IS IT TRUE that today is the 35th anniversary of the plane crash that killed the University of Evansville basketball team?…to commemorate this tragedy the Office of the Mayor has chosen to make the announcement that the home of that team Roberts Stadium is on schedule for demolition and that soon we can all watch the destruction of public property on webcam?…the CCO thinks linking the anniversary of the plane crash to a formal announcement of a webcam of the demolition of Roberts Stadium exhibits about the most out of touch and obliviousness to life’s realities that could possibly come out of any elected officials office?…that on a day of remembrance our leadership has turned the intentional destruction of public property into an internet cartoon?…we could go on all day about this but the oversight to connect these events really makes one wonder if anyone in the Office of the Mayor is even thinking before they act?

IS IT TRUE that one of our end of the year articles planned will be dealing with the dumbest things to go on in Evansville politics during 2012?…that seems like an easy task as we are certain that things like the drunken City Council fest fueled by Indianapolis bought alcohol and Earthcare Energy that got our year started will be among the dumb things?…in the spirit of Christmas we would also like to include a list of things that the City of Evansville did right?…we indeed have a short list of things that deserve accolades but we are having difficulty in coming up with very many?…we would appreciate it very much if our readership would make some suggestions on things to include in this end of the year article?…we will also be doing an article on 10 things to do right in 2013 and that the #1 item will be a COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE?…when you do not have planning you pretty much get the emotion of the day and the long list of dumb things is an artifact of the failure of our leaders to plan?…the need for a plan has been #1 on the wish list of the CCO now for 3 years?…the last attempt at a comprehensive plan happened in the early 2000’s and was commissioned by then Mayor Russ Lloyd Jr.?…ex Mayor Weinzapfel never ever followed that plan and never made one of his own?…instead he had a singular focus on a downtown arena which he did find a way to get?

IS IT TRUE according to a Wall Street Journal poll a month after the presidential election highlighted divisions over taxes, spending and political stewardship, Americans now solidly back compromise to solve the biggest budget challenges facing the country?…about two-thirds of Americans of all political stripes would like Congress to strike a deal to REDUCE THE FEDERAL BUDGET DEFICIT, EVEN IF IT MEANS CUTTING SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE AND BOOSTING SOME TAX RATES?…an even larger share — more than three-quarters of Americans, including 61% of Republicans — said they would accept raising taxes on the wealthy in order to avoid a “fiscal cliff” of large spending cuts and tax increases now set to take place in January?…the practical nature of the American people is playing out right now regarding this issue EVEN THOUGH THE PRESIDENT AND THE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP ARE STILL SQUABBLING OVER CRUMBS THAT WILL NOT SOLVE THE DEFICIT AND DEBT PROBLEMS?…the CCO has no doubt that the people of this country at all economic levels will be willing to make sacrifices to save our country from insolvency?…seeing ads on TV from paid special interest panhandlers is becoming truly offensive to those of us who want to see this country saved from dying and idiots death?

IS IT TRUE that if a deal is to be made with President Obama the it will be a quick deal as he has a long vacation in Hawaii planned to start next week and last until after New Year’s Day?…we doubt that Congress can decide on which flavor of milk shake to buy in 4 days so do not be surprised when January 1, 2013 comes and the so named “fiscal cliff” is breached?…you should also not be surprised when the sun comes up on your first paycheck of the new year that will be less by between 2% and 6% depending on your earnings?…nearly all of us can afford that and will survive with some easy decisions on which non-necessity to cut from our budgets?…the only solution to the deficit and debt problem is for every last American to learn to live with less whether that is a lower paycheck due to tax increases or less government handouts due to spending cuts?…both are necessary to solve our problem so get on with it while it is still possible to fix?…SOAK EVERYBODY is the solution!!

IS IT TRUE the list of spending that has been placed on the wish list by the Winnecke Administration either as the torch bearer for former Mayor Weinzapfel or with an original idea is growing exponentially?…the CCO would like to repeat and add up the new totals?…the Weinzapfel Administration passed the spending baton to Mayor Winnecke with a Johnson Controls deal of $54 Million, Centennial Park for $2 Million, the underfunded demolition of Roberts Stadium of a million bucks or so, and a pie in the sky downtown Convention Hotel that has now been exposed for needing over $40 Million in public funding to be real?…it looks as though this wish list foisted onto the Winnecke Administration totals to about $100 Million?…Mayor Winnecke in his first year at the helm of the City of Evansville has dreamed up a $10 Million dog park and just released findings that Mesker Amphitheatre that was first said to need $100,000 of minor repairs has been determined by a consultant’s study to need nearly $30 Million to be relevant?…between the two of these spendaholics there are now a total of $140 Million on the wish list for the City Council to make decisions about funding for?…that excludes a resurgent baseball park that will most certainly cost at least $10 Million by the time Evansville politicians get done with it?…that has a cool $150 Million in the queue for the City of Evansville to pony up for more temples to sport and non-essential spending during the next three years?

IS IT TRUE this is all going on with the $500+ Million sword of the EPA hanging over the heads of the people of the City of Evansville for repairs mandated to keep our feces from spilling directly into the Ohio River for the next 50 years?…this Mr. Mayor is an essential project?…all of those other things are play toys and should not be prioritized over essential services like sewers that are failing?…the CCO longs for a day when Mayor Winnecke musters the gumption to JUST SAY NO to former Mayor Weinzapfel’s $100 Million wish list?…it seems as though the city that cannot count also cannot think?…we intentionally did not assign a number to the public costs that will be incurred to get the McCurdy done right or demolished as there has been no definition of what its future may be?…when you do not have a MASTER PLAN this is what happens?…we hope the people of Evansville are watching and thinking this through?

