We hope that todays “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 are hearing that an unnamed Evansville City Council member has requested the Evansville City Controller, Russ Lloyd Jr to provide him with an accounting  breakdown of Invoices and Unrecorded Liabilities for 2015, 2016 and 2017?  … copies of the requested information were also sent to Council President Missy Mosby and 14 others individuals?  …the requested information has to do with: 1) Account Payable Open Items Reports for 2015-2017. 2) Accrued Compensation Hours for Police and Fire Employees as of Aug 16-18, 2017. 3) Accounting Notes reports for 12/31/2016 and for the City of Evansville and other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) as prescribed by GASB 45 actuarial calculation of retired employees health insurance liability. 4) Also provided to city officials were the accounting notes for the City of Evansville concerning the (PERF) Public Employees Retirement Fund of which Evansville participates in? …we are hearing that the above accounting information given to the unnamed Councilman, Council President Missy Mosby and 14 others may reveal some of the unreported deficit spending decisions of the Winnecke Administration?

IS IT TRUE that local government don’t have a revenue problem they just have a spending problem?

IS IT TRUE in Councilman Dan McGinn resignation e-mail he sent to GOP party chairman, Wayne Parker stated that; “You have criticized us for exercising our independent judgement (sic) and doing what we feel is best for the people we represent rather that marching lockstep to political doctrine”?  …we wonder why Mr. Parke didn’t take on Councilman McGinn for voting to build a multi-million dollar Penguim exhibit during the time of a serious budget crisis?  …Mr. Parke could have taken on Finance Chairman McGinn for continuing to push council members to take away our Homestead Tax Credits during the last several years?  …Chairman Parke could had taken on McGinn for not pushing council members to address the out of control city employees healthcare deficits? …Mr. Parke could had criticized Mr. McGinn for not cutting over $100,000 worth of city grants out of the city budget to area not-for-profits?  …Mr. Parke could have taken McGinn to task for voting to put back a $100,000 plus city grant in the budget to transport one (1) person to a job site located in the outer area of Highway 41? …Chairman Park could had ask why did Council Finance Chairman McGinn support the $12.5 advance payment (2018) of Tropicana riverboat  money to the city? …most of all Mr. Parke was correct in taking Mr. McGinn to task for voting to increase the County Income Option Tax (CIOT) for 2018?

IS IT TRUE it looks like the days of the “TAX AND SPEND” habits of the Evansville City Council and the Winnecke Administration may be coming to an end?

IS IT TRUE we are hearing that at least two of the three Republican primary candidates for the Vanderburgh County Commission race will be announcing this week?

IS IT TRUE that that the son of former U S Congressman John Hostetter, Matt Hosetttler has announced that he shall be running for to soon to be vacated State House of Representative seat presently held by Thomas Washburne?  …Matt stated in his official announcement that “My family and I are very fortunate to call Indiana home. Our legislative body is a reflection of Hoosier commitment to both fiscal and personal responsibility with limited government interference. District 64 has exemplified these values through Representative Washburne, and it is my goal to pick up where he will leave off. This is a wonderful place for Michelle and me to raise our family, and I intend to ensure that it remains a wonderful place for my son to raise his?”

IS IT TRUE it looks like the President of the Vanderburgh County Commission, Bruce Ungethiem will be facing the biggest challenge in his political career when he takes on Matt Hostetter in the District 64 State Representative Republican primary?  …we are told that when Mr. Ungethiem voted to pass a wheel tax in Vanderburgh County it costs him a lot of conservative votes?

IS IT TRUE that the performance of the Indiana public schools was recently released and the news for the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation is both good and bad?…the good news is that there are now 5 EVSC schools that earned an A after years of having only 2 schools that earn the highest marks?… Scott and Oak Hill which serve the more affluent northern part of Vanderburgh County were the only two schools to earn the top grade for as long as most of us can remember were joined this year by Central and North high schools and Stockwell Elementary?…these three additions brings the A count to 5 and they are the northern most 5 schools in the county?…there are 35 schools in the EVSC so that means that only 14% of our schools are making an A?

IS IT TRUE that nine EVSC schools got an F, which constitutes 26% of the schools in the EVSC?…those schools getting an F are: Academy for Innovative Studies, Caze, Cedar Hall, Delaware, Dexter, Evans, Glenwood Leadership Academy, Lodge and McGary?…these failing schools are located in the south and southeast parts of Evansville where minorities and economically challenged people tend to live?…that it seems like economic performance of the neighborhood is the biggest contributor to failing schools?…we suspect that if the teachers were traded that the results would not change a bit?…the real problem with student performance can usually be traced to active and supporting parents?…it is often the case that poor people have to choose between making a living and spending time with their children?…this is a vicious cycle that perpetuates itself into adulthood?

IS IT TRUE 11 schools were given a B over last year’s 15; 7 schools got a C over the previous year of 8; and three schools were given a D, half of last year’s six?…this means that 46% of our schools were essentially A-B schools with the other 54% at or below C level?…there is still much room for improvement?…the three private/charter schools all got an A?…the Signature School in downtown Evansville has routinely been ranked the #1 public school in Indiana and among the top 10 public high schools in the country for over a decade now?…the success of the Signature School proves that there is nothing in the water that is making our students perform poorly?…what the EVSC should be doing is replicating the way that Signature does things as they blow the other 35 school including the five that made an A right out of the water?

IS IT TRUE the Catholic schools seem to be performing very well with 18 As, 5 Bs and only 3 Cs?…the schools in the counties directly around Vanderburgh for the most part all performed better as a group than the  EVSC schools did?

IS IT TRUE that Sears has just announced that the half century old anchor store at the Oxmoor Mall in Louisville will be closing in January?…rather than reposition the inventory, Sears will be having a blow out sale to get rid of it all?…one has to wonder how long Sears will be able to hold onto the anchor outpost at the Washington Square Mall on Evansville’s Eastside?…Sears is apparently the only original tenant of what was the first indoor mall in the State of Indiana?…this Christmas season will be another year when big box retail either makes a comeback or another round of stores gets Amazoned out of business?

Todays READERS POLL question is: Do you support local GOP Party Chairmen Wayne Parke call for Councilman Dan McGinn to resign from City Council?

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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