IS IT TRUE that many of you wrote in and emailed yesterday to ask exactly which local mainstream media outlet incorrectly reported the price of the Vision 1505 project by a factor of 9.21 or 821%?…that we contacted three different high ranking people at the media outlet and advised them of the mistake they had made in reporting?…that we made them aware of the magnitude of the error?…that no correction has been posted and that we received no response whatsoever from any of the people that we sent the message to?…that the incorrect story is still available on the website as of 7:30 AM this morning and that the following is a link to the story for those who may be curious to see?

http://www.news25.us/Global/story.asp?S=14213076

IS IT TRUE that it is irresponsible to misrepresent the cost of government projects to the public?…that a working democracy depends upon an educated, well informed, and engaged public?…that when the public is fed inaccurate information they have no ability to form opinions over government actions?…that the only route to accountability among elected officials is through accurate and transparent reporting of the financial reality of public projects?…that paying $7,677,308 to refurbish 32 apartments makes the $3,079 that the former board of directors of the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau spent for Christmas dinner look like a charitable event?…that penny wise and pound foolish is a poor way to operate?

IS IT TRUE that the Palestinian people now have a Venture Capital fund that will be managed for the purpose of investing in Palestinian owned technology companies in Israel?…that the amount of that fund was established with $28.7 Million much of which came from top performing public American companies?…that the Venture Capital industry grew last year by 19% to $21.8 Billion and funded 3,277 businesses in the United States?…that Evansville, Indiana continues to be one of the few metropolitan areas in this country or it seems like any country that does not have any professional venture capital firm that invests in local start-up and emerging businesses?…that this dearth of dollars for investment has been cussed and discussed by the supposed “powers that be” for over 10 years now?…that the net forward progress made from these discussions has been one great big ZERO?…that until there are new “powers that be” and a different set of puppet masters propping up the powers that be, that that big ZERO will not change?

IS IT TRUE that many rationalizations are coming out of the Indiana Democratic contingent that has continued to hole up in Urbana, Illinois to attempt to justify their choice to flee the state and take up residency in Illinois?…that there is no forgivable excuse for intentionally playing hooky from their jobs which are located in Indianapolis?…that when the City County Observer contacted a local Human Resources department about what their tolerance is when employees play hooky we were met with laughter?…that three absences within a 6 month period without a documented medical excuse results in firing?…that one thing that unions and management in all of the businesses that we have spoken with agree on is that to do your job you have to go to your job and do it?…that not even the strongest union contracts excuse workers from being fired for a three week intentional absence from work?…that our legislators need to get a grip on the reality that comes from the responsibility of holding elected office?

Evansville Still has Zero Venture Capital Dollars Available to Entrepreneurs

In a first for an important region of the Middle East, the Middle East Venture Capital Fund announced today it has raised a $28.7 million fund to invest in Palestinian technology companies according to Venturebeat.com.

The fund will be based in Ramallah and it has money from a bunch of international companies, foundations and other investors. The investors include Cisco, Google, the Soros Economic Development Fund, Skoll Foundation, Jean and Steve Case, and the European investment bank.

There is no question that the region badly needs tech startups to create jobs. The question is whether the region has the infrastructure to support tech startups. One disadvantage, beyond political turmoil, is the lack of infrastructure. Cell phone data networks might solve that, but there’s no guarantee that connectivity will be uninterrupted. Another hurdle is the lack of technologically-educated workers.

Intel realized this when it set up a technology education effort back in 2008 in the region. The world’s biggest chip makers has been investing billions of dollars into chip factories in Israel for many years, but not in the Palestinian areas. Still, the area’s talent has likely been overlooked.

The fund will be managed by Saed Nashef, a software entrepreneur and industry veteran who recently returned to the region after nearly two decades in the U.S. Another manager is Yadin Kaufmann, a longtime venture capitalist in the U.S. and Israel.

IS IT TRUE that the soon to be $239,915 per unit apartment building is owned by Robert L Hart III and Mary Hart according to the Vanderburgh County Assessor’s website?…that they have owned this building since before there was a website operated by the Assessor’s office?…that the assessed value of the entire property is less than the $239,915 that are proposed to be spent on each of the 32 units that are to be refurbished?…that Mary Hart is the Pigeon Township Trustee?…that the Mayor’s official press release does not state any specific value for the amount budgeted by the Evansville Housing Authority to purchase or lease this building?…that we are quite curious as to what the Hart’s will be receiving for the building that was previously deemed to be unfit for refurbishment?

