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The Hypocrisy of Outrage

The best part about outrage is when it’s not real.  The worst part of outrage is when it insults your intelligence.    Allow me to explain.

My political counterpart and occasional sparring partner Amos Brown has posted on his blog about raises being given in Mayor Greg Ballard’s  Office at a time when the city faces a $27 million shortfall.    It contains the usual rantings of righteous indignation and Democrats like at-large Council Member Pam Hickman have taken to social media to perpetuate the outrage and “concerns” for public safety.

First of two quick points, I don’t recall Brown or Hickman being this livid when the Council took two contractual positions, Council Attorney and Chief Financial Officer and made them full-time positions (with benefits, i.e. sick time, vacation time, pension contributions) when the city was starring down the barrel of a $50 million shortfall.

Second quick point, are the raises occurring in a vacuum or how does the Mayor’s overall budget look?  Has it increased?  Are they working within the current parameter?  Or has the budget gone down overall because they are doing less with more?  That is the more important question to ask.  If the office is paying fewer more, but had an overall drop in its, then I really don’t have a problem.    But apparently, some other people do.

And this criticism is coming from people who were ready to spend $180,000 on redistricting which has already been done and they privately admit is legal and a challenge would not stand up in court.  This criticism is coming from people who said during the last budget cycle that public safety wasn’t being cut enough and too many other parts of city government were bearing the brunt alone?  And lets not forget this is the same crowd that passed budgets with blank pages and passed a $100 million bond years back to cover operating expenses which the city is still paying about $9 million annually in interest payments.

And before I forget, the budget for the  Mayor’s office in 2009 was $4.1 million.  In 2012 the introduced amount was $3.38 million.

Yeah, that’s what I thought too.  Like I said,  t’s the worst kind of hypocrisy because it insults your intellect if you know where to look or have a decent memory.

 

 

 

Posted: 07|30|12 at 10:06 pm by Abdul Hakim-Shabazz
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  • Indy4U2C

    I have a problem with giving political cronies pay raises in amounts of $20k – $30k, which FAR EXCEED pay raises by anyone.  Let me ask this:  Who knows someone that received a pay raise of $20,000 this year???? 

    Something stinks to high heaven with that!

    Oh, it gets worse:  IBJ reported that Mayor Ballard is announcing CUTS IN PUBLIC SAFETY!  He is now at the smallest police force in modern history, giving raises to cronies, and demanding we jeopardize OUR safety!  Ballard campaigned on “Public Safety is Job #1″, but in reality it is obvious that cronies are PAID first, with OUR TAX MONEY!  I don’t pay taxes to help the rich get richer, but I expect a policeman to come when there is an emergency!!!!!

    Now there is also the Frank Straub factor:  This Liberal from the East Coast has put our Public Safety in the red, the City-County Council was holding hearings to remove him, and he abruptly resigned….but wait, now The Mayor announced he may decide to keep Frank Straub on indefinitely!!!!!

    I submit that it’s not only time for the City-County Council to set another final hearing on Frank Straub, but also to Order an Audit of the Department of Public Safety and then to pass an ordinance to ELIMINATE this unnecessary layer of bureaucracy! 

  • guest

    I find it humorous that the Democrats are still behind the
    scenes saying that the Sheriff’s Department needs to be given the traffic
    duties of IMPD so IMPD can save 6 million dollars.  Ummmm get a clue our Democratic friends the
    money all comes from the same pot. 
    Saving 6 million for one just makes the other need 6 million.  Actually they could probably save 1 million
    or so since the Sheriff’s Department does not have certified law enforcement
    officers, so ok I’ll say they would save 1 million in wages and benefits.

     

    I’m not meaning to stick up for Ballard, but facts are
    facts.  For everything Ballard is doing,
    Layton and Curry are doing the same crazy things as well, it is just for some
    reason the Republican Party in Marion County has no backbone to bring it up.

  • Me

    Abdul says “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!”

    Straub squandered all of our Public Safety dollars.

    Straub avoided an AUDIT.

    And now, Mayor Marie Antoinette says “let them eat cake.”

  • Indy4U2C

    Guest, I believe that a portion of traffic ticket fine goes to the agency training fund.  If that’s the case, $$$ is the motivator!  -Unfortuntely, as you state the Sheriff does not have certified police officers to do that job anyway.  Does anyone want to see jail guards making traffic stops?   Who would guard the jail?

  • John Howard

    The pattern seems to be:  Hand out an 8-figure ‘incentive’ to a for a hotel, condos or to prop up a sports franchise, then a few weeks or months later announce the city budget has an 8-figure deficit.

    The definition of insanity is… yadda yadda yadda.

  • Marco

    I think I’m allowed to say it’s wrong because I said it was wrong when Bart Peterson did it.

    Don’t stoop to Amos’ level.  Unless you’re already down there to tie your shoes…

  • Ramon

    Can you say you disagree with a person without personal insults and 4th grade taunting?   We are adults.  I think.

  • Indy4U2C

    Ramon, was that the “pot calling the kettle?”  Don’t you throw the race card into most of your own posts?

  • Bitter

    I just want to make this point:  When it comes to IMPD pay raises, all everyone talks about are raises given to officers.  But the department also has civilian employees, and we have had…ONE….3 percent pay raise in the past nine (9), soon-to-be ten (10) years.  How do you think WE feel about these outlandish raises the mayor has given to his staff?

  • Indy4U2C

    I was told today that yet another law suit had been filed that states the Marion County Sheriff special deputies are not authorized to make traffic stops. 

    -I guess that if they are not allowed to do it, then THEY CAN’T DO IT!!!!  

    …anyone have the definition of Official Misconduct handy?

  • Marco

    Have you listened to his show?  His comments speak for themselves, there isn’t any elaboration necessary.  If you choose to stand behind him, that’s fine, but that tells me either you don’t listen to the show or…

  • Pauldivine3009

    Hypocrisy is running for office and criticizing your predecessor for every dime spent and then giving your staff undeserved raises. (aren’t Republicans the one going off on public employees all around the country??)