Loading ...Today I Have a Headache
My head hurts today after looking at some of the things going on in the city. I was downtown and surrounded by homeless people who won’t stop begging, but when I sat down on the wall at Monument Circle a cop told me I couldn’t sit there and had to move.
The teacher who says he was the subject in the Teddy Bear massacre film at Knightstown Intermediate School in Knightstown is suing the students who made the film. He claims it was defamatory and placed him in a false light. He asks for punitive damages. He should also ask for a clue.
The Mayor wants to ban pit bulls now. We can’t stop murders, rapes and carjackings because we have no cops, but we can go after pit bulls. I don’t know how they’re going to do it, but looking at the success we’ve had in other areas, I’m sure we’ll have the same success rate.
And speaking of Mayor, I got a phone call a couple nights ago on my private land line at my apartment a couple days ago from a company I can only assume is polling for the Mayor’s re-election campaign. Since these things don’t happen to me very much, I decided to take full advantage of the situation. The pollster asked whether I thought favorable about Greg Ballard, Republican challenger, Sheriff Frank Anderson, Marion County Clerk Beth White (I said nothing because I couldn’t say anything nice), incumbent Mayor Bart Peterson and Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi.
The poll also asked me if I would support a local income tax to “implement the Mayor’s anti-crime strategy.” It also asked whether I would support an income tax to pay for police and fire pension. It asked what I thought of the Mayor’s “Works” and whether the Mayor’s second term in office was better than his first. And was I favorable to his continuing in office. And there was also a charter school question.
I won’t give you my answers, but needless to say I think the questions are more important as they offer insight into what Mayor may be most concerned about, looking for cover to raise taxes.
A tax increase, a pit bull ban, a teacher with no sense of humor or clue and not being able to enjoy lunch on Monument Circle. I have to go find some aspirin.
May 31st, 2007 at 6:00 am
Can you imagine an out of town guest wanting to have a seat down at Monument Circle and being told they can’t? Truly, world ‘class’.
Mayor McCheese and Frank need to get their hands on the crime situation and fast. It is getting worse and maybe the answer IS to get a dog - at least it may protect you which is more than you are getting for your tax dollars, which by the way, are being poorly managed.
Abdul, you can have the aspirin, I’m going to go throw up.
May 31st, 2007 at 6:11 am
Here is a handy tool I found to see what is going on in the neighborhood. Crime isn’t a problem? Just check out where you live.
http://imaps.indygov.org/cvc/
May 31st, 2007 at 6:31 am
I find it hard to believe you were told not to sit on the circle. There’s no way that was a real police officer
May 31st, 2007 at 7:16 am
Abdul,
In order to sit on the Circle and not be hassled by the cops you need to get the proper attire. First, get some of those black sun glasses like Ray Charles wore. Get a good walking stick like the blind use, preferably a fold-up model like Pacino used in Scent Of A Woman. Third, put an open cigar box in front of you on the ground with some change in it. Fourth, don’t look directly at or follow the good lookin’ ladies as they pass buy.
Fifth, sit back, enjoy your lunch and hope you don’t get mugged and your cigsr box stolen.
May 31st, 2007 at 7:51 am
Abdul. You (who, by the way, apparently aren’t concerned enough about Indy’s “problems” to vote here) know damn well the Mayor has to raise taxes. It has to be done to keep the city in the black and pay for expansions in public safety.
Now, before anyone screams stadium/convention center, let’s look at it: Governor raised taxes (not Mayor), Mayor wanted pull tabs at the OTB.
Also, Gary Welsh will want to scream about property tax abatments, when they allow Indianapolis to fill an empty seat (withuout taking in money immediatly, but down the road).
May 31st, 2007 at 9:35 am
Interesting polling tidbit. But with a little bit of logic, I tossed out the mayor’s folks, and here’s why:
They have traditionally used one of the best polling companies around. Good pollstersuse: random-digit-dialing, registered voters, stratified by one or more recent election votes.
The poll you’re describing is poorly planned, at best. I seriously doubt it’s the mayor’s folks.
It doesn’t change much, but…I know a thing or two about good polling, and your name would not apepar on a call list, because you’re not registered to vote here.
Also, although we decry the polls’ results, if properly set up, they are notoriously accurate.
You don’t have to agree with the results, but if you’re spending good money on a good poll, you’d better be asking the right questions, to help you frame your message.
Just a thought.
May 31st, 2007 at 9:40 am
The reason you have a headache is that you spend so much time raising a stink about what you perceive is wrong with the city and virtually no time providing balance by considering all that is right with the city.
Your attitude was on display this morning when the caller suggested a show dedicated to the positive things teachers do in the classroom. You dismissed that because it would be “boring radio.”