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Housing Authority has a partner in this project?…that this partner is Aurora Incorporated that is located at 1100 Lincoln Avenue?…that the website with the staff, officers, and directors of Aurora Incorporated is at the following link?
www.auroraevansville.org

IS IT TRUE that there are many properties already owned by the Evansville Housing Authority or the Evansville Brownfields that could easily support a 32 unit apartment complex dedicated to homeless assistance?…that such a building could easily be built from scratch for substantially less than $239,915 per unit?…that the typical cost to build new habitat homes is closer to $50,000 or $1,600,000?…that is a full $6,077,308 less that is planned to be spent to create only 32 apartments in the Vision 1505 project?…that comparable existing apartments are on the market in Evansville for even less than that?…that an apartment building with 34 units is on the market in Evansville’s east side for $1,100,000?…that the Evansville Housing Authority should just take the money they have and buy existing properties rather than squandering over $6 Million to refurbish a supposed unrepairable building in a high crime neighborhood?

IS IT TRUE that sometimes common sense just seems to be missing in the public sector when it comes to spending decisions?…that for an 800% premium a slightly used car with a Kelly Blue Book value of $10,000 can be easily had for $76,000?…that buying a $10,000 car for $76,000 is just as insane as spending $7,677,308 of public money on a project that could be replaced with a purchase for $1,000,000 or less?…that squandering public money just needs to STOP?!!!!

IS IT TRUE that mainstream media dropped the ball again and presented a completely incorrect report on the cost of a local government sponsored low income housing project?…that one of our supposed award winning television news organizations broadcasted a story at 5 PM last night regarding the renovation of the abandoned safe house that is now called the Vision 1505 project?…that it was reported in that segment by a recognized on air reporter that the cost of the refurbishment of the 32 apartment style units will be $832,140 ($26,250 per unit)?…that when one actually reads the fifth bullet point of the Mayor’s official press release that one would learn that the $832,140 is really just the tax credit associated with the project?…that the real cost of the refurbishment of the 32 apartment units is $7,677,308 or $239,915 per apartment unit?…that an overjoyed Mayor Weinzapfel was interviewed by this reporter and stated just how pleased he was that this project could go forward?

IS IT TRUE that apartments are available for sale all over the City of Evansville for prices that range from $15,000 to $30,000 per unit?…that for the $239,915 that is budgeted per apartment for the Vision 1505 building one could purchase as many four bedroom homes on Evansville’s east side as one could ever want?…that as long as mainstream reporters make such monumental errors in reporting and Mayors get excited about overspending by a factor of 800% for homeless shelters that the City of Evansville does not have a chance to exhibit fiscal reality?…that the population will remain oblivious to insane spending as long as mainstream media fails to report accurate costs in an understandable way?…that an informed public is needed to keep government accountable?…that a misinformed public whether that misinformation is intentional or not is what causes things like $239,000 apartments to be built, $2 Million ball fields to be considered, sewers to fail for 50 years before being exposed, and a mountain of public debt to be accumulated without any significant assets to show for it?

IS IT TRUE that there is a 5 Bedroom home with nearly 4,000 square feet, an 800 square foot basement, an in-ground swimming pool, a pool house, a three car garage, and a formal library listed for only $235,000?…that the address this home is just east of Burkhardt on Lincoln Avenue?…that you can find as many deals like this as you can stand in the City of Evansville that are near the price to refurbish an apartment with government money?…that the developer of record that intends to spend more on each apartment than this house can be purchased for is the Evansville Housing Authority?…that yes, it is all taxpayer dollars being spent on this obvious boondoggle?

