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Lessons from Government Boondoggles

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There are at least four important reasons why we should stop funding “green” government programs:

First lesson: government-appointed experts are incompetent economic planners—a fact of life that any intelligent adult should know after the spectacular failure of central economic planning in the socialist experiments of the 20th century. No matter how brilliant and how well-intentioned government planners may be, they do not and cannot know what consumers want and how much they are willing to pay for it. Only free markets can solve this challenge. If electric cars are to be a viable industry, private companies will make them so.

Second lesson: The government’s involvement in Solyndra raises troubling questions about possible corruption. While I think the Solyndra deal stinks to high heaven, I wonder whether any laws have been broken. Where is the dividing line between influence peddling, legitimate lobbying, political deal-making, and actual crime? Many farm-state Republicans have supported the uneconomical ethanol boondoggle for decades in exchange for generous support of their electoral campaigns, so the practice is bipartisan.

Third lesson: Government job programs are a blatant failure. They have never been economically beneficial. In the 1930s, Franklin Delano Roosevelt had the department of agriculture hire 100,000 Americans to monitor how much acreage American farmers were cultivating. These federal jobs produced no wealth. Their jobs made no more economic sense than paying people to dig holes and then fill them up.

Today’s green workers are economically nonsensical, too. True, they sometimes produce something, but the economic value is invariably less than the amount of tax dollars needed to subsidize their job. In other words, federal jobs make us poorer.

Fourth lesson: Finally, we simply can’t afford these green boondoggles. Uncle Sam’s official debt is now $15 trillion, and when you include off-budget items and unfunded liabilities, the situation is far worse. Given this fiscal reality, it is the height of irresponsibility to throw taxpayer dollars at any special interests, and it is particularly egregious to subsidize enterprises that are plainly uneconomical.

Source: The Commonwealth Foundation

IS IT TRUE May 18, 2012

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The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE May 18, 2012

IS IT TRUE another Evansville landmark has fallen into such a state of disrepair that it is being shut down?…that it has been rumored for days that this was coming but no one really believed that for lack of $100,000 that Mesker Amphitheatre would be allowed to go fallow and continue to deteriorate?…we must repeat that this is not a facility that floods and needs several million dollars of remodeling to function?…that what Mesker apparently needs is a good coat of paint, some rot repair, and some mold remediation?…that letting a classic facility like Mesker get to the point that it is abandoned to rot down for lack of $100,000 in the budget is just one more insult to the people of Evansville who dutifully pay the taxes they are asked to pay and are rewarded with non-working sewers, needles in the park, and now the abandonment of Mesker?..it has been suggested that it may pose a financial threat to the $127 Million Ford Center so it must go?…we wonder what is next for the wrecking ball?…it is a good thing the movie theatres in town are privately owned or the City of Evansville would let them deteriorate too?

IS IT TRUE that 5% of the funds needed to keep Mesker open for the summer could have been raised if City Council members John Friend, Missy Mosby, and Jonathan Weaver along with County Commissioners Joe Kiefer and Marsha Abell would have kept their butts at home instead of spending about $1,000 each to travel to Savannah, GA on a Chamber of Commerce junket?…some of the attendees tell us that one thing learned in Savannah about how they do economic development is that agencies such as GAGE are not supported by public dollars?…that the cover story for this trip is that they were learning how to retain “young educated professionals”?…there were two seminars given in Evansville in 2008 and 2009 that laid the case out very well on how to keep young educated professionals?…that public officials including Mayor Weinzapfel attended these events yet after the events NOT A THING THAT WAS RECOMMENDED WAS DONE?…there are some books on this subject by an author named Richard Florida that address this subject in depth?…they are available at the Library right across the street from the empty lot where a downtown hotel should be?…that if these five elected officials were that interested in the subject they could have read those books for free?…if they want to justify their junket they should do so with results over the next couple of years as opposed to a lamely rationalized reason like “learning how to retain young educated professionals”?…Evansville is not even producing enough good jobs to retain old educated professionals and hasn’t for years?

