tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post5238403398995377001..comments2020-04-11T03:30:02.282-05:00Gary R. Welshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15185079937305083438noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-6576629033959674432008-02-13T18:07:00.000-05:002008-02-13T18:07:00.000-05:00Those who the transition team leader, Joe Loftus, rejected would have made sure Ballard were prepared and would have NEVER allowed him to enter our Statehouse so unprepared and alone! Joe Loftus would be fired! Which is why they were rejected.<BR/><BR/>Ballard needs these people right now!!!<BR/><BR/>He needs these people to advise him on the various deals and activities city paid lobbyists are working on around the statehouse and the corresponding brokering with chummie democrat friends and clients. I'm sure Ballard doesn't think Loftus gave up his other lobbying contracts for the one he got with the city? He lobbys for many democrat organizations that are affiliated with Representative Bill Crawford.<BR/><BR/>Loftus wanted Ballard to look like an idiot so he'll never show back up over at the statehouse again, and he won't have to either. The lobbyist will take care of everything, for a fee..."just sit back Ballard and sip our kool-aid". Additionally, there will be no "obvious" conflict of interests, Loftus can represent the city and the other guys and not have to worry about standing next to Ballard. <BR/><BR/>Hey Ballard, why do you think the lobbying bills Peterson paid out was so high? You need lawyers around you, who are independent of the big firm lobbyis, who will make sure these people work for you...not you for them.<BR/><BR/>Ballard needs people who KNOW the activities, has courage, and will manage things so that city paid lobbyists are working in the best interests of the city and the Mayor. When Ballard walked away from his trusted campaign advisors/volunteers he divested himself of people who really care and all their relevant history and knowledge necessary for his survival. <BR/><BR/>He is now prey.<BR/><BR/>Ballards needs to learn the 'streets' of the legal world from the people who helped get him into office, or he'll be devowed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-67262629189309349012008-02-12T14:43:00.000-05:002008-02-12T14:43:00.000-05:00Ballard, don't you have the good sense to know that the old GOP clowns have been using you? They forced you to kick out the few good and honest people that helped you get elected and then started their own private GOP Gravy Train!<BR/>Get a clue Dude! You have been duped!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-18389911524083281062008-02-12T14:06:00.000-05:002008-02-12T14:06:00.000-05:00Mayor Ballard: You asked for the job. You said what it took to get elected. Now, please do the job for which the people put you into office. You have our support. We are not interested in crony business as usual and your personal comment to the "County Club Republicans" after your election is well remembered. Please do right by the citizens of your city. I think you may be getting played by the good old boys now. Take the independent stands you ran upon and people will suport and help you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-89047986473352003032008-02-12T11:39:00.000-05:002008-02-12T11:39:00.000-05:00Sometimes, the little details tell you so much.<BR/><BR/>"I've only been there five weeks says a lot."<BR/><BR/>1. It sounds like a whiny excuse.<BR/>2. It's not true- he had been there exactly six weeks.<BR/>3. #1 and #2 combined just make it sound worse-- Because either he didn't know it had been 6 weeks - which might be an excusable mistake, except when you're trying to use it as an excuse it makes it seems like he is exagerrating his disadvantage of few weeks in office to make it seem worse than it is. <BR/><BR/>It just overall seems unprofessional and unprepared and gives us no confidence in him. We always talk about wanting our elected leaders to "take charge on day one" or put their agendas into place in "the first 100 days" <BR/><BR/>When he is coming at us with the tag from the beginning who wasn't expected to win and maybe didn't even himself seem to expect to win, this really gives a lot of validity to the perception that he just wasn't ready to lead us.<BR/><BR/>He should have rallied people who KNOW how the legislature works to be prepared to go in and kick ass & take names, but instead it looks like not only was he unprepared, he didn't even know enought to know he SHOULD be prepared.<BR/><BR/>Eeek.