IS IT TRUE? October 2, 2011
IS IT TRUE that Arek Sarkissian of the Evansville Courier and Press has authored a well informed article that questions the quality of life in Evansville and actually departs from the typical cheerleading posture taken by local officials?…that his interviews with both long term and short term residents accentuates some of our most apparent problems like filthiness and being 20 years behind the civilized world with respect to public health laws?…that the only disenchanting part of this article are the last several paragraphs when one of the interviewees delves back into the empty cliché’s that have permeated our attraction brochures forever?
IS IT TRUE that parroting empty phrases like “Evansville’s a great place to raise kids†or “we have a great quality of life†are quite meaningless without the substance that should follow?…that what we really need answered is the question “if this is such a great place to raise kids, then why do they all leaveâ€?…that another good question would be “if the quality of life is so great then why do we live in filth and lead the nation in suicideâ€?…that when those kinds of questions and a hundred others that test the empty foundations on which the leaders of Evansville have built their delusions of quality, then and only then will Evansville really be in a position to move forward in a prosperous way?…that with reporters like Mr. Sarkissian exposing the flaws and tireless advocates of public beauty like our own Joan of Arc Ann Ennis leading the charge of a growing legion of people who are tired of the same old same old, we may just get to a better place after all?…that we want all of our readers to read Mr. Sarkissian’s article so here it is?
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2011/oct/01/how-is-our-quality-of-life/?comments_id=1029229
IS IT TRUE that Mayor Weinzapfel has invited that brilliant old curmudgeon Morton Marcus to come to Evansville for a personal tour of the downtown?…that our Mayor believes that if he escorts Mr. Marcus around and provides the right narrative that Mr. Marcus will certainly see Evansville in a better light than his article last week indicated?…that Mr. Marcus has been here many times with and without a “Tour Guide in Chief†to escort him?…that the only way for Mr. Marcus or anyone else to really get to know Evansville is do see it at the street level without a “Tour Guide in Chief†bending his ear every time he glances at an empty store front or trips over a soda cup?…that Mr. Marcus saw Evansville as it is and reported on it?…that visitors and unescorted site selectors will see what Mr. Marcus saw as part of their investigation process?…that it is a good thing that Mr. Marcus was not here in the winter or he may have busted his butt on un-shoveled downtown sidewalks and been even more critical?…that maybe if only in the 6 blocks known as downtown that our litter laws were enforced as well as our 2 hour parking rules are then Ms. Ennis would not be having bad experiences with litterbugs intentionally piling cigarette butts up next to KEB’s ash cans?…that being a “Tour Guide in Chief†for a day is no substitute for being an inspiration for public pride every day?
IS IT TRUE that both candidates for Mayor acknowledge that Evansville needs a bath?…that both have acknowledged the litter problem and that Mr. Winnecke has been not only vocal but has been leading teams of people into the street to actually pick the litter up?…that like the team of Parks Department personnel who have found that there are more slop hogs who litter than they can possibly pick up after, dirtying up Evansville, our next Mayor will be faced with a challenge much bigger than having volunteers cleaning up neighborhoods?…that the lifestyle of sloth is practiced and enjoyed by too many people to pick up after?…that the real answer is to crack the nut that instills civic pride in the slop hogs so that they change their ways?
IS IT TRUE that the rubble pile at 600 East Franklin Street is still there?…that it has been there for over a month now since the CCO exposed it and called for its removal?…that civic pride starts at the top and that the leaders responsible for getting this rubble cleaned up are not doing their job?…that there seems to be no accountability for filth even at the top of local government and thus the filth shall continue until there is?
There is also a surprising piece in today’s C&P by Morton Marcus. Surprising in the fact that in the past, although the situation Marcus describes now was the same then, you could not get Marcus to go anywhere near the subject in an article.
I am talking about corporate welfare. It is a constant in our society, but in these financially trying times people are more aware of the cost they pay to support corporations and markets that should be self-supporting, or suffer the fate of the marketplace.
