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Red Cross Volunteers Responding to Hurricane Earl

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(Evansville) –The American Red Cross is ready to respond to Hurricane Earl from North Carolina to New England, preparing to open shelters and feed those affected by the Category 3 storm that is bearing down on the United States, bringing heavy rains and sustained winds blowing at 125 mph.

In an effort to be prepared, volunteers from the Southwestern Indiana Chapter will leave on Thursday to drive an ERV (Emergency Response Vehicle) from Evansville to Dedham, Massachusetts to ensure it’s pre-positioned and ready to help with relief efforts depending on the track of the hurricane. The Evansville based ERV and its volunteers are one of 150 vehicles and sets of crews headed to the East Coast in anticipation of Earl.

“Our local volunteers train year round for opportunities like this – to get out and help others in need during times when our local community is not affected by a large scale disaster,” said Matt Bertram, Regional CEO. “Volunteers are the backbone of our organizations and allow us the flexibility to pre-position vehicles, personnel and supplies in anticipation of disasters to ensure when seconds matter – help is available to those in need.”

Update about current Red Cross Disaster Operations:

+ Emergency planning is taking place in North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

+ In North Carolina, evacuation orders have been issued for some of the barrier islands starting Thursday night and the Red Cross has 14 shelters ready to open with more than 80 additional shelter sites identified if needed.

+ People who are evacuating can register on the Red Cross Safe and Well Website, accessible at www.redcross.org, so that friends and relatives can find out how they are. For those who don’t have internet access, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to register yourself and your family. Follow the prompts for disaster information.

+ The Red Cross has four warehouses stocked with relief supplies are on stand-by, and two trailers of relief supplies are en route to North Carolina, carrying clean-up kits, tarps, work gloves, comfort kits, and trash bags.

The work and mission of the American Red Cross is carried out and funded by donations from the community. To make a financial donation to help the people affected by this storm and other disasters here in the United States and around the world, people can click, call or text – visit www.evansvilleredcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. The storm may also impact blood collections in the affected areas. To find out how you can be a blood donor, visit www.redcrossblood.org

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

“Lost in the Fifties” Reitz High School, Class of 1960 Reunion

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Reitz High School
The “Lost in the Fifties” Reitz High School, Class of 1960 Reunion will be held the first weekend in October. Friday the 1st we will meet from 2:00 PM till midnight at Burdette Park, Shelter #18, dinner will be served at 4 PM and then at 6 PM we will go to Reitz for a tour of the school and then stay for the Reitz/North football game. Saturday October 2nd we will gather at the West Haven Chalet, 5510 Booker Road for a Buffet Dinner, Program, Pictures and dancing with music provided by a DJ. On Sunday October 3rd will be a good-bye brunch at Ri-Ra’s.

Invitations have been sent and classmates are encouraged to return registrations and checks as soon as possible so final preparations can be made. Any friends of the class or classmates that did not graduate and would like to attend this 50th anniversary are very welcome. If you have not made your reservation please call Bonnie Aramowicz or email her at bjaramo@wowway.com.

Check out the class website: http://freepages.school-alumni.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~reitzclassof1960/

Public Meeting for the Discussion of the Evansville Convention & Visitor Bureau Proposed Wesselman Park Sport Complex

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Date & Time: Wednesday, September 15, 2010, 6:00 p.m.

Place: Kevin Winternheimer Chambers 301 Civic Center Complex
One NW Martin Luther King Blvd.
Evansville, IN 47708

(Evansville, IN)- The public is invited to attend a public meeting regarding the discussion of the proposed Wesselman Park Sport Complex by the Evansville Convention & Visitor Bureau. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 15, 2010, at 6:00 p.m. and be held in the Kevin Winternheimer Chambers, Room 301, Civic Center Complex, One NW Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Evansville, IN 47708. A brief presentation on the proposed complex will be made by David Dunn and the public will be allowed to offer their opinion on the proposal.

Letter to the editor: “Shift in power – Democrats, African-Americans saw diminishing returns in ‘Unigov'”.

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EDITOR’S NOTE – The following letter to the editor is the opinion of the writer and not necessarily that of the City-County Observer Editor or Staff

I recently read “Shift in power – Democrats, African-Americans saw diminishing returns in ‘Unigov'”. (From the Courier and Press, August 29, 2010 – http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/aug/29/shift-in-power/) This article detailed, “The losers were Democrats who suddenly faced a vote-rich opposition party for the mayor’s office and control of the council.” To me, counting the score – politically – of a consolidation seems odd and a bit cynical. But also counting the score – racially – WOW!

