IS IT TRUE? February 14, 2012

IS IT TRUE that today is Valentine’s Day and that we encourage all of our readers to express their emotions to that special person that you love to celebrate?…that even goes for those among you who have fallen for the charms of Lifestyle Lil who is also the siren who sang to seven husbands?…that even if no one else loves you that Lil will?

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville City Council passed by a vote of 7 – 2 last night a nearly comprehensive smoking ban that will take effect on April 1, 2012?…that there is literally not one land based building in Evansville where people are employed that will allow smoking after that date?…that the only exception is the gaming area of Casino Aztar and that all of that floats?…that there has been some question raised recently as to whether the boat is in the city or the county or even in Kentucky but that is all moot at this point for enforcement purposes?…that Councilwoman Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley gets the badge of courage last night for voting against the exemption for Aztar because she truly believes that a comprehensive ban is the right thing to do?…that Councilwoman Mosby as expected opposed the ban based on what she thinks her constituents in the second ward want?…that if there is one thing that we can say for Missy is that she has been the most consistent of the nine members of the City Council through this whole multiyear process?

IS IT TRUE that the most puzzling vote of the night was cast by Councilman Jonathan Weaver who cast the other NO vote?…that Councilman Weaver was elected to represent the community at large which has consistently supported a smoking ban by a 4 to 1 majority for several years now?…that Councilman Weaver may want to review who he works for as his title is Councilman at-large as opposed to Councilman at-the-bar?

IS IT TRUE that two weeks ago when this whole dust up over the January 23rd booze fest attended by six Democrat City Council members came up that the City County Observer raised the issue of such meetings violating OPEN DOOR LAWS?…that we were dismissed and scoffed at with even attorneys who should know parsing words and expressing opinions to the contrary?…that now former City Council member Wendy Bredhold has been reported to confirm that these after council meeting gatherings have been going on for a number of years?…that the Monday night gatherings of Democrats have been described as “tradition”?…that to her credit Ms. Bredhold had the good sense to realize that such gatherings do not pass the smell test and rarely attended?…that Evansville’s 3rd Ward seems to have become a consistent source of principled City Council members having elected now County Commissioner Steve Melcher, Ms. Bredhold, and current Councilwoman Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley?…that the CCO thanks the 3rd Ward for electing people who can be counted on to do what is right to the Evansville City Council?

IS IT TRUE that the whole OPEN DOOR LAW issue is quite likely to raise its ugly head on the heels of the January 23rd alcohol fueled gathering of Democrat City Council members?…that it would take incredible naiveté, denial, or an outright lie for anyone to believe that a majority of the Democrat members of the City Council could meet weekly after council meetings for a 3+ year period and not talk about the people’s business?…that there may just be a real investigation in the making to expose whatever goes on at these gatherings?…that there will be lots of egg on lots of faces and maybe even some consequences when the fallout from the January 23rd Bacchanalian BoozeFest of the Democrats has completely been made public?

IS IT TRUE that the City of Evansville tonight passed by a 7 – 2 vote an ordinance to adopt the comprehensive smoking ban that was adopted by the Vanderburgh County Commissioners on behalf of the people of Vanderburgh County 3 years ago?…that the only two votes against this resolution were cast by Missy Mosby and Jonathan Weaver?…that the City County Observer is proud of the City Council members who voted in favor of this resolution that is 25 years late but is finally here none the less?

IS IT TRUE that we first of all would like to recognize and thank Martha Caine and her army of volunteers who have worked tirelessly to make Evansville a more attractive and healthier place to strengthen the smoking laws of the City of Evansville?…that we also thank and acknowledge the efforts of City Councilmen Dan Adams and Dan McGinn who have been on the right side of this issue from day one?…that we furthermore wish to thank and acknowledge the unwavering efforts of former City Councilwoman from the 3rd Ward Wendy Bredhold and her worth successor Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley for not letting politics or power get in the way of doing the right thing for public health?

IS IT TRUE that you can’t always get everything that is desired and the forces for public health are to be congratulated for getting Evansville to a point where there is NO LAND BASED SMOKING and only the gambling floors of Casino Aztar allow public indoor smoking?…that Evansville just became the FIRST INDIANA CITY TO GO THIS FAR and that this will pay off?…that whatever one believes in KHARMA seems to be real and today the City of Evansville has made a deposit into the GOOD KHARMA bank?

IS IT TRUE that we also thank Mayor Winnecke for his many years of advocating for a smoking ban?…that today it finally happened and that Evansville, Indiana will be a better place for it?

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?