IS IT TRUE if the Chamber of Commerce and the elected officials driving this bus called Evansville toward a cliff really want to take a trip to a town that is making improvements they should borrow a school bus, fill up the gas tank, and head 30 miles east to Owensboro, KY?…that Owensboro during the last 5 years has demolished the old Executive Inn and attracted 2 new hotels to replace it?…that Owensboro is home to 13 competition grade ball fields and attracts national tournaments?…that rumor has it those ball fields cost less than $3 Million?…that Owensboro is about finished with a new and functional river front park with a permanent outdoor farmer’s market?…that every Friday night during the summer Owensboro has a Friday After 5 concert series that draws thousands of people to the riverfront?… since 1960 Evansville’s population has shrunk by 20% and that at the same time Owensboro’s population has grown by 34%?…that in 52 years ago Evansville was 250% larger than Owensboro and at the present rates of growth in 52 years Owensboro will be passing Evansville in population?…that our leaders might learn something about retaining people from Owensboro too?…that one of the things that retains professionals young and old is good entertainment?…that our friends at the Chamber should schedule their bus trip on a Friday night during the summer?…that if they want a seat they had better get there by 5 for a concert that starts at 6?

Fairlawn to Release Balloons with Special College Note Inside

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Friday, May 18
9 a.m. (balloon release around 9:30 a.m.)
Fairlawn Elementary School, 2021 S. Alvord Blvd.

As the first No Excuses University in Indiana, Fairlawn Elementary School is committed to creating a culture that encourages students to attend college at a very young age and exposes them to powerful college symbolism like college flags, banners, t-shirts, etc. As part of that commitment, Fairlawn first graders will participate in special awards ceremony Friday, May 18, beginning at 9 a.m. with special guest Sharon Gieselmann, associate professor of education with the University of Evansville. Gieselmann will present awards to first graders, complete in her camp and gown. After the assembly, around 9:30 a.m., students will travel outside to release helium balloons in their college colors. Included in the balloons will be a note from each child explaining about his/her college. The school hopes individuals who find the balloons and enclosed notes will write back explaining his/her college experiences.

Public library kicks off Summer Reading Program Sunday

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Evansville, IN – The Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library’s Summer Reading Program will kick off this Sunday, May 20th. The kickoff event will take place from 1:00 to 4:30 pm at Central Library, with the first individuals to pick up a reading log at the event receiving a giveaway.

Beginning May 21st, customers may pick up a reading log at any of the EVPL’s eight locations. The program ends July 30th.

All ages can read for a chance to win prizes in the Summer Reading Program. Kids can win prizes such as a Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden family membership, Pump it Up party, book and toy prize bundle, Showplace Cinemas gift card, and much more. Teens and adults can win cash, gift cards, and a Kindle Fire.

In 2011, more than 7,500 kids, 800 teens, and 3,300 adults participated in the EVPL’s Summer Reading Program.

Thank you to the Public Library Friends and Evansville Courier & Press, the presenting sponsors of the 2012 Summer Reading Program.

To learn more about the kickoff event and the Summer Reading Program, customers may call 428-8200 or visit evpl.org/srp.

IS IT TRUE May 16, 2012

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The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE May 16, 2012

IS IT TRUE the Vanderburgh County Commissioners started the budgeting process for the next fiscal year yesterday and spent much of their meeting grilling the various non-profit agencies that receive financial support from the County on what their value proposition is?…the Commissioners have been asked to cut 10% from the County budget and want to be wise in choosing how to do this?…the easiest but least effective action would be to just cut 10% across the board and let the leaders of the organizations all deal with it in their own way?…that would also be the lazy way to make cuts and would not provide for any VETTING of current spending patterns?…every budget from the home to the federal government needs to undergo a rigorous review and tough times are when that usually happens?…that if the Commissioners take a deep look at how they are spending OUR MONEY they will find some things that should have been eliminated all together and others that may be doing so well that they merit additional investments?…it is in tough times that the best performers should get the largest increases but also when poor performers are downsized?…that we hope our Commissioners take this seriously and do this the way they would in their own homes and businesses?

