Memorial Day Weekend Update
Since it’s Memorial Day Weekend and the Abdul birthday is tomorrow, I’m doing my gossip, rumor and innuendo posts today. Enjoy the info and take it for it’s worth. I’ll be back in on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.
More ISTA Issues
It looks like financial troubles over at the Indiana State Teachers Union had been long in the making. ISTA’s insurance trust fund is under investigation by the FBI and the Indiana Secretary of State’s Office for incurring more than $67 million in losses in the fund. The organization is being taken over by the National Education Association. However, according to forms filed last year with the Internal Revenue Service, ISTA was running a deficit of more than $4.2 million in 2006-07. The Union took in more than $20 million; $18 million came from dues. But ISTA had expenses to the tune of $24.2 million; with about half, $12.5 million, going to salaries and benefits. More than $4 million went to pay for early retirement. The IRS documents also show that ISTA’s Insurance Trust Fund was running a structural deficit of nearly $3 million. The records also show former ISTA Executive Director Warren Williams was being paid more than $204,000 in salary and benefits.
Good Cop, Bad Cop
I’m hearing complaints are up to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, but crime is down. I’m not sure if complaints are up because they are easier to file or because the cops are getting more aggressive in keeping crime down. I hope it’s the latter.
Give Me Libertarians
Might there be a Libertarian on the ballot in every statehouse race next year? Could be. The L’s are planning an aggressive campaign to make sure they have a candidate in every race. We’ll see.
Budget Delay or Denial
The budget revenue forecast date is being moved to Wednesday or Thursday of next week. A day may not make a difference because it’s not expected to be pretty.
SD 30 Update
In the race for Senate District 30 I’m hearing Ryan Vaughn is ahead in Marion County amongst precinct committeemen, but John Ruckelshaus is ahead in Hamilton County. I asked incumbent Teresa Lubbers if she was backing anyone. Her reply was she supports the candidates who support education reform.
No Grudge
City-County Council Democrats aren’t holding a grudge over two appointments the Council made this past week. The Council voted to confirm Matt Symons, former Carl Brizzi spokesman, to the Zoning Board of Appeals. And Paul Mullins, former law partner with current Marion County GOP Chairman Tom John, to the criminal board.
Name That D
Speaking of Council D’s, word has it one of them was intoxicated and got into an altercation with a mailman. The cops were called, but no report filed. I wonder which one it could have been?
Hey, remember, this is a post about gossip, rumor and good old fashioned political innuendo. If you got some, send it. Have a good Memorial Day weekend.
May 22nd, 2009 at 6:04 am
Well first off, Happy Birthday tomorrow!
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The ISTA overspending on salaries? Hmm, hmm. Where else might that occur? EVERYWHERE where accountability is lax! Politics, oh yeah. Business, when nobody is watching. Government and its nonaccountable, non-elected entities, hello CIB! NGOs? ICVA, you bet ya.
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The IMPD getting more complaints? Maybe it the beginning of the fallout of poor hiring practices under the previous administration and the STUPID (and failed) temporary merger with the MCSD. The sad part is that things won’t change until somebody gets hurt. And that’s a real shame. Oh, and more aggressive on keeping crime down? Maybe, if you mean writing inane traffic tickets and yelling at people stacking bricks in their alley.
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Fight with a mailman? That councilperson needs some help, not more enabling.
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Read the book Too Politically Sensitive (see AI for details). As an old hand in Illinois state politics, you will likely be going, “uh-huh, oh yeah” a lot.
May 22nd, 2009 at 6:26 am
Happy Birthday!
“Temporary” IMPD=MCSD merger? LMAO.
May 22nd, 2009 at 6:47 am
The ISTA salary is nothing compared to the salary that is being paid the new Greater Clark school superintendent. There’s controversy over the hiring of Stephen Daeschner for being offered a salary of $225,000.00 to run the school district. I don’t think there’s a school superintendent around that’s deserving of that kind of money! This is part of what’s wrong with the government school system. The educrats are in it for the money, whether it be greed in getting kickbacks for multi-million dollar roof projects or double-dipping by resigning only to be rehired a month later to skirt the IRS and TRF laws on retirement so they can collect full retirement benefits and still have a salary from taxpayers. We need real educational reform in this state, but Pat Bauer and the Dems continue to thwart any efforts toward that goal. They bow down to the teachers’ union and have become political puppets to the ISTA.
