Comments on Advance Indiana™: Legislation Seeks To End Pay-To-Play In Local Government

So you don't pay the candidates. Doesn't s...

2016-01-10T00:05:25.390-05:00

So you don't pay the candidates. Doesn't stop contributions to PACs FBO the candidate.

That's funny, 1:03. I wonder if Indiana will c...

2016-01-09T16:10:32.754-05:00

That's funny, 1:03. I wonder if Indiana will create a the Office of Pay to Play Counselor that always sides with the government and campaign contributors?

Indiana's Open Records Law, as least as it includes a Public Access Counselor has done more harm than good. Records are less open now. I suspect this law is just a way to make corruption more permissible and give it legal cover.

It will never pass. Incumbent politicians would lo...

2016-01-09T16:03:18.487-05:00

It will never pass. Incumbent politicians would lose all their big donors.Just ask these cronies up here in Hamilton County.

I suspect Brown's legislation is based on her ...

2016-01-09T15:16:09.553-05:00

I suspect Brown's legislation is based on her experience in Fort Wayne where she formerly served on the city council. The current 3-term Democratic mayor has been criticized for trading city contracts for campaign contributions.

Just another buncha BS legislation. Too bad this R...

2016-01-09T15:02:16.192-05:00

Just another buncha BS legislation. Too bad this Republican "legislator" couldn't come up with the idea during uber-corruptocrat bought-and-paid-for Marion County GOP Gregory Ballard's emperor-like reign. Interesting it comes to pass with liberal Democrat Lying Joe's ascendancy.

That this type of proposal is even considered tells us just how much of a swamp these Democrat and Republican career political class types really are.

Another law with no teeth just like our open recor...

2016-01-09T13:03:18.987-05:00

Another law with no teeth just like our open records law. Just more feel good legislation.

Let me guess this won't be one of those bills ...

2016-01-09T13:01:02.555-05:00

Let me guess this won't be one of those bills the Star will spend the entire session flacking.

So now the down town mofia will get the contracts ...

2016-01-09T12:12:41.855-05:00

So now the down town mofia will get the contracts for free. Don't any any good here.

And it does apply to subcontractors.

2016-01-09T10:43:00.715-05:00

And it does apply to subcontractors.

It would apply to contracts for supplies or servic...

2016-01-09T10:40:47.437-05:00

It would apply to contracts for supplies or services, including professional services, and public works projects.

It is a good start. So Gary does this apply to all...

2016-01-09T10:17:05.045-05:00

It is a good start. So Gary does this apply to all no bid contract decisions, such as engineering and architectural services, consulting, legal, and others? In addition to contracts for public works (IC chapter 36)? Does it apply to subcontractors, suppliers, subconsultants, etc?

Note in most cases campaign contributions (and true contracting decisions) are made long before the request for proposals hits the street. I suggest expanding the "ban period" to 12 months before the award is made. Don't forget to include fancy meals, expensive event tickets, lucrative make work jobs, etc.

Sounds like an easy work around is to delegate contracting decisions to an appointed board.

This is perhaps the most taxpayer-friendly piece o...

2016-01-09T09:56:05.106-05:00

This is perhaps the most taxpayer-friendly piece of legislation introduced so far this year...which means it'll probably not even be assigned to a committee