We hope that today’s “IS IT TRUE” will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address in a rational and responsible way?

IS IT TRUE we been told that the City Of Evansville may be $1,700,000 behind in paying their medical insurance bills for their employees?

IS IT TRUE we been told that the Water And Sewer Utitilites Board may be considering renegotiating established bonds that have lower interest rates?  …they are now considering giving up the more favorable rates for higher interested rates?  …if this happens this is like the man who finally figures out that his income cannot support his current debt payment burden and goes out and refinances his mortgage giving up a 3% for a longer term mortgage which jacks to the rate to 5% extending his obligation from 20 years to 35 years?

IS IT TRUE we been told that the Evansville Water and Sewer Utility paid almost $700,00 to Vanderburgh County to build a new lift station on Creamery Road?

IS IT TRUE we been saying for a long time that the ratepayers of the Evansville Water and Sewer Utility should start paying special attention to the spending practices of this rogue governmental entity?

IS IT TRUE at the rate things are going you might be able to purchase a gallon of “Jack Daniel” whiskey cheaper than you can purchase a gallon of water from the Evansville Water and Sewer Utilities Department?

IS IT TRUE the Vanderburgh County Commissioners will hold a meeting with their appointees to various boards on Thursday, February 28, 2019, at 11:30 a.m. in the Blue and Gold Room of Old National Bank Headquarters located at 1 Main Street, Evansville, Indiana.  The public is welcome to attend?  …we commend County Commissioners Musgrave, Shoulders and Hatfield for thinking outside the box by seeking input from the people they appoint to serve on important boards in Vanderburgh County?

IS IT TRUE the Republicans controlled Legislature recently rejected a proposal authored by Representative Ryan Hatfield (D-Evansville) that would have funded a pedestrian bridge over U.S. Highway 41 in Evansville near Benjamin Bosse High School?  …Mr. Hatfield said that “Children in Evansville have to cross Highway 41 to get to school every day?  …that he also said: “Students should not have to risk their safety in order to attend school.”   “We have a pedestrian bridge for nearly every other high school in town and it is time we protect Bosse students too.”  …we feel this entire situation goes beyond reason?  …we urge our readers to contact your local State lawmakers to request them to sign on as sponsors of Mr. Hatfield’s pedestrian bridge for Bosse High School students proposal? …all the State official has to do to find the money for this project is to dip into their political pork barrel projects funds?

IS IT TRUE we been told that the mission and purpose of the Public Education Foundation are to fund projects and programs in our local public school system, specifically EVSC schools (both public and charter).”  …their mission is to inspire and cultivate innovative education for all students while realizing a vision that students will be educated, engaged, and ready to meet the challenges of the world.”  …the grant PEF dollars fund classroom projects within EVSC schools for its students and teachers and never provided a grant to the Evansville/ Vanderburgh Public Library for any purpose?”

IS IT TRUE that the future success of the Democratic Party of Vanderburgh County is in the hands of Party Chairman Scott Danks, Sheriff Dave Wedding, County Commissioners Ben Shoulders and Jeff Hatfield, and State Representative Ryan Hatfield?  …that this core group could actually resurrect their party?

IS IT TRUE  we have been told if the Vanderburgh County Democratic party fails to field a Mayoral candidate it will be the first time in the history of the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party that this has happened?

IS IT TRUE we have been told when local GOP party Chairman Wayne Parke took an At-Large City Council candidate to task for attending the 1st Ward Democratic candidate official filing event at the Civic Center it caused a split in the Vanderburgh County Republican party?

Todays“Readers Poll” question is: Should the Republican-controlled State Legislature approved a pedestrian bridge for Bosse High school students?

Please go to our link of our media partner Channel 44 News located in the upper right-hand corner of the City-County Observer so you can get the up-to-date news, weather, and sports.

If you would like to advertise on the CCO please contact us at City-County Observer@live.com

FOOTNOTE:  Any comments posted in this column do not represent the views or opinions of the City-County Observer or our advertisers.

By Erica Irish
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS—Although House Republicans have committed more than 50 percent of their two-year budget proposal to K-12 education, the state’s top education leader said its initiatives are off-base and not in the best interests of schools. 

Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick made her remarks before the Parent Council Network of Washington Township, the night before the Indiana House was scheduled to weigh in on the GOP’s $34 billion budget bill. 

The budget bill advanced in the House Thursday after almost every attempt by Democrats to amend the bill, House Bill 1001, was rejected by Republicans, who hold a supermajority in the chamber.

House Democrats proposed a series of amendments to the developing budget that covered everything from teacher pay to school security and a fully-funded pre-Kindergarten program.

In particular, the Democratic caucus asked the chamber to instead use the state general fund to guarantee a 5 percent salary increase for all public school teachers. But this, alongside their other spending proposals, failed. 

In the parents’ meeting, McCormick outlined several shortcomings in the budget proposal and accompanying bills that would affect how Indiana’s schools operate.

For example, McCormick cited a provision in the House budget that adopts Gov. Eric Holcomb’s proposal to use a one-time payment of $150 million from surplus funds to pay off school districts’ teacher pension liabilities. The hope is that, by removing these liabilities, districts will save more money and expand the number of dollars available to teachers.

McCormick said she wants to see a more aggressive and uniform approach to address teacher pay, noting that the money saved would vary from district to district. But she said she won’t oppose the state’s first attempt. 

“That would be pretty irresponsible on my part,” McCormick said. “We have said thank you for that. That’s one good first step, but it can’t be the only solution.”

McCormick also discussed a provision in a separate bill — House Bill 1003 — that would require schools to transfer no more than 15 percent of revenue contained in its education fund, which covers classroom instruction, to the district’s operations fund.

She said legislators refuse to address the discrepancies among school districts and are instead offering a blanket solution to the widespread problem of teacher pay.

“It just matters where you are,” McCormick said. “For the people who have the flexibility and can afford it, great. I’m just worried about the majority of people who don’t.”

But other proposals reviewed by the General Assembly also didn’t offer much of an improvement, largely because of a widespread lack of interest in data compiled by the department, she said.

For example, a proposal by Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, to kickstart an incentive program for teacher pay raises didn’t take into account all districts’ needs, McCormick said.

The proposal, introduced in an amendment to HB 1003 at a hearing in the House Education Committee, would have provided an additional $100 per enrolled student in school tuition support if a district commits to pay teachers a minimum salary of $40,000.

While McCormick called DeLaney “good partner of public education,” she said existing discrepancies across school districts — in which some teachers make as low as $30,000 a year — complicate a proposal to increaDelaney salaries up front. 

As the budget progresses, McCormick warned educators not to be overly optimistic and to instead look at the numbers behind the problems.

“They’re hearing rhetoric from the Statehouse saying this is what it’s going to be,” McCormick said. “But when you go into practice and implementation at that local level, I’m very concerned there won’t be that realization.”

The budget bill also secures an extra $286 million each year for the Department of Child Services, bringing its annual budget to more than $900 million, provides extra money to local jails, and expands funding for Medicaid.

HB 1001 goes to the full House on Monday for a vote before advancing to the Senate.

FOOTNOTE: Erica Irish is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.