In a move to avert having a large modern-looking building sitting empty adjacent to the new ONB complex, ONB was talked into purchasing it, but with no real need for the building, had to scramble to find a tenant. Enter another taxpayer supported entity (EVSC) to fill that space.
Mayor Weinzapfel also has an article in today’s C&P wherein he attempts to gather credit for himself and his administration of the downtown section of the city of Evansville.
The mayor should have pointed out, as Morton Marcus did in his article, just how much of that so called development was subsidized by taxpayer dollars. VIRTUALLY ALL OF IT!
Old National and Vectren both benefited from cheap land acquisition, utility upgrades, and real and personal property tax phase-ins and abatement.
Local taxpayers subsidized Kunkel’s condo developments downtown. Many of those condos are still waiting for buyers, and some that were purchased got under water on their property taxes to the city.
Innovation Pointe had a lot of tax dollars pumped into it via the Evansville Redevelopment Commission, there were problems with the building after it was occupied that cost even more money for remediation. The occupant list for IP seems to have its share of tenants with ties to city government.
Hilliard Lyons moved from one Main Street address to another with no increase in employees and received property tax phase-in and real property tax abatement for doing so.
In a move to avert having a large modern-looking building sitting empty adjacent to the new ONB complex, ONB was talked into purchasing it, but with no real need for the building, had to scramble to find a tenant. Enter another taxpayer supported entity (EVSC) to fill that space.
Stratman’s and the Peephole have been downtown for generations. The Main Gate Sports Bar, with its close proximity to the new arena, is a new addition. I believe city councilman Curt John has an ownership interest in the Main Gate.
We have lost our convention hotel downtown, and there is not a single publicly owned entertainment facility downtown that financially is self-supporting.
The main attraction downtown continues to be Casino Aztar and it seems to me that what we have is a local government that funnels significant amounts of tax dollars INTO downtown Evansville, while Casino Aztar funnels significant amounts of private dollars OUT OF Evansville and Indiana. That is sort of a double whammy for the taxpayers.
I somehow got my paragraphs out of order in the my first post. If the Editor would be so kind as to remove that first post I would greatly appreciate that.
Also would very much like to delete the third paragraph. It is repeated as the 10th para.
If you have a littering/trash problem the only true cure would come in the form of a culture change. You can send citizens out in droves to pick up litter however, it will not bear fruit in the long-term. Litter will pile faster than it can be collected. The citizens need to be informed about what there actions are doing to enviornment and the face of your city. I would propose an education and citation plan if your desire is to put lipstick on a pig.
Still out of pocket but just wanted to make a quick response. You are 100% correct on the littering. The rate of littering so greatly exceeds any well meaning litter posse’s ability to keep up with the cleaning. It is overwhelming. Keeping all of Evansville clean would be like trying to keep up with feeding and changing the diapers of a couple of hundred babies. Without the cultural change that you speak of there will be no success. I like you more every time you post.
no problem in starting a ‘cultural change’, but you would be appealing to the children of those who litter now, and their unborn children, unless you think you can change current habits of adults. One way to change the habits of adults, while you are waiting for cultural change, is to start fining people big time and generating some cash from the offenders to help solve the problem via awareness. Also, with all of the meth people we have in jail, let them enjoy the sunshine and help pick up the mess. If they were the ones doing the littering in the first place , maybe we have a 180 turnaround. Whether I’m right or wrong, get started now and adjust as you go. We don’t need a consultant on this one, just get started !
Could anyone post a list of candidates and the office they are running for?
I have said the same thing about the litter problem on many occasions and at many events. We have to find a way to make people want to change. People, (adults), can change but it will not be easy to get them do it. I love Evansville but there is a lot of room for improvement.
Education is the key. This obviously starts with parents and is passed on to their offspring. Education and citation fits the bill.
I agree Jack, you have hit the nail on the head.
Thank you for the compliment!
E.L.,
Teaching adults that littering is bad . . . meaning they don’t already get that . . . I wish you the best of luck. You will make a doozy of a City Councilman.