I thought we were Americans here. My goodness, why stop there, what was the score sexually? Did women or men gain power in the end? (Shesh, should males be concerned about a “loss of power” here? After all, didn’t the League of *Women* Voters start this whole process!) What about effects on the birthrate? How about age, had senior citizens been helped or hurt? How about teen employment? What about Hispanics and other minority groups, or local immigration?

This reporting stated, “Merging the city and county governments here helped improve what amounted to a scattershot set of public services, but it also diminished the political power of the Democratic Party, and traditionally Democratic African-American voters, in particular, for a generation”.

I can’t help but wonder if there is some bureaucratic agency that is assigned the task of keeping score with every legislative act on racial and political angles…

But, this strikes me as the kind of rhetoric Evansville residents are not accustomed to. To take the report literally, I have to wonder if that is the case, should we expect to have Al Sharpton in Evansville rallying against this League of Women Voters and their petition for consolidation before this is over?

Or should we read between the lines and assume that their “shift in power” – to some degree – may have been a natural reaction away from a trend of more concentrated, centralized power that had over time already ripped power from those rural areas?

In general though, is it even fair to examine the political and racial results of a “Unigov”… without considering or mentioning other major national events of a political and racial nature around those specific
election years mentioned? I’m no historian, but when Unigov came to exist, that was a time of significant racial and political tension nationally – most of which I would dare say Indianapolis “Unigov” didn’t cause! Could not some of these results cited have been side effects or reactions to other things going on in this country?

Maybe we’re too oversensitive or desensitized to racially charged conversations. But it seems to me that Evansville residents that don’t yet understand the consolidation objectives… well, perhaps we need to hear a re-examination of the League of Women Voters intentions and desires. Given the racial and political aspects that has been injected into the community dialogue now.

Dan Effinger
Evansville, IN

JFK Family Fun Day Huge Success

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Sheriff Eric Williams with Caricature

CCO Outstanding 2009 Public Servant of the Year – Sherriff Eric Williams

By Ralph Edwards

The John F. Kennedy Club of Vanderburgh County held its 3rd annual Family Fun Day on Saturday, Aug. 28, at Burdette Park. The event, which began at noon, featured local Democratic Party candidates and was highlighted by featured speaker Pat Bauer of South Bend, who is the Indiana Speaker of the House.

The buffet included hamburgers, hot dogs, American potato salad, German potato salad, sea food chowder, chips, drinks and assorted deserts.

The Chairman of the Board of the City-County Observer, Ron Cosby made brief remarks saying that the City-County Observer will continue to be a nonpartisan publication, however he emphasized that he and his staff recognizes that there are outstanding candidates on both sides of the political aisle. He believes the mission of the CCO is to inform the electorate of who they are. He said today is an example of an outstanding public servant who we are going to honor. He introduced Don Counts, Editor of the City-County Observer and Dan Kisner, Staff Artist.

City-County Observer Editor Don Counts called Sheriff Eric Williams to the platform. Don stated “Eric Williams was elected Sheriff after nearly 20 years of service to Vanderburgh County as a member of the Sheriff’s Office. Eric is a true servant leader for our community. He served as the Chief Deputy Sheriff for eight years under former Sheriff and now Congressman Brad Ellsworth. Sheriff Williams is a champion of youth related and other community issues. Eric grew up in Vanderburgh County and now, with his wife Jude, they are raising their three children in Vanderburgh County. Sheriff Williams is committed to making Vanderburgh County a safe place to raise a family.”

Don had the honor to present Sheriff Eric Williams a privately commissioned caricature by Dan Kisner showing the Sheriff and his hero Barney Fife. The City-County Observer also presented Sherriff Williams with a $250.00 gift certificate for a Wing Party for 20 people at Show Me’s Restaurant and Bar for him and his friends.

Don also announced that Dan Kisner, staff artist for the City-County Observer will be sketching caricatures for a few more hours. After the speeches and presentations the crowd thinned as the guests were treated to free swimming, fishing and miniature golf for the rest of the day. There was an unofficial count of about 511 attendees to this most successful event.

Your Economic and Community Development Dollars at Work

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Are We In or Are We Out!

