IS IT TRUE we asked 4th Ward City Councilwoman, Connie Robinson, why she didn’t answer the political questions submitted to her by the Courier & Press?  …Ms. Robinson told us she didn’t receive her questionnaire until a month after the post mark date?  …the Councilwoman told us she talked with a Courier and Press political reporter  about the delay, and he acknowledged sending them out late? …she went on to tell us she explained to  the reporter she is in her busiest time of the year and may not have time to answer the questions?…we wondered why the political reporter didn’t put a disclaimer in the article outlining the date the questions were received compared with the deadline related to his questions?

IS IT TRUE Mayor Winnecke sent out emails to his friends and supporters residing in the First Ward?…he encouraged them to vote for Councilman Dan McGinn?…the Mayor claimed Mr. McGinn has been a voice of common sense on the council, and a loyal partner in creating progress for the city?…we wonder where the Mayor was at when Councilman McGinn voted against Earthcare, to eliminate funding for Roberts Park and to cut the annual budgets?….we also wonder if the Mayor was asleep when Mr. McGinn supported the lower bond of $20 million on the hotel?…the price of the label of loyal must come cheap to our Mayor?….we suspect Mr. McGinn has election woes, as he has never had his representation taken to a vote and many actual conservatives are upset that he has not done more to curtail this Mayor’s spending?…Mr. McGinn’s comments on the Homestead Tax Credit may also be turning off First Ward voters?

IS IT TRUE our “Downtown Hotel Mole” has informed us we should not be surprised to see the new hotel sporting heating/air window units in all the rooms? …all we can say about this is “Say What”? …we anxiously await the bid and interior design process being completed?

IS IT TRUE we urge you to watch the most recent City County Observer and Woods and Woods TRI-STATE VOICES TV show? …this week’s program guest is State Representative and Mayoral candidate Gail Riecken?  …this is a must see program, as Ms. Riecken made the show insightful, thoughtful and extremely interesting? …people that sat in on the recording of this show felt that State Representative Reicken did an outstanding job? …Mayor Winnecke declined our invitation to be a guest on the program? We would hope Mayor Winnecke accepts our invitation in the fall? …we have never treated a guest with disrespect and have never tried to embarrass a guest ?  … we can assure Mayor Winnecke that he will be treated with the dignity accorded to a sitting Mayor?

IS IT TRUE we have grown tired of 2nd ward City Councilwoman Missy Mosby and At-Large City Councilman Jonathan Weaver insulting and nipping at the heels of fellow City Council Members and lauding our Republican Mayor? …City Democrats who support Gail Riecken for Mayor have an opportunity to give her a team of loyal Democrats?  …it’s one thing for a council member to say they have worked with the elected Republican Mayor, but it’s quite another to take a pass on the opportunity to elect a qualified person of their own party in that office? …political parties mean something and have platforms that all members have theoretically agreed upon? …any Council members  that failed to take a strong public position supporting Gail Riecken for Mayor needs to be turned away by the voters?  …State Representative Gail Riecken stands to become the first female to be elected as the Mayor of Evansville in its 202 year history? ...her  journey starts today?

Please take time and vote in todays “Readers Poll”. Also we just posted our current TRI-STATE VOICES TV show. This weeks guest is non other than State Representative and Mayoral candidate Gail Riecken.

Copyright 2015 City County Observer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

IS IT TRUE regarding the Democratic At-Large primary races, we predict the two Democrat candidates that the voters will elect will be retired heart surgeon Dr. Dan Adams and political newcomer and shinning star Alex Burton?  …we also like that political newcomer Alex Burton has experience in government and has a Master’s degree in Public Administration? …Alex has spent last six months demonstrating that he will work with anyone,? …both support Democrat Gail Riecken for Mayor? …the fact the two men also like and trust one another is a great start to a productive relationship for the next four years if both are elected in the General election in the Fall?

IS IT TRUE that Dr. Adams and At-Large  City Councilman Conor O’Daniel have demonstrated leadership again and again on reducing the hotel subsidy and water meter borrowing, on facilitating the IU Medical School and downtown Hotel projects and have been honest and direct on budgets with deficit spending?… we were disappointed that they voted for the $5 million dollar Earthcare Energy loan but have otherwise been good fiscal watchdogs?  …we like the way Councilman O’Daniel is conducting himself as City Council Budget Chairman?  …we consider Mr. O’Daniel to be the voiced of reason on City Council? …Mr. O’Daniel supports fellow Democrat Gail Riecken for Mayor?… we predict that Conor O’Daniel needs a big vote out of the 4th Ward and good absentee votes to earn the 3rd slot in a very close race?

IS IT TRUE we predict that the voters finally understand that At-Large City Councilman Jonathan Weaver has made it a nauseating habit of publicly trashing his fellow Democrats with repeated personal attacks that go far beyond a discussion of the issues at hand?  …Mr. Weaver has been consistently wrong on the money issues from voting for the $5 Million loan to Earthcare Energy, supporting an $11 million heavy water meter project, demanding Roberts Park funding, disputing every budget cut to supporting the hotel at the $38.5 million funding level and his unyielding support for the unproven and expensive ‘SpotShooter” program? …he also states that he support Democrat Gail Riecken for Mayor?…we predict that you can’t count Mr. Weaver out of the race because he has a strong following and is working hard to get re-elected?

