Loading ...A Public Safety Cut or a Freeze?
Although Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson said he would not cut funds from public safety, I am told that the Indianapolis Fire Department is having close to $800,000 taken away from it for now. The debate is whether the 800 grand that’s off the table is being cut or frozen. The city has already depleted its budget for firefighter overtime pay, so something like this doesn’t come as a total shock.
But from what I’ve been able to gather so far, nearly $250,000 is coming from the department’s shop budget, $80,000 is coming from Emergency Management and Special Ops, and also arson. Cuts or freezes in arson are surprising considering the rash of arsons that this town has had lately. A spokesperson for the Mayor told me she had no idea what I was talking about, so I’m using other channels to get to the bottom of this. When I know more, you will too.
July 27th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
You know what Abdul, I like you, and I listen to your show, but I’m sick of you posting things like “I’m hearing…” without naming a source.
Name your source, then I’ll take what you said over what someone else (in this case, she) said.
July 27th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
Sorry, I don’t give my sources away. I trust them and that’s good enough for me. If you don’t like it, don’t read this blog.
July 27th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
But, here’s my problem Abdul, YOU get to decide who is credible and not. Even the Star doesn’t rely on nameless/faceless sources. You don’t even do background sourcing (”A source in the Controller’s office…” or “A person involved in drafting IFD’s budget…”
Otherwise, a blind quote could be made up…
July 27th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Of course I get to decide who is credible. And you have the choice to decide whether you think this blog is credible. It’s the free market of ideas. If I don’t think the source is credible, I don’t use the information. Where I get my information from isn’t as important as what it is. The true judge of it’s value is it right in the long run. Care to wager and see?
July 27th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Hey Abdul!
drive by the IFD fire station at 3262 north franklin rd. see if you notice anything strange. like it is CLOSED! thanks bart and sweetpea.
July 27th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
And for the record, why would I put something out that would be wrong?! My name is attached to this blog and so is my credibility. I am not some anonymous blogger who can just put anything up here and there be no consequences.
July 27th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
Dear Anonymous:
When you get your own radio show and blog then you can criticize–Abdul is trustworthy. He’s proved it.
July 27th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Abdul, the people complaining here are telling me you are hitting VERY close to home. Keep up the good work.
Now, WHERE IS THE BUDGET? The bullshit posted but a real honest to goodness line by line budget someone can look at? Bart, stop lying!!!!
July 27th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Last year’s official and legal itemized budget wasn’t announced until August 8th — this year’s budget isn’t finished yet. It’s no big deal: it simply doesn’t exist yet. It’ll probably come out in a week or two.
July 27th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
The Fire Department wouldn’t be out of OT money if they didn’t pay OT to guys while they are unconsious in their beds. Those 24 hour shifts are a joke, a throw back to when Fire Fighters used to actually live in the house. We should make the Fire Department more proactive, by letting them work 8 hour days like the rest of us, have them in their suits and driving around in their trucks looking for fires and accidents, that would really cut down on their response times! It never fails when you call them out at 4am, the attitudes that they actually had to wake up to their jobs is ridiculous.
July 27th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
That’s not the half of it Abdul. Marion County Health and Hospital has seriously cut back on people and funding for attacking the thousands of abandoned boarded up houses in this city.
No money to demolish any but handful left over from years past.
You think these blighted houses are bad now just wait until the slumlords let a few thousand more start to rot with the property tax increases.
This IS a public safety issue too and the Mayor shitcanned it!
July 27th, 2007 at 7:48 pm
Hey Anonymus, how can we believe what you are saying if you don’t post your name?
July 27th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
Look up the word informant, and you will see you don’t give up your source moron.
July 28th, 2007 at 7:41 am
I’m a firefighter and it’s true about the budget cuts. Just call Mike Reeves of Local 416 or Chief Jim Greeson. A lie is a lie, is still a lie.
July 28th, 2007 at 8:51 am
Are firefighters being laid off? NO!
Are fire stations being closed? NO!
Are there some expenditures in I.F.D. that can be trimmed during a budget crisis? Absolutely YES!
Some voters demanded spending cuts - Peterson makes some cuts and now others complain. Oh well…
July 28th, 2007 at 9:18 am
You know, every time you ask the goverment to do something for you, get your wallet out, because who do you think is going to pay for it? You and I are, that’s who! I agree with Wilson46201. Firefighter scheduling is way outdated and needs revision. I’m all for cutting just about any of the goverments budgets if it’s going to reduce the tax I pay. Being elected or appointed to office or getting goverment or civil service jobs shouldn’t be like winning the lottery! And so many of those postitions and jobs are viewed exactly that way, because they provide way better pay and benefits, way beyond the general public. Retirement for the general working public has for many years been withdrawing from employer participation to more of the employee’s responsibility, i.e 401k’s, 403b’s, IRA’s, etc. It should be no less the same for politicians or goverment employees. They’ve certainly done this with Military pay and retirement, so why not the rest? I’m just using this as an example as Overtime isn’t the only budget cuts that need made.
As far as abandoned houses, there are many different, creative ways to deal with those without asking the city to be responsible for demoing them! Again, everytime you ask the goverment to do something for you, get your wallet out!