Will the economy double-dip or are we still in a recession. Peter Cohan, president of Peter S. Cohan, a management consulting and venture capital firm, wrote in his latest blog for Daily Finance, that we really haven’t emerged out of the first recession; and, though growth might be occurring it is happening at such a slow pace it doesn’t feel like real growth.

Contrast our country’s anemic growth over the past three years with that of Japan’s lost decade where economic expansion came to a total almost complete halt from 1991 to 2000. During this period, most Japanese households didn’t feel the economic effects on a daily basis but the long-term impact of nearly negative growth shifted Japan from having the world’s second largest economy to a point where today China’s economy has recently surpassed it.

The Eagle has Landed!

Good news for Evansville Regional Airport with the addition of another daily Dallas flight on American Eagle starting in November. Most airlines are doing anything but adding new service and the new Dallas route comes at a good time as Evansville Regional Airport is also seeking a federal grant to add new service to the Washington, DC market, which will allow for greater air access to the east coast.

Capital Campaign getting ready to Start

It’s hard to believe that the Coalition’s inaugural three-year capital campaign is nearly complete. Due to the financial generosity of Southwest Indiana companies and individuals, we’ve been able to achieve some significant accomplishments over this same time period.

Since 2007, the Coalition has helped secure $346 million in new investment, 1,780 new jobs and $33 million in grant funds to build community capacity in an economic environment that some might say has been difficult at best. A third of the Coalition’s annual budget is generated by contributions from the private sector.

We’re getting ready to kick-off another three-year campaign and we firmly believe that the Coalition has provided real value for all of our partners. Our goal is simple – to maintain private investment at $400,000 per year. If we are lucky enough to increase that number by adding new investors, it would be a strong plus as currently 80% of the Coalition’s private sector contributions are provided by just 28 investors.

Within the next 45 days, the Coalition will be reaching out to you asking for your continued support. I realize that these are tough economic times to be asking for financial support but much of the new investment and grant funds secured for Southwest Indiana would not have come about had the Coalition not existed. Your financial support makes what we do possible, and let me thank you in advance for your consideration.

J. Gregory Wathen, APR
President & CEO

Trent Van Haaften to Speak to Vanderburgh County Veterans Council

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Trent and his wife, Beverly, reside in Mt. Vernon, the same small town in Posey County where Trent was raised. The youngest of three children, Trent was the first in his family to attend college.
After graduating from law school, Trent returned home to Mt. Vernon and began work as Posey County’s Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney. Three years later he was elected Prosecuting Attorney for Posey County.

While serving as the lead law enforcement officer for Posey County Trent cracked down on the meth epidemic and took on the toughest criminals. Unafraid to take on his own party, Trent launched the investigation that led to the conviction of a corrupt elected sheriff of his own party.

Trent’s expertise in the courtroom included being designated a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the prosecution of an international drug trafficking case.

After twelve years as a local prosecutor Trent went from the courthouse to the statehouse to use his experience as a prosecutor to work across party lines to pass the strongest anti-meth law in the country.

Trent built a reputation as a bi-partisan leader with a record of cutting middle class taxes, opposing new sales taxes and creating a half a billion dollar property tax relief fund.

While living in Mt. Vernon, Trent has given back to his community in a number of areas. He served as President of the Posey County Community Foundation, assisted in the development of a community-wide recycling effort while a member of the Solid Waste Citizens Advisory Board and taught many young people the importance of teamwork as a youth football coach.

Trent and Beverly attend First United Methodist Church, the same church Trent has belonged to as a child.

Trent’s family remains close as his parents reside in Vanderburgh County. Brett, Trent’s older brother, resides with his family outside Mt. Vernon, while his sister, Jackie and her family reside near Louisville, KY.

Trent will give a short presentation on issues concerning veterans, at the Vanderburgh County Veterans Council meeting, Thursday, September 2 at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. See www.TrentForCongress.com for more information.

Don’t Shoot the Messenger

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Kathryn Martin

Kathryn Martin has Exceeded Expectations in Cleaning the Knight Township Mess
By: Don Counts

Kathryn Martin was appointed to serve the remainder of the term of Linda Durham the elected Knight Township Trustee by Democratic Party caucus in March 2010. Linda Durham was seated to the trusteeship over objections raised due to her difficulty in obtaining bonding resigned from office and has since been arrested on felony theft and official misconduct charges.

Ms. Martin is currently seeking that office as the democratic candidate running against republican Jim Braker. If the past five months are any indication of what the job of township trustee is, then Kathryn Martin has certainly been battle hardened.

