Comments on Advance Indiana™: It's Official, Ballard Blames Taxpayers For Indy's Crime Problem

Was a police department run by the sheriff any wor...

2014-07-10T09:09:52.597-05:00

Was a police department run by the sheriff any worse than a police department run by Frank Straub or Rick Hite?

"The FOP supported the 2007 tax increase and ...

2014-07-10T08:59:11.324-05:00

"The FOP supported the 2007 tax increase and then endorsed Ballard for mayor when they saw he had a chance of winning."

Gary, the FOP and membership supported Ballard because of what Peterson had been doing to destroy the department. They knew Peterson's plans were all a lie and would cost more, not less, and would lower the high standards for hiring, training, and qualifications set by IPD.
They also knew it would be a disaster to have IPD run by the sheriff.

How about this headline: TAXPAYERS blame Ballard-...

2014-07-10T06:09:14.344-05:00

How about this headline: TAXPAYERS blame Ballard-Straub for the Crime problem and the Public Safety Crisis!!!!

Abdul uses his positions in the media to promote t...

2014-07-09T18:06:51.176-05:00

Abdul uses his positions in the media to promote the positions of politicians who are paying him. It appears the federal payola law prohibits that but increasingly people in the media are starting to do what Abdul is doing Until prosecutions ensue, they're likely to continue.

Even in he maximizes the LOIT, funding new police ...

2014-07-09T15:29:30.991-05:00

Even in he maximizes the LOIT, funding new police is not sustainable, so what then? -Lay them off? -Or Miracle some new funding???

What if they eliminated grant money to Ten-Point Coalition, the arts, & charged Black Expo for the costs of Riot Squads, damage to city property, and overtime???

The FOP supported the 2007 tax increase and then e...

2014-07-09T11:05:22.196-05:00

The FOP supported the 2007 tax increase and then endorsed Ballard for mayor when they saw he had a chance of winning. They negotiated their new contract, which was fine, but they sat by idly for years while money the public safety tax increase promised for at least 100 new police officers was spent elsewhere. It wasn't until their contracted raise was put at risk through a shell game they know the Mayor is playing with city finances that they jumped on board the call for yet another tax increase. They know that this tax increase will not support adding 100 to 200 additional police officers on a permanent basis given the long-term budget constraints, particularly with the added costs of the new criminal justice center which they support. Their attorney, who the gave hundreds of thousands of their members' money to defend in his homicidal drunk driving case, helped head up the bar association committee that recommended the privatized, new criminal justice center. That will costs tens of millions a year in additional payments to the private operator to support. They can't be supporting this tax increase for more police officers because they know the money won't be there for that purpose. If a pay raise is what they're really seeking for their members, then be honest and say so. Don't pretend it's all about hiring more police officers when they know this tax increase won't accomplish that objective in the long-term unless they are prepared to ask current police officers to take pay cuts.

So Gary, let me get this straight...you are now bl...

2014-07-09T10:35:34.535-05:00

So Gary, let me get this straight...you are now blaming the FOP for this admins. policies and money spending? ( "Every dime of these additional tax dollars are needed to pay for the new contract Ballard has already promised the FOP....") I am pretty certain the FOP is not consulted with when the Mayor makes a decision. I think that the FOP represents the officers...and I also think that those officers deserve a raise. Not sure why you decided to add FOP in your anti Ballard rant....just saying

If Ballard didn't put bike lanes and waste mon...

2014-07-09T05:37:36.946-05:00

If Ballard didn't put bike lanes and waste money.

If Ballard didn't build a Cricket field nobody wants.

If Ballard didn't give millions to the Pacers and Colts.

If the City Council made The Sheriff justify all his executive job positions and salaries, instead of letting him give cronies make-work, do-nothing jobs, with a TAXPAYER funded car.

If the City Council took take-home cars from the Sheriff who performs no emergency function.

If Ballard collected parking revenue from OUR fieldhouse and stadium.

If Ballard collected concessions profit from OUR fieldhouse and our stadium.

If Ballard didn't give away the fire station at 16th and Capital and fire headquarters to pay-to-play developers.

Maybe we'd have a properly staffed police force.

Joe Go Hogsett got them in Boone County...The Feds...

2014-07-08T23:30:36.760-05:00

Joe Go Hogsett got them in Boone County...The Feds did..More to come..Enjoy July you all...

:) on Gary Welsh challenging Abdul..and what of Ch...

2014-07-08T23:28:12.785-05:00

:) on Gary Welsh challenging Abdul..and what of Channel 8...and their lies and agenda's...Really...

Oh, and Abdul the Tool says he's willing to pa...

2014-07-08T22:04:29.630-05:00

Oh, and Abdul the Tool says he's willing to pay higher taxes for more police in his latest column as a paid mouthpiece for Ballard. Umm, Abdul, unless you're planning to become an Indianapolis resident and stop claiming a residence in Illinois, you aren't going to pay any of those higher taxes so take your load of bull and shove it where the sun don't shine.

Curry's prosecution policies haven't chang...

2014-07-08T21:59:06.184-05:00

Curry's prosecution policies haven't changed all that much from his predecessor, who made decisions on whether to charge a person with a crime based on campaign contributions, friendship with defense attorneys or just about anything other than the law.