May 22nd, 2009 at 6:48 am
I forgot to leave the link to the news story related to my comments about Greater Clark Schools paying a whopping $225,000 salary to the new superintendent from Illinois.
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009905210409
May 22nd, 2009 at 6:57 am
Here’s a story to watch out of Greater Clark Schools. The Chief Financial Officer was fired after an audit was conducted by the State Board of Accounts. Now there’s a new law on the books that allows the Attorney General to get involved in SBOA investigations early in the process. It will be interesting to see if anything develops from this. The problem with SBOA audits in the past is the fact that wrongdoing was discovered much too late for any action to be taken. It was pointed out to me yesterday by an Indianapolis attorney that in many cases the statutes of limitations has run out long after the audits are released. As a result, white collar criminals have gotten away with misdeeds because they likely knew that even if they got caught nothing could be done to them. There’s a new sheriff in town in the AG’s office, a maverick in charge at the DOE, and there’s a new law on the books that will give the AG more power.
Oh, and by the way, here’s a link to the story I mentioned about the firing of Greater Clark’s CFO:
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009905190405
May 22nd, 2009 at 7:00 am
I have a correction to make regarding the last posting. After re-reading the story, I would like to clarify that the SBOA audit is being conducted because apparently it’s customary to do so whenever there’s a termination of a financial officer. There’s apparently a lot going on behind the scenes that the public isn’t privileged to right now.
May 22nd, 2009 at 7:23 am
What were they thinking? Video coverage here:
http://www.whas11.com/news/local/stories/whas11-top-090520-daeschner-hired.217b17d5.html
May 22nd, 2009 at 9:40 am
Police complaints are up because the inmates are running the nuthouse. The rank and file are drunk with power because they know the brass won’t touch them. As Ballard’s only true loyal base, they know they have perceived and actual power over the administration. As you can imagin,e it is a dangerous situation when subordinates feel they are more powerful than management. Egos are inflated and the beat cops are trolling around unchecked. Of course, some of that ego and bravado is going to manifest in inappropriate interactions with citizens. They know they can do whatever they want, unchecked, and bullys will take that and run. Just think what happens when a child doesn’t get boundaries set by his parents and knows that he is actually the one in control…..we’re seeing the same thing here.
May 22nd, 2009 at 9:55 am
“I’m not sure if complaints are up because they are easier to file or because the cops are getting more aggressive in keeping crime down. I hope it’s the latter.”
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That’s sick thinking, Abdul. Aggressive on crime doesn’t correlate with violating individual rights. The police have my full, 100% support in aggressively tackling crime and keeping communities safe from criminals – so long as they do so without infringing Constitutional rights. My hope is that the reporting has increased because the report system is easier to access, or because more people are becoming aware of their rights. All authority granted to police is given by the people, so long as the authorities remain within the law when performing their duties. If reporting is up as a result of police aggression, we have a bigger problem than local crime.
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Off topic, I’ve written previously on local blogs that I’m looking into the benefit of local currencies, 100% delinked from Fedral Reserve curreny. The following article published this week provides an interesting high level rationale for doing so:
http://www.webofdebt.com/articles/hyperinflation.php
May 22nd, 2009 at 10:59 am
You are talking to the wrong people, Abdul! What I am hearing is that there is a lot of discontent in Marion County toward the party bosses, big law firms, CIB, etc, and the precinct committeemen aren’t enchanted with the notion of voting for Ryan Vaughn. Tom John and David Brooks may be trying to fix the election but it may not work….look for Ruckelshaus to prevail after a few ballots…he’s a good guy, conservative, a party guy and acceptable to all factions
May 22nd, 2009 at 11:11 am
I’m in SD 30, but wouldn’t normally vote for a Republican. Sen.Lubbers has done a good job, but outlived her usefulness a few years ago.
