Bad Timing
The Capital Improvement Board is defending raises for some of its employees. Under normal circumstances the raises make sense, but unfortunately, these aren’t normal times. The raises pretty much amount to cost of living and were done last year, but still perception eventually becomes reality. Of course it would have been nice for my Democratic friends to have had the same outrage when the previous administration gave away millions of dollars in revenue that could have been used to avoid the shortfall in the first place.
May 6th, 2009 at 11:26 am
Bad timing – perhaps, but most certainly in character.
May 6th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
I agree, bad timing, but probably necessary.
The shortfall for the Pacers was 100% a Goldsmith issue. Peterson had no talks or dealings with the Pacers in 8 years.
And again, with Lucas Oil Stadium, reasonable people can argue that the Colts got too much (I don’t think so, considering the $$ the Colts left on the table and the 30-year lockdown lease, but it’s a fair debate).
But the LOS shortfall is NOT caused by the 30-year lease. The shortfall was contemplated, acknowledged and ignored by the State when it took over the project.
By the way, the reason the lease was even renegotiated in the first place was because of the Goldsmith lease in 1995.
If people want to criticize the city’s dealing with sports teams, again, a fair debate.
But both parties have been involved with these talks, not just Peterson and not just Goldsmith.
May 6th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Bartflies,
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Little early to be drinking isn’t it?
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What “shortfall” with the Pacers? You mean the one they claim to have so the taxpayers will pick up all their operating costs on a building they get 100% of the income off of?
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As far as the Colts, what money did the Colts “leave on the table?” They were complaining that they were not making enough money at the RCA Dome. We built the Colts a brand new stadium, for which they did not contribute a dime, where they can play essentially rent free. They also get money off of non-Colts events at the facility, concessions, parking, signage and naming rights, all on a building they did not pay a dime to build. Now tell me again how it is “arguable” whether the Colts got a good deal? The Colts went from one of the poorest franchises to one of the wealthiest. Again, how is it arguable that they got a bad deal?
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As far as the State’s involvement, the State built Lucas Oil Stadium. The State quite rightly did not let the CIB borrow money to pay for operating costs, a boneheaded idea floated by Democrat Fred Glass. Any way you slice it, the chief culprits in the Lucas Oil Stadium fiasco of a deal were Fred Glass and Bart Peterson.
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I do agree that both parties have been responsible for corporate welfare in this city. After seeing all the mess these idiotic giveaways to the Colts and Pacers have cost taxpayers, you come on here defending them.
May 6th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Ogden, this town’s cronyism will drive a person to drink! I need a vodka.
May 7th, 2009 at 11:09 am
Bad timing? Try being absolutely tone deaf and shameless. I simply couldn’t believe what I was hearing when that newsbroadcast appeared. This happens all throughout government. I worked with two agencies that beat that “they’ll leave if we don’t keep giving them more out-of-cycle raises” and “we can hire more qualified people if we increase pay” drum. Over a twenty-year period, the same idiots still populate the place, some having slopped at the trough for over 30 years. Since they had no intention of leaving at half their current salaries, there was no reason to pay them more. And performance never improved. Try getting rid of them now. Today, some of them make way more than their private sector counterparts, and this is happening all over the nation, not just here. I won’t even get into the shorter work week and outrageous benefits. Every faction of government could save an immediate 25% of its budget by getting rid of redundant and non-performing “talent” and then refusing to replace them. Given CIB’s performance, I have no reason to believe Early when he tells me they do a great job. Facts suggest otherwise. And audits won’t help. The auditing firms are on the governmental dole, too. They “discover” and “document” what they are told to.
May 8th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Bad timing?!?!? Many of IMPD brass (Majors, Commanders, Assistant Chief, Deputy Chiefs and the Chief)received raises as well. So apparently, government is not hurting for money, just priorities.