Don't let the judges off the hook either. I've heard some of them blame the prosecutor's office as well for agreeing to lenient plea deals, but I don't see them rejecting those plea deals if they think they are too lenient, or at least calling attention to them. They're to blame as well for handing out lenient sentences.

Ballard has done absolutely nothing to improve public safety. He spent his first 6 years in office taking credit for supposedly lowering the crime rate while allowing the number of police officers to fall through attrition. Why did fewer police officers produce lower crime rates two years ago but now we're being told the opposite? The man speaks with a forked tongue.

I have my concerns that there have been some high-profile incidents of late staged for PR purposes in pushing this tax increase now. There are some very screwy things going on in some of these high-profile shootings. I have some real trust issues, particularly with this grossly incompetent police chief Frank Straub brought in from Baltimore before getting run out of town, along with the payoffs being made to this Ten Point Coalition group of hucksters on the elusive promise of delivering black votes to Ballard. Don't forget that IMPD knew this kid who shot Trapuzzano had broken into that gun store and got away with dozens of high-powered guns and did nothing about it. They were practically holding his hand while he went on a lengthy crime spree. It's a pretty good bet that he hasn't been charged with most of the crimes he committed while he was intentionally allowed to roam the streets when he was supposed to be under house arrest.

Do people not see the pattern across the country s...

2014-07-08T21:21:49.285-05:00

Do people not see the pattern across the country since 9/11...Follow Dr. Hare's writings on psycho-sociopaths and more. The writing's been on the wall for every war and every agenda...since time began. What do we do...civil suit. Can't wait to see who is announcing to wipe this out for the Administration...Sit tight..It's coming.

Regarding Anon 8:21: The day of Officer Renn's...

2014-07-08T20:52:13.865-05:00

Regarding Anon 8:21: The day of Officer Renn's murder, a Facebook user posted a remark stating that Curry was to blame for the murder of Perry Renn due to (I recap allegations best as I can) charges of Curry's early prisoner releases, defendant plea deals, and in Curry not keeping convicts in jails and off the streets. A huge majority disagreed with that assertion which, to me, seemed to be aimed at averting any responsibility being placed where it probably rests.... Greg Ballard and the City Councilors of BOTH parties that robbed tax monies through scurrilous TIF scheming. Greg Ballard's oft stated goal of "public safety" took a back seat while he instead pushed for support for his asinine cricket arena, millionaire sports team owner funding, rarely used bicycle lanes, etc., and many of these schemes drain money from "public safety".

I am no fan of Mr. Curry but to blame Prosecutor Curry is to willingly suspend reality and to close ones eyes to the actual reasons Indianapolis is fast becoming the new Detroit.

If more cops were the answer, then Detroit would b...

2014-07-08T20:30:43.281-05:00

If more cops were the answer, then Detroit would be the safest city in America. They have a thousand more cops than Indy with a population considerably smaller than Indianapolis. It's just a ruse for raising taxes. Same old game. Been there, done that. Wake up, people.

You can put a million cops on the streets,but as l...

2014-07-08T20:21:15.819-05:00

You can put a million cops on the streets,but as long as Curry gives these animals pleas and the judges let them out early it all means nothing. More cops are not the solution, keeping these gutter rats in jail is.

As a concerned taxpayer and Indianapolis resident ...

2014-07-08T20:10:50.733-05:00

As a concerned taxpayer and Indianapolis resident I call for the immediate termination and dissolution of all TIF districts in Indianapolis and the return of these monies and revenue streams to the city’s general fund so that appropriate spending may be made for public safety without raising additional taxes. Maybe we need a referendum so the public can decide. Or perhaps we can find a Judge with clear vision. There is precedent. We are not the only city facing budget shortfalls caused by tif zones run amuck. A federal court will hear a challenge to St Louis tif zones as “a diversion scheme for development” at the cost of maintaining funding for police, and in Clemson, SC the Courts have just ordered the city’s tif zones dissolved for “violating the underlying spirit” of the tif law enacted. Mayor Ballard has diverted enough money from public safety and our taxes have already been raised. Its time change our priorities in the way our money is spent. Enough money for the Simons and for the Pacers. Enough money for Georgia Street and every cockamamie idea the capital improvement board comes up with. Enough building out parking lots into hotels and apartments for Lilly. And I’m pretty sure we just built the Hulman family a solar array. We don’t need new taxes. We just need to spend our money better, and we can’t trust anyone in the Mayor’s office to make these decisions for us. Somehow the city’s general fund needs to be restored and management of it given over to someone who has not been seduced by the dark side.

"Ballard, Riggs, Hite, the FOP leadership and...

2014-07-08T20:04:59.908-05:00

"Ballard, Riggs, Hite, the FOP leadership and every City-County Council member who say they are supporting a tax increase this year to hire additional police officers are straight up lying to you."

TRUTH!

Gary called this right from Ballard's play-boo...

2014-07-08T18:52:51.799-05:00

Gary called this right from Ballard's play-book!

Ballard-Frank Straub did something similar when Officer Moore died!

News reports state that Frank Straub signed a $50,000 P/R contract with Emmis Communications after the death of Officer David Moore. That contract specified that they were to provide "marketing campaign design services as specified..." "The contract, signed by Straub in May of 2011, required the P/R campaign to play upon a, “Sense of urgency, seize the moment, capitalize on the positive public support of police in the wake of David Moore’s death."

How many police officers and how much police equipment could have been purchased if the money weren't wasted an a silly Cricket field???