Friday Follies
The following is a list of all the little things I’ve been meaning to blog about this week, but didn’t get a chance to do so. I’ll be doing some follow-up on these items next week. but for now they all fall into the category of good gossip, more and innuendo.
I’m looking through the city’s contract with the Pacers and it looks like my original assumption that the Indiana Pacers would have to pay a penalty if they left may not be totally accurate. It appears there a couple instances that the city could be on the hook if the Pacers leave. I want to make sure I have all the details straight so stay tuned. I’ve also got some ideas I’m drafting on how the city and the Pacers can reach a deal without reaching into the taxpayers’ pockets. Stay tuned for that too.
Several candidates for federal office are disclosing what they’ve got in the bank, and what some of their opponents have as well. U.S. Senate candidate Brad Ellsworth says he’s raised more than $600,000 in his first 38 days as a candidate and will have more than $1 million in cash on hand. 4th District Congressional Candidate Brandt Hershman says he’s got $174,000 in cash on hand while opponent Todd Rokita has only $157,000. Rokita however has been on the air longer than Hershman. John McGoff’s 5th District Congressional campaign tells me they’ve raised more than $50,000 in the last period and plan to hit the airwaves soon.
Speaking of 5th District, I’m also getting some questions about whether the individuals who appear in Dan Burton’s latest ad are real Hoosiers or paid actors? Once I find the ad on the Internet I’ll link it here and you can make up your own mind.
Marion County Assessor and Democratic candidate for Prosecutor Greg Bowes had a mixed week. He got the public endorsement of the Concerned Clergy, a local group of African-American pastors. At the same time members of his own party are attacking for taking a $2,000 political contribution from Eckart & Martin Enterprises. Eckart lists its address at 3535 W. 16th Street, which is also the address of Club Venus, a strip club. I figure the D’s are kicking themselves for letting Mark Massa beat them to the punch over calling on embattled incumbent Carl Brizzi’s resignation so they had to start eating their own as opposed to not eat at all.
The Indianapolis Board of Public Works unanimously approved moving forward with the transfer of the city’s water and waste water operations to Citizen’s Gas for about $2 billion. The Indianapolis Board of Waterworks has hired an attorney to review the deal. And it still must have Council approval and the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission must also sign off on the plan as well.
