IS IT TRUE we would like to personally thank the COURIER AND PRESS and TV CHANNEL 44  for showing up to cover the Veterans “Call To Assemble” Questions/Answers gathering yesterday?  …we were disappointed in the lack of attendence of the event? …we are pleased that the Vanderburgh County Veterans Council also announced that next year they will be hosting another “Call To Assemble” for the 2016 Vanderburgh County elections?

IS IT TRUE we are grateful to the Vanderburgh County Veterans Council for hosting the “Call to Assemble” last night at the Veterans’ Coliseum?  …we were impressed with the candidates who attended and gave thoughtful answers to the questions posed? ..special thanks are extended to Mayoral candidates Steve Wozniak (I) and State Representative Gail Riecken (D) for their time and efforts in addressing the issues? …current Mayor Lloyd Winnecke was a no show at the event, as well as City Council Candidates Jack Schreiber, Bart Gadeau,  James Brinkmeyer, Missy Mosby,  Jonathan Weaver, Dan McGinn and City Clerk Candidate Laura Windhorst?.

IS IT TRUE the 2016 City of Evansville budget will be voted on next Monday night? …there will be eight members present, as Councilwoman Connie Robinson will be out of town on business? …the amended budget, which has been reduced from its original amount of approximately $87 million, is still a larger budget than in 2015? …we predict that the vote will four to four and the budget ordinance will fail? …those opposing the budget will be Council Members Al Lindsey, Conor O’Daniel, Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley and John Friend?

IS IT TRUE those voting no will cite they cannot vote for a budget allowing spending at a level that will not be covered with available revenue? …Controller Russ Lloyd, Jr. told City Council recently at a meeting revenue for the civil budget for 2016 is likely to be under $80 million? …Revenue for the City operating budget the last three years has been largely flat at no more than $76.5 million? …The increase for 2016 does not come from an increase in property taxes but largely comes from an increased fee to cable companies and a higher annual payment in lieu of taxes from Evansville Water and Sewer? …the Administration’s efforts to find new revenue sources should be applauded, but the City has a problem with largely stagnant revenue and the inability to keep up with the growth in fixed costs?

IS IT TRUE the City Council cannot in good conscious vote for a budget that allows $85 million in spending? …the Administration will argue it will not actually spend $85 million, and mostly because the money won’t be there to spend, but the high cap is likely to mean the Administration will continue to spend more than it takes in?

IS IT TRUE in looking at labor costs as 87% of the civil budget, one cannot help but focus in on the 39-44 new employees that have been hired? …not all are full-time, but most are full-time, and all are perpetual? …the 87% percent of the budget in fixed costs is a jump from the 82% of the previous administration? …when the Capital Improvement Plan for 2016 is added to the civil City budget, non discretionary spending is 66%? …the City of Evansville mirrors the Federal Government’s annual budget in that only about one third of the budget is discretionary? …the rest of the budget is allocated to fixed costs and debt service?

IS IT TRUE the budget once voted down next Monday will return to the Administration to either change or to try again at the first meeting in October when Councilwoman Connie Robinson will be present?  …Councilwoman Robinson is the tie breaking vote on the currently proposed budget?  …we predict if she is forced to vote,  she will vote no for the reasons outlined above?  …although Mayor Winnecke has spent less than what has been budgeted in 2013 and 2014, he has spent more than what was received in revenue for those years?  …City Council is obligated to stop this trend and reduce approved spending to estimated actual revenue?

IS IT TRUE the budget must be approved or officially declined by the end of October?  …with Mayor Winnecke being so bad at a game of chicken, we predict that he will further reduce his spending after next week’s meeting? …we also predict he will continue to avoid personal conversations with City Council members?  …he has not at this point reached out to speak with Al Lindsey, Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley or Connie Robinson? …it seems foolish to ignore a third of one’s voters?

