Comments on Advance Indiana™: Pence Signs Second Worst Bill Passed By Legislature This Year

Bravo, Gary.

2013-05-18T19:53:33.040-05:00

Bravo, Gary.

Well said, Jeff.

2013-05-13T06:16:08.401-05:00

Well said, Jeff.

Digger, It sounds more like you are rationalizing...

2013-05-13T00:00:01.646-05:00

Digger,

It sounds more like you are rationalizing SB 621 rather than putting forth actual reasons why it is good legislation and good policy, of which it is neither.

1. Government everywhere in the US is about checks and balances. One branch of government or one person in government should not have too much power, because too much power promotes corruption. This is why Gary's comments about "this mayor" are far more relevant than your response. The Ballard/Vaughan administration is nipping at the heels of East Chicago's Robert Pastrick as the most corrupt in recent history. Corruption damages government both in effectiveness and in public confidence, the ACS deal and Mass Avenue TIF being the most recent cases in point.

2. If not for this bill, the mayor will be blamed for things not under his control. So what? Welcome to the big leagues, pal. Every executive office holder from POTUS to a small town mayor gets blamed for things not under their control. That does not mean those things should therefore be under their control. The Greeks had a word for this concept: tyrant. Not with the totally negative connotations that it has today, but they discovered it was difficult to remove a tyrant. As it will be for an Indianapolis mayor with these powers.

3. Example being the MDC. Even with council appointees the MDC was a center of corruption. How many Ballard/Vaughan cronies got approval for shady deals, often with public funding, often with no necessity for the project? The Buckingham project on South Street or the Broad Ripple parking garage come to mind.

4. So the public safety department will continue protecting public safety? News flash: they don't protect public safety now, thanks largely to the fiscal authority of Ballard/Vaughan in cutting police in favor of bike lanes and cricket parks. You know, that authority of which you think he needs more.

5. And how about that unchecked appointment authority? You actually think that someone who appointed Frank Straub public safety director - possibly the worst office appointment since Caligula made a horse Roman senator - either needs or deserves no oversight? Are you like Ballard and Vaughan and just not give a damn about the people of Indianapolis?

6. Evidently you do not, by you having no problem with the residency requirements. We already have a carpetbagger from Bloomington on the council so Ballard/Vaughan can have another yes vote over long-time Indy residents. Now the Downtown Mafia can import a soldier from Carmel to do their bidding, while the people of Indianapolis who do not live downtown will get no attention whatsoever from our esteemed government.

SB 621 is horrible policy, a giant middle finger to the people of Indianapolis, and a green light to the corruption of Ballard and Vaughan. It is a disgrace this bill even got a committee hearing.

Specifically, your article alleges 621 to be “the ...

2013-05-12T15:37:14.348-05:00

Specifically, your article alleges 621 to be “the second worst bill passed by the Legislature.” You keep changing the subject to “this mayor.”

I am pleased that the bill puts constraints on county spending and that it eliminates 18 township board members. It is about time!

I like that law enforcement will continue under the Public Safety Department.

I don’t have a problem with reduced residency requirements, or counting absentee ballots downtown. I am undecided on eliminating yearly cabinet reappointments.

Concerning the metropolitan development commission, it is not a matter of liking or disliking the mayor. What the commission does is going to be an issue in the mayoral election. If the mayor does not control the commission, then how can the mayor rationally be blamed when the commission goes wrong?

I don’t like the elimination of the at-large seats. It looks arbitrary and partisan. It poisons the atmosphere of working together for the common good.

The PILOTS issue is about a unique dispute between the Council and the Legislature over CIB funds. I don’t see it as a structure of government issue.

I believe that covers the entire bill.

Mr. Bennett, Be specific about what it is you like...

