IS IT TRUE that the Evansville City Council is considering throwing good money at a declining business sector out on Green River Road?…the owners of the former JC Penney Home store that has seen much turnover is hoping for a tax phase in on a 20 year old building that will cost taxpayers $77,000?…the City of Evansville like many other cities are considering continuing to place their bets on the rapidly declining business model known as brick and mortar retail?…Internet shopping has taken considerable market share from traditional stores and will continue to do so until at some point in the future there will be no brick and mortar retail for non perishable items?…all of the usual suspects like GAGE and some obsolete elected officials can fight this trend to their last breath, but that die is cast and throwing taxpayer money at bricks and mortar is increasingly becoming a fool’s errand?

IS IT TRUE that the subject of consolidation is spinning in the region again, so the CCO would like to remind our readers just why the Vandigov initiative failed by 3:1 and the 2012 effect failed by 2:1?…the reality is that the people of the county and city are demographically as different as summer and winter?…the City of Evansville by virtue of a half century of neglect is still on the hook for sewers, water pipes, road maintenance, and sidewalk upgrades that will cost the people of Evansville $2 Billion over the next generation?…these major self inflicted expenses will not benefit the people who live outside of the city limits?…we must ask, is it any wonder that the people in the unincorporated county don’t want to bail out a century of failures by the City of Evansville?…while it is true that nearly every economic statistic would improve for the City of Evansville in a merger, it is also true that every financial statistic for the unincorporated areas will decline by merging with the less wealthy, less educated, and poorly managed City of Evansville?

IS IT TRUE the City County Observer is pleased to see that the former headquarters of the Old National Bank at 420 Main Street is going to be salvaged into a modern office building with luxury condos on the upper floors?…it is ironic that the iconic building that costed $5 Million to build over 50 years ago had been sitting on the market for $5 Million with no takers for nearly 15 years?…the thought of a developed piece of real estate in a city of over 100,000 people on the banks of the Ohio River could lose value over a 50 year period is preposterous, yet in Evansville’s case this is not isolated or even unusual?…the new investment of $30 Million should be sufficient to bring all of the building up to near state of the art with respect to energy efficiency, high bandwidth communication, and true downtown living?…we hope and even expect to learn that this will be done without a $21 Million (Downtown Hotel), $57 Million (Downtown IU Medical School) or even a $127 Million (FORD CENTER) Incentive from the taxpayers of Evansville?…if this is really done without a handout, this project may be a positive tipping point for downtown Evansville?

IS IT TRUE at tonights City Council meeting a Resolution of the Common Council of the City of Evansville opposing Indiana House Bill 1487 will be presented and voted on?  …this Resolution is a moot issue since the sponsor State Representative Hollie Sullivan withdrew this bill for consideration by the Indiana House of Representative last week?  …the sponsors of this resolution are Mosby, Elpers, McGinn, Adams, Brinkmeyer, Hargis, Mercer, Robinson?  …we wonder why Councilman Jonathan Weaver is listed as a sponsor?

IS IT TRUE it is sad to learn that St. Joseph’s University in Northern Indiana is facing a deficit that is so large that the university’s trustees are forced to consider closing it down?…with only 900 students and an immediate need for $100 Million in pledges to keep the doors open, this amounts to an emergency fund raising effort of $111,000 per student?…sometimes the numbers don’t make sense when it comes to nostalgic locations and the time comes to let things go?…it may well be time for the bell to toll on St. Joseph’s University and that is a sad day?

IS IT TRUE we are hearing that members of Vanderburgh Sheriff Department are extremely upset with members of the Evansville City Council for opposing Indiana House Bill 1487 because the money from the Income Option Tax could had been used to build a new addition to the County jail?  …we are also hearing that members of the local Labor Unions are not happy with the actions of Evansville City Council concerning this issue because it was extremely likely they would had built the addition to the jail?  … members of the above groups are even more upset with City Council President Missy Mosby for taking the lead role in publicly objecting to HB 1487 becoming law?  … she once had a solid reputation of being a strong supporter of law enforcement but thats may no longer be true?

IS IT TRUE we would also like to remind you that members of the Evansville Police and Fire Departments aren’t happy with members of City Council because of the way they feel that they were mis-treated by them during the 2016 and 2017 Budget hearings?  …we predict that there shall be some changes in the makeup of the next City Council?  …we always heard that “political payback is hell”?

IS IT TRUE since the Evansville City Council opposed House Bill 1487 we wonder if  our County officials will opposed the next City Council resolution that will increased the water and sewer rates for taxpayers living in the County?  …we always heard “whats the good for the goose is good for the gander”?

IS IT TRUE a Preliminary Resolution of the Common Council of the City of Evansville declaring an Economic Revitalization Area for a 5 year property tax phase-In (special tax credit) for the rehabilitation of real property at 1500 North Green River Road, Evansville, IN 47715 – Eastland Station, LLC managed by Phillips Edison & Company is on todays Council agenda? … we understand the reason for this resolution is to give a shopping center with several vacant commercial store fronts a special phase-in tax credit?  …City Council Finance Chairman Dan McGinn (R) claims that this special phase-in tax credit will give the Developer extra money to remodel the vacant store fronts located on his property?  …Mr. McGinn also claims this special phase-in tax credit will not cost the taxpayers of this community one dine? …we been told the total phase-in tax credit given to the developer for the next 5 year will be around $80,000?

FOOTNOTE: Todays “READERS POLL” question is: Do you feel that the Evansville City Council should give a developer of an existing Eastside Shopping Mall a $80,000 tax credit phase-in so he can renovate it?