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-7906219951432274292008-02-12T11:00:00.000-05:002008-02-12T11:00:00.000-05:00So back to basics here. As Mayor Ballard likes to say, "I've only been here 5 weeks" (or six months, rather). <BR/><BR/>Where did this budget disaster come from? When did it begin? Do we lay it at the doorstep of the new Stadiums, or is there more to it? Why did property taxes increase in the first place? <BR/><BR/>I haven't heard much talk about the root of the problem.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-45441483755891347842008-02-12T08:44:00.000-05:002008-02-12T08:44:00.000-05:00Not to worry. The first rule would be for him to decide himself what he is going to do and then when he is sure, to proceed. Threats tend to build resistance. Tipping your hand does the same thing. If they were small problems they could have been solved by his predecessor.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-27541067542963924422008-02-12T08:03:00.000-05:002008-02-12T08:03:00.000-05:00After seeing Greg Ballard on the News demonstrating his ignorance and lack of preparation! It is very depressing to know that the only person in government less qualified and less intelligent than Greg Ballard is his personally selected Deputy Mayor Olgen Williams! Dumb and Dumber!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-54131830284971568162008-02-12T08:00:00.000-05:002008-02-12T08:00:00.000-05:00Greg Ballard does not really care about our high taxes, nor does he care about our high crime rate. He cares about Greg Ballard and how much money and influence that he will have. He cares about his "Winnie" and her having a brand new dress now that he is mayor. He cares about his arrogant children getting the free Colts tickets that formerly went to Monroe Gray! He cares about making more illegal money for the corrupt law firms that actually run our city governemnt! Greg Ballard is an embarrassment to our city, but more than that, this man is so very unqualified and uneducated as to be an utter laughing stock! Taxes and crime will continue to increase under the "accidental mayor", hopefully there will be some money left after the looting by the lawyers to help Indianapolis recover after the disasterous term of our INCOMPETENT MAYOR!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-34972727628888067322008-02-12T06:46:00.000-05:002008-02-12T06:46:00.000-05:00Steve Simpson on WIPC said it well last night. Ballard had plenty of time BEFORE the lection to know where to make these cuts. And an additional 5 weeks in office. Very poor. and his appointment of Grand is just shameful. The public would not believe how integrated Barnes and Thornburg is into Capital Improvement Board. Keep in mind this includes control over the Convention Center , too...and dozens of city owned properties in the downtown. People in Golsmith's office durin his term called CIB the "mayors slush fund". The real bummer is that I voted for Ballard because of Peterson's terrible decisions on crime and his irresponsible promotion of building a new stadium.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-46292615438424176672008-02-12T06:21:00.000-05:002008-02-12T06:21:00.000-05:00Funny when Ballard does something he campaigned against the Accidental Mayor is all over him, but when Frank Anderson does something similar Jen Wagner pulls the "well Jack Cottey did the same thing" excuse out of her bag of tricks. She can't have it both ways.<BR/><BR/>The ironic twist is Ballard may be an accidental mayor and fall flat on his face, but what does that say about the fact that he defeated the well financed, "future of the state democratic party."<BR/><BR/>A logic professor would deduce that the title of her blog is actually a slam on both men.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-41292491756285820652008-02-11T22:54:00.000-05:002008-02-11T22:54:00.000-05:00"I hope this isn't a further indication of what lies ahead of us."<BR/><BR/>I hope not either, but who knows, maybe it was a 'rookie' mistake politically elected office holder wise. I'll cut him some slack on that...but frankly, as a former Marine, I was disappointed by our Mayor's performance. Oh well, time will tell.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-13522886814209739002008-02-11T19:20:00.000-05:002008-02-11T19:20:00.000-05:00Sadly, Greg Ballard was elected over <B>three months ago</B> and he still hasn't a clue where the "fluff" is yet? That's depressing...Wilson46201https://www.blogger.com/profile/14214029150233485312noreply@blogger.com