IS IT TRUE that three schools in Vanderburgh County were just honored with the coveted 4-Star distinction that signify that their performance is in the top 10% of the schools in Indiana by the Indiana Department of Education?…that the three schools to be named are Signature School, Evansville’s only charter high school, the Evansville Day School, a private K-12 school, and the Precious Blood School operated by the Evansville Catholic Diocese?…that no EVSC schools were awarded this distinction?…that select public schools from Posey, Gibson, Warrick, Pike, Spencer, and Dubois County were all honored with this 4-Star distinction?…that as long as the maybe this failure to be honored is part of the reason that the population of the City of Evansville keeps dropping and the economy continues its 50 year trickle down from the high that Evansville attained in the 1950’s?…that this is a part of the State of the City that never seems to find its way into anyone’s State of the City addresses?

In a recent ruling an Indianapolis judge has ruled that hiding behind a screen name when posting comments on newspaper blogs will not shield the poster of legal liabilities associated with his or her postings.

This is a different position than news organizations have typically taken when it comes to the postings of anonymous bloggers. Now if someone who calls themselves “IMAFOOL” posts something that is false and causes damages to a person’s reputation, then the source on which “IMAFOOL” posted will be required to release the IP address of “IMAFOOL” so that the real name of the person can be the subject of any lawsuit filed that covers the words posted.

This ruling will have no effect on the day to day political banter among posters who disagree but will pierce the veil of secrecy that anonymous posting has provided for false and damaging posting.

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IS IT TRUE that the Indiana Democratic delegation from the House of Representatives is now discussing the possibility of staying in Illinois until the current legislative session is completed?…that if they follow through on that threat that over 80% of the pay that they are receiving for being members of the Indiana House will have been earned while “working” in another state?…that those “wages” will be subject to taxation in Illinois?…that these Indiana legislators may even be deemed to be residents of Illinois for income tax purposes?…that residents of Illinois are not eligible to hold state of Indiana elected offices?…that these people were elected by the people of their districts to do their job in the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis?…that their failure to do so SHOULD disqualify each and every one of them from continuing to hold office?…that these Democrats are a poor example for our children and for our workforce?…that if there is a behavior clause in their agreements it should be invoked to be rid of them?…that Indiana true to form does not have a RECALL procedure in place like many other states?…that Indiana needs to get busy and put a RECALL procedure into place and to prosecute these AWOL officials to the full extent of any laws that we have to prevent legislative extortion?

IS IT TRUE that Indiana Congressman Joe Donnelly was recently interviewed about the state of Indiana’s manufacturing sector?…that he stated in that interview that there are many $20+ per hour jobs that are going unfilled in Indiana because there are no people available to fill those jobs that are properly trained to do them?…that the days of having a pulse and a insider connection as a ticket to a good job are over forever?…that the good jobs are still available but that they now go to people who are properly educated and trained as opposed to someone who is hooked up through crony connections?

IS IT TRUE that the only jobs that appear to be immune to having a need for education and ability are those jobs where the hiring takes place at the ballot box?…that somewhere in Indiana there is someone with an elected job who has a criminal record, did not complete high school, is completely incapable of doing the job, and refuses to show up for work?…that such a person was most likely encouraged to run for office by a crony who wanted to make a puppet of them?…that this person cannot be removed from office by RECALL because Indiana does not have such a provision in the law?

IS IT TRUE that “MOLE #3” was correct when he predicted that 4th Ward City Councilwoman, Connie Robinson and 5th Ward City Councilman, John Friend indeed push the Weinzapfel Administration to put up an additional $100,000 to spruce up our city parks?

IS IT TRUE that select members of the local “Union Brotherhood” are pushing to help get a certain female candidate elected as a 3rd Ward City Council member? ….that rank and file Union members and loyal Democratic Party workers are amazed that they are not supporting present City Councilman Don Walker for that seat? ….that this political decision not to support a retired union executive and leader may hurt the chances of a Democrat being elected the 3rd Ward City Council seat?….that the local “Tea Party” group may have something to say about this issue?

IS IT TRUE that Evansville City Council members have gotten the message that our city parks need a great deal of TLC? ….we we hear that 4th Ward City Councilwoman, Connie Robinson is pushing to up the financial requests from $60,000 to $100,000 correct maintenance problems at our parks?….we also hear that 5th Ward City Councilman, John Friend is also on board in requesting the additional money for park repairs? ….we want to thank 1st Ward Councilman, Dan McGinn and At Large City Councilman, Dr. Dan Adams for bringing the lack of maintenance problems of our City parks to the public attention?…that we would also like to thank and comment private citizen Dr. Neil Troost for having the courage and perseverance to not just let this problem go without challenge?…that the time for the public to sit back and blindly let Evansville rot to the ground without holding elected officials accountable has passed?

