IT IT TRUE SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

1. There is a disturbing downward trend in revenues for Evansville that has become disturbingly consistent during the Winnecke administration. Our “rainy day” fund is being depleted at an astonishing rate. Those are two simple, irrefutable facts that should alarm the citizens and disqualify Lloyd Winnecke from serving four more years on the third floor of the Civic Center.
   I was amused, but not in a good way, to hear Little Llord Lloyd whine that pointing out the truth about city finances is an attempt to “force him to do make unpopular things in an election year.” I think he’s really upset that his elite pals may not like him if he makes necessary adjustments to the City’s spending that will take away some of their high end toys. The average voter is aware that when times are lean, it takes courage and brains to make tough decisions, whatever the costs to “popularity”. We can’t afford to keep buying Lloyd and Carol friends!

   • The metrics published in today’s IIT are impressive. A lot of work went into that.
     Here are two others on Evansville from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development:
     1. Vanderburgh unemployment in 2014 was 5.5%.
     – By July of 2015 unemployment had dropped to 4.2%.
     2. The city of Evansville city unemployment in 2014 was 5.9%
     – By July of 2015 unemployment had dropped to 4.4%.

     • Good job with the numbers. Now let’s talk income from employment. Evansville is lower than the state and national averages. The overall income average of Evansville citizens is trending downward. Who cares that minimum wage jobs have replaced good paying jobs under Lloyd? Is that supposed to be a point in his favor?

       • ….What is the income you’re talking about? Have all of those jobs been minimum wage as you are saying? This conversation is more productive if you have metrics.
         (It is amazing too. The first thing I thought when I read your comment is “These are the exact same things the GOP starts saying when they complain Obama has failed on the economy.” And yet the Obama economy, according to the WSJ, is the strongest economy in the world right now – an inconvenient fact. Further, those same GOP people never want to acknowledge the last GOP Presidential administration destroyed the US economy as it finished its second term. They don’t want to talk about that. They are reduced to saying, “But, but, it should be better!!” The answers to the problems we face will not come from those that created them.

         • You might want to look at this:

           http://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2014/03/26/indianas-per-capita-income-ranks-th-among-states/6934411/

           38th out of 50, (57) if you are current President of the United States, is certainly nothing to brag about!

         • We’re talking about E’vlle, right? That article is about Indiana. I did read the article though…this caught my eye: “Income growth last year in Indiana was greatest in health care, professional services and manufacturing.” That is not consistent that this idea only minimum wage jobs are contributing to economic growth.

         • …just sayin’

         • US Census Quick Facts

           Per Capita money income

           Past 12 months (2013 dollars) 2009-2013

           * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

           Evansville……$20,984.

           —————————————More than Evansville———Less than

           South Bend……………………………………………………………………$19,181.

           Fort Wayne……………………………..$23,400.

           Indianapolis…………………………….$24,012

           New Albany…………………………….$21,183

           Bloomington…………………………………………………………………$18,987.

           Auburn………………………………….$23,963.

           Anderson……………………………………………………………………..$18,216.

           Columbus……………………………..$28,739.

           Carmel…………………………………$51,767.

           Crown Point………………………….$31,177.

           Kokomo………………………………..$22,006.

           Fishers………………………………….$38,577.

           Just sayin’

   • When Santa Lloyd arrived in room 302 now referred to as Santa’s Workshop, he inherited 397 million of total debt and 645k of lease payments . .this can all be verified on the Indiana Gateway website. As of the most recent reporting, December 31, 2014, our total debt is 514 million but add 20 for the hotel and 57 for the IU med a 50% increase in debts and now the lease obligations are 975k plus 75k or 1.1 million or 71% increase. He had 82 million in cash that belonged to the city and has as of December 31, 2014 only 59 million after three years of reckless and wild eyed spending. Oh, he will say we have 71 million like most of his lies, he will not tell you that 7.4 million was borrowed from ONB and the other 1.6 m is bond funds owing . .and finally remember the Bernie Maydoff accounting moves that Russ performed at the year end which after adjusting for reduces the cash balances to 57K or 31% reduction in cash after three year. WHERE IN THE HELL DID ALL THAT MONEY GO!!! it certainly was not in infrastructures. Roads are the worse they have every been. RIDICULOUS!!!!!!