What bothers me is, regardless who folks feel about Vaughan, he’s one of the smartest city-county councilmen. Which is not difficult in that bunch. Still…we need some brains on the council.
May 22nd, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Shorebreak,
Bob Grand is a smart guy. Do you really want him running the CIB?
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Jimmy Carter was a vry smart guy. Do you think that made him a great President.
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I certainly haven’t seen a sign of Ryan Vaughn’s extreme intelligence, but I have noted a remarkable lack of common sense and a willingness to betray Republican values and sell-out in pursuit of political ambition. Do you really want to overlook that because Ryan is “smart.”
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As far as Ruckleshaus and Scott Schneider go, I know them both very well. I would definetely say they are every bit as sharp as Ryan Vaughn. In particular, Scott Schneider is a class act, a true conservative not one who simply plays one at election time like Ryan Vaughn.
May 22nd, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Sorry Shorebreak. The last post was meant as a response to Think Again. Please accept my apology.
May 22nd, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Scott Schneider is an ideological goose-stepper for the far right, but bright he ain’t.
I know Bob Grand. I’d describe him as just smart enough to get through law school. You do that math.
Yeah, Jimmy Carter was probably our smartest president. A nuclear science grad of the Naval Academy. Great president? Nah. But better than half the lot, including our most-recent. And I never doubted his honesty….still don’t.
Ryan Vaughn may win this special caucus. But when he walks out of that Council, the collective IQ takes a huge hit. I rarely agree with the guy, but when you’re dealing with an intelligent adversary, you’re more likely to get something done. In business, government or the neighborhood.
Maybe the Marion County Repubs have a decent replacement for Vaughn as councilman. Please don’t resurrect Bradford, is all I ask.
May 22nd, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Ryan Vaughn has so many conflicts of interest that I dont see how any one could trust him. I know the party bosses want him in the senate seat and two committeepersons with votes have told me that they told the higherups that they would vote for Ryan but have no intention of doing so. They just didn’t want reprecussions from the party bosses.
May 22nd, 2009 at 4:18 pm
wow i had no idea thanks greg
May 22nd, 2009 at 4:47 pm
I have the solution to the CIB mess…..
Taxes on everything from pot to a “pole” tax
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE54L5HR20090522
If nothing else the tax protests would be fun to watch!
May 22nd, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Think Again, it’s a little early to put Ryan Vaughn in the Senate seat. I think he’s probably a slight underdog at this point.
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As far as Vaughn’s intelligence, I don’t think you’ve really made the case that being smart (assuming I concede that point) trumps a lack of principles and a willingness to sell out one’s political soul.
May 22nd, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Think Again,
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I don’t agree with Scott Schneider on everything, but he has integrity and would never sell out his political soul like Ryan Vaughn has…never in a million years would he do that. I’ve never seen anything to indicate that Scott is not a very intelligent person. Now, Ryan Vaughn, I’ve seen him do things on the council that suggest he is not clued in to what’s going on. (The man sponsors measures he often knows very little about.) Maybe he’s intelligent, but just lazy when it comes to doing his homework. Don’t know.
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I would take someone who is honest, has integrity, and won’t sell political soul, even though I often strongly disagree with that person, over someone who I agree with on issues but who lacks those aforementioned qualities.
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Who do you think would support raising taxes to bail out the CIB, Schneider or Vaughn. Vaughn…hands down.
May 23rd, 2009 at 1:16 am
Back during the Ballard campaign in 07 Ryan Vaughn was over at MCRCC numerous times meeting with Tom John and the boys at 120 E. Vermont St.
He is wired in with the party.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:04 am
I trust your assessment of Vaughn’s potential CIB vote, Paul. I watch most council meetings on Ch. 16, and have been a few ties. In terms of general demeanor and overall presence, as well as knowledge of the issues, Vaughn is clearly one of the top two GOPers. Which is sort of like shooting fish in a bucket, I know.
