IS IT TRUE that when the numbers were added up there have been 160 houses in Vanderburgh County that have been condemned due to meth related explosions or reactions gone bad in the last two years?…that amounts to more than a house and a half per week?…that these are the ones that get caught due to starting a fire and there must be many more houses out there that have problems that are not reported or are snuffed out with fire extinguishers?…that there has been some minimization of the meth problem in SW Indiana recently in other media outlets?…that the CCO formally would like to be on record as stating that media outlets, politicians, civic organizations, and even business advocacy groups that try to minimize problems like meth lab explosions with hollow meaningless phrases like “it’s a great place to raise kids” or “great quality of life” are really a big part of the denial problem that exists with this most horrible situation?…that when people try to paint a pretty picture of meth problems that they really are reduced to being “PARROTS OF PROPAGANDA” and can actually do as much damage to the quality of life of an area as a meth maker can?…that those of you who repeat such idiocy (and you do know who you are) would be well served to stop being PROPAGANDA PARROTS post haste?

IS IT TRUE that we now have the President of the Evansville City Council Connie Robinson on record stating that “we can’t afford fire trucks and police cars” if Casino Aztar is not granted an exemption from the pending smoking ban?…that whichever side one is supporting on this resolution this has got to be one of the lamest excuses ever?…that in a mere 15 years that the City of Evansville has gone from seeing the revenue from riverboat taxes go from being a positive lifestyle enhancement tool to basic survival?…that riverboats were sold to voters as a way to help schools and now if we tweak them slightly politicians cower that they can’t fix fire trucks or make the payments on the Ford Center?

IS IT TRUE that whichever way this vote goes that it is clear from the public statements of many of the elected members of the Evansville City Council that Casino Aztar is Evansville’s Daddy and our leaders know it?…that there needs to be the municipal equivalent of the Betty Ford Clinic for cities that find themselves with a monkey on their back in need of rehabilitation?…that this situation was not caused by Casino Aztar, they are just a business, it was caused by politicians who did not have the knowledge or the will to manage the influx of tax money without putting themselves into a position of needing cash that was supposed to be for extras and not for day to day operations?

IS IT TRUE that we learned of a deal where a struggling golf course was bought and refurbished using roughly $35 Million sourced through the EB-5 program?…that the doubting Thomas’s on the Evansville City Council should take note and study such things that are becoming routine elsewhere?…that EB-5 may be the most viable way to finance a new downtown Convention Hotel and the refurbishment of the McCurdy both of which are making as much noise as a cemetery?…that rejecting viable financing options in a city that is now cowering in fear over spare parts budgets for municipal vehicles is bordering on being the fodder of a Saturday Night Live skit?

IS IT TRUE that whatever the outcome of tonight’s vote that tomorrow the sun will rise over the Ohio River and there will sit the City of Evansville with its future before it?…that one thing for sure is that radical changes of many types are needed to get us out of the leadership positions in meth labs, suicide, and obesity?…that thus far the politics of the local government class of 2012 in whole do not appear up to the task?

IS IT TRUE? February 12, 2012

IS IT TRUE

that the more things change the more they never will should be the theme for this week in the City of Evansville?…that the Mole Nation is unanimous that the City County Observer should be the first to publish that an inside deal has been cut to make Jack McNeely, the long time President of the Central Labor Council to replace the recently departed Mark Owen as the Chairman of the Vanderburgh County Democrat Central Committee?…that while we respect Mr. McNeely we do have some concerns that his status as the President of the Central Labor Council may have some negative effect on job attraction efforts for Vanderburgh County in particular?…that if one pretends to be the President and CEO of a big manufacturing operation looking to expand and the name of Evansville is placed on the consideration list, that the fact that the Democrat Party have dominated local politics for well over half a decade will get your attention?…that as far as Vanderburgh County is concerned, whatever advantages that the State of Indiana may realize from the recently passed Right to Work law may be squandered by making a union president the most powerful Democrat official in the county?

IS IT TRUE that we encourage Mr. McNeely to get in front of this potential deal killer as soon as possible with a position paper on job creation and an explicit statement that a non-union organization that moves to town that pays fair living wages with respectable benefits that they will be welcomed with open arms?…that whether some people like it or not, Right to Work is the wave of the future in America and the stable balance to overzealous employers who really would engage in exploitative practice will be cooperative unions that assure a drug free, well trained workforce that adds value to the business?…that this whole RTW can be a long term win-win proposition if both sides get together and make good things happen?…that we have faith that Jack CAN do this and hope to see a future where Jack WILL do this?

IS IT TRUE that in another CAN DO BUT WILL SHE DO opportunity, the Winnecke Administration has appointed former Weinzapfel Chief of Staff Rose Young to be the Duchess of Red Tape Removal?…that as we have been positive on the idea of using Mrs. Young’s considerable knowledge of local government workings, there is real potential that people will see this as a “MORE OF THE SAME” appointment and maybe it is?…that Rose was certainly a loyal and effective Chief of Staff for former Mayor Weinzapfel and often was seen as tending to his career much better than he ever did?…that sometimes the best person to clean the skeletons out of the closets really can be someone who was on the team that put the skeletons there in the first case?…that the CCO sees this new appointment as having good potential to do some quick fixes as only Rose knows where and how some of the skeletons are?…that with her effervescent personality and accomplishment driven zeal some people may be surprised how much Rose can do?…that balancing this new appointment with her responsibilities of serving the Weinzapfel for Indiana Political Action Committee may be a bit too much of a case of competing interests?…that a good gesture right out of the box before the skeleton eradication starts would be to resign from any and all positions that require personal loyalty to the ex-mayor?

IS IT TRUE that tomorrow is the big day for the vote on a comprehensive smoking ban in the City of Evansville?…that both sides have been putting their best efforts forward to cajole the members of the City Council to do what they want them to?…that during last year’s campaign a full seven of the nine members of the council expressed support for a fully comprehensive smoking ban?…that only Missy Mosby consistently opposed it and Jonathan Weaver has never really tossed his egg into either basket?…that for this ordinance not to pass a full three of the other members of council will literally have to “reverse strongly and widely stated positions”?…that the CCO is making no predictions with respect to the smoking ban and do not even agree among ourselves on this issue but will be featuring a point-counterpoint pair of editorials on the subject tomorrow?…that of course the pro-ban position will be taken by long time contributor to the CCO and former publisher Joe Wallace with the editorial supporting an exemption for Aztar Gaming Boat taken by the new publisher Mr. Tim Eckels?