It has everything to do with teaching them that it’s “bad”. I would say that most don’t think anything about tossing a bottle or can out the window because it is nothing more than a way of life for them because they have never been taught better. It is muscle memory to alot of folks to roll down the window and toss.
That article, was a typical Evansville progressive litany…
It was a call to “smash” a mentality…
Which is where Evansville *really* goes wrong. We all talk about bipartisanship in politics nationally, but Evansville progressives are so power hungry, they can’t even listen to comments or concerns mentioning fairness, responsibility or sustainability. It’s ALL about the “draw here”, it’s never considered that some of those actions REPEL!
I agree a big culture change regarding littering is required. The speed of this culture change can be enhanced if those who litter are fully prosecuted to the extend the law allows and their name/address appear on the front page of C/P awarding them the ‘Litterbug of Day” recognition. Also when we see someone litter, each of us should have the courage to tell the litterbug we want to keep our city clean and pick up the trash and properly depose of it if they do not.
It is really funny all these people who made fun of Winnecke for advocating education to fight meth problem, now same mockers advocate education to fight litter. People who litter know it is wrong just like people who cook meth know it is wrong. Strong enforcement is best educator.
you Sir are correct ! If we could teach everyone that murder and rape were wrong, we wouldn’t need any prisons (just think of the savings !).
Think how much we can save by writing hundreds of tickets each month for littering. Word of strict enforcement spreads fast. Meanwhile less trash to pick up and more money into general fund.
Did your mother have any children that lived? Murder and rape are a far cry from littering.
Ha Ha, you don’t get the concept Jack. You can’t teach people that murder, rape, meth or littering are bad–they already know it ! Can’t wait until the first candidate calls a Town Hall meeting and invites ” all of those who litter” to go to their first class !
Let me call my Mother at the nursing home and asked her if any of her children lived, I’ll get right back to you.
No, you are correct in the tought that you can’t teach people that murder and rape are “bad”. However, littering is not a life altering event and therefore is minimized and in some minds is seens “OK” or just part of life, it truly becomes muscle memory. Explain your position to the people of San Diego, Miami, or D.C. where capitol crimes are rampant and litter is extinct.
WOW! Some of the comments on here allow me to visualize why Evansville is in the shape it’s in. PEOPLE JUST DON’T GET IT…….
I am starting to think that if I lived in Vandeburgh county I would run for the parks board or something and help you folks figure it out……
Mr. Editor / Wallace,
Where are you, please help these people……..
What do you suggest. My time right now is consumed earning a living and much of that involves travel. By the way, the parks board is an appointed position in Evansville. They serve at the pleasure of the Mayor of Evansville. You can’t run for such things here. I may actually be out for the week and only able to check in early, during breaks, and late. Please keep posting though. You may break through with your style.
I am surprised that it took this long for someone to pick up on the parks board post and could very well be a hint to my rant…………who are the members and what is the association of each within Evansville?
Evansville Parks Board: http://evansvillegov.org/Index.aspx?page=472
Here is a sneak peak at your admin. look up the lyrics under NOFX – the idiots have taken over
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlXoU3ASu0w
What I meant to say is this is an accurate account of my beliefs on the government as it currently stands. For those who wish to comment and call me unpatriotic, I am a vet who spent 6 yrs. in with 1 overseas so call it what you will.
The litter campaign only works for those of us that don’t litter. Yes, children should be taught at an early age that they shouldn’t pitch everything out of their car window. What works in society is the shunning of those that persist behaving in an inappropriate manner that is a detriment to our culture. Just saying, ‘Please don’t litter.’ doesn’t work. There must be societal repercussions; put the pressure on those that continue to trash our city. Peer pressure not only works with kids but with adults as well.
In the schools; make it uncool to litter. No kid wants to be thought of as uncool. On the streets and in the neighborhoods; flood them with billboards, print media, even public service announcements of the trashiness of littering our community.
As for the industrial and commercial trash; implement the law and stop pussy footing around with it. Enough.
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