We hope that today’s “IS IT TRUEâ€Â 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 that the Supreme Court of the United States unanimously struck down excessive fines and forfeiture that have become a revenue source for state and local governments for a violation of the 8th amendment of the United States Constitution?…there was not one dissenting opinion among the 9 justices that excessive and capricious fines are an illegal violation of one’s constitutional rights and the previous verdict of an Indiana court was vacated?…this all started when a young man who had inherited a Range Rover worth a reported $42,000 had his vehicle forfeited because he was transporting heroin in it for sale?…the fine that he was subject to for his criminal act was a maximum of $10,000 so an appeal was made because the Range Rover forfeiture exceeded the maximum fine?…if this guy had been driving a Bentley worth $200,000 the Indiana court would have confiscated it or if he was on a bicycle worth $100 that would also be confiscated?…forfeiture laws have been unfair in their punishments and have enabled police departments, cities, and states to legally steal private property that was used in a crime?…in an extreme case in California a large farm on Malibu Canyon Drive was confiscated because there were a small number of marijuana plants growing on the land?…in that case the land was worth millions of dollars and the fine for growing pot illegally was not even $1,000?…we applaud the Supreme Court for putting an end to this usury and random collection of laws that essentially legalize theft and encourage using technicalities to target asset rich law breakers just to steal the stuff?…we do not condone selling heroin and hope to see a maximum sentence for the crime of possession with intent to sell?…it is not a crime to own vehicles and property and it is good that the abusive nature of many state laws has been struck down?
IS IT TRUE that the Ford Center will be hosting another set of old classic rockers that were frequently booked at Roberts Stadium?…this time it will be these two creatures of the night called Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson coming to town to keep the grey-haired headbangers entertained?…when Marilyn Manson wrote the song “The Beautiful People”, it was in the spirit of making fun of the fun and games martini crowd that he had absolutely no use for whatsoever?…it will be interesting to see if any of the beautiful people of Evansville buy a ticket to be made fun of when Marilyn brings that one brown eye and one blue eye to River City?
IS IT TRUE during his last year in office City Councilman John Friend, CPA sponsored a “separation of funds ordinance” in order to ensure that the City Controller would not manipulate general fund balances?  …upon the urging of the City Controller and the former City Council Finance Chairman, Dan McGinn the newly elected City Council voted to repeal of this ordinance?  ...that the money collected from all sources are now put into one fund account which makes it extremely hard to track on how much money is in each city account?  …all we can that it now looks like the City of Evansville is borrowing money from Peter to pay Paul?
IS IT TRUE that no one would have guessed back when a small branch college was opened on Evansville’s west side called ISUE, that the day would ever come that working there would become a gateway to wealth?…that 7 out of the top 10 highly paid individuals on public payrolls are administrators and deans at the University of Southern Indiana?…even more shocking is that the list of 111 public employees being paid over $100,000 is full of USI administrators and staff?…that 29 of the top 50 are working for USI?…it may really take such big paychecks to attract college level talent but the real question is how are the students who spend their tuition dollars at USI doing?…the graduation rate at USI has been abysmal for years and while some graduates are finding local success, its alledged that some who graduated with high GPAs are waiting tables and struggling to pay off student loans?…paying teachers we’ll is a great thing if their efforts are truly raising the value of the local workforce and positively impacting young lives?…the performance of USI needs to be scrutinized quite closely to see if these big salaries are worth it?
IS IT TRUE we are told the members of Evansville City Council should start monitoring the financial activities of the Evansville Water and Sewer Utilities Department?
IS IT TRUE that on December 31, 2019, the Indiana State Board of Accounts will be requiring that all cities must use the accrual method of accounting? Â …that Ft. Wayne, South Bend, and Indy have been using the accrual method of accounting for a number of years?
IS IT TRUE that in the past we have been a little critical of At-Large City Councilman Jonathon Weaver?  …we have been watching with interest how Mr. Weaver is handling the position of  Finance Chairmen of City Council?  …we must say we are pleased in the way he is conducting himself in this most important and powerful governmental position?
IS IT TRUE we wish that our locally elected officials, business leaders of this region, patriots and Veterans groups would feel similar about the Veterans Memorial Coliseum as they do the LST?  …its time that the citizens of this community demand that the Veterans Memorial Coliseum receive the same media attention and financial support as the LST does? …its time that the community brings back the “Veterans Memorial Coliseum”  to its original grandeur?  …we join VFW POST 1114  CCO poster in saying “God bless the United States of America and God bless our US Veterans”?
IS IT TRUEÂ it’s obvious that the current City Council could use the budgetary expertise of Curt John and John Friend-CPA?
IS IT TRUE that State Representatives Ryan Hatfield and Hollie Sullivan are doing a good job for people in their districts?
IS IT TRUE if the Evansville City Council would like to make some serious budget cuts they should look at putting City Employee Health Care fund “Consulting Services” out for bid during the 2019 budget year?  …we hear that the fee paid to the Employee Health Care fund “Consultants”  will surprise you?
IS IT TRUE that this year’s “COMMUNITY SERVICES AWARDS” luncheon will be held at Tropicana-Evansville Walnut rooms A and B. The registration begins at 11:30 am, the event officially starts at 12 noon sometime in October 2019?
Today’s “Readers Pollâ€Â question is: Do you feel its time for the City to focus on correcting the pothole problems?
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