IS IT TRUE Part 2, August 21, 2012
IS IT TRUE that the taxpayers subsidized the Zoo at the tone of 3.4 million dollars in 2012?…that the head man over at the Evansville Zoo recently proposed to try something new to energize the Zoo’s cash flow and attendance?…this great idea is to have concerts at a newly fixed up Mesker Amphitheatre?…if this is a new idea then we are all teenagers here at the CCO since we have all seen concerts at Mesker since we were teenagers in the 60’s and 70’s?…Mesker is in the shape it is in because the City of Evansville Parks and Recreation Department does not maintain anything in an acceptable manner?…if the head zookeeper thinks this is a new idea then he must have had his head in the sand like and ostrich or an emu?
IS IT TRUE that in 2012 the past administration projection of incoming revenue for the Parks and Recreation was overstated by $2.1 million?
IS IT TRUE that the payment for the debt service bonds for Ford Center beginning in 2013 shall be about 8 million dollars a year? …that $6.5 million dollars to make the bond payment is slated come from the TIF fund? …that rest of the money to pay for the Ford Center bonds debt service shall come from Riverboat and Beverage and Food tax funds? …we hope that in the future our elected officials and administrators for Venue Works will stop trying to convince us that the Ford Center is making a profit for the taxpayers of Evansville before the bonds have to be paid? …henceforth, they should push the fact that events at the Ford Center bring guests to Evansville and they spend great deal money with our local business? …that the bottom line is that the taxpayers of this community should finally realize that the Ford Center will always have to be subsidized by local government and never profitable until someday in the far future when the bonds are paid off?…the portion of the TIF collections that were supposed to come from the taxes paid by the VAPOR HOTEL are going to be ZERO for at least 3 years?…those dollars slated by the Weinzapfel administration to cover part of the bond payments will now have to come from somewhere else?
IS IT TRUE that one of our “Moles” saw County Commissioner Joe Kiefer and County Councilman, Pete Swain having lunch with the owner of MRC-Computer Services …we are hearing that County Commissioners Marsha Abell and Joe Kiefer are backing away from the verbal comment they made to City Councilman, John Friend concerning the county helping the city to fund the IT assessment audit later this year?…these two desperados should be on the receiving end of a strong lecture on being truthful and on the virtues of keeping their word?…there is still time for these two to be honest?
IS IT TRUE that one of our “Moles” saw the Mayor and County Commissioner, Marsha Abell being wined, dined, and lobbied by members of an Indy consulting firm at the plush Cavanaugh’s restaurant in the Casino Aztar? …we wonder if our elected officials paid for food and drink they consumed at this expensive gathering or if they copied the example set by their fellow Democrats Missy Mosby and Jonathan Weaver down at the February City Council meeting that was held at the Maingate Bar after the regularly scheduled City Council meeting?
What a kick a– “Is It True”!
CCO you rock!
Looks like your “Mole” caught the Mayor and Abells hand in the cookie jar!
Wonder if this Indy Consulting firm has donated to the political war chest of both elected officials?
Why are you suprized about Marsha and Kiefer not keeping thier word.
They are well known for being two faced political sorts.
I’m a strong Republican and shall not vote for Joe Kiefer this coming November election. When Marsha Abell runs for re-election I shall not support her either.
Ditto here. Probably would not have voted for Abel last time, except for the fact that she was running against Tornatta the Tire Man.
“IS IT TRUE…that the bottom line is that the taxpayers of this community should finally realize that the Ford Center will always have to be subsidized by local government and never profitable until someday in the far future when the bonds are paid off?”
Yes, and by then some new mayor will be claiming that the paint is chipping and will be trying to tear it down and build something else. Buildings that are paid-for are not sexy enough.
Let’s find a Republican challenger for the next mayoral primary. If we can find someone who understands small government and seeks free market solutions to government-created problems, he or she will have my support.
Let’s find an independant to run who won’t owe his soul to the political cronies of either party who feed off the system and see no reason for change.
Unfortunately, an independent cannot win a city-wide or county-wide race under the present electorial system in Vanderburgh County. The numbers are against it.
When the polls open on any General Election day, you can already count on 9 to 12% of the vote to go to each party-affiliated candidate just due to the straight ticket vote. That means an independent candidate must draw his or her first 10% of the vote from the remaining approximately 80% “unaffiliated” voters just to draw up even with the two party candidates for the same position.
After that, an independent candidate better be damned well healed, and have saturated the media markets because it’ll be tooth and nail for his or her share of the remaining available “unaffiliated” votes. Now, considering that many voters actually are affiliated with a local party, but just don’t want to declare in the Primary for business or social reasons … well, you get the point.
But I guess it’s possible for an independent candidate with huge name recognition and personal appeal to plough through the process. I have to wonder why no one has tried and succeeded yet.
The reorganization committee had the opportunity to change all this with their plan. Make local elections non-partisan as they are for judges and school board. But the “unification” leaders immediately and summarily discarded the idea out of hand. Didn’t even discuss it publicly and ignored all public input on the idea.
Sad, considering there are more similarities than differences in social and civic philosophy at the local level between politicians in both parties. On top of that, the state constitution and statutes tell an office holder exactly what he or she must do to satisfy the elected positions.
Everyone should run as an Independent at the local level, in my opinion. But it’s just not practical if you want to win and serve.
I will support whomever shares my ideals, whatever their Party affiliation, but as a Republican, my sincere hope is to see my Party move in the direction of limited government and common sense and recruit candidates who will embody fiscal responsibility and foresight.
I’m sad to say some within my Party, such as our current Mayor, believe that spending $8-$10 million to tear down surplus structures rather than auctioning them off to private interests is a good idea. I couldn’t possibly disagree more with this approach.
Unless we have a true limited government alternative on the Republican ticket, I may be forced to throw my support elsewhere.
Amazing no money to pay for the necessities, but the local politicians can still fleece our citizens for their own personal gains (i.e. pay increases and benefits)!
Thanks CCO for sitting the record straight about the Venueworks spin on how much money they made the city this year.
I guess one word explains how much net profit this venture will produce for the Evansville taxpayers—-zero!
It would be a big win if the number was ZERO. Breaking even in the first year would be an admirable feat and they may until the payments on the notes come due. Afterwards it will be 30 years or so before the next break even year.
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