IS IT TRUE that yesterday the State of Michigan followed the State of Indiana’s lead in voting in right to work laws?…that 50 years ago this would have been absolutely impossible as the UAW was a very prominent player in a state that was enjoying a long run of prosperity?…there was violence in the streets in front of the Michigan Capitol with a reporter getting beaten up, a tent destroyed with people in it, and a member of the house of representatives promising “THERE WILL BE BLOOD”?…one of the reasons cited for Michigan needing to take this step was the success of Indiana at seeing positive job creation since voting in right to work?…it was cited that Indiana had attracted some 5,000 jobs at a time that Michigan continued to see net losses?…there have indeed been many job attraction announcements in Indianapolis and points north but southern Indiana has seen little change with the recent exception of a fertilizer plant in Spencer County?…Michigan is seen by many as the straw that will break the camel’s back and start a cascade of right to work conversions in every state except California and New York?…all of this posturing and violence aside what people in this country and especially long suffering states like Michigan need are JOBS, JOBS, AND MORE JOBS?…we hope that economic prosperity can happen all over America without violence, envy, and promises of bloodshed?…this is a great opportunity for the unions of Michigan to prove their value like other private businesses that wield less political power have to all day every day to keep their jobs?

IS IT TRUE that some very credible inside sources are telling the CCO that when all of the bells, whistles, oversights, and add-ons are included that the downtown convention hotel project will require more than $40 Million taxpayer dollars to materialize?…the CCO has always asserted that a basic hotel of the size and type that has been proposed would require that our City Council vote to pick our pockets for roughly $20 Million alone?…a parking garage, connectors to other buildings like the Centre or the Ford Center will add another $10 Million to the public tab?…that the gross oversight of not having sufficient storage built into the Ford Center has heads spinning in the Civic Center because a 30,000 square foot storage building as described on page 26 of the Hunden Study will add $6.5 Million plus an undefined amount referred to as “soft costs” to the total?…the totals of all of this are already up to $36.5 Million straight out of taxpayer pockets before adding in the cost of tax abatements?…that a $50 Million project in the words of former Ford Center project manager John Kish should be assessed at cost?…that a commercial building assessed at $50 Million would have a property tax bill of $1.5 Million per year?…over a 10 year linear phase in model the value of abatement of these taxes would amount to $7.5 Million?

IS IT TRUE that when added to the hard and soft costs that are under consideration for the taxpayers to pay for, the grand total of money that any supporters of going ahead with this project would be supporting to be incinerated is about $44 Million?…that it is truly ironic that in 4.5 years the prospects for a downtown convention hotel gleefully announced by then Mayor Weinzapfel has gone from a 4-Star hotel with over $40 Million in private investment to a 3-Star hotel that will cost taxpayers over $40 Million?…the gap is truly stunning?…we reiterate our hope that every member of the Evansville City Council will absorb this study as they start the decision process on providing funding for this project as the gap funding of at least $40 Million will essentially vaporize to nothing when valuation in the market is considered?…that translates into “a vote to fund this is a vote to toss $40+ Million taxpayer dollars into the incinerator”?…we hope our elected officials on the City Council have better sense than to torch over $40 Million of the taxpayer’s dollars?…even in the case where people somehow manage to get themselves elected to the City Council without any analytical capacity at all, folks it is time to learn some arithmetic?…many of the problems and oversights that are now plaguing Evansville are due to a legacy of non-thinking and easily manipulated people being elected to public office?…we hope that ignorance and arrogance do not rule the day when funding for this wish list comes before the City Council?

IS IT TRUE that the City Council voted last night to prevent the rezoning of a private residence to allow for a retiring doctor to practice medicine on a part time basis in the home?…the strongest opponent of this request was Councilman Dan McGinn who stated that part of his job is to keep the government from doing bad things to people?…that Council members Jonathan Weaver, Missy Mosby, and John Friend all lined up to support the doctor’s request but the other six Council members voted them down?…on the surface this request seemed fairly simple and would likely not cause the neighbors and grief or devaluation?…it would open that slippery slope of rezoning that may lead to other businesses such as tattoo parlors, palm readers, dog groomers, insurance agents, construction businesses, etc. that often operate in homes when they are allowed to?…it seems as though allowing artists to use homes in the Front Door Pride district is seen as the ticket to cleanliness and prosperity for the neighborhood yet doing the same in an upscale neighborhood will turn it into Goosetown?…these policies are inconsistent yet in many ways make sense?…these kinds of decisions and others like torching $40 Million are why the people of Evansville need to elect people who have cognitive analytical ability?

IS IT TRUE it is disappointing to see President Obama on the campaign trail railing against the evil rich (those making over $200,000 per year) than continuing to negotiate with the amazing orange man John Boehner?…it appears as though the proclivity of the President to wage divisive campaigns against financially prosperous people is blinding him from formulating a solution to the nation’s debt and deficit problems?…raising the taxes on these people will only raise enough tax money to run the government for ONE WEEK?…that if a comprehensive tax plan with a realistic balanced budget were presented to the American people there would be plenty of support for it at all levels including the evil folks making over $200,000?…if this type of divisiveness continues for the next 4 years the good old USA may actually be over a real fiscal cliff that will take two decades to repair?…the President and Mr. Boehner both need to be working on the problems and not on construction of a smoke and mirrors blindfold or a evangelical crusade against wealth?