On What Planet Does Matt Tully Reside?

One has to be prepared to suspend disbelief when enduring the arduous task of reading one of Indianapolis Star political columnist Matt Tully's columns. Tully has a small collection of local political types with whom he enjoys sharing coffee. As sure as the sun rises, a column will soon follow heaping praise and adoration on that person. I derisively refer to his cadre of political friends as his circle jerk club because I can think of no better analogy.

Tully's latest column follows a sit down with one of his favorites, Indianapolis City-County Councilor Ben Hunter, whom Tully describes as "one of the most thoughtful local politicians" who "crosses political lines from time to time without worrying about the consequences." That more aptly describes Hunter's fellow colleague, Christine Scales, whom he and his fellow caucus members booted from the caucus because of her independence and outspoken criticism of corrupt and flawed policies coming out of her party's administration of the city. Hunter the partisan wouldn't even vote fellow police officer Lincoln Plowman out of the caucus after he was indicted for taking a bribe from an undercover FBI agent. Scales isn't one of the cool kids so Tully has nothing but derision for her, which pretty much sums up his thought process in judging a public officials' worthiness. Not once has Tully taken Hunter to the woodshed for the key role he played in the costly mess known as the Regional Operations Center ("ROC").

Hunter's first idea that Tully is so crazy about is for the Republican import from Chicago, Chuck Brewer, and the consummate politician nominated by the Democrats, Joe Hogsett, to each appoint a senior adviser who will "step away from the mayoral campaign and focus on the issues that will face the new mayor." The premise of the suggestion underscores the reality that there is no real difference between Republican and Democratic candidates for office in Indianapolis. Those who understand the system know the same puppet masters pull the strings of most of those produced by the two political parties, particularly our mayors. The incestuous relationships between their key backers couldn't be worse.

Hunter's second idea is based on the premise that Mayor Ballard has solidified a legacy of "putting policy and progress ahead of politics." The reality is that every major policy initiative advanced by Mayor Ballard amounted to little more than a scheme to line the pockets of his political cronies at the expense of the taxpaying public, whether it was the sale of the water company that quadrupled water rates, the use of most of the "proceeds" from that sale for repaving streets which needed repaved following the first harsh winter, the sale of our parking meter assets, the ROC, the illegal and costly Vision Fleet contract or his ill-fated plan to auction off administration of the criminal justice system lock, stock and barrel, just to name a few. But you can't mention pay-to-play because the Gannett-owned Indianapolis Star long ago decreed no such thing exists, which is understandable given that's how the newspaper decides what does and doesn't get reported.

This column was as bad as another one he recently wrote about a supposed "overshadowed gem" enacted by the legislature this year where he discussed with Westfield Mayor Andy Cook, whose working desperately to catch up with Carmel Mayor James Brainard in seeking how much government debt he can saddle future generations in a quest to reward his campaign contributors with one government boondoggle after another. Tully was talking about the Regional Cities Initiative pushed by Gov. Pence, which he now hopes will be used to fund a regional mass transit system boondoggle. It's funny how Tully has not once criticized the use of taxpayer dollars to build privately-owned parking garages developed by political cronies of Mayor Ballard and Mayor Brainaird to encourage the motoring public to stay in their cars while remaining steadfast in his belief that a multi-billion dollar public transit system is just what the region needs. Don't try to think logically when grasping Tully's meanderings. You will only drive yourself crazy.