first needs to recognize that he’s really the coach, and then he’s going to have to wrap his head around the fact that he coaches the whole “team” (city), not just one player (downtown).

  9. The new scooter law is a farce.

    It does nothing to protect the general public. Insurance would have at least compensated someone who is damaged/injured by a careless scooter operator.

    But the new law does help the EPD when they are trying to find who owns a scooter of questionable heritage. That according to a spokesman for the EPD.

    How many times have you seen a scooter operator pulled over by the EPD? If you look at some of the operators, they look as if they are about 12 years of age and operating without a helmet.

    • The twelve year olds probably have better judgement about riding them than the ones who are adults and come out of tavern and liquor store parking lots. Earlier today, I saw one that I could have sworn was a trained bear. I had to look twice to realize it was a big guy with a bushy beard and interesting hair.
      I do wonder about parents who let kids out on those things without helmets, though. If they’re going to buy the darned scooter, surely they can spring for a helmet, too.

  10. “IS IT TRUE the Securities and Exchange Commission has launched investigations into municipalities that may have misled investors about their financial condition?…” (CCO)

    * * * * * * * * * * * *

    It makes no sense to investigate any municipality’s bond issue without also investigating the bond rating company. They either stand up, or go down, together.

    __

  11. Heard yesterday that Wayne Parke may be putting pressure on Republican candidates not to advertise in the CCO because of the article they posted about his favorite gal Marsha Abell.

  12. The only reason why certain GOP leaders want to hurt the CCO financially is to force them to close down. I get it, If the CCO closes down then the GOP puppet paper is the only act in town. Support the CCO in asking your friends and family members who owned businesses to advertise in the CCO.

    • If Marsha is using her power as a commissioner to pressure your advertisers to leave that will be big trouble for her. How many of your advertisers are doing business with the county? I know that Harrison guy is the County Attorney and I think the insurance company on your site is the insurance provider too. One would hope they have enough sense to keep their ads up with your high level of readership. Letting Marsha and Parke bully them for political purposes may well be illegal.

  14. Looks like some comments from postings may be spot on. We can confirm that we are experiencing some issues as alleged by posters.

    • One thing for sure editor, as the topics you present become more into the realm of actual solutions to some of the planets real and important issues the lens opens to follow that field of “vision”, as well. So.

      What is spot on in the evansville metro then becomes observed by some whom,with the properly applied resources can,and will actually work to solve the problems that we’ve determined are basically Global humans issues forward.
      Maybe some help with that metros local issues isn’t as distant as one might perceive.
      One fact that we’ve continuously observed is virtually every problem faced in that metro is shared around the world to some degree.
      This is pretty straight forward,its easily solved also. Number one issue globally is becoming mankind’s ability to adapt to a rapidly changing ecological presentation that challenges a communities resources to move forward with environmental life quality.
      Clean water,sea level raise,drought,food chains,and management of what carbon energy you haven’t converted to atmospheric gases yet.

      Increased planetary energy in atmospherically applied thermodynamics is applying conditional set ups for most of the disaster related reactions to be met forward,as well.So.

      The evansville metro needs economic growth,jobs,that needs to be applied evenly to the populations skill sets equally. You want viable growth with an cleaner environmental conditional met with less costing in basic regional utilities. The CSO planning per clean water act.
      You want to create jobs,good jobs,that can afford healthcare plans, You want to grow education to advance those conditionals forward.So again.
      You do have an opportunity for all of this,if somehow the whole issue is combined into a plan with viability per its methodology.

      The issue for the site for a Advanced IU medical studies campus if “applied correctly” in the right location,would actually incrementally solve every growth issue forward for your tristate,region,state all the counties every application including the “agricultural applications nationwide” with one system as observed,every issue, seen,all of them.
      Even your Cali,and southwest water problems,and do include the Ogahalla aquifer,as well

      http://www.agweb.com/article/distinct_geographical_pattern_in_texas_ogallala_aquifer_water_quality_NAA_University_News_Release/

      http://seekingalpha.com/article/2104763-general-electric-veolia-and-more-investments-for-a-thirsty-world

      Its time for Greater Evansville,Warrick,Posey,Kentucky,Indiana,the Whole of the Ohio river basin,the Mississippi drainage delta,and the entire Nation to pull their collective heads away from the crock O cronies politics,throw out the pan O pork regional biases and fix this now,look at it this way.So

      http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=all+alone+in+the+night+time+lapse&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=43CA1DFE69DE961FE92743CA1DFE69DE961FE

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