“IS IT TRUE” JANUARY 30, 2024 Working draft

IS IT TRUE that for many years the City-County Observer has addressed the gap in the value of buildings in downtown Evansville and the cost to refurbish or establish new office space?…the building that the CCO has treated as the poster child for never having a chance at being refurbished is the former Old National Bank building at 420 Main Street?…after many years of irrational hope for a white knight to come along and squander $25 million to bring the old building up to modern standards, the realization of value has finally happened?…that almost two years ago the ONB 420 building was demolished to make a place for a new but smaller development? …the lot that once housed the 420 Bank Building is currently vacant and unsightly and is being used for storage of City Of Evansville water and sewer construction materials? …that dreams die hard and delusions die harder?

IS IT TRUE that it has been rumored that a city-created downtown organization recently announced they are going to spearhead an effort to install multi-color track lighting underneath several highway overpasses welcoming people to Evansville?  … that is also rumored that this worthy community beautification project may now have to be aborted because the money for this project is needed (several hundred of thousands of dollars) to make expensive repairs on the elevators located at Invocation Point (home office of EREP)?  …that we hope that this is just a rumor and the beautification lighting project can proceed as planned?

IS IT TRUE that the citizens of Evansville hope that Mayor Stephanie Terry will figure out a creative way to pay down Evansville’s current one (1) billion dollars plus bond indebtedness?

IS IT TRUE that the taxpayers are hoping that Mayor Stephanie Terry will give them an honest financial assessment on how Evansville will pay the originally projected $400 million cost to build a new Sewer Treatment Plant on the banks of the mighty Ohio?

IS IT TRUE that a miracle just happened at the EVANSVILLE  WATER AND SEWER Board meeting today?  …that the CEO OF THE EVANSVILLE WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY announced that the new SEWER TREATMENT PLANT has been reduced to $265 million dollars?    …that the originally projected cost of building a new Sewer Treatment Plant on the banks of the mighty Ohio was $400 million dollars?

IS IT TRUE that we feel that the citizens of Evansville know that Mayor Stephanie Terry understands that she is employed by the taxpayers and not the other way around?

IS IT TRUE that we are told that many local taxpayers hope that Mayor Stephanie Terry will be involved in the future planning of the proposed EREP multi-million dollar riverfront project?

IS IT TRUE that for over 20 years the EPA has allowed the City of Evansville to pussyfoot around with the serious lead contamination issues in Jacobsville and also several other economic disadvantage areas of Evansville?…the real tragedy is that lead poisoning can be treated, but any damage caused by contaminated lead cannot be reversed?

IS IT TRUE that we have been told by several people in the know that the “TERRY FOR MAYOR” transition team has been selected and moving forward in an extremely cautious manner?

IS IT TRUE that we are glad to hear that the transition is moving forward cautiously because it is a well-known fact that Evansville has serious financial challenges and should that be addressed cautiously?

IS IT TRUE we’re hearing that there may be a little pushback concerning a FORENSIC AUDIT?

IS IT TRHE that we are told by several well-regarded business people that the rumor Evansville has over a Billion dollars in bonds indebtedness may be sport on? … that they are also concerned about how many hundreds of millions of dollars will it cost to finish the massive water and sewer project throughout Evansville and build the new multi-million dollar Sewer Treatment Plant and how we are going to get the money to pay for it?

IS IT TRUE that the City is also facing many millions of dollars worth of financial obligations regarding sidewalks and street repairs, upgrading of our city parks, City Department equipment upgrades, and finding an affordable employee Healthcare plan to name a few additional financial challenges for the incoming Mayor to address?

IS IT TRUE that local governments face structural challenges in their finances because their spending obligations often far outstrip their revenues?

IS IT TRUE that local governments are faced with a serious financial crisis due to the accumulation of long-term debts?

IS IT TRUE that as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, local governments across the country face the formidable task of committing resources to rising healthcare needs while maintaining services their communities expect, including schools, parks, and libraries?

IS IT TRUE that the only ways that local government can pay for its mounting debt is to make severe budget cuts, raise property taxes, or borrow money from local banks?

IS IT TRUE that when local governments struggle, states also pay a price because of lost jobs, reduced tax collections, and diminished services?

IS IT TRUE that during the last City Council meeting (the week after the city election) every current Council member went on public record to oppose the proposed Center Point Energy rate increase?  …that during the recent City election, not one current member of the Evansville Council publicly opposed the proposed Center Point Energy rate increase? …that this type of political posturing is what is commonly known as  “Political Vacillation”?

IS IT TRUE that members of our current City Council recently approved a 9 million dollar loan to update the Ford Center by using the naming rights of city streets as collateral to purchase “Lease/Rental Revenue Bonds” from a local bank?  …we wonder how many city streets have been sold and how much money has the City collected from the sale of the naming rights of our city streets?  … many people feel that the above method to get the money to finance a 9 million dollar loan to make renovations at the Ford Center using the naming of streets as collateral is not only questionable but downright embarrassing?