I’ve dealt with Scott and his father before him. Their time is done. Integrity? Yeah, they’re true to their causes. Neither is a deep thinker, and each is far, far right. Shrill, even.
The Schneiders were part of the “no-new-taxes-at-any-cost” crowd that refused to look at both sides of the budget—-income and expenses—for the better part of tow decades. That mindset left us with huge necessary projects like CSO and the overcrowded jail, just to name two, that had to be fixe.d But that crowd kicked the can down the road rather than face the prospect of big-ticket items.
Problems delayed are problems amplified. In each of the above cases, we had absolutely no choice. And each issue ended up costing us over double the original pricetag, sacrificed at the altar of no-new-taxes. There was no way to fix our sewer problems without tax/rate increases, unless you lay off virtually all city employees.
Fighting over nickels is one thing. Ignoring critical city needs is another. Schneider, his dad, Dowden, that whole crowd knew they were pushing the problem off to another generation. Tey flat-out didn’t care. They offered no realistic solution except delay. Which is malfeasant.
The CSO pricetag is no somewhere near $350 million and the jail thing is somewhere near $180 million. Yep. we sure made out like bandits holding down those taxes, and refusing to look at budget cuts as an alternative, huh?
May 23rd, 2009 at 10:47 am
“They offered no realistic solution except delay. Which is malfeasant.”
“Yep. we sure made out like bandits holding down those taxes, and refusing to look at budget cuts as an alternative, huh?”
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With the probable exception of raising taxes, I think some of us are in much agreement. On every level of government we have detachment from “realistic solutions” and “…refusing to look at budget cuts as an alternative.”
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Just as it’s gotten bad enough for California to tackle gerrymandering and probable Constitutional reform, just as our President is tweaking his security policy when facing a Senate in revolt over released Guantanamo prisoners, maybe instead of jumping into an abyss of default, we’ll actually begin spending reductions. We’ll put off tackling root causes and solutions until the last possible moment, but reductions might elicit the agonizing adult conversation on choices and prioritization we’ve been avoiding. If not just a piece in some larger game, our President could be the perfect leader for comprehensive, bipartisan, cross-demographic reform. Can he be less dogmatic than his predecessor? Damned if I know.
May 23rd, 2009 at 11:21 am
Nice, taxpayer. And mostly true.
As far as city priorities go, in order to hold onto their majorities, the GOP fostered a “no-new-tax” platform, and tried to hold onto it, during Hudnut’s first term. He broke the pledge for some specifics, and truly tried to govern appropriately. Alas, he ultimately moved on, the victim of his libido and Goldsmith’s ego.
There were a few Republican voices who demanded the big-fix problems be addressed. Councillor Beluah Coughenor chaired the public works subcommittee which oversaw the sewer thing, and she was ridiculed by her own leadership. She was a visionary, however.
If we’d fixed the CSO problem when she first raised it, in 1985, the White River would be cleaner, and the EPA would not be hanging over our heads. It involved a slight tax increase and a small sewer rate increase.
Taxpayer, to pay for just the CSO problem today, via spending cuts, we’d have to lay off almost everyone, including 3/4 of the public safety personnel. Try ignoring a leaking toilet in your house for 35 years.
The jail was similar. A conservative Republican federal judge ordered the jail population be reduced. In most other federal judicial jurisdictions, that place would’ve been shut down. The fix when identified by Judge Barker was around $45 million. Now 4X the original cost, and rising.
There is a cost to pandering to the extreme of either party. And we’re paying it now.
The Pogue’s Run portion of the CSOP solution is not completely finished, and over $200 mil, and doesn’t solve but one-tenth of the overall problem.
If that’s not malfeasant, I don’t know what is.
May 23rd, 2009 at 11:25 am
My Man Mitch. Good Job Govenor. And there will be more layoffs to come.
Budget deficit forces layoff of 40 Muncie firefighters
Chris Proffitt/Eyewitness News
Updated: May 22, 2009 05:37 PM EDT
A third of Muncie’s firefighters will be laid off in the coming weeks.
Muncie – A budget shortfall is costing several Muncie’s firefighters their jobs.
