Comments on Advance Indiana™: Ballard Budget Veto Gives New Meaning To "It's My Way Or The Highway"

artfuggins - that's interesting, especially si...

2012-10-29T06:45:14.113-05:00

artfuggins - that's interesting, especially since the Controller has to sign off on contracts attesting that there is enough money in the budget.

Now what does he do?

The council attorneys are contract employees. In ...

2012-10-28T21:06:00.237-05:00

The council attorneys are contract employees. In fact, they already have contracts for 2013.

Look, if the CCC wants to pay an atty or CPA to pe...

2012-10-27T15:53:39.511-05:00

Look, if the CCC wants to pay an atty or CPA to peruse the figures, that's fine. I disagree that they need an employee who is paid a salary & benefits - my understanding is that the CFO is an employee & not a contractor - to do the task.

The mayor has statutory authority to veto a measur...

2012-10-27T07:08:03.079-05:00

The mayor has statutory authority to veto a measure appropriating money or levying a tax by line item.

Does Ballard even have the authority to line item ...

2012-10-26T23:19:25.374-05:00

Does Ballard even have the authority to line item veto the Council budget? They are a separate branch if government.

"If the council doesn't employ its own bu...

2012-10-26T20:56:31.988-05:00

"If the council doesn't employ its own budget person, then it is entirely at the mercy of the person appointed by the mayor to provide truthful information. The council members are part-time officials. The controller's office has historically lied and obfuscated to no end when it comes to transparency with the budget."

Gary Welsh hits the nail on the head with this statement. Plus many of those attorneys on the council do not have financial expertise. They're lucky if they have legal expertise.

I'm reminded of the school board members that rely on the administration's attorney to provide them with truthful information rather than hire their own attorney. Then school board members are shocked when they don't get honest information from the administration's attorney. Well, duh, he's not the board's attorney.

They've got until January 1 to sort it out.

2012-10-26T18:23:19.980-05:00

They've got until January 1 to sort it out.

Do they do it on contingency? How do they pay for...

2012-10-26T18:09:34.375-05:00

Do they do it on contingency? How do they pay for the services with that part of the budget cut?

It's more than a billion-dollar budget. If the...

2012-10-26T17:34:38.851-05:00

It's more than a billion-dollar budget. If the council doesn't employ its own budget person, then it is entirely at the mercy of the person appointed by the mayor to provide truthful information. The council members are part-time officials. The controller's office has historically lied and obfuscated to no end when it comes to transparency with the budget.

The council could absolutely take Ballard to court over the issue, Pat.

Its more than just the CFO, too. The part of the ...

2012-10-26T17:16:38.196-05:00

Its more than just the CFO, too. The part of the budget he cut for the Council also includes any money to pay rent and utilities.

He just wants the Council on a leash that he will yank whenever they don't do as he dictates.

I'm not a lawyer, but blackmail or extorsion would seem to be the apt word to use here.

I am glad to hear about the constitutional issues. Would someone have to take the Mayor to court - without any funds to do so, mind you? What if the DLGF demands spending cuts equal to the revenue cuts the Mayor made prior to the court action?

Just my own opinion, but I think its kinda foolish...

2012-10-26T17:16:28.368-05:00

Just my own opinion, but I think its kinda foolish for a lawmaking body with 29 members (many of them attorneys who need to know the rudiments of math in their profession) to have a CFO.

It's the council's CFO. The Republicans em...

2012-10-26T16:46:00.537-05:00

It's the council's CFO. The Republicans employed Jim Steele as its CFO when they controlled the council.

Gary, a point of clarification: did the Mayor cut ...

2012-10-26T16:12:17.575-05:00

Gary, a point of clarification: did the Mayor cut the budget for the City's CFO or a Council CFO? If it's the latter, than I just have to ask: why does the CCC need its own CFO?