IS IT TRUE perhaps the most controversial and embattled of the non-profit heads to stand before the Commissioners yesterday was Debbie Dewey, president of GAGE?…Dewey came before a group of Commissioners who were basically not feeling much respect from or for the goings on at GAGE with respect to the Vanderburgh County?…Commissioner Melcher brought up the facts that the Commissioners were not invited to the Crane bus trip, have seen no tangible results from GAGE in the unincorporated county, and doubts whether GAGE should even be doing tax abatement grading?…Ms. Dewey was asked what she would do if the Commissioners cut her $150,000 per year contribution by 10% to $135,000 and her response was that she would have to lay somebody off?…that with a budget of over $800,000 it is doubtful that a layoff would be necessary for a $15,000 budget cut?…Commissioner Melcher expresses reluctance to support any support for GAGE at all unless things change with respect to how GAGE interacts with County officials?

IS IT TRUE a common theme across the entire country right now when it comes to budgeting is one of uncertainty and restraint?…budget cuts are being cussed and discussed all across the country as a result of entering the 3rd year of legislative uncertainty?…Dr. Jerry Nickelsburg of the UCLA Anderson School of Business gave a presentation yesterday on the economic forecast for the nation?…the forecast called for perpetual slow growth, stagnant job growth, a continued period of languishing real estate values, and an overall fiscal assessment characterized by the term “a slow moving train wreck”?…that while one speaker picked President Obama to be re-elected another with graphs and charts to support his conclusion is picking Romney on the basis of Ohio and Pennsylvania sealing the deal?…that the reason given for these two states sealing the deal for Romney winning in these states is their dependence on COAL as an economic force?…that the states that are really up for grabs are only a maximum of 10 with only half of those being big in the scheme of the electoral college?…one map was shown that had President Obama winning the electoral vote by 68 votes that also projected him losing the general election by 6 points?…that all speakers agreed that the dire economic forecasts would merit upward revision in the event that Romney wins?…even the speaker with an Obama sticker on his car expressed that sentiment?…the non-profits of Evansville should listen up because when there is no money in the coffers of government, there can be no investments in non-profits?…that all government money comes from private business successes or the printing press and we know what negative effects the printing press has?

IS IT TRUE all of this happened on a day when President Obama was touting government for creating the internet and the internet with making Microsoft possible?…that Microsoft was a commercial success 20 years before the internet had any commercial viability at all?…that the President must have been channeling Al Gore yesterday in Seattle?

IS IT TRUE May 17, 2012: Update

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The Mole #??

UPDATE

IS IT TRUE that people on the Chamber of Commerce trip to Savannah, GA have called the CCO and told us that County Commissioners Marsha Abell and Joe Kiefer are also in Savannah on taxpayer dollars?

IS IT TRUE May 17, 2012

IS IT TRUE

that the Evansville Icemen are having a press conference this morning to officially announce that they are moving up in the pecking order of professional hockey leagues below the NHL?…that as the CCO has said all along, any winning sport will sell tickets in Evansville if those tickets are affordable?…the ownership of the Icemen is doing a good job of putting a good product on the ice and competing for championships?…as long as that combination of winning and good entertainment continues the Icemen will prosper?

IS IT TRUE the Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana chartered a plane to take local movers and shakers to Savannah, GA to learn what Evansville can do to become more Savannah like?…that the fee to make this trip is slightly north of $900?…that Evansville City Council members Missy Mosby, Jonathan Weaver, and John Friend are on this trip?…that the City of Evansville is picking up the tab for their travel?…that is nearly $3,000 of taxpayer dollars that are being spent to send these elected officials to Savannah, GA to learn how Evansville can emulate the economic successes of Savannah?…that we are sitting on pins and needles to hear how Evansville is going to put in a deep water ocean port, become a tourist Mecca for southern culture, and establish a world renowned college of design?…that we also hear that the First Lady of Evansville Carol McLintock made the trip but do not think that the City of Evansville is paying her tab?…that the cast of characters on this trip will certainly become friendly toward one another which will compromise the budget process when it comes time for other people on the trip to come before the City Council hat in hand?

