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 congratulate Vanderburgh County Commissioner and Banker Ben Shoulders for being elected as the new President of the Boys and Girls Club of Evansville at the Annual Board of Directors meeting last night?

IS IT TRUE we also congratulate Mayor Winnecke for receiving the Boys and Girls Club “2018 MAN OF THE YEAR” award?

IS IT TRUE that questions have been raised about the reasons that the water bills in Vanderburgh County have increased dramatically during 2018?…as has been known for years a couple of big projects are underway in very early attempts to address the consent decree that the EPA is enforcing against the City of Evansville and these projects are what is driving the price increases?…these projects and thus the price increases are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to having accelerated price increases for water and sewer in Evansville?…the taxpayers, renters, and homeowners of this region can plan on increases like this every year for roughly the next 20 years by which time the average bill will be between $300 and $500 per month?

IS IT TRUE Evansville has delayed fixing a problem that has been known about for nearly 30 years and has been under an EPA mandate for over a decade?…during that decade, the leadership of Evansville has borrowed to build the Ford Center, to subsidize the Doubletree Hotel, to build some gold plated ball fields, to put a bike path in a an disadvantaged area to  reverse the economic direction of North Main Street, subsidized a medical school, gotten space age water meters that are attached to archaic water pipes, new multi million dollars Rhino and Penguin exhibits at the Zoo and a host of other fun and games types of projects?…the projects have done little to impact the economy but they did put the taxpayers at nearly $500 million worth of bonded debt?…when municipalities have borrowed all that they can possibly borrow with the general fund revenue, ALL NEW BORROWING MUST HAVE NEW REVENUE TO SERVICE THE DEBT?…this is why all of the Billion dollars that will ultimately be spent to comply with the EPA mandate will have to be paid for with increases in the water and sewer fees?…it did not have to be that way if responsible fiscal policy had been followed?

IS IT TRUE that Andrew Smith tried to warn the people of Evansville when he ran for City Council in 2007 on a “Sewers B4 Stadium” platform?…Mr. Smith was right then and he still is?…Smith’s voice was drowned out by the arena supporters who allied themselves with former Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel and his scheme to build the Ford Center without a referendum?…these allies of course commissioned a crony consultant to do a study that told them what they wanted to hear about the forecasted resounding financial successes of the Ford Center?…alas the projections turned out to be a false as possible and the Ford Center is now a $9 million drain on the general fund each budget year?…this money and other boondoggle projects that the Weinzapfel Administration originated COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE?…it is a pity that it wasn’t because now the Evansville Sewer and Water System improvements that are mandated by the EPA are 100% pay to play?

IS IT TRUE when the President of IVY TECH, Dr. Sue Ellsperman visited the Southwest campus in Evansville last year she indicated that she understands that the public misunderstanding about community colleges still exists, and she wants to change it? …its obvious that she still needs to be more aggressive in addressing the staffing, marketing, political and communications problems that currently exist at  IVY TECH statewide in order for her to achieve her goal?  …the masses still have a misunderstanding what IVY TECH is all about?  …we still feel if anyone can lead IVY TECH in the right direction Dr. Sue Ellsperman is still the right person to do it?

IS IT TRUE we are extremely pleased that the City of Evansville has installed new glass-enclosed shelters at select bus stops throughout the city? …these bus stop shelters protect our disadvantaged citizens of our community during bad weather while waiting for a bus? …we hope that the Mayor will find additional money to continue building these glass-enclosed bus stop shelters because it’s a worthy public works project?

IS IT TRUE we hope that the Mayor will start ridding of the unsightly park type benches that are presently located at bus stops?  …we also feel that advertising displayed on these benches are also extremely unattractive?

IS IT TRUE the segment held at the end of City Council that allows public comment is now dubbed as the “3 Minutes of Censorship”?  …we were hoping that the newly elected President of City Council Jim Brinkmeyer will change this unacceptable public comment policy created by past Council President Missy Mosby but it’s obvious that won’t happen?  …we can guarantee that the “3 Minutes of Censorship” policy will be a major campaign issue during the next city election?  …censorship should never be accepted by the media or the taxpayers alike?

IS IT TRUE in years past the Vanderburgh County Democratic party political fundraisers turned out to be a financial disaster? …we hear that couple years ago a Democratic party golf fundraiser cost more money to put on than they collected?  …we can guarantee that this type thing won’t happen under the new leadership of Democratic party Chairman Scott Danks?

IS IT TRUE that Vanderburgh GOP Chairman Wayne Park is one “heck of a political fundraiser”? …this is one of the main reasons why the local Republican party is doing so well in getting out the vote is because they have the money to do so?

Todays “Readers Poll” question is: Do you feel that Democratic party Chairman Scott Danks can make the local Democratic party competitive once again?

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.