Comments on Advance Indiana™: No Such Thing As Equal Time In Wishard Referendum Debate

This has stunk since the referendum was slipped in...

2009-09-22T03:30:19.412-05:00

This has stunk since the referendum was slipped in at the statehouse. Since it's a hospital it will get the same sympathy factor schools get.

I don't want bad schools or bad hospitals. I want full and reasonably understandable financial disclosure if taxpayer dollars are to be used to completely or partially fund them.

This is too much like the murky CIB/stadiums railroading. At the convenience of the irritating topic of the moment, it's either,"Why, we perform a public service for the local economy", or, "Why, you can't do that. We're a private business." They want it both ways. So far, they're getting it- as is the taxpayer.

We're suppossed to be grinning that they're sitting on a pile of cash, have an involvement in nursing homes that was not publicized, are not forthcoming with financial records- after a recession that's only recently stopped hemmoraging?

When times are tough and there should be a natural consequence like leaving a hole in the ground downtown for years when that's all we could afford, we instead get a hospital referendum that "won't cost us anything".

With genuine, due respect to the virtue of hospitals, do you believe that?

A couple of things that they said at our neighborh...

2009-09-21T20:12:13.831-05:00

A couple of things that they said at our neighborhood meeting:

We will be getting Build America Bonds,so "Congress" will be paying 120 million dollars of the cost. They actually had the nerve to say that Congress would be paying - not the taxpayers via an increased federal debt. I corrected them on that and also made them admit how much money that they were getting from Medicaid and Medicare. I indicated that they were being disingenuous, at best, by stating that 5% of their budget was from property taxes, without mentioning the amount of money that they get from other taxes. They clearly did not like being questioned and appeared to be surprised - maybe because no one else has questioned them.

The required public meeting is Tuesday at 5:30 pm ...

2009-09-21T20:05:13.606-05:00

The required public meeting is Tuesday at 5:30 pm at Wishard.

Jon, have you seen the referendum question? And y...

2009-09-21T17:34:16.363-05:00

Jon, have you seen the referendum question? And you really think aelection with that referendum question(which doesn't describe the hospital project at all or that it will be paid for by issuing bonds) will be fair? I won't even get into the fact it is, intentionally, being held in an off-year to suppress turnout of regular voters who aren't part of the Wishard family.

Jon, your response reminds me of the election for county chairman where the sitting county chairman can pick his own voters who can attend the convention. When an election is rigged, you can't just overcome that by campaigning really hard.

It's never about the best side but rather the ...

2009-09-21T17:23:18.466-05:00

It's never about the best side but rather the side that is heard. Absent any fairness by the media to show the opposite side of the coin this will another done deal.

Get out your voters and stop calling shenanigans. ...

2009-09-21T16:04:23.620-05:00

Get out your voters and stop calling shenanigans. Let the best side win.

I was never in favor of the new hospital plan, but...

2009-09-21T12:09:51.878-05:00

I was never in favor of the new hospital plan, but after learning they were the one'es who saved the life of Officer Fishburn I really understood they do not need to build a new hospital. The one they have now is providing absolutely impeccable service to this community.

This is another blatant slant of media bias and me...

2009-09-21T10:07:03.894-05:00

This is another blatant slant of media bias and medicade loophole fraud. I'm reminded of the recent tea party in D.C. which had hundreds of thousands of citizens protesting big government but the front page Monday edition of the Indy Star was about the Colts win with scant mention of the historic D.C. event where many buses arrived filled with Hoosiers. I would rather have no media than yellow journalism.

Not to mention that the referendum language leave ...

2009-09-21T07:29:04.762-05:00

Not to mention that the referendum language leave out all of the pertinent facts that explain to voters what they are actually voting on, Paul. If they were a publicly-traded corporation, they would be charged with securities fraud for including such misleading statements in a public offering.

Indykayakguy, If Gutwein is doing such a good job...

2009-09-21T06:58:47.588-05:00

Indykayakguy,

If Gutwein is doing such a good job, why not run a fair referendum - have it during a regular election year with a question that describes the project? Clearly they went out of their way to not do that.

When something smells like a pile of manure, it's safe to assume it's not a rose.

He's only operating in the black because HHC h...

2009-09-21T06:53:50.732-05:00

He's only operating in the black because HHC has implemented a Medicaid billing scam to rip off the federal government.

You know that since being CEO of Health and Hospit...

2009-09-21T06:44:16.722-05:00

You know that since being CEO of Health and Hospital Corp that Matt G. has made this organization operate in the black?

I'm not a big fan of a new wishard, but since they can pay thier bills, I have to support them.

Maybe you're opposition is rooted in the fact that he's democrat and funds many candidates. If so, get over it and focus on what's best for the city.