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 the search for a new CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana has ended with the hiring of what looks like a person who may be overqualified for the Evansville market that she can do this job with her hands tied behind her back?…Tara Barney whose last position was running the entire regional economic development entity for the Quad Cities is coming to Evansville?…in her last job Ms. Barney commanded a budget of over $6 million and all of the tasks handled in this market by the Chamber, GAGE, and the Coalition combined?…she was also in a market that is double the size of greater Evansville?…Barney will be the 3rd CEO in less than 5 years not counting interim CEO decisions?…we do wish her the best, but in the past, the ” good old boy” network of Evansville has mishandled high performers and are fully capable of neutralizing this accomplished person too?  …we hope not?

IS IT TRUE the “Payday Lending” bill that recently passed the Indiana House of Representatives is projected to increases the interest rates by leaps and bounds on some of our most vulnerable residents who borrow short term loans?  …that all four (4) Republican local State Representatives voted “Yes” for this “Payday Loan” bill? ..State Representative Ryan Hatfield (D) voted “no” on this bill and we appreciate him looking out for the intents of the less fortunate of his District?

IS IT TRUE the “Payday Loan Legislation” was co-authored by State Representative Wendy McNamara (R)? …we remember when Ms. McNamara first ran for public office she promised to be a “fiscal watchdog” for the citizens of her District? …since Ms. McNamara was a co-sponsor of this Legislation” we must point out that she wasn’t being a good “fiscal watchdog” for the taxpayers of her District?

IS IT TRUE the St. Ben’s fundraising event called “An Evening At Mardi Gras” was held last week at the downtown DoubleTree ballroom.?  …this event is the primary fundraising vehicle for the PTO for the Parochial parish and school?  …this year’s event sold 360 tickets for the silent and live auction, dinner & dance and netted a little over $100,000 to help fund the needs of the nearly 400 Parochial students?  …the co-chairpersons of this event were Kate Miller and Ashley Hammer, Melanie McMinn and they put on one heck of a fundraiser?  …the City-County Observer gives five (5) cheers to the co-chairpersons of this most worthy community event?

IS IT TRUE this year’s West Franklin Street Mardi Gras parade was a huge success mainly because of the hard work and leadership of Amy Word-Smith? ..we hope that the work ethic and leadership skills she displayed working on the West Franklin Street Mardi Gras parade is an indication of what type of a City Council member she will be?

IS IT TRUE the Trolley Evansville Districts (TED) has officially arrived in Evansville? …..that Amy Word-Smith, Andrea Sinnett (FSEA), Abby Elpers (GAGE) and the many donors that helped make TED a reality and should be congratulated?  …we are still perplexed why didn’t Bob Warren and the CVB Board Of Directors support this project?  … the CVB now have a couple of new and well-qualified board members? …we expect that the new CVB Board of Directors will decide to support this much-needed tourism and destination project? …we feel that the past CVB Board Of Directors would have been better served if they would have invested in “TED” instead of spending $1,200 on a roasted pig luncheon?

IS IT TRUE are hearing that CVB wants to invest more money in Goebel Sports Complex? …before they do they need to fix the existing problems with storm drainage issues connected with the field? …this is just another multi-million dollar capital project that was done in a shoddy manner just like the ball fields scoreboard nonsense at this Sports Complex?

IS IT TRUE that enough states have legalized marijuana by now to begin to see the early effects of doing so?…the State of Colorado has several years of legal recreational use under their belt and much to the surprise of many, the streets are not filled with pot heads?…what has happened is that the price of the products have been falling like an internet stock in Y2K?…top grade cannabis that once sold for $10,000 per pound has dropped to the $2,000 per pound level and every empty warehouse in Denver has been converted into a grow facility?…this is good for the people that own the warehouses but not so good for the people who grow the buds or the cities and states who were budgeting to collect sales taxes on the $10,000 per pound product?…legalization hasn’t stopped smuggling and black market distribution channels either?…with sales taxes as high as 15% in some areas, there is an incentive for customers to go to the black market for dope?…municipalities in Colorado, Washington, and California which will be legal for all over 21 since January 1, 2018 are more enthusiastic about taxing the wakey tobacky than local politicians who borrowed money to build temples for fun and games?

IS IT TRUE that the reality is that marijuana will be legal across the country soon and all of the farmers who have been struggling to make ends meet with corn, soybeans, almonds, peppers, and alfalfa will be ready to convert to growing dope?…that will drive the price down further as it always has with agricultural commodities?…someday soon we will see the morning farm report with beans, corn, pork bellies, and dope all streaming across the TV screen?…the ones who are poised to make significant money from dope are real estate owners, water control technologists, wavelength optimized LED lighting designers, packaging suppliers, and specialized sellers of fertilizer?…those who are expecting a sustainable profitable harvest from dope alone or the taxes from it will be as disappointed as a bride abandoned at the altar?

Todays “Readers Poll” question is: Do you feel that State Representatives McNamara,  Bacon, Washburne, and Sullivan were correct in voting “yes” on the “Pay Day Predatory Loan” bill?

Please take time and read our articles entitled “STATEHOUSE Files, CHANNEL 44 NEWS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, READERS POLL, BIRTHDAYS, HOT JOBS” and “LOCAL SPORTS”.  You now are able to subscribe to get the CCO daily.

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