IS IT TRUE August 16, 2013

IS IT TRUE there are some very powerful people in Evansville both inside and outside of political circles who have contacted us to express their utter disbelief that Jack Pate, the Publisher of the Evansville Courier and Press is a member of the Evansville Regional Business Committee?…each and every one of these people have also expressed an understanding of why the Courier Press has been so overtly supportive of nearly everything that the recent Mayor’s of Evansville have advocated for after learning of Mr. Pate’s membership in this manipulative non-profit corporation?…in a world where journalists are routinely fired for so much as making contributions to political campaigns it is astonishing that the publisher of a Scripps-Howard newspaper would pay $10,000 for a membership in a behind the scenes operation that contributes to political movements  that they deem to be part of whatever agenda they have?…this also flies in the face of promoting a free press and wreaks of a press that is for sale to the highest bidder or the most clever manipulator?…that a couple of our readers think the outing of  the membership list in the ERBC is the most important outing that the CCO has ever broken?…that would mean that this is more important than exposing the sneaky ways of Mayor Weinzapfel in paying Tom Barnett, the attempt to take away the Homestead Tax Credit, or even the underhanded way that the Johnson Controls deal was hoisted upon the City of Evansville?

IS IT TRUE since memberships in the ERBC are offered for an annual fee of $10,000 we wonder if the City County Observer, News 25, and WFIE 14 could join this exclusive cabal?…if we were to get a call from Ed Hafer offering to sell the CCO a membership that we would gladly cough up the bucks on the condition that we could report on the discussions held at the meetings in a transparent manner?…we do not however wish to participate in any initiation rituals as we think such things are for juvenile delinquents and fraternities?…we might consent to a secret handshake or a water buffalo hat?

IS IT TRUE that the propaganda campaign of manipulation for the affirmative votes of the Evansville City Council for the downtown hotel project began in earnest today?…City Council members had their mailboxes flooded with letters  supposedly sent by consenting citizens to all arrive on the same day?…we wonder who stuffed the envelopes and who paid the postage as the probability of this happening without a letter mill is pretty close to ZERO? …we are seeking a couple of these letters to analyze the handwriting to see if the same person signed the letters too?

IS IT TRUE that in 2007 the City of Fort Wayne handed out a pile of money about $25 Million bucks deep to get a Courtyard Inn built in downtown Fort Wayne to help them compete for convention business?…all of the same cases and promises that are being made in Evansville now were made in Fort Wayne then?…contrary to what was promised the overall occupancy rate in Fort Wayne decreased immediately after their welfare hotel was built?…the culmination of the Fort Wayne effort happened when the first Marriot in Fort Wayne file for bankruptcy in 2012?…this Marriot of coarse was located away from the downtown?…one of the reasons for the bankruptcy is said by many to have been because they lost business to the hotel that the City of Fort Wayne handed the bag of money to?…we can be assured if something like that happens in Evansville in a few years that the lawsuits will fly and the people who voted for taking from existing businesses to fund a competitor will be toast in their next election?

IS IT TRUE we wonder why so many people who hold a law license left volunteer positions in the Vanderburgh County Republic Party a couple of years ago?…this is something that has us quite curious?

IS IT TRUE August 15, 2013

IS IT TRUE it was disclosed during yesterday morning’s meeting of the Evansville Convention and Visitors Board that board members received their data packet – consisting of a ambiguous letter from Ed Hafer asking for 2 Mil on MONDAY night?…there was not Hunden Study summary, there was no business plan from HCW (the developer), there were no hiring projections, and there were no assumptions of occupancy or room rates?… board members acknowledged they historically take more time on financial decisions involving much less money?… despite that, the vote what pushed through by the four people who were originally appointed to this board by either Mayor Winnecke or former Mayor Weinzapfel despite demands to simply wait and review more information by the other three members of the board?…these kinds of strong armed “damned the torpedoes full speed ahead” are dominating the 3 week rush to force a vote by the City Council before the financial plan is released, the books are reconciled, and the 2012 audit is completed?…these tactics are an insult to freedom of thought and typify narcissism coming straight from the top as it has been for 10 years?

IS IT TRUE that the same power grabbing in your face tactics were used at last night’s town hall discussion?…Mayor Winnecke ignored the time honored tradition of allowing speakers to speak in the order that they came in and rearranged the speaker order to have people who support giving away $37.5 Million speak first, last, and after the stronger rebuttal speakers so they would not be embarrassed as they were at the City Council meeting Monday night?…even with $37.5 Million at stake only about 30 people have been attending these meetings and 80% of those are the pom-pom carrying cheerleaders for the project?…it is appalling that the people of Evansville have no more interest in local finances that they are choosing to sit home in mass?…they must think that they have no voice and as some locals say “the fix is in” and no matter what logic is presented the Blitzkrieg tactics to ram this through are going to happen anyway?…it seems as though much of Evansville has given up on itself?

IS IT TRUE that the local Libertarian Party is the only party to have taken a stand on the cash giveaway to get a hotel and their position is to oppose doing this?…it has been pointed out by Wayne Parke, the Chairman of the Vanderburgh County Republican Party that the numbers of Libertarians are too small to matter?…when it comes to registered Libertarians Mr. Parke is exactly correct?…the first real question though is how many Democrats are of the blue dog type and think that giving away $37.5 Million is pretty stupid and silently oppose doing so?…the second question is how anyone who claims to be a Republican and believes in free markets could even support having McDonalds serve as the tax collector and giving the money to Burger King?…this decision should not be about party affiliation, it should be about sane public spending policies?

IS IT TRUE we wonder how in a short span of 5 years Evansville has gone from a city that was told by former Mayor Weinzapfel that “if we build an arena a $40 Million 4-Star hotel will be built without public assistance” to a shriveling beggar willing to hand out $37.5 Million in gifts that should be reserved for critical infrastructure to get a 3-Star hotel built?…it is a sad story but a true story and it began with insufficient planning and delusions of grandeur?…we wonder how Kunkel’s construction budget of $30 Million for a 250 room hotel morphed into a $44 Million price tag in one year for what is essentially the same thing?

IS IT TRUE as has been the case with other things like the McCurdy Hotel, the Johnson Controls deal, Roberts Stadium, Mesker Amphitheatre, and Centennial Park, Mayor Winnecke has come face to face with the reality of the haphazard way that Evansville has been governed?…in many ways his role has been the role of a financial planner who showed up the day after a frat party when the last keg had been drained and the coffers were nearly bare?…Evansville is at a crossroads and the choices are to dust ourselves off and invest in things that are necessary to remain a viable city like sewers, roads, and infrastructure, or to pull out the credit card and keep the party going until our collective face is in the gutter?…it is unfortunate but it looks as though our leaders including the last hope for solid resistance, the City Council are being railroaded straight into the gutter?…it will be interesting to see which members of the City Council will rise above the madness of what the CP and Councilman Weaver call a “joint venture” and oppose this venture that is anything but joint when it comes to ownership?