Comments on Advance Indiana™: Ballard Now Wants To Privatize City-County Building

Anyone with common sense knows that it's impos...

2012-06-17T16:11:31.296-05:00

Anyone with common sense knows that it's impossible to turn control of the building over to a private entity, expect that private entity to make necessary repairs to a 50-year old building and lease it back to the city for no more than the paltry $7.29 per square foot the City is now paying the Authority to use the space.

Thievery is "common," and makes "sense," when it is done within a legal framework.

As I recall, Ballard at one point during his first...

2012-06-17T06:20:16.050-05:00

As I recall, Ballard at one point during his first run for mayor talked about building a new justice center on that site. Democratic blogger Jen Wagner poked fun of his idea on her blog. In the IBJ article, her husband, who worked in the Peterson administration and now works as a commercial real estate broker for CBRE, is quoted as touting this Ballard idea.

These Republicans make the mafia look like teenage...

2012-06-16T22:27:02.869-05:00

These Republicans make the mafia look like teenagers stealing penny candy from the corner store.

I agree with Southsider. A "Justice Center&q...

2012-06-16T21:24:59.035-05:00

I agree with Southsider. A "Justice Center" would have been a perfect use for that property and would allow them to put offices under one roof eliminating expensive leases outside of the CCB.

Once again, the administration is talking about a long-term contract that ties the hands of future administrations. A 30 year lease is not privatization. It is the creation of a monopoly by the government.

I've always thought that when Market Square wa...

2012-06-16T18:02:19.939-05:00

I've always thought that when Market Square was torn down that the city should have built a 'Justice Center', having all the Courts, Prosecutor, Public Defender, Probation offices under one roof. (leaveing the CC Building for City-County offices) And by doing so eliminating high-price leases on offices elsewhere. Heck if the city had used one of those MS lots for a parking garage, it would have been privatized with the parking meters (insert smile).

It certainly has nothing to do with good governmen...

2012-06-16T16:13:23.719-05:00

It certainly has nothing to do with good government practices.

The republicans (not all, just those in power posi...

2012-06-16T15:30:05.925-05:00

The republicans (not all, just those in power positions) pushed through Uni-gov so they could control everything. Now that those days are behind them, they are selling off everything so they get more money to spend in their last couple of years - paying back contributors. Then, when the democrats take over a broken and assetless city, they can be lambasted as incapable of leading this 'world class' city.
Just a thought.