IS IT TRUE that we are extremely disappointed with the Parks Board and the Parks Director for complacently sitting back and letting our city parks get into this mess? ….we hope the new Mayor of Evansville replace some members of the City Parks Board of Directors and looking at ways to motive the present management staff of the Parks and Recreation department?…that the Evansville City Parks contains some 2,300 acres?…that a middle school kid is paid roughly $30 nowadays to mow a one acre yard?…that the mowing season in Evansville is about 30 mows per year?…that if the City of Evansville were to hire an army of middle school kids to mow our parks for $30 per acre for the whole mowing season that the budget for mowing would need to be just over $2 Million?…that comparing that statistic to the budget allocated for parks maintenance when paying prevailing wages to Teamsters and a city benefit package that one just has to scratch their head in disbelief?…that whomever writes, recommends and approves budgets for maintaining 2,300 acres in Evansville must have no knowledge whatsoever about the cost to mow grass and the time it takes to do so?

IS IT TRUE we wonder how much John Kish and his Evansville Redevelopment Commission have decided to pay the Vanderburgh County Democratic party to relocate their offices from the Executive Inn parking garage to its new location at the old Welborn Hospital?…that there were several offers to get the pickup trucks mobilized and move the desks, chairs, and pictures of politicians for free back last year when this first came up?…that if there was ever a project that should be subject to bidding and transparency that this is it?

IS IT TRUE that there were 58 residential properties in the City of Evansville reported as having been sold in the Courier and Press yesterday?…that the highest sale price reported among those 58 homes was $30,000 and that the lowest price reported was for only $300?…that the median price of these 58 homes was $7,800?…that a number of these homes were in and around the Front Door Pride area and the areas north of the Lloyd Expressway and south of Diamond Avenue?…that this is quite a large sample of sales to show such low sale prices?…that this kind of data does not bode well for the local economy?…that we wonder why realtors and elected officials continue to crow about how the housing market in Evansville was not impacted by the recession with numbers like this being published?…that maybe there is a bit of denial going on within the self serving segments of our community?…that when 58 houses sell in legitimate transactions for a median price of $7,800 that there is a problem with real estate within the City of Evansville that Front Door Pride homes will not solve?

IS IT TRUE that the Chicago Tribune reported in May of 2009 that the median home price in Detroit had fallen to $7,500?…that even veteran market watchers were completely shocked at that number?…that based on the recent sales data for Evansville’s $7,800 median that we are also shocked?…that the comparisons to Detroit just continue to amaze us?…that neither number is likely to fully describe the markets in either city?…that they are stark reminders of just how low of a value is placed on residential properties in shrinking cities during challenging times?…that for the curious that the link to the story about the $7,500 per house median for Detroit is below?…that another shocking but informative article about the slide from $7,500 to $6,000 and how it compares to Danville, IL is also linked just below?

http://www.businessinsider.com/median-home-price-in-detroit-7500-2009-3

http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2009/06/medium-home-prices-in-detroit-fall-to.html

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer really hopes that the City of Evansville can find a way to stop following in the footsteps of the City of Detroit?…that the parallels are really getting scary?

IS IT TRUE that the consolidation committee has recommended maps for Council members of the proposed consolidated government based on the population of census tracts from the 2000 census?…that the demographics and the population distribution of Vanderburgh County have changed enough in 10 years to render the 2000 census to be obsolete and useless for such purposes?…that any actions taken on 2000 census data will be deemed to be irrelevant based on these changes?…that a complete new map needs to be drawn before any recommendations can be taken seriously?…that based on the new data that the currently unincorporated parts of the county will make up 3 of the “wards” if consolidation actually passes?…that with the rate of voter registration and actual voting that this will essentially create a situation where the county actually annexes the City of Evansville?…that this is what has been needed for some time?…that the City of Evansville needs to take lessons on governance from outside of its own borders?…that we can all thank the Vanderburgh County Surveyor, Mr. Bill Jeffers for an excellent article that has illuminated just how much of a difference that the population shifts of the last 10 years have made?…that in 10 more years the county will be even a larger part of the population of Vanderburgh County and an even more formidable area to be dealt with?

