IS IT TRUE? Part 2 March 15, 2011: Consolidation Hearing #1????
IS IT TRUE that the first consolidation hearing before both the City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County government was last night at the Civic Center?…that the architects of the plan that dominated the lectern were Chairperson Becky Kasha, Ed Hafer, and the Reverend Adrian Brooks?…that the committee itself did not even produce a plan on which they all agreed upon or voted to support?
IS IT TRUE that Reverend Brooks was adamant at times that the number of elected positions recommended for the Common Council (11) was not sufficient to assure adequate minority representation?…that Reverend Brooks expressed support for council level representation of the African American, Hispanic, and the Gay and Lesbian communities?…that he is correct by virtue of pure demographics that eleven seats only eight of which are ward based would guarantee any special interest group representation in a free election?…that it is typically agreed upon that the make-up of elected bodies of governance function better if these bodies of governance reflect the demographics of the governed?
IS IT TRUE that there was much discussion and even some ridicule at the fact that the lines for proposed voting districts were drawn from the 2000 census as opposed to the 2010 census?…that the “proposed wards†were drawn first to preserve the 6 current city wards and then to give 2 additional seats to the presently unincorporated areas?…that in 2000 that the unincorporated areas made up 30% of the population but were proposed to have only 25% of the geographically designated representation on the Common Council?…that in the 2010 census that the unincorporated county now contains 35% of Vanderburgh County’s population making the proposed ward borders unfair and obsolete?…that for fair and equal representation with 8 wards that roughly 22,000 people would need to be living in each ward?…that if 8 is the number that will be settled on that THREE of these wards will be predominantly based in the currently unincorporated county?…that at the present rates of shrinking by the City of Evansville and growth in Vanderburgh County that by the next census the split may be 4 – 4?…that preserving the 6 Wards of the City of Evansville resulted in clear and deliberate over-representation by the City of Evansville and under-representation by the county?…that plays right into one of the biggest concerns that has been expressed by people of the county?
IS IT TRUE that term limits along with many other widely desirable features according to Becky Kasha were “not even considered†as she said over and over again and also proclaimed that Evansville has not had any dynasties?…that the facts are not so clear with respect to dynasties?…that the facts with respect to the Office of the Mayor in most people’s lives are 52 YEARS, 13 ADMINISTRATIONS, and 4 LAST NAMES?…that history books typically have some last name before the term dynasty?…that while Evansville has not had a lifetime Mayor it has certainly been prone to keeping politics in the family from the Mayor’s office to the City Council, to the make-up of the payroll of the City of Evansville through much of the last 52 years?
IS IT TRUE that Evansville City Council President B. J. Watts uttered the old cliché’ “IF IT AIN’T BROKE DON’T FIX ITâ€?…that if the truth is told that the City of Evansville is “broke†both figuratively and literally?…that to utter that tired old cliché’ on a day that we were advised to boil our water before consumption, a parent’s letter was published about violence and dilapidation in the parks, and a MORNING SHOOTING occurred just 7 blocks from the Civic Center is just testament to the legacy of obliviousness on the part of City of Evansville governance?…that yes President Watts, the City of Evansville is “broke†and it is in dire need of some “fixinâ€?…that observing the unanswered questions, the ignored features, the discomfort with the strength that has been granted to the Mayor, and the disagreement on even minor details among the consolidation committee that this plan is not in any shape to do the needed repairs?…that if this effort is to have even a shred of probability to pass it will need to be revisited if not from scratch, close to it?
IS IT TRUE that there was some humor at last night’s meeting?…that Becky Kasha got a few laughs when she and the committee “trusted the voters to do their own term limitingâ€?…that tax and finance committee chairman architect Ed Hafer got a few chuckles when he said that “one should never ask an architect to help in saving moneyâ€?…that the Reverend Adrian Brooks gets the Johnny Cochran “If the glove don’t fit you must acquit†award for clever rhymes for his admonishment to the City Council and the County Commissioners to “allay the fear of the constituency with you creativityâ€?…that the Reverend Brooks sent a very clear and correct message that more creativity is needed for this to be acceptable and that he did it in a most creative way?