2. Weaver is being overworked on the part time job. Could someone arrange for him to just come in and sigh and then leave. When I tried to speak and discuss an issue he clearly did not understand he acted like a jerk and even tried to keep others from speaking. If these guys don’t have time to listen to constituents at meetings we need to consider whether they have enough of their time to serve.

   • Well said, George. BTW, Weaver acting like a jerk is no act.

   • My Dear George,

     Please give ol Weaver a break. Why would you expect a person who majored in Meteorology to understand a damned thing about Financial matters or for that matter to connect simple dots. Maybe the reason why corporate America is bypassing us (The Real Jobs) is individuals like Mosby and Weaver or for that matter the council as a whole. Of course, when Winnie is out of money who in the hell would want to come to a city dead broke.

3. It seems foolish to waste time going after the benefits received by elected officials. This column spends most of its time wanting different elected officials and then complains about the pay and benefits that would otherwise create some of the incentives for new people to run. Maybe there should be no pay. Then you can pick between people who are over 70 or who don’t have to work for a living. Why not just narrow the field even further?

   But hey, let’s talk about bullshit instead of real issues related to the budget.

   • Well now. Kudos. Sometimes you gotta acknowledge accurate, good writing. Well said.

   • Really, spit it out here, what is a real issue you want to talk about. Speak up. Don’t just sit back and read the bull shit. If the current officials have time to serve for money – why would they not have time to serve for free?

     • Because our economy runs on money? Your logic that if one has time to work for money, they have time to work for free is illogical.

       I want to talk about the Is It True that I researched and wrote and that didn’t include the bullshit first paragraph that is nothing more than a distraction.

       The City is spending more for operations than it takes in. This has little impact on our Water and Sewer budget but will ultimately impact our capital budget.

       Additionally, the problem clearly has not been the expenditures approved but instead the revenue estimated. Revenue has gone down or is relatively flat. That is big issue given the 87% for labor costs and the inevitable growth in those costs even without wage increases.

       You need to get a grip George on this idea that you are only person who reads and writes. And you need to stop chasing rabbits. You’re biting around the edge of the real issues.

       • Really,
         Please do an analysis on why revenues are down. I thought the amount raised was mostly a factor of how much was estimated to be spent. I think budgets have been cut over the years while employees have been given raises so much that we now have employees with nothing to work with. An extreme for example only: We have two people who could write a letter but no money for paper and postage. What good is a crew to patch the road if they cant buy the mix. With the way bills are held and shifted into other accounting periods it looks like the city borrowed into the next month at year end a couple of times and they are now three months behind. This cash basis book keeping is like using an easy bake oven and dirt to cook up whatever you want to call it. With cash basis you just pay the bills you have money for and the rest are left for next year. Why wouldn’t the budget balance. The problem as you point out is we are getting deeper and deeper into debt and not providing services to the citizens. I think the mess is of elephant proportion and I plan to eat at it one bite at a time. We absolutely do not need to give the Brownfield $1.2 million or even $1 to waste on land banking. Let me get that bite down and I will then get back to you on the other.

   • If we must pay up in order to get effective city government, then I suggest the city change its charter to include a professional city manager, to include cash bonuses for exemplary performance in the job.

     • Absolutely, a good idea. County executive too.

4. I would think you’d want people on council who would have their own benefits from thei companies where they are employed. Or from their own business. This is not a job but rather service to the citizens of the city. A stipend would be in order instead of a paycheck and benefits. Like a board of directors in private sector.

   • Sophie,
     I agree with you. Most candidates would be successful employed to have those but I knew a Veterinarian on the school board once that said he would like to quit but couldn’t afford to loose the health insurance. He could have afforded to He just didn’t want to pick up the very large cost. Health care cost have been cut out for most part time workers. Considering that here is appropriate.