IS IT TRUE yesterday was the day when Ted Ziemer, the attorney for the Office of the Mayor was supposedly going to meet with the legal team representing Earthcare Energy to search for an elegant way out of this most un-elegant rock and a hard place?…that just a minimal VETTING effort would have prevented a need for this meeting to have ever taken place?…that we hope that some of the travelers to Savannah will bring up the process of VETTING and will take a few notes on that subject between bites of well seasoned southern food and sips of Southern Comfort?…there is nothing like a taxpayer funded trip to a resort location to stimulate the senses to learn new things?…that Savannah, GA and Evansville have about as much in common as the north pole and Miami?

IS IT TRUE tomorrow morning Facebook will make its debut on the public stock markets with a valuation of over $100 Billion?…that it was reported yesterday that over 1,000 employees of Facebook just in the San Francisco Bay Area will become instant millionaires?…that upon the sale of any of the shares that make these people millionaires the federal government and the State of California stand to rake in huge sums of money in the form of income taxes?…that the co-founder of Facebook has renounced his American citizenship and become a citizen Singapore that has ZERO capital gains taxes?…that the taxes saved by this individual are estimated to be over $1 Billion?…that he says it is not about taxes and to that we say BULL?…that at the end of World War II, Singapore was about the size of Evansville on a similar land mass as Vanderburgh County?…that strong leadership, a good plan, and favorable taxation rates have made Singapore into a world class economic engine with one of the cleanest and safest places in the world and a population of over 3 million?…that all of America can learn from the economic success of Singapore?

Local Girl Gets Special Ride to “School”

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Most kids dream of visiting a Fire Station, wearing a real fire helmet and
getting to sit in the truck. For 2 year old Maggie Rhymer, she got that and
much more.

When SWIRCA Executive Director Rhonda Zuber called Fire Chief Mike
Connelly looking for an item for their annual fundraiser, Chief Connelly
responded with “What about a ride to school on a fire truck”. Zuber gladly
accepted and thought that would be a great “item” for their annual auction.

During the auction local resident Jeff Rhymer decided this would be a
great experience for his daughter Maggie and placed the winning bid.
This morning Maggie and her parents were greeted at the Station by Chief
Connelly. Then she got a tour of the Station, tried on some firefighting gear
and got a ride to her daycare. She was accompanied on her trip by her father
Jeff and 4 Firefighters of Station #16 where upon her arrival she was greeted
by the other children at the daycare.

Maggie even brought a gift of a dozen doughnuts for the Firefighters to
say “Thank You”.

WANTED: Rightful owners of $12.2 million dollars

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Attorney General Zoeller reminds Hoosiers millions are waiting to be claimed

EVANSVILLE, Ind.—Residents in the Southern Indiana Evansville area have millions of dollars that’s been forgotten – $12,154,329.43 to be exact, of which more than $7.3 million belongs to residents or former residents of Vanderburgh County. Attorney General Greg Zoeller stopped by Ivy Tech Community College in Evansville today to talk about the state’s unclaimed property program and show people how easy it is to search for and claim what is rightfully theirs.

“In every county around the state Hoosiers have money they have forgotten about or never knew existed. It is my duty to inform Hoosiers how to find and claim it. This money belongs to someone and I’m encouraging people to search for themselves, and their family, friends and neighbors,” Zoeller said. “With more than $350 million waiting to be claimed it is my goal to make sure this money finds its way back to the rightful owners.”

Zoeller encouraged all Hoosiers to visit www.IndianaUnclaimed.com as well as download the new, free mobile application to search for unclaimed property belonging to themselves, friends, relatives or neighbors. Businesses and charities can also have unclaimed property.

Financial institutions and other holders are required annually to turn over the assets of accounts in which there has been no activity for several years, depending on the type of account. Unclaimed property includes investment earnings, insurance proceeds and benefits, wages, and money from savings and checking accounts. Less than one percent of unclaimed assets are tangible, physical items, such as those found in safe-deposit boxes. It is important to note that unclaimed property does NOT include abandoned vehicles, real estate or other such items.