The job of a township trustee typically include recommending an annual budget to the elected legislative body of the township, reporting to that legislative body about the condition of the trustees office, managing the office, and managing the protective and humanitarian services that townships provide to the approved budget. It is certainly not required or even expected that the township trustee should have the responsibility of auditing a predecessor’s performance for fraud, negligence, and abuse. It however appears that Ms. Martin has willfully taken the bull by the horns and led the effort to do exactly that. The City County Observer applauds her can-do spirit and commends the way that she has carried out her responsibilities thus far.

It has been widely documented that the alleged actions of Ms. Durham and her Chief Deputy, Tonda Pauley have left Knight Township in dire financial straits. It was abundantly clear from the time she was seated that she would need substantial guidance and oversight to succeed as township trustee. The responsibility for that oversight falls squarely on the shoulders of what Indiana Code IC 36-6-6 refers to as the legislative body of the township. Locally this term legislative body has been commonly referred to as the advisory board. Despite the less official term adopted locally, the duties of the legislative body are truly legislative as the full body of Indiana Code IC 36-6-6 spells out.

Specifically, in IC 36-6-6-9, the legislative body is tasked with conducting an annual meeting on or before the third Tuesday after the first Monday in January of each year consideration and approval of annual report of executive; disposition of funds. During this meeting the annual report of the executive including the budget and the financial performance of the previous year are approved, altered, or disallowed by the legislative body. A member may administer oaths necessary in the examination of the report. The legislative body has broad powers to go along with its broad responsibilities.

As Ms. Durham was seated as Knight Township Trustee in early 2006, by statute there must have been two annual budgets and two reviews with oversight provided by the legislative body. The City County Observer is quite curious to know about the outcomes of the budgetary and financial reviews of these annual meetings. If the recent revelations regarding the dire financial straits of Knight Township came as a surprise to anyone, they certainly should not have been. The performance of the legislative body should be under just as much examination and scrutiny as the performance that led to Ms. Durham’s resignation. The legislative body in its annual meetings, quarterly reviews, and by calling special meetings could have and should have averted the current situation before the Knight Township Trustees office became financially functionally insolvent.

This insolvency leaves Knight Township in need of a loan to enable the office to remain open until its next allocation of taxpayer money is available in December. Indiana Code provides for the mechanism to seek and secure loans in IC 36-6-6-15. Sec. 15. states that (a) If the legislative body finds that an emergency requires the borrowing of money to meet the township’s current expenses, it may take out temporary loans in an amount not more than eighty percent (80%) of the total anticipated revenue for the remainder of the year in which the loans are taken out, and (b) The legislative body must authorize the temporary loans by a resolution.

The local media has been reporting during the last news cycle that Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel has floated an idea for a $200,000 loan from the Evansville Bond Bank that is funneled through the Vanderburgh County to Knight Township. As good as this intention may be, haven’t we been down this path before? This convoluted solution sounds eerily similar to the scheme hatched by Mayor Weinzapfel to supplement the salary of Evansville DMD Director Tom Barnett by funneling Evansville Bond Bank money through GAGE to Barnett. This time it’s different because the Mayor is conducting the people’s business in public.

We believe it is appropriate for the Evansville Bond Bank to make a loan directly to the Knight Township Trustee’s Office because the public good demands it. The City County Observer would like to thank Mayor Weinzapfel for seeking ways to circumvent the major financial challenges facing Knight Township Trustee’s office.

There are legal and appropriate ways for Knight Township to seek and secure a temporary loan. The first step as codified by IC 36-6-6-15 is for the legislative body of Knight Township (Advisory Board) to adopt a formal resolution to seek such a loan. The City County Observer acknowledges that this important first step was taken by the Advisory Board. We hope that a legal and palatable lending source can be secured to keep the Knight Township Trustees office open and functioning. State law states the County Commissioners signs contracts and the County Council find ways to financially honor them.

The fate of keeping the Knight Township Volunteer Fire Department protecting homes and lives and the Knight Township Trustee’s Office to continue helping serve the basic needs of the “poorest of the poor” is now in the hands of the Evansville Bond Bank, Knight Township Legislative Body (Advisory Committee), County Commissioners, County Council and Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel! We believe they are up to the task! In our heart of hearts we believe if the Knight Township Trustee, Kathryn Martin seeks the wisdom of advise of Pigeon Township Trustee Mary Hart and gets the funding for this office we will quickly see if she is worthy of reelection to this office. If she makes any missteps or blunders running this important position that serves the needs of the “Poorest of the Poor” the City-county Observer will hold her accountable.