Please take time and vote in today’s “Readers Poll”. Don’t miss reading today’s Feature articles because they are always an interesting read. Please scroll at the bottom of our paper so you can enjoy our creative political cartoons. Copyright 2015 City County Observer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without our permission

IS IT TRUE that the following political candidates either declined the invitation or didn’t respond to the invitation to attend the “CALL TO ASSEMBLE”  gathering hosted by the local Vanderburgh  County Veterans Council. …that political candidates Not Coming to this event are: Mayor Winnecke and Dan MsGinn?  …that political candidates NOT RESPONDING  to the invitation to attend this event are:  City Clerk Laura Windhurst,  2nd Ward City Council member Missy Mosby,  At-Large City Council member Jonathan Weaver,  5th Ward City Council candidates Justin Elpers and Thomas Shoulders and 6th Ward City Council candidate Jim Brinkmeyer ?  …we hope our local Veterans will remember that the above political people snub their noses at them by not attending tonights Veterans hosted “CALL TO ASSEMBLE” event?

IS IT TRUE the Commander of the local Vanderburgh Veterans Council called a news conference to update members of the Main Stream Media so he could provide them with details of the agenda concerning the “CALL TO ASSEMBLE” event? …not one representative of the local Main Stream Media showed up for this news conference?  …its important to remind members of the Main Stream Media when the people called on our Veterans “TO ASSEMBLE” on our behalf they showed up and fought the battles that insure our freedoms we enjoy today?  …its obvious if any of the Main Stream Media reporters would have had the honor to served in the military they would had been more respectful towards covering this event hosted by our local Veterans group? …that tonights “CALL TO ASSEMBLE” political Question/Answers forum shall go on without the help of our local Main Stream Media ?

 IS IT TRUE we are extremely disappointed that Evansville newest TV Channel 44 didn’t show up to cover the “CALL TO ASSEMBLE” news conference?  …it looks like Channel 44 may have broken their promise to the people of Evansville that shall do an “outstanding job” in reporting the local news?

IS IT TRUE that the issue of expanding the Brownfields land banking operation is as the COURIER and PRESS says “hanging fire”, but not because of the funding issue but the concept itself and the proposed partner in crime–the Brownfields Corp?  …that land banking should not be the cities only focus to solve the Community Blight  problem?   …that the Brownfields has lost its primary funding source, HUD funds, because it was discovered that their land banking operating over the last five years was not an authorized use of HUD funds, and they are now left high and dry?

IS IT TRUE that the Courier and Press is correct that the city was allocated about $2.2 million in funding from the Indiana Hardest Hit Blight Elimination Program (BEP) in 2014, but misleads the public in the facts of the program? That the program, although a federal program, was launched with a simple contract between the US department of Treasury and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) almost three years ago that stated simply that the funds were to Demolish vacant, abandoned, homes in the communities affected by the housing crisis? That language was specific that red tape was to be avoided? That most of the red tape has been created by the people administering the funding?

IS IT TRUE that the DMD originally planned to take all the BEP funding to expand their HUD funded land bank – the Brownfields?  That the original demolition property list of almost 2 years ago consisted of their properties and of the tax sale properties they planned to acquire?  That substitutions were made to include a few other non-profits as program participants?  That a large substitution was made to clear all the homes in the new d-pat location – even though they were not blighted, vacant, or abandoned before the decision for d-pat to move there?

IS IT TRUE the city of Evansville, along with other cities, is having trouble meeting the “stringent deadlines” as the Courier and Press says because they got off to a bad start trying to focus the money on their own special interest and questionable activity rather than moving forward with the true intent and purpose of the funding?

IS IT TRUE that receiving the $2.2 million award from the state actually resulted in fewer Demolitions of Zombie houses?  That because city officials heard this money was coming they cut the amount appropriated annually in the Riverboat Fund from $1millon to $500,000 and then proceeded to spend the $500,000 on city operations rather than demolitions?  …we recommend that read George Lumley’s article “How More Is Less?” that was previously featured articles of this publication.