IS IT TRUE? November 30, 2011

IS IT TRUE that in the midst of the break neck last minute ratification of spending resolution after spending resolution at Monday night’s meeting of the Evansville City Council that something progressive actually happened?…that the City of Evansville passed a resolution that ads sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of things that cannot be discriminated against?…that as the story goes this progressive move came to Evansville about 20 years after it should have but it came none-the-less?…that non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity was seen as good for business long ago in locations that developed creative clusters and needed educated and creative people to prosper?…that all we have been hearing for the last several years is that young educated professionals and the creative class are the key to economic development?…that the places attract such people do indeed seem to have better economic fortunes across all skill groups?…that “brain drain” has been and continues to be an albatross around the neck of Evansville for at least 5 decades?…that educated young professionals who are not in need of such protection from discrimination do not tolerate or often choose to live in places that discriminate and that this resolution will help in the attraction of such people?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer would like to thank and congratulate our City Council for adopting this non-discrimination resolution?…that it is this kind of thought and action that are needed to at least set the stage to not be seen by outsiders as Neanderthals?…that it is encouraging to see the same City Council that just two years ago rejected a stronger smoking ordinance to actually do something progressive?…that we didn’t think that our 8 – 1 Democrat majority even had the potential to pass something that is seen as progressive?…that it is widely expected that next year will be the year that a smoking ban will finally come to Evansville roughly 30 years after it was passed in leading edge cities?…that it is better late than never?…that as a smoking gay friend was told yesterday “the same progressive mindset that passes non-discrimination laws is the mind that will ban your addiction, you can’t have it both ways, congratulations and put those cigarettes away”?

IS IT TRUE that there are those among us who are trying to minimize the relevance of the recent study that examined the effectiveness of consolidated government that concluded that Louisville did not increase economic development or make government more efficient by consolidation?…that to minimize the conclusion of an actual study and to dismiss real studies from other places is as they say NONSENSE?…that the results from Louisville and the lessons learned from Louisville’s mistakes in consolidation are where the opportunities to do a better job here will be found?…that to stick ones head in the Vanderburgh County mud and fail to look 100 miles to the east for guidance is the very definition of NONSENSE?…that Louisville sold its consolidation plan to its citizens very much on the basis of efficiency of government and economic development?…that the Evansville supporters are using the exact same sales pitch?…that to do substantially the same thing the Louisville did and to expect different results in NONSENSE?…that if Evansville and Vanderburgh are to consolidate that it should be on the basis of real and tangible efficiencies and on real and tangible evidence that the SALES PITCH makes sense?…that to go forward with a “trust the government” sales pitch and minimal tangible reason is NONSENSE?…that failing to even acknowledge the results of others as relevant is the kind of NONSENSE that has lead Evansville down a path of shrinking population, dropping incomes, brain drain, litter, and lack of opportunities?…that thinking that doing the same things as we have been for 50 years with different lines drawn on a map is also NONSENSE?

IS IT TRUE that by taking progressive actions, crafting a consolidation plan that is significantly accretive to both the city and county from day one, and selling that plan on its merits as opposed to the theory of consolidation is INTELLIGENT?…that to avoid such intelligence is NONSENSE?