References:
IC 36-6-6 Township Legislative Body http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title36/ar6/ch6.html

Attorney General files suit against ex-trustee, aide, to recover public funds

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Attorney General Greg Zoeller
Zoeller: Embezzling poor relief for personal expenses, concert tickets was “unconscionable”

INDIANAPOLIS – Today Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller filed a lawsuit against a former Knight Township trustee in Evansville to recover nearly $78,000 in public funds intended for poor relief and fire protection that the ex-trustee and an aide allegedly squandered on personal expenses and luxuries, such as New Kids on the Block concert tickets.

“For the ex-trustee to pilfer taxpayers’ money intended to help Hoosiers in economic crisis and divert it for her own entertainment and comfort is unconscionable and a betrayal of the public trust. The Attorney General’s Office will do everything within its legal authority to hold this individual and her accomplice accountable,” Zoeller said.

Zoeller’s office filed a complaint for recovery of public funds against former Knight Township Trustee Linda K. Durham and Durham’s former chief deputy trustee, Tonda Pauley, seeking an order to require the defendants to reimburse taxpayers for the amounts taken by fraud or misappropriation. The lawsuit was filed today in Vanderburgh County Superior Court, along with a motion for a temporary restraining order to prevent the defendants from hiding or transferring any personal accounts the State may seek to claim later.

A State Board of Accounts certified audit of Knight Township government’s finances for the time frame of January 1, 2008, to March 31, 2010, found that Durham misappropriated $74,544.76 in public funds and Pauley misappropriated $3,336.23. A certified audit triggers a legal process where the Attorney General serves as the State’s collection agent to recover public funds that were stolen, mishandled or diverted.

According to the SBoA audit, Durham made a long list of purchases using the township government’s credit card without supporting receipts or invoices. Durham’s improper personal purchases at public expense included: Autozone, Bath & Body Works, DIS Disney Movie Club, iTunes, LA Nails, Mineral Makeup, Spencer Gifts, Wet Seal, McDonald’s, KFC, Domino’s Pizza, Taco Bell, Dairy Queen, Little Caesar’s, Papa John’s, Pizza Hut and Donut Bank and numerous other eateries. Durham also purchased flowers, hair care items, movie tickets, gasoline, groceries and six New Kids on the Block concert tickets using taxpayer funds, the audit found.

Beyond Durham’s $47,025.71 in undocumented improper purchases, the suit alleges Durham is responsible for another $9,691.06 in undocumented disbursements; $1,115 for unnecessary overdraft and service fees; $4,868.64 in audit costs; and $11,844.35 for overpaying payroll to herself, Pauley and two other employees.

Specifically, the audit found that Durham paid herself her salary in advance — drawing a full year’s salary by August 6, 2009 – and then overpaid herself $8,452.74 in payroll by March 11, 2010, the date she resigned.

Pauley, who left office March 29, 2010, is alleged in the lawsuit to owe the township $3,336.23, mostly for undocumented improper purchases. Zoeller seeks triple damages against both defendants.

Zoeller today also filed motions for temporary restraining orders asking the Vanderburgh County Superior Court to freeze any bank accounts or retirement plans Durham or Pauley may have to prevent them from transferring or concealing funds. A magistrate granted the orders today. If the court later enters a civil judgment against the defendants for the amounts owed, then the Attorney General could seek collection of the assets to reimburse Knight Township’s misappropriated funds.

“The ex-trustee’s misuse of public funds as her own personal blank check has left the Knight Township office and its new management in a terrible bind as they try to meet the basic responsibilities of providing emergency relief to the poor and paying for fire protection. My goal is that we can eventually claw back some of Durham’s ill-gotten gains so that the new management can restore the township office to financial health,” Zoeller added.

Public officials who handle money are required by state law to obtain a surety bond – essentially, an insurance policy against employee theft so that there is money that can be tapped to reimburse taxpayer funds. Zoeller’s lawsuit seeks to redeem three bonds taken out on Durham totaling $60,000. The suit names the bonding company, Platte River Insurance Company, as a defendant.

Separate from the Attorney General’s civil case, Durham was indicted by a Vanderburgh County grand jury on two Class D felony criminal charges – theft and official misconduct – and Durham awaits trial.