My facebook friend Mary K. (Mimi) Parker responded to my call to use the word Sheen as a verb with the term Sheenius. A Sheenius of course is a person who does something that the recently newsworthy Charlie Sheen may do. Lifting a half of a line from comedian Jeff Foxworthy I have come up with the following examples of Sheenius along with this makeshift definition.
Sheenius: A person who has a sense of grandiosity combined with denial in a way that one does not have to be a genius to recognize. Ex: “a person who claims to have tiger blood and Adonis DNA”

“If you are 5 feet tall and can’t jump yet you proclaim to the world that you will be an NBA star then you might be a Sheenius.”

“If you can’t add 2+2 but tell everyone you know that you will be accepted to the MIT College of Engineering, you might be a Sheenius.”

“If you claim that you can slam 8 shots of tequila in an hour and still pass a breathalyzer test then you might be a Sheenius.”

“If you think that spending $80 for an item you do not need that is on sale from its $100 regular price actually constitutes saving money then you might be a Sheenius.”

“If you make an argument that smoking is good for you and that second hand smoke will make hair grow on the head of a bald man then you might be a Sheenius.”

Please add to this list at will. Let’s make this go viral.

On January 11, 2011, the Evansville–Vanderburgh County Reorganization Committee delivered its final Plan of Organization for a merged city-county government to the Vanderburgh County Commissioners and the Evansville City Council. The plan proposes eight voting districts, each from which to elect a common council member and all from which to elect three at-large council members.

Under the committee’s voting district layout, the existing city council districts remain nearly the same as they are now, and unconsolidated area of Vanderburgh County becomes two additional council districts. The concept proposed by the committee intends to protect the county’s rural lifestyle and preserve the agricultural community’s political influence within the proposed consolidated government system.

However, since the committee based its voting district map on 2000 census data, the map became outdated when the U.S. Census Bureau released 2010 census data earlier this year. The new data show a dramatic shift of population into the unincorporated county over the past ten years. For example, the new census data show a drop since year 2000 of 4,153 in the city’s population even though Evansville annexed about sixteen hundred apartment residents living east of Burkhardt Road between the Lloyd Expressway and Morgan Avenue in 2008.

At the same time, the unincorporated county gained 11,934 people, and most of these transplanted urbanites located in newer, small lot subdivisions built since 1999 in previously rural Center and Scott townships. As a result, the area designated as District 8 on the reorganization committee’s map now houses a population of about 32,500, or about 10,000 people more than will be allowed for a single council district. And that means the plan must be amended to include a completely redrawn map comprised of voting districts with balanced population before the map will be approved by state and federal election commissions, and before a unified local government may be elected under the plan.

If the committee really intends to preserve the agricultural community’s political influence within the bounds of its own voting districts, and to create only 8 districts, the fact is there will be only one rural voting district rather than the two appearing in the current reorganization plan. Furthermore, the single rural district will wander from the southwest corner of the county in Union Township bottoms, thence north 16 miles through westernmost Perry and German townships before turning east 18 miles across Armstrong and northernmost Scott Township to the northeast corner of the county. Yet even this single gerrymandered district must include the Town of Darmstadt and enough other residential subdivisions to total the 22,500 people needed for a single voting district.

Essentially, the rural and agricultural community’s political impact on local government in Vanderburgh County will evaporate under consolidation.

The reorganization committee attempts to address the known need to completely redraw the proposed voting districts by employing a so-called transition board only after approval of the plan by referendum. And the current plan empowers the transition board to divest the city council and the county commissioners of their traditional and statutory authority to redistrict. Yes, the current plan hands over redistricting authority to twelve people including 2 city council members, 2 county council members, 1 county commissioner, the mayor, the sheriff, and 5 other persons, with no particular qualifications, appointed by those elected officeholders. And the plan allows the transition board to appoint additional members, also with no specific qualifications.

Do city council members and county commissioners really want relinquish their traditional and statutory redistricting responsibility to a mixed bag of elected and appointed persons? And would it not be more appropriate to include a correctly completed voting district map to the public as a part of the merger referendum package rather than have an ad hoc committee patch one together after the fact?

Bill Jeffers; Evansville, Indiana