2013-05-12T10:12:19.027-05:00

Mr. Bennett, Be specific about what it is you like about this bill. Gov. Pence seemed to have a problem with the council utilizing the PILOT law, which has been on the book for decades, to require the CIB to pay taxes on the two sports facilities it leases to the billionaire sports team owners rent-free. Thanks to this new law, that won't ever happen again. Let's be specific. You think taxpayers should be required to build facilities that are used 100% for the for-profit benefit of billionaires. Do you like the idea that someone can move down from Carmel this year and run for a city council district a year later, or for mayor of Indianapolis two years later? Do you think the Metropolitan Development Commission is going to be more friendly to neighborhood concerns now that the mayor controls the appointees to the commission. Do you think it's a good idea that the council has no say when the mayor decides to appoint the next Frank Straub to run the Department of Public Safety? I want you to be very specific about what this mayor has been unable to do without this law that you now think he will be able to accomplish now that it's law.

For what it is worth. I am familiar with the bill...

2013-05-12T09:59:46.171-05:00

For what it is worth. I am familiar with the bill. I agree entirely with the Governor’s analysis. The bill has negative aspects, but the sum total of the bill is more positive than negative. I support good government. I have voted Republican more times than you.

-When you're right, you're right, Gary! I...

2013-05-12T05:08:12.338-05:00

-When you're right, you're right, Gary! I agree with your comment 8:04 p.m..

Touche

And you believe that any money saved from the sher...

2013-05-11T20:04:04.145-05:00

And you believe that any money saved from the sheriff's office won't be given away by this piece of shit mayor to the pay-to-play folks paying bribes to him?

Once again no surprises here. Just one more level ...

2013-05-11T16:28:14.866-05:00

Once again no surprises here. Just one more level here for Pence to advance in the Crony-Capitalism Game.

The Democrats are no alternative as both parties are firmly in the hands to the Patron-Client Relationship.

The Democrats will win the Mayors office if they can find someone other than a re-tread.

Just a guess on my part but I do not place a whole lot of hope in the Feds investigating.

The Soviet Union took a tumble because of Crony-Communism and Corruption of the Nomenkultura. From Wiki on the Nomenklatura, "An official in the party or government bureaucracy could not advance in the nomenklatura without the assistance of a patron. In return for this assistance in promoting his career, the client carried out the policies of the patron."
Further- "Self-interest dictated that members of the nomenklatura submit to the control of their patrons in the party." In the case of America control by the Campaign Contributors.

Well, we won't have those senseless "at-l...

2013-05-11T15:18:45.367-05:00

Well, we won't have those senseless "at-large" city-council positions anymore. They were never needed.

I'm also glad to see the Mayor can finally tell The Sheriff "NO MORE MONEY". With reports that the Marion County Sheriff overspent his budget from $17 million to $20 million, both figures are obscene. That is OUR TAX MONEY! -and as I see Sheriff's deputies riding a bicycle patrol, I was wondering "why he needs any bike patrol, and how they fit into his assigned duties???" -They aren't delivering process with them, checking on registered sex offenders, or transporting criminals....so why does he have them? -I consider it money wasted.

Take home cars for all of his cronies....well, explain why! Why does he employ a County Deputy Sheriff who does not reside in Marion County????? Why did he have a take-home car to drive drunk in? I recall another deputy being involved in a controversial matter where another Marion County Deputy residing outside of Marion County shot and killed a dog.

So why does every crony of the Marion County Sheriff have a car at OUR expense? Why are deputies living outside of Marion County?

I can say with certainty that they are not going to get an emergency call to serve court papers at night, to transport a prisoner while off-duty, to check on a sex offender while off-duty, or return to guard the courthouse while off-duty. Thus, no take-home county car is justified! He could just drive to work each day in his own car and use the county car as necessary to fulfill his duties.

Now those motorcycles: Why does he have a single motorcycle? I cannot find anything in the duties of Marion County Sheriff for which a motorcycle should be used.

Finally The Mayor can help get the budget of our tax money under control. (Now if he would find some common sense when it comes to extravagant spending on sports-related facilities at the expense of providing basic city services, like Public Safety.