Understand your need to stir the pot, but you’re also being swallowed up by your own cynicism. Some choose to smell the roses. Some choose to concentrate on the thorns. Fact is, there’s not a major city in America that’s not struggling with the same problems … taxes, crime, schools. Yes, even your beloved Chicago.
As for eating on Monument Circle, you had to work pretty hard to find a place you can’t because they place is filled — every day — with hundreds enjoying lunch.
Finally, a quick question: Why can’t you vote in Marion County?
May 31st, 2007 at 10:34 am
Polling By Whom? is correct. While polling for general popular opinion in a wide area often includes random digit dialing, the process is long, expensive and of questionable legality.
When political campaigns poll, they randomly sample one of two groups RVs or LVs (registered voters and likely voters).
If you aren’t a registered voter, Abdul, it is HIGHLY unlikely the Mayor’s campaign called you. If he is still using the pollster he has used in the past, that pollster doesn’t random digit dial.
So, to refrain from arguing that you didn’t get a call at all, there are a few possibilities.
The poll was sponsored by a media organization (Star, 13, 8 all poll from time to time). The poll was put into the field by the State GOP (Mayor likely wouldn’t poll on the Clerk). Of course, it could be a volunteer-produced poll for someone, but as above, the questions are either out of order or just unlikely.
I seriously doubt this was a mayoral poll.
By the way, like Optimist, I’m curious why you aren’t a Marion County voter.
May 31st, 2007 at 12:06 pm
It’s no big secret I have a home back in IL which I kept. My day job is radio and as anyone in the business will tell you, one day you’re talk another day you’re country. And I told my son we will always have a home. I’m fortunate to make enough to maintain two households, so I do.
May 31st, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Everybody’s got to do what they’ve got to do … BUT …
That still makes you a legal resident of Illinois raising hell about what’s going on in Indy. That still makes you an outsider to our political process complaining about the results of our political process.
Next question: Do you pay property taxes here?
May 31st, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Oh, and one more thing regarding your inability to find a seat to have lunch on Monument Circle … the bleachers are still up from the 500 Festival Parade meaning there are literally hundreds of seats in addition to the steps and other places where the lunch-time crowd normally sits.
So there is plenty of room, even for your extra wide load.
May 31st, 2007 at 3:06 pm
The more I’ve thought about this poll today (students are all gone this time of year), the more it seems like this is a local GOP volunteer-ed poll.
The Mayor (as stated before) wouldn’t have polled Abdul since he isn’t a registered (or likely) voter. Therefore, it is someone else.
I’ve eliminated both state organizations (without questions about Governor Daniels, Schellinger et cetera, its not a state-funded poll). I also don’t think it is a media poll for the same reason.
So, why the county GOP and not local Dems?
Simple, the questions aren’t in a professional pollsters model. The Marion County Democratic Party polling is always done professionally (at least it was when Treacy was the chair).
This is likely a Marion County Republican Party Poll, done by volunteers.
Also the questions about the clerk indicate a desire to campaign on it, not something the Mayor or his supporters would do.
May 31st, 2007 at 8:12 pm
Optimist,
Thank you for attacking me personally, that means I won the argument. As far as my “outsider” status goes, apparently it’s not so bad that I get numerous calls from community groups asking me to speak about local issues, both Channel 6 and the Indianapolis Business Journal ask me to contribute regularly to their publications and I’ve also gotten awards for best local community coverage.
We’ve put together numerous forums on Indy Works, Crime, emergency management, etc. What surprises me the most is that people who have been here a lot longer than me have failed to address these issues in a clear, comprehensive manner. Sometimes it takes an outsider to see things other people can’t because they’re used to it.
And as far as paying property taxes goes, the answer is yes. I also pay more in sales and income taxes than 75 percent of the people in this County.
Would you like to know anything else?
June 1st, 2007 at 4:53 am
Boxers or Briefs ?
:)
June 1st, 2007 at 6:08 am
Boxer briefs.
June 1st, 2007 at 7:34 am
If Abdul owns property here and purchases goods and services, he pays taxes in Indiana.
I don’t care where his permanent address is. I appreciate that someone has the kahunas to call the Mayor out on what is wrong with the city.
I own property here and am terribly worried about the future of my investment. I hear of rapes downtown from hospital personnel, see nothing done to close illegal gambling houses within a mile or two of my neighborhood, and see a city with a police force that has no confidence in our Mayor.
I’m sure the Mayor’s office would rather you say nothing, but this citizen who loves her city very much, is glad that you are here in Indiana, you take journalism seriously, you are not lazy, and you care about our city too!
June 1st, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Optimist would probably be one of those people who would drop the n-word on Abdul if he could get away with it.