In 2011, 31,530 new properties valued at more than $3.3 million dollars were reported and originate from the eight county area. This money belongs to residents or former residents of the area or their heirs. The state holds these assets for 25 years after they are reported.

In total, the state’s unclaimed property database holds more than $350 million in assets. In 2011, the Attorney General’s office returned more than 77,000 properties totaling more than $44.3 million in unclaimed property. Last year, nearly $1.7 million was returned to individuals with last known addresses in the eight county area surrounding Evansville.

Every year, the attorney general is required to advertise the list of unclaimed property turned over to the state during the previous year. The announcements run twice in a two week period in the newspaper closest to the last known address of the property owner.

A public awareness campaign highlighting where Hoosiers can look for unclaimed property includes newspaper, radio, online and television ads. Also added to the campaign this year is a new, free mobile application that allows Hoosiers to search and begin a claim for unclaimed property free from their iPhone or Android.

The Unclaimed Property database can be searched 24-hours a day, 7 days a week at www.IndianaUnclaimed.com.

The Unclaimed Property Division’s toll-free number is 1.866.IN.CLAIM (1.866.462.5246). This is a free service of the Indiana Attorney General’s Office.

EVSC Students to Receive Free Identification Cards

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May 17, 18
Culver Family Learning Center and Glenwood Leadership Academy

A missing child is one of the most terrifying things a parent can go through. To help reduce that risk, the EVSC is partnering with New York Life Insurance Company to provide free identification cards for preschool students at Culver Family Learning Center and kindergarten and first grade students at Glenwood Leadership Academy.

Officials with New York Life Insurance Company will be at Culver Family Learning Center Thursday, May 17, from 7:30 a.m. to noon taking pictures of students and providing free identification cards. On Friday, May 18, volunteers from New York Life will be at Glenwood Leadership Academy from 8 a.m. to noon getting pictures of kindergarten and first grade students in order to provide them with free identification cards.

According to EVSC’s Coordinator of Safety and Security Gerald Summers, more than 800,000 children are reported missing every year. A child ID is a vital part to protecting and locating missing children.

UE’s OPTIONS Summer Camps to Highlight Engineering, Computer Science Careers

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This summer, the University of Evansville’s College of Engineering and Computer Science will offer three camps to introduce the exciting career possibilities in engineering and computer science.

OPTIONS for High School Girls, a residential camp in its 20th year, runs June 10-15. Students will stay on UE’s campus in a residence hall, complete hands-on projects, take classes taught by UE professors, and meet local professional women in the engineering and computer science fields. The cost is $500, which includes all accommodations, food, transportation, and other fees.

$100 scholarships for the high school camp are available through TWICE (Tri-State Women in Computing and Engineering). For more information on TWICE scholarships, please e-mail Tina Newman (tn2@evansville.edu) in UE’s College of Engineering and Computer Science with “TWICE” in the subject line.

Additionally, any student who participates in the OPTIONS for High School Girls program will be eligible to receive a scholarship to attend the University of Evansville for any major selected. The scholarship’s total value is $5,000, which will be awarded in increments of $1,250 each year if conditions (such as attendance and a minimum GPA) are met.

OPTIONS for Middle School Girls is also a residential camp, running June 17-21. The cost is $250 all-inclusive, and two $200 scholarships are available from the Warrick County Women’s Fund for girls who live and attend school in Warrick County.

“We started OPTIONS for High School Girls in 1992 — and OPTIONS for Middle School Girls in 2004 — as residential summer programs to help young women learn about the careers available in engineering and computer science where women are underrepresented,” said Phil Gerhart, dean of UE’s College of Engineering and Computer Science. “Today, we’re extremely grateful to the Women’s Fund of Warrick County for their generosity, which will help allow deserving and interested young women from Warrick County to experience OPTIONS.”

This year, the OPTIONS for Middle School Boys camp will be a day program, running 8 a.m.-4 p.m. June 25-29. The cost is $200 all-inclusive.

For more information on this year’s camps and to find printable applications, please visit options.evansville.edu or contact the College of Engineering and Computer Science at 812-488-2651. Registration will be accepted until all camps are full.

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