Today’s action filed in Vanderburgh County follows a similar complaint for public funds filed last week in another Southern Indiana county, Lawrence County, against three officials of Shawswick Township in Bedford, Ind., after an SBoA audit. The lawsuit alleges former township clerk April Eagen-Dorsett owes $180,376.28 for the misappropriation of public funds for personal expenses; her husband Randy Dorsett owes $113, 017.38 and current township trustee Peggy Dorsett owes $3,952.87. The Lawrence County Circuit Court granted the State a temporary restraining order against all three defendants last week, prohibiting them from concealing or transferring their assets.

Zoeller’s actions in Vanderburgh and Lawrence counties are part of a stepped-up effort to file actions to seek public accountability of tax dollars from public officials who misappropriated them. In 2009, the Indiana General Assembly passed a new state law, House Enrolled Act 1514-2009, that allows the Attorney General to intervene earlier in the State Board of Accounts audit process to prevent public funds from being squandered or depleted during an embezzlement investigation. The new law, which Zoeller supported, also doubled the amount of surety bond that officials must carry, to have more available if reimbursement is needed.

NOTE: Attached is an unsigned copy of the Attorney General’s complaint for recovery of public funds, filed today in Vanderburgh County Superior Court under cause number 82D03-1008-PO-4704. The State Board of Accounts certified audit of the Knight Township Trustee’s Office dated August 1, 2010, is found at this link:
http://www.in.gov/sboa/WebReports/B37346.pdf

Letter to the editor from Brad Ellsworth – Emergency Assistance for States Like Indiana

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Brad Ellsworth

Dear Don,

Thank you for contacting me with your views on recently passed emergency assistance for states like Indiana. I appreciate your comments and I welcome this opportunity to share my thoughts.

As you know, states across the country are dealing with significant budget shortfalls. In Indiana alone, $300 million in education funding has been cut from the state budget, and school districts throughout the state have handed out pink slips to over 2,524 teachers and other education workers. Schools throughout Indiana inform me they anticipate laying off hundreds more in the near future. Additionally, federal assistance for state Medicaid programs are expiring, meaning states will soon cut vital health services that not only affect seniors, the disabled and those with low-incomes, but also nurses and doctors whose employers will be forced to make cuts to staff. As the economy in Indiana continues to recover from the most damaging recession in a generation, the last thing we need to do is lay off thousands of hard working professionals. For these reasons, I voted for recent legislation to provide emergency education and Medicaid funding to states. This vital funding would allow many Hoosier teachers and health care workers to continue to serve our local communities.

I am pleased to inform you this bill, H.R. 1586, is totally paid-for and will not add one dime to the deficit according to the independent Congressional Budget Office. The bill pays for these investments by repealing billions in government spending and closing offshore corporate tax loopholes that allow companies to avoid paying their fair share. These savings actually go beyond the cost of this temporary assistance, cutting the deficit by over $1 billion.

Throughout the year, state and local leaders have asked for this assistance. For instance, in February, Governor Mitch Daniels co-wrote a letter requesting an extension of the Recovery Act’s Medicaid assistance to the state, noting that this funding “would greatly assist us in maintaining services and further stabilizing the economy.” In fact, without this assistance, state leaders said they would slash funding for the CHOICE program, which allows Hoosier seniors to get less-intensive care in their homes instead of moving into a nursing home. This program served over 9,000 Hoosiers last year alone, and many of those seniors could be forced to get full-time care in a nursing home if they don’t have any part-time care options. Extending this federal assistance will also prevent across-the-board cuts expected under current conditions at hospitals and other health care providers. When the state government cuts payments to these facilities–they have no choice but to lay off doctors and nurses.

Meanwhile, I received hundreds of calls and letters from Hoosier educators, parents, and community leaders all concerned about the significant cuts to education. Many were from teachers, who had lost their jobs and told me they didn’t know how they would continue to pay their bills. Parents also wrote in concerned about increasing class sizes and its effects on their child’s education. And superintendents and principals told me this will be the most challenging school year they have experienced in years. Most disturbing to me was a Lafayette teacher who won a state award for excellence in teaching, shortly after she received a notice she would not be returning the following year due to budget cuts. The funding in H.R. 1586 will help schools retain or hire over 3,600 educators and make sure Hoosier students receive a quality education.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your views with me. If you would like to learn more about my positions on issues important to you or receive regular updates on developments in Congress, please visit my Online Office at www.ellsworth.house.gov and sign up for my e-Newsletter.

Sincerely,

Brad Ellsworth

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