A third of the city’s fire department will be laid off in 30 days for at least six months to help slash Muncie’s $3.4 million budget deficit. The 40 firefighters bumped from the city’s remaining five fire stations leaves the department with 70 officers and even fewer on a daily basis.
Mayor Sharon McShurley says she was left with no choice, given state property tax caps that have cut money to local government. Adding that the city is living on borrowed money and has ruled out raising taxes, but must cut $2 million from the fire and police departments.
May 23rd, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Okay, Gentlemen. If we agree the problem is bipartisan, or even more the fault of X or Y versus soley the fault of one or the other- what’s your solution? You think the income is really out there in this economy to fix all by increased taxes? Spending cuts by themselves will fall woefully short, besides being just as unpalatable? Isn’t either solution by themselves a prescription for further “Califonization’ of our acrimony, bringing us to the same inevitable need for comprehensive reform? In a nutshell, what dollar-for-dollar tax increases coupled with spending reductions are we willing to undertake? Ultimately, we have to get to root causes and solutions to see the ship’s pumps bringing us slowly up, instead of water continuing to pour in.
May 23rd, 2009 at 2:08 pm
“Californization”- not that there is such a word…or that I won’t misspell again in about 30 secs…
May 23rd, 2009 at 9:37 pm
I am no fan of Mitch but can’t for the life of me figure out why the Muncie situation is his fault. Sounds like their new mayor is a 14K goof without any Statehouse help.
Taxpayer, your question is fair. I don’t run the world, and you’re probably all glad for that. If I did, here’s what I’d cut on the spending side, city-budget wise, since we were mostly talking about city budgets:
We basically nee dot do what schools need to do–eliminate a heavy top tier and shove duties down the ranks to qualified and less-expensive personnel.
We need one, maybe two deputy mayors. And, as a non-monetary comment, we need each of them to be able to speak intelligent English, not jibberish.
We need to cut the command staff at IMPD and IFD.
Wherever possible, let some control go, stop buying expensive equipment, and contract out as many heavy-equipment duties as we can. Heavy equipment is just getting more and more expensive. And our employees don’t generally take very good care of it.
Start assessing development impact fees for all new commercial construction, including any home sits beyond 3 lots. We’re one of the few large urban areas that don’t do it. Example: when the Marsh center was built at 82nd/Allisonville, Goldsmith’s folks wanted it, so they leaned on traffic engineers to say the impact on that intersection would be minimal. Which was and is a joke. That is one of the state’s top three busiest intersections, and crashes have increased dramatically. Better engineering and lights, funded by the developers, would’ve been good.
There are just a few examples, but…it still isn’t nearly enough to pay for the ignored big-ticket items. What we really need downtown is a wholesale attitude change about delivery of services.
And it won’t ever happen. (sigh)
On the tax side–not a damned penny more sales tax. It’s regressive and it’s a quick-fix throughout history.
We can bulldoze abandoned homesites and sell them for a dollar…there are more ideas, but I’m not mayor.
May 24th, 2009 at 2:15 am
I’m really geting tired of the back and forth about the dems and reps , which is conservative or liberal or smart or connected. Maybe we should create two new parties – call one of them “by the people, for the people and about the good of the people” – the other could be called “by the politicos, for the politicos, and about the good of the politicos”. !! Just which party do you think would get the most votes on election day.???
May 24th, 2009 at 8:40 am
The Muncie Fire Department has been historically overstaffed by at least 50% for decades. Their union contract would make Darko blush with envy. When the dumb Republicans allowed firemen and policemen to be elected to City Councils Muncie took every advantage of it and the fireman dominated the dumbocrat party in Muncie (still does) and their tools on City Council led by Phil Nicols rewrote the Contract in a manner very unfavorable to the public. Folks familiar with Muncie know it’s record of very high taxes and very low provision of services. The legislature can take credit for forcing the Muncie Fire Department back to a normal staffing level. Shed no tears for those loafers and economic thieves and praise the lady Mayor for doing what none of her predecessors had the stomach for. She has more balls than Ballard?
