It’s Deja Vu All Over Again
Although it’s only been a few days since Indiana lawmakers came back in special session, I am already believing this is a big giant waste of time.
Already, my very reliable sources are telling me that Black Democrats in the House are pretty much united that if there is no plan for a casino in Gary, they will also not vote for the budget, nor the CIB plan. They make up seven of the 52 House Democratic members. Both Governor Mitch Daniels and Senate Pro Tempore David Long have maintained lawmakers should simply deal with the budget and the Capital Improvement Board.
Speaking of CIB, my sources are also informing me that Marion County Democrat, Cherish Pryor in particular, is offering, with Bill Crawford’s blessing, an amendment to the Daniels-Ballard plan that would completely alter the proposal.
The plan would eliminate the Facilities Management Board of Marion County, whereby all Marion County government properties would all be under the same governing board. The CIB properties would still be under one board, but the Governor would have no appointments, instead the County Commissioners (all Democrats) would get two more appointments.
I am also told the Crawford-Pryor plan would eliminate the admissions tax and replace it with a Marion County food and beverage tax, thus putting pressure on City-Council Republicans to pass a countywide food and beverage tax and making them more vulnerable in the 2011 elections.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, because Monday will be here sooner than you think.
June 13th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Ya it seems that bailing out the CIB is going to cause big problems for everyone. We either bail out CIB and build a casino in Gary or everything comes to a screaching halt on July 1st. Abdul, is there anything in our constitution that allows for a special election instead of a special session????
Peace
June 13th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
I cannot figure out how such a large and homogeneous pool of stupidity finds its way into our legislative bodies on such a consistent basis.
June 13th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Are not these Idiots responsible to the people who elected them? Last year Crawford killed fire consolidation to save a few of his buddies in Center Township, Pike Township, Wayne and Lawrence Townships.
June 13th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Voting for any taxes makes the Council Republicans “vulnerable.” The notion that the voters distinguish between particular types of taxes is not well supported.
Also, the bigger problem is the public perception (accurate) that the tax increases are being sought because of excessive professional sports subsidies. People overwhelmingly are opposed to that while Mayor Ballard keeps spinning the nonsense that the tax increases are to protect the convention business.)
June 14th, 2009 at 12:16 am
The crux of the matter is the blackmail of the Black Democrats re gambling, right? It doesn't have to be the budget, it could be anything that really needs to get passed, correct? I think walk-out or veto anything too fiscally stupid and let them take the hit for letting education rot because they want to expand gambling.
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I don't care if it's a one-year or nine-year budget. It if it's not exceedingly frugal, we're overspending exactly when the national and global economy make it clear NOT to compound the problem. Flat-line education and public safety, then reduce everything else furthre. We'll still be better off than most states.
June 14th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Now is the time to really build up education. Keeps people employed, gives people jobs, provides people a future. It is politically smart for Daniels, too, as he will push the House Dems into a corner.
June 14th, 2009 at 10:30 am
It seems odd to me that the entire state is willing to share in the tax revenue generated by the convention, event, etc business at CIB facilities, but when there is a bump in the road the majority of the state wants to go hide. As Arte Johnson used to say, “veeery interesting.” Time to step up boys. No Colts, No Pacers, No conventions equals the downtown of the 60's. It wasn't pretty. Most of us prefer the jobs and quality of life downtown provides.
June 14th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
There are 9 members of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus in the House, not 7.
June 14th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
A couple of thoughts:
**if the Black Caucus is hitching its star so identifiably to a casino, it is sad. Gambling is OK, within reason, but to attach race and culture to it, in a veiled threat, is poor politics, poor citizenship, and it fails many of the very people it's trying to help. Outdated logic with victims aplenty.
**John Howard: so long as there is virtually no election or lobbyist law in this state, we will continue to get this kind of government. Implement public financing, or better yet, cap all contributions at $100. Make the reporting transparent…every contribution and expenditure is available online instantly…and reign in those lobbyists. When it's all said and done about 8-10 powerful lobbying groups, on both sides of the aisle, control most of the campaign money. It is broken beyond belief. It's provincial and it rewards leadership, whose ears are constantly tuned to the money men. And those powerful lobbyists love having the same folks control things year after year, because, well…those lobbyists control the leaders.
Harrison Ullman was right.
June 14th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
It truly is shameful that the Black Caucus is doing so much harm to education reform.
June 14th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
http://istaexposed.com/ Not the best site in the world but adequate for lazy legislators to see about fixing this $67,000,000 problem ahead of the $15,000,000 CIB mess THEY made. They made this mess also.
June 14th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
Uh, Jacob….as for “education reform” :
I'm as appalled as the next guy if this Black Caucus rumor is true. But the governor's budget is far from education reform.
Careful with your labels.
Anyone with guts would dismantle IPS and quit throwing money down that sinkhole. Its demise, and its re-bordering among the remaining township schools, would do more for kids than anything I can imagine, and surely it would be cheaper.
Now THAT would be education reform.
June 15th, 2009 at 5:06 am
Politics as usual. If We the People are the Masters, and they (government) are the Servants, why are THEY telling US when they will be paid, how much they will be paid, and that they WILL be paid even though they don't do their jobs without needing 'overtime'?
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We really need the power of the referendum in Indy.
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Robert – NW Side
June 15th, 2009 at 6:44 am
http://istaexposed.com/ If they have time on their hands they could look into this $67,000,000 mess they helped make just as the CIB is a state mess, too.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:45 am
TA, you are right. I was lazy. Mitch's agenda is not education reform; it's not really anything. The Black Caucus should be pushing for education and/or education reform not just throwing money at problems.
I'm in favor of building up IPS, but that would take a progressive consensus to invest in downtown. Unfortunately, I don't see that long-term solution coming from anywhere: public or private.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Politics as usual. If We the People are the Masters, and they (government) are the Servants, why are THEY telling US when they will be paid, how much they will be paid, and that they WILL be paid even though they don't do their jobs without needing 'overtime'?
-
We really need the power of the referendum in Indy.
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Robert – NW Side
June 15th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
TA, you are right. I was lazy. Mitch's agenda is not education reform; it's not really anything. The Black Caucus should be pushing for education and/or education reform not just throwing money at problems.
I'm in favor of building up IPS, but that would take a progressive consensus to invest in downtown. Unfortunately, I don't see that long-term solution coming from anywhere: public or private.