5. In this temp job society we have now, health insurance should not be tied to a job. It should follow a person wherever they go, job to job, state to state. In other words, it’s time for single-payer.

6. DISCLAIMER:POSTED BELOW ARE COMMENTS POSTED IN A CCO ARTICLE ENTITLED “CALL TO ASSEMBLE”. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH WHAT CCO POSTED. TOO BAD MR. COURES DIDN’T READ THIS ARTICLE BEFORE POSTING HIS ARROGARANT COMMENTS ON HIS FACEBOOK.

   Some feel that Its time to challenge the out of control nepotism and political patronage practices at the Civic Center.
   Many of our working poor are facing another day working at a minimum wage jobs without benefits. DMD have been purchasing vacant lots and dilapidated property on North Main way over assessed value. DMD also has given hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars for Facade Grants to political supporters of the Mayor?
   Crime is rampant in certain sections of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Wards seemly without a workable plans to attack this issue in a positive way. Why hasn’t the Million of Dollars DMD/ ER wasted on “PORK BARREL” projects DMD/ERC didn’t have any measurable results?

   Some people are tired of our elected officials and the DMD and ERC awarding legal, development, consulting and construction contracts to out of town individuals and firms?
   Some are feed up with practice of out of town firms that donate money to elected officials campaigns being awarded city contracts?
   Some people are still upset that a few members of City Council, Gage and DMD/ERC wasted $200,000 of our tax dollars on the Earthcare Energy project.
   Some are concerned that Mayor Winnecke continues to support deficit spending without regard to budgetary constraints?

   Some people are aware that Sewer and Water Systems are dilapidated and will cost the ratepayers many millions of dollars to repair.
   Some taxpayers wonder why City Employees Health Care Fund as of June 30, 2015 owes Medical providers about $4 million dollars. Do you think its’ appropriate that our part-time City Council members receive a $20,000 Cadillac Health Insurance benefit package paid by the taxpayers?
   Many taxpayers agree with the decision of the Mayor and City Council giving the Developer of the Downtown Hotel over $20 million dollars without having ZERO ownership?
   Taxpayers are concerned that the Mayor and City Council committed exactly $57 million dollars to the I U Medical School and the State only put $25 millions towards this project? Its important to point out that Evansville has ZERO ownership. in this project when it is finished.
   People are concerned that about 2,000 IVY Tech Medical Students have been left out of the Medical School project?

   I know that the taxpayers of this community are not aware that City-County Officials have discreetly increased our property tax assessment over the last several years which in turn have increased our property taxes?
   Kelley Coures you are a self serving pompous ass! My advice to you Learn Before You Criticize”!

7. Why stop at the City Council receiving health care benefits for part time work. Many (if not all) of the professional positions employed by the City in a part time capacity recieve the same health benefit that Council does. It would be interesting to know all of the positions that get this benefit and the total cost to taxpayers. This practice also applies to County Government and the School Board.

8. Well, Well . .thanks Missy for your help in pointing out that you and others on Gilligans Island (Council) desire the Lexus style of health care while attending 24 meetings per year lasting 2.5 hours. Wonder if any of, as you would say, Constituents have the Lexus plan for health in your 2nd Ward.

9. Just a thought run for council and win then you can have their health care………or get off your lazzy deadbeat ass and get a job………just sayin ………..

10. Clarksville tn. Need not beg and pay for a hotel to be built. Developers beg and pay the city. Now larger than Evansville.
    It also appears they are in the running for a real minor league baseball team, not fake frontier league.

11. Does anyone know if council members have PERF benefits?

12. Once again the city has shown that they prefer Animal Control to just sit in the corner and be still. A memo from on high was delivered to Animal Control stating that until further notice they will not pay any invoices unless its an emergency. There is still money allotted in the budget until the end of the year.
    What will happen next is that the City will say ‘Well they didn’t use the money that was in the budget so next year we’ll give them less’.

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