IS IT TRUE that we wonder if the dogmatic pursuit of the excessive taxation of obsolete printing equipment in the possession of the Evansville Courier and Press by Vanderburgh County Assessor office ultimately led Gannett to move the printing operation to Louisville?…this is just the sort of thing that drives companies to pack their bags and head across the money saving bridge to some state that does not rake them over the coals for taxes on something that is gathering dust and has very little value?…there should be some sanity check to taxing property other than having someone in the assessor’s office who doesn’t know a printing press from a yo-yo assigning an arbitrary value to something they know very little about?…now that all is said and done, all of those jobs associated with printing the Courier and Press have moved across the river? …we predict that Vanderburgh County Assessor Bill Fluty (R) will have an extremely qualified Democratic opponent in the next General election?

IS IT TRUE Reckitt Benckiser Group announced that it has received final regulatory approval to acquire Mead Johnson Nutrition that has operated a manufacturing plant in Evansville for the last 102 years?…the deal is expected to close this Thursday?…it was about 6 years ago that Mead Johnson left the friendly confines of Evansville to move their headquarters to Chicago?…MJ has about 950 employees in Evansville who earn $85 million in wages and $30 million in benefits with nearly 100 holding advanced degrees?…we hope that the Vanderburgh County Assessor’s Office does not run this good business out of town by taxing dust gathering equipment as though it was golden?

IS IT TRUE that the saga of the downtrodden folks who are fearful of losing their subsidized housing continues with Mayor Winnecke’s political proclamation that he feels their pain?…it makes one wonder how someone who grew up in a middle class home without having experienced things like little food on the table, utilities shut off, health care insecurity and the threat of eviction from your home could really feel such pain?…Mayor Winnecke, like many Americans has lived a fairly comfortable middle class life and living in a nice home growing up, received his education at a private University, and a career path with very few pitfalls? …communication is truly what Mayor Winnecke is very good at but it must be pointed out that words do not pay the rent, utilities bills, provide basic health care, provide warn clothing for their kids or put groceries in the refrigerator?

IS IT TRUE it is unfortunate that Evansville has people who have been living a subsidized life so long that living without adequate subsidies for food, housing, clothing and medical care that instills fear in their psyches?…we hope that these people do find a way to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps and escape the bondage of dependence?…we also understand that it is these people and not a person of privilege  that really know the fear of homelessness and an empty stomach?

IS IT TRUE it was recently announced that the KIDS FREEDOM PARK play ground located at Sunset Park will be moved to make way for a City of Evansville waste water pump station project?  …we highly recommend that the City of Evansville Water and Sewer Utilities folks check the land deed to see if they can use the soon to be vacated land for a water and sewer pump station project?  …we have been told that deed to this property clearly states that this land can only be used as a city park?  …we recommend that city check the deed to this property before building something on it?

IS IT TRUE we have been told that the City of Evansville design of $18 million dollar upgrade to the North Main street area may have an expensive repair issue facing them?  …we are hearing that the design work concerning the road width may be to narrow for delivery trucks to use?

Todays “READERS POLL” question is:  Do you feel that individuals in the Vanderburgh County Assessors office sometimes assigns an arbitrary value to something they know very little about?

We urge you to take time and click the section we have reserved for the daily recaps of the activities of our local Law Enforcement professionals. This section is located on the upper right side of our publication.

If you would like to advertise or submit and article in the CCO please contact us City-County Observer@live.com