Candidate for 5th Ward City Council Seat Speaks out on Local Feudalism
Strong Mayor… weak council…weak boards
By: Brent Grafton
I am on record with the CCO (ref e-debate……….), stating that as an elected City Councilman I would focus a great deal of energy to try and re-establish the balance of power between the Executive Branch, Legislative Branch and Citizen Boards that was originally designed into our City Government. If the experiment in government that the world knows as the United States of America proves anything, it proves that however inefficient the rule of Law becomes, in the end it is the most fair and sustainable form of government. Power can only be trusted when it is executed in a system that has checks and balances.
What I believe we see in Evansville today is an attempt to rule by loyalty to a personality rather than loyalty to the Law. This is the system, that the medieval world knew as feudalism, where the King owned everything and if you were loyal to the King, not necessarily that you were competent, you would be given a fiefdom over which you would be a vassal of the King.
As Americans, we naturally feel that there is something wrong with a system that breaches the rights of some citizens to give advantage to another. We have fought many wars to leave feudal monarchy across the ocean and away from our shores. What a surprise to wake up one morning and discover it alive and well in a conservative Midwestern town !!!!
The political pile of debris we see in our community today is the consequence of a very poor execution of personal loyalty governance. The page in the playbook that appears to be missing is the one where it explains that if you are going to demand loyalty you must also be loyal. If you do not return loyalty to those who have sacrificed their competence and fiduciary responsibilities to serve at your pleasure, you will fail, and more importantly your government and your community will suffer from your failure.
The good people of our community deserve a good government. Now is the time to return to the rule of law where every citizen, regardless of political affiliation, is treated the same. No more sweet heart deals cut behind closed doors that give special advantage to a few good servants. We are a good people. We need the opportunity to work together for the greater good of the place we call home. That will only happen if we can reinstate the checks and balances that were designed into our system. Those checks and balances will help to guarantee that the people’s business be done in the public arena.
The world has changed and that change has created immense possibilities to create a much more healthy community.
All good points. So, Mr. Grafton, for whom do you recommend we vote for Mayor of Evansville?
Personally I will be voting for Lloyd… I have known him for twelve years and he has always treated me and the projects that I have been involved in with respect and support …. actually I think the more important question is who you guys vote onto City Council … I have commitments from four other City Council candidates to support my project to systematically review all the current City Ordinances over the next four years looking for ways to make our community a better and more fair place to live and do business. There is a real possibility that the balance can be re-established …. it is up to the electorate….
Imagine that, a Republican council candiate voting for the Republican candiate for Mayor!!! Did u think he would say Rick Davis???
“As Americans, we naturally feel that there is something wrong with a system that breaches the rights of some citizens to give advantage to another. We have fought many wars to leave feudal monarchy across the ocean and away from our shores. What a surprise to wake up one morning and discover it alive and well in a conservative Midwestern town!” (Brent Grafton)
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We did not just “wake up one morning” and discover that our system was being subverted.
We, the taxpaying citizens, allowed it to be subverted by not keeping a close enough watch on it’s proceedings, and by not speaking out on things we knew were not right.
Things were further exacerbated by the local 4th estate’s failure to perform their primary function. Thankfully, some people have stepped in to help fill THAT void.
I celebrate the fact that we have a candidate for office who understands what has gone on and is committed to returning local government to a proper system of checks and balances.
Such candidates need the help of a fully engaged and vigilant electorate in order to get things back on track and to keep it there.
The election this fall will show how serious citizens are about trading this current unresponsive local government in on one that is committed to serving the citizens, instead of the other way around.
I’m betting the people have had enough.
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Possibly. But then the local electorate is a bit more comfortable with status quo than what the “4th Estate” would have you believe of the national electorate, judging from the hullaballoo the extreme right and left slanted media outlets make out of their trick polling.
But you make many correct statements in your comment. Like the basically sad state of the print media who in with their dying gasps are opting for advertiser-friendly print rather than hard-hitting truth.
As to the November mayoral/council election, I’m betting you’re another voter who might be comfortable with non-partisan local elections.
There is no such thing as a “non-partisan” local election. Money talks and bull shit walks, and if you do not know who the major funders of a candidate are you have not done your homework.
Mr. Grafton,
I agree with your time-period metaphor completely.
Evansville’s biggest problem: a large demographic of voters who have never been informed or given the chance to see what a conservative lifestyle can do to improve their living conditions, quite simply economics.
Do I go to McDonald’s for $5.00 breakfast combo or do I go buy a container of Quaker Oats that can give me 20 servings?
Mr. Grafton, regulation and closer inspection of the entitlements is key in Evansville. There are many people who need to be on disability and more who do not. This election is more than just a vote on political power or who is most current on national issues; it is about helping shift a mindset of potential workers from “just living” to “productive citizens”.
Want to see a change in a negative to positive local budget? Start cutting entitlements to those who refuse to work. There are jobs out there and the younger generation needs to step up and work…that is if they see the efficacy in it. Then maybe they will see, being an employed taxpayer, their vote has legitimacy. Pretty soon, their confidence in contributing to society becomes a life-change that started with a simple “kick” off of government assistance.
Hopefully it won’t take a financial “Black Death” to open eyes.
This is also an “entitlement program” and if you ever wondered about just how much public housing Evansville can sustain, this document says that if a (PHA) Public Housing Authority’s expenses exceed their income, then they just apply for more funding.
http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=6499e65a0eaad599440bc63778ed7894&rgn=div8&view=text&node=24:4.0.3.1.27.1.41.3&id
That sounds like a formula for keeping the working class from enhancing their financial position.
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Sorry the link did not work, but then again, it is a government website.
Here is the information:
§ 990.200 Determination of formula amount.
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(a) General. The amount of operating subsidy that a PHA is eligible for is the difference between its formula expenses (as calculated under subpart C of this part) and its formula income (as calculated under subpart D of this part).
(b) Use of HUD databases to calculate formula amount. HUD shall utilize its databases to make the formula calculations. HUD’s databases are intended to be employed to provide information on all primary factors in determining the operating subsidy amount. Each PHA is responsible for supplying accurate information on the status of each of its units in HUD’s databases.
(c) PHA responsibility to submit timely data. PHAs shall submit data used in the formula on a regular and timely basis to ensure accurate calculation under the formula. If a PHA fails to provide accurate data, HUD will make a determination as to the PHA’s inventory, occupancy, and financial information using available or verified data, which may result in a lower operating subsidy. HUD has the right to adjust any or all formula amounts based on clerical, mathematical, and information system errors that affect any of the data elements used in the calculation of the formula.
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