IS IT TRUE that the total City of Evansville budget for 2014 was presented to the City Council at $305,502,127 up from $262,362,605 in 2013, a mere 16% increase over the previous year?… that the revenue projection for 2014 is $306,331,668, up from $266,965,417, only a 15% increase?… this may seem insignificant, but, it amounts to a decline in cash balances of approximately 4 million dollars?… but, not so fast since Tropicana Management informed Mayor Winnecke three months ago that the gaming tax revenue would be $800,000 less in 2013 and would follow the same trend in 2014?… that the boat management informed our Finance Chairman Friend that the projected 9% increase in the boat revenue could actually be 9% less, a mere $2.3 million dollar reduction?
IS IT TRUE that the Indiana State Government officials informed City Controller Russ Lloyd, Jr. that the local Income tax revenue (COIT) would be approximately $14,890,000 for 2014, an increase of $2.6 Million over 2013 and the remarkable thing is the Winnecke Administrations believes them?…the word of the state is sufficient to believe even if the general economic conditions do not necessarily give merit to the projections is good enough for Mayor Winnecke, but the Hunden Study numbers seem to be like kryptonite to the Mayor?
IS IT TRUE the Motor Vehicle Highway revenue is stated at $4,062,000 for 2014, up from $3,215,000 over 2013, an increase of $847,000 and again, they believe them?…the property tax caps will reduce the revenue stream by $9 million while in 2013, the reduction was 4.5 million?… instead of a mere projected surplus of $830,000, the City actually will have a deficit of $9.4 million?…that our cash and investments as of June 30, 2013 are $55,446,000 and the Winnecke Administration is projecting the cash and investments as of June 30, 2014 to be $46,133,000, a reduction of $9.3 million dollars, or 17% decline and this assumes that the revenue as projected, will occur?
IS IT TRUE, that the total capital improvement plan for 2014 is $25,872,000, while for 2013 the plan is $22,764,000, a mere 3.1 million increase, or 14%…But wait a minute, IS IT TRUE that the 2015 capital improvement plan is $63,309,000, yes, you heard it, $63.3 million dollars, an increase of $37.4 million dollars over 2014?… that includes in the 2014 budget, $1.5 million for the infrastructure cost for Robert’s Park?… that during the budget hearings, Steve Schaefer, Chief of Staff announced that Ed Hafer and Associates will be doing the design and layout of the Park?… that Mr. Hafer is the President of the Evansville Regional Business Committee and President of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission, spear-heading the Hotel project? …we wonder if Mr. Hafer is receiving any compensation from his former business associates at Hafer & Associates?… that the capital improvement plan has an additional $2 million for Robert’s Park for 2015 and 2016, respectively?
IS IT TRUE that Mesker Zoo costs the taxpayers of Evansville $3.7 million annually?…that in 2015, the Winnecke Administration is planning to spend $24.7 million dollars on Mesker Zoo, mainly for one exhibit?…the Winnecke Administration eliminated the City Council consulting fee (David Garrett) as to prevent the Council’s ability to oversight their actions?
IS IT TRUE, the Utility Department’s budget has sixteen additional employees costing the ratepayers approximately $1.2 million in which one employee allegedly falls into the category of political patronage.
Unbelievable. Councilman Friend, I sure hope you’re reading all of this. Please do the right thing and kill all funding for Roberts Park. Surely you can see that this is not only a complete waste of money, but a long drawn out multi-million dollar waste of money as well. Not to mention, it is the byproduct of lies and dishonesty.
I agree. Plant 30 to 50 trees and be done with it.
This and prior administrations have not maintained the existing parks. Why would any one expect the dot of P&R to improve if they are given additional responsibility?
Unreal. The Mayor wants us to give the proposed downtown hotel developer $37 million of dollars to build this complex. After reading this IIT it seems like we should be cutting the proposed budgets and stop the out of control spending of our tax dollars.
Budgets going up significantly. Services going up significantly. Population going down. Income going down. Sounds a lot like Detroit Syndrome.
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“We The People”,—are on the Foxe’s menu,– plain and simple.
This gang would make Bernie Madoff proud!
Local governments keep whining about property tax caps. Aren’t those who are complaining aware that those caps are the General Assembly and the voters’ way of telling governments that they are spending too much?
If the Winnecke Administration was not concerned about Cash Balance declines, then, why, during the Mayor’s presentation to Council, I noticed that the amount of down payment on the hotel went from the original amount of $11.5 million to 750,000. The difference included in an increase in the borrowed portion.
Makes me want to move to Gibson or Posey Counties. And get a new job there, too, so I don’t have to pay that coit tax. They’re wasting the money I work hard to earn.
I hear you. I live across the street from Posey County. If the consolidation would have passed, I was set to put a for sale sign in my yard and move at minimum to the other side of the street. I grew up in the city and I love the West side, but I will never live in the city limits again.
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