Mayor-elect Joe Hogsett finally got around to announcing the naming of Rev. David Hampton yesterday as his deputy mayor of neighborhoods nearly a week after word leaked of the appointment. That announcement came with news Jeff Bennett would serve in another deputy mayor role in community development. Bennett previously worked in the Peterson administration as a director of Animal Care & Control. A less clear role for Kathy Davis, a former Lt. Governor and City Controller under Bart Peterson, raises some concerns.
Hogsett described her role as that of a "city systems engineer." By all appearances, her appointment is only short term and she will not fall under any single department of city government. Hogsett doesn't even know from which department she will be paid. She currently works as a consultant in the education sector with her work being financed by the likes of the Lumina Foundation and the William and Melinda Gates Foundation, although she's consulted other areas like IT as well in the past. Our immediate question is whether she will be a true city employee or merely be employed as an independently contracted consultant able to direct significant changes in the city-county government while drawing payments from other clients of her Davis Design Group, LLC. Independent consultants enjoy power without the ethical restraints imposed on city employees. A media that's doing its job would delve into those matters a little more closely and figure out what her potential conflicts are as she goes about re-directing how city-county government operates.
Her agenda already troubles us because the first thing on her mind according to news reports was the $50 million in city and county revenues she complains is being lost because of property tax caps. The fact she immediately went after property tax caps when anyone who has studied Indianapolis city-county government knows that overly generous tax abatements and ever-expanding TIF districts are largely to blame for the erosion of the property tax base. By pointing the finger at property tax caps right out of the shoot, she undermines her credibility with this writer. She correctly notes the city has used a number of one-time events like selling the parking meter assets and its water and sewer utilities, which can't sustain the city financially in the long run. That's the same water utility her former boss, Mayor Peterson bought for an inflated price and then turned over to a French company to operate for us at considerable cost before his successor came along and sold it off to Citizens Energy for an even more grossly-inflated price, all of which have contributed to our skyrocketing water and sewer bills.
7 comments:
I'd like to know exactly what the former Lt. Gov. has that qualifies her to fix the myriad of financial problems that need to be solved? Does she have an accounting degree? Is she a CPA? Everything just seems odd about this appointment?
She slid down the chute from Indiana's junior senator over one vote he made concerning planned parenthood? So, she must be in favor of that group of capitalists and all that the series of videos portray. NOT a good sign of judgement on little Joe's part since abortion is genocide according to the former rev. jackson and it is well known in the black community that the policy was directed against blacks AND STILL IS.
If she is going to ignite property tax issues (ie. property tax revolt 2007-8), then she is going to receive a bad P.R. problem and a lot of rallies. We are still here.
She is just following the same playbook as the current administration. His honor et. al. blame property tax caps for declining dollars for public safety and loss of various services.
Democrat pollster and political advisor Patrick Caddell asserts that elected Democrats and Republicans have lost the consent of the governed and that this Nation is closer to rebellion and revolution than it has ever been in its history.
In light of a corrupt mayor like Greg Ballard who exposed the dirty little secret that our City County Councilors are completely unnecessary, now comes Lying Joe Hogsett who may early in his Administration prove that Indianapolis no longer needs a "mayor".
Simply appoint questionably-qualified political sycophants like Kathy Davis who derive secure streams of income from grants, corporate endowments, or fat political consulting fees. Sure, they may end up jacking up Marion County property taxes, be totally oblivious to the damage TIF's caused the failing Hoosier Capitol, etc., but taxpayers wouldn't have to toss the $95,000 annual mayoral salary down the drain as well.
How in the world does Kathy Davis merit a Wikipedia page?
Does Wiki now store bios for every single person?
Davis has an engineering undergrad and a MBA.
Dang. I voted Hogsett to be Mayor of Indianapolis not this Kathy Davis. Last time I make that mistake.
Like Democrat Zach Adamson who never one time during his furious campaign for re-election to the Circus known as The Indianapolis City County Council did he once admit he planned to raise his salary if elected, not once did Hogsett say he'd have someone else serve as mayor if he won that brass ring.
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