May 24th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Well, pascal, that’s one way of looking at it. I grew up near Muncie, and have cousins who still live there. Their unique fire-fighting needs are augmented by one of the state’s largest universities, which has taller buildings than the rest of the city. Those unique safety needs require additional staffing and equipment. The university, in session two-thirds of the year, swells Muncie’s population by 30-40%. Fire Departments have to staff and plan for the worst potential tragedies.
My cousins are rock-ribbed Reagan republicans. They lament the day Shirley was elected. I read the Muncie paper every day, and let’s just say, in that Republican forum, she has badly mis-managed her plight.
Of course, Muncie has a history of corrupt Democratic mayors, too…Paul Cooley and Big Jim Carey come to mind. But their incumbent seems a failure from afar.
May 25th, 2009 at 8:57 am
Thank you very much for the reply. Less admin overhead & “privatization” of big $, specialized services seem like goals that could be bipartisanly pursued. However, dismantling of a layer of gov’t most states don’t have also seemed like a no-brainer. If the desired extra taxation is not on sales, and increased property taxes being off the table, that leaves income, or I think more likely- some services.
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The achievement in any of this requires citizen activism to check greed. There’s much to be agree upon if it’s perceived we all get to shoulder some load. Without a perception of joint sacrifice, the pendulum of excess and acrimony just continues it’s wide swing.
May 25th, 2009 at 9:45 am
Acrimony does rule, Taxpayer…but it’s more a sense of “gotcha.” Each party tries too hard to out-gotcha the other party, and good government is the loser.
It also discourages better candidates fro running. City-County Council members make something like $13-16K a year. Not chump change, but consider: you can’t really make much of a difference unless you’re one of the top two or three in each party. You have to deal with other councillors, too many of whom are functional boobs. You sacrifice maybe 50-60 nights a year for meetings, sometimes more. And your phone rings off the wall.
I could take all of that if I knew I’d work with fellow Councillors, a majority of whom were there for the right reasons and who could add to 20 without taking off their sox. But at the end of the day, I wouldn’t do it for triple the pay. There’s just no shared view of the common good. Or not enough of it.
Sometimes I think we should just stand back and let Ed Treacy and Tom John bloviate on City Council issues. That’s where it ultimately ends up anyway. Cut out the middle men/women.
May 25th, 2009 at 11:14 am
Think Again, I suspect when you say you would want the other councilors to be there for the right reasons that what you mean is that they think like you and vote like you. This is a diverse city and even within each party caucus, there are many different points of view and needs. Ed Coleman is the only councilor whose caucus always has 100% agreement.
May 25th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
No, Greg, you couldn’t be more wrong.
I learn from people with whom I disagree. They force me to examine my views, accept new information if appropriate, and sometimes change my views.
In order to have open and helpful dialogue, there has to be a modicum of respect and intelligence on the both sides. Having been to probably 15 council meetings in the last four years, and watched most of them on Ch. 16, I doubt I could serve with most of the council members, past or present.
I just don’t suffer fools gladly. Doubt my take on things? Watch a few meetings. If you can get through the resolutions for Aunt Fannie’s championship quilt, you’re half-way home.
Most of them are gasbags or incredibly partisan in that “gotcha” sense of the word. And they’re way too impressed with themselves. I don’t choose to spend my free time arguing with that kind of goof. The aggravation isn’t worth it.
When I was younger I’d jump head-first into that kind of environment. Now, give me a good round of golf, or a good book, or some time with my kids or at my church, and my spare time is great.
Government demands that we participate, so I try in my own way. I just don’t want to spend 10-20 hours a week with the kid of person who is in the majority on the council.
I don’t mean “majority” in the D or R sense.
May 26th, 2009 at 11:14 am
The Libertarians are responsible for shaking up the politics in this town lately. I have a feeling it’s just begun.
May 26th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Mauri…you hit the nail on the head! There are two parties and you are correct, they are:
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“by the people, for the people and about the good of the people”
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“by the politicos, for the politicos and about the good of the politicos”
(politicos = entrenched elites including their appointees who spend our money)