IS IT TRUE the Fourth Ward  race is truly about proven accomplishments?  …Mr. David Ballard is a nice young man and very likable? … he largely mimicked the incumbent, Connie Robinson, as to ideas but lacks the political connections or personal relationships to get the work done?…the 4th Ward is the most economically and demographically diverse Ward in the City, and Ms. Robinson has an excellent track record for securing funding for housing and development in that area?…there’s no denying the Fourth Ward is a potential hotbed for economic activity and has seen the biggest affordable housing boom in the City over the years?  …Councilwoman Robinson is very knowledgable  on community block grant funding and knows how to attract housing grants to the Center City 4th ward?…these are all traits that Mr. Ballard lacks?  …we haven’t heard if either candidate supports fellow Democrat Gail Riecken for Mayor?…we predict that the voters of the Fourth Ward will give Ms. Robinson a well-deserved and fairly easy primary win?…we hope Connie Robinson will pushed to appoint Mr. Ballard to a city board so he can gain some valuable experiences in learning what public service is about?…he is indeed is a very nice young man and deserves the opportunity to serve the public good?

IS IT TRUE Sixth Ward City Councilman Al Lindsey and his opponent Jim Brinkmeyer recently appeared on our Tri-State Voices television program?…we found both Mr. Lindsey and Mr. Brinkmeyer to be personal and informative?…a review of that episode shows Mr. Brinkmeyer saying that the hotel should have approved at the first round level of $38.5 million, and Mr. Lindsey has been too hard on the Fire Chief?…both individuals oppose any tax increases or future annexation?… Mr. Brinkmeyer’s signature idea is to put a sidewalk on Broadway Street which is laudable but seems disconnected from the debate of the last two years related to deficit city spending?…it’s obvious Mr. Lindsey gets where the City is heading with its deficit spending and has been right on the issues over and over during his first term? …Mr. Lindsey voted against the $5 million dollar Earthcare loan, he held out to trim $11 million from the Smart Water Meter project, he voted to cut spending on new parks while the existing parks falter in quality, he has been willing to cut budgets and he refused to fund the downtown hotel at the original 50% subsidy?  …that Mr. Linsey supports fellow Democrat Gail Riecken for Mayor but we have no idea if Mr. Brinkmeyer does?…although we consider the race between Mr. Lindsey and his opponent to be extremely competitive?  …we predict the 6th Ward  race shall be determine by  absentee voters in an extremely close race?

IS IT TRUE the Democratic City Clerk’s Primary isn’t an easy call? …present City Clerk Laura Windhorst is seemly a very nice person and is trying her best as City Clerk? …she openly expressed her fear in attending Gail Riecken fundraisers, believing it would harm her relationship with Mayor Lloyd Winnecke?…we think she has forgotten her primary role as Secretary to the democratically controlled City Council and need for her allegiance to be to the party in power within that body?  …that Misty Hart is also very likable and is doing a credible job in her position in the County Treasurer office? …the Misty Hart made a stupid political error in using her first initial only on the ballot, and it was a mistake because it wasn’t necessary to win?…we disagree with Courier and Press writer Tom Langhorne that Ms. Hart is not a valid veteran?…she has indeed served her country with honor for six years, albeit stateside? …we feel she should had been more clear giving this message to the masses? …It was still a time of war, and she could have been deployed anywhere?…Ms. Hart’s silly and unnecessary political marketing mistakes aside, she has identified the 600 pound gorilla in the room and said she will serve the party in power on the City Council? …Ms. Hart openly support her fellow Democrat Gail Riecken for Mayor and Ms. Windhorst hasn’t?…we predict whom ever wins the absentee votes and the 4th Ward will be elected City Clerk in this extremely close election?

IS IT TRUE the Second Ward race Missy Mosby supported Lloyd Winnecke for Mayor in 2011, and she has spent the last few years separating herself from her fellow Democrats?…she’s actually proud of it, which can be easily gleaned from any number of her redundant and self-stroking Facebook posts?…what she fails to see is that she has, like Mr. Weaver, been wrong on the money issues from voting for the $5 Million loan to Earthcare Energy, supporting the initial water meter project, demanding Roberts Park funding, fighting budget cuts to supporting the hotel at $38.5 million?…Ms. Mosby also likes to run down her fellow council members in the media and Facebook while ignoring the possibility there is any validity to their positions?  …Mr. Davis strongly supports fellow Democrat Gail Riecken for Mayor and we hear that Missy may or may not?…we find Steve Davis to be absolutely refreshing both in his ideas and willingness to work with other members of City Council?…we have not seen a City Council candidate work so hard to get elected since 2011 when Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley personally knocked on thousands of doors to win her primary and general election? …we predict if the absentee ballots go Mr. Davis way he could be elected in an extremely close race to the 2nd Ward seat?  …if Mr. Davis wins it shall be considered the biggest political upset in recent years? …that this race shall go down as the most aggressive political dog fight in local politics in years?

IS IT TRUE we can’t wait to hear your predictions on the upcoming Democratic primary races?

Please take time and vote in todays “Readers Poll”. Also we just posted our current TRI-STATE VOICES TV show. This weeks guest is non other than State Representative and Mayoral candidate Gail Riecken.

Copyright 2015 City County Observer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.