And as far as freedom goes, everytime you rely on or want someone else to provide for your needs, your giving up control and your giving up your freedom! So it’s no surprise people have been treated the way they have in these public hearings and town meetings, being thrown out for no good reason and such. We’ve all given up to much of our freedom to the goverment, expecting it to provide everything for us. We’ve given the goverment to much say and control of our lives!
July 28th, 2007 at 9:18 am
You know, every time you ask the goverment to do something for you, get your wallet out, because who do you think is going to pay for it? You and I are, that’s who! I agree with Wilson46201. Firefighter scheduling is way outdated and needs revision. I’m all for cutting just about any of the goverments budgets if it’s going to reduce the tax I pay. Being elected or appointed to office or getting goverment or civil service jobs shouldn’t be like winning the lottery! And so many of those postitions and jobs are viewed exactly that way, because they provide way better pay and benefits, way beyond the general public. Retirement for the general working public has for many years been withdrawing from employer participation to more of the employee’s responsibility, i.e 401k’s, 403b’s, IRA’s, etc. It should be no less the same for politicians or goverment employees. They’ve certainly done this with Military pay and retirement, so why not the rest? I’m just using this as an example as Overtime isn’t the only budget cuts that need made.
As far as abandoned houses, there are many different, creative ways to deal with those without asking the city to be responsible for demoing them! Again, everytime you ask the goverment to do something for you, get your wallet out!
And as far as freedom goes, everytime you rely on or want someone else to provide for your needs, your giving up control and your giving up your freedom! So it’s no surprise people have been treated the way they have in these public hearings and town meetings, being thrown out for no good reason and such. We’ve all given up to much of our freedom to the goverment, expecting it to provide everything for us. We’ve given the goverment to much say and control of our lives!
July 28th, 2007 at 10:13 am
It is true that the firehouse at 3262 N. Franklin Road(34) was closed. With the recent merger of Warren Twp. with IFD, the Ladder34 that was there was moved around the corner to 30th and Shortridge(St. 44) and is now Ladder44. Is it a big deal Bill Brown that the city eliminated an aging firehouse in need of repair by moving the apparatus to a brand new firehouse 7 blocks away? And the ambulance M34 was moved to Station 2 at 42nd and Mitthoefer. Bottom line, one less old firehouse to maintain and NO change in service.
July 28th, 2007 at 11:13 am
Wilson is blowing more smoke again. The TRUTH is that Democrats CLOSED fire station #34 & #32 (in Broad Ripple). The Broad Ripple Fire Station is still used for the battalion chief & a squad, but no fire engine anymore.
July 28th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
to the person wanting firefighters on an 8 hour shift.
firefighters work 48 hours a week now. under FLAS.
fair labor standards act they work 48 without getting paid overtime. cut them to 8 hours a day at 40 hours and you do the math. how many more firefighters will bat have to hire? or close fire stations
July 28th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Wilson!
unfortunatly you could not be a firefighter. the fire department doesn’t hire cowards………….
get a life
July 28th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
It’s sadly amusing that a man who is too cowardly to use his own name on a blog would conceive of calling somebody else a coward … oh well!
And what a silly name he calls himself - maybe he watched too many dolphin TV shows?
July 28th, 2007 at 5:51 pm
I decided that when I see that the Mayor has stopped funding his arts programs and planting thousands of trees then I will know he’s serious about budgets.
July 28th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Wilson!
The nickname is flipper. all you have to do is move your lasy a$$ off the computer and ask anyone who i am. i have had this nickname 35 years. here is my email address if a coward like you wants to take this further. i spent 35 years on the streets of indy helping people. i’m sure a nobody like you can match that from a comfortable what ever the hell your job is.
flipper@iquest.net
July 28th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Flipper, I get the manpower issues about going to a 40 hour week, but firemen dont actually work 48 hours a week, they sleep, cook, shoot hoops, chip golf balls in the backyard, etc. Im not slamming them, its just to me they are getting paid to do many things that other employees would get fired for if they were caught doing them on the clock. It’s a throw back schedule. And what the hell is a “Kelly Day”?
July 29th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
to Anon.
Firefighters are required to be on duty 24 hours straight. They are required to cook and they pay for the food themselves. they also pay for all their staples and anything they want to buy including televisions, computers, cooking utensels, pots, pans.
The city basically pays for the station and the utilities. The firefighters pay for everything else.
A Kelly day is a day off every 9th working day due FLSA. Fair Labor Standards Act which keeps the fiefighter out of overtime.
I would like to see you work 24 hours without eating or sleeping. Just remember when you are sleeping the police and firefighters are on the streets keeping you and your family safe.
Of course, next time you or one of your family members have a medical emergency, fire, or your a victom of a crime you could always call a politician for help.
July 29th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
Wilson, muckraker touched on a good example of the city’s dishonesty. They took all the fire apparatus out of the Broad Ripple station and stuck a 2-man rescue squad in there just so they could say it didn’t close. If a house catches on fire at 61st/Guilford and instead of 2 blocks away your nearest responding station is 56/Illinois, you’ll definitely notice that the Broad Ripple station is ‘closed.’
Stop picking on fire folk. After all God went to the trouble of making police so firefighters had someone to look up to :)