It’s not very often I see tri-partisan support for somewhat controversial measures down at the City-County building, but by a vote of 19-10, the Indianapolis City-County Council approved the nearly $2 billion deal to transfer the city’s water and waste water facilities to Citizens Gas.  All 15 Republicans, three Democrats, and one Libertarian all supported the measure.

I’ve supported the water deal for a number of reasons, it addresses two major issues.  It helps mitigate the 400% anticipated rate increase while providing badly needed funds for infrastructure.   And no offense to some of my Democratic friends, they never offered up a viable alternative to the deal, except for some who wanted to nothing.  There are a number of things they could have done with respect  to the deal, but if you’re not smart enough to figure it out, I can’t help you.

Meanwhile, here are soundbites from some of the key players from Monday night’s meeting.

Carey Lykins, Citizens Gas CEO

Ed Coleman, Libertarian

Joanne Sanders, Minority Leader

Jackie Nytes, Democrat

I spent some time Monday reading through the probable cause affidavit regarding Shamus Patton.  What was more disturbing than the fact he allegedly shot at and could have killed nine people that night, was the fact that he had nine previous run-ins with the law.

According to the affidavit, Patton has had nine referrals to juvenile court since 2008.  Since he is a juvenile, his record is shielded from the public by law, but it has to make you wonder at what point do we as a society say enough is enough.  I am all for giving individuals a second chance, but nine?

How many times does someone have to screw up before we go pick them up and politely put them somewhere in an orange jumpsuit.  I am told by my sources that it is not uncommon for a juvenile on probation to commit multiple offenses and still not have to spend any time in the Department of Corrections.

I truly think it’s time to start taking a second look at juvenile corrections.  There should not be this revolving door that lets someone like a Shamus Patton venture in and out of the system nine times over a two-year period.  Should the law be changed to a “three strikes and you’re out until you’re an adult”?  Maybe.  But something apparently is not working and it’s time to fix it before we have another Shamus Patton on our hands who turns out to be a better shot than the last one.

I’ve posted the probable cause affadvit filed by the Marion County Prosecutor’s office regarding Shamus Patton and the shooting that occured two Saturday’s ago during Indiana Black Expo. 

While everyone is innocent until proven guilty, what’s most disturbing is that according to the affadavit, Shamus has been in and out of the juvenile justice nine times since 2008.  And also, my sources tell me that Patton went downtown with the intent to shoot a rival gang member.  Scary stuff.

It looks like some Indiana House Democrats are finding it easier to run against and opponent who isn’t on the ballot as opposed to their Republican challengers.

Scott Reske (D-Pendelton) says the taxpayers of Madison County should not have to foot the bill for the Capitol Improvement Board’s assistance to the Indiana Pacers.

In an interview with the Anderson Herald Bulletin Reske said, “The city of Indianapolis has pledged $33 million that they don’t have. I’ve been around long enough to know they’re going to show up at the state legislature wanting funding.”

Reske is not alone in his comments.  In an interview with the Terre Haute Tribune Star, House District 45 candidate Jesse James said the deal was a “frivolous spending of taxpayer money,” and he “could not support using tax dollars to help a sports team with a multimillion-dollar payroll while Hoosier school budgets are being reduced.”  James is running against Republican incumbent Bruce Borders.

Also over the weekend my contacts in Evansville tell me  southwest Indiana House Democrats are making the C.I.B. an issue.

While I’m not crazy about the deal either, I didn’t know the C.I.B. was anywhere on the ballot.  In addition these lawmakers must not understand how government finance works because the $33 million for the Pacers will come out of the C.I.B.’s existing budget and not the state general fund, so no school is losing any money because of the C.I.B.  In addition, the city is taking a loan from the state which it must pay back.

I’m starting to think this is part of a coordinated strategy because these stories are starting to show up in multiple newspapers across the state, so it can’t be a coincidence.

Now don’t get me wrong, I do appreciate out-state lawmaker sentiment on using general tax dollars to bailout anything related to Indianapolis.  If  I were a lawmaker from outside Marion County, I would not want my tax dollars to go for Indianapolis projects, just like I’m sure they don’t want Indianapolis tax money to be used in their districts.  So how about we do this, Democrats and Republicans should introduce a bill next session that requires that all sales and income taxes raised in a county can only be spent on projects in that County.  That is the only way to ensure that the residents of one city or county will ever have to worry about bailing out another one.

And by the way, the operating expenses of schools are now paid for with sales tax dollars, so I’m sure Representative Reske and would-be Representative James are willing to make sure their schools are only funded with sales tax dollars from their respective counties and Marion County residents will never have to foot any of that bill.

Yeah, right.  And a big giant monkey will fly out of my butt, too.

I was recently asked what it’s like to be me?  The pat answer I give is awesome.  However the person asking the question wanted more specifics, they wanted to know what it was like for me to hold the opinions I do and be black at the same time.  To be honest, I really had to give that some thought, because the views I have I’ve pretty much had all my adult life.

Being an army brat and spending my informative years in Europe, I never had to deal with race as a major day-to-day issue until I returned to the United States.   This wasn’t to say before then that I was color-blind, it was very obvious I was black, but when your neighbors are white, Asian, Latino, German, French, Dutch, etc.  You’re just another part of the stew and you go on about your business.

It really wasn’t returning to America to finish college where I got my first real taste of an attitude that I personally found offensive and in my opinion was more detrimental than any racism white people could perpetuate.

I was attending Northern Illinois University to finish up my degree in broadcasting and journalism.  I decided to join a social organization called B.R.O.T.H.E.R.S. a group of young black men dedicated to working with other black college students who have trouble adjusting to college life.  I thought to myself, “seems like a noble goal”.  Also with a lot of NIU black students, they were the first ones in their family to attend college so there was a lot of pressure on them.   So when I went to the orientation meeting and introduced myself, everyone was happy to hear there was an “Abdul” in the group.  That didn’t last long though.  The head B.R.O.T.H.E.R. began to speak and after welcoming everyone he said “you know they don’t want you here.   They just want your money and then they will kick you out.  The only way you can beat them is with us.”

It took me five seconds to figure out who they were, because this young man who was college educated sounded like my uncle who finds it easier to explore conspiracy theories that kept the black people down, than the classifieds.  After the head B.R.O.T.H.E.R. gave his speech, I asked a simple question, “are you for real?” He said “yes”.   I told him he was doing more harm than good.  I told him these kids have enough pressure on them as it is and don’t need someone who looks like them making it worse.   I then picked up my back pack and left.   As I walked out the door, someone said that brother is lost.

I wasn’t lost, I just found my sanity.  Over the course of the next 20 years I would run into a lot of people who remind me of that head B.R.O.T.H.E.R.  I’ve run into them in both graduate school and law school.   I’ve run into them as a reporter and commentator.  I’ve run into them in politics.  I’ve run into them as an educator.  And I run into them at family events.  At the end of the day, their only mission in life is to justify their own existence by scaring other people into thinking they are necessary.

My attitude has always been when people started “talking crazy”,  someone had to call them out.  As a grown up 20 years later, it’s a strategy that still works; although I’m not as brazen as I was at 25.   There is too much at stake to just simply walk away.  So, as long I have a forum, radio, television, print, internet, to express my opinions and call out the nonsense, I will.  It’s the right thing to do, it provides a counterbalance to the crap being pushed on people, and to be honest, it’s actually a lot of fun.

I was downtown Thursday as dozens of employees from the city’s hotels were gathering together to stage a protest over the wages paid to workers at the Hyatt and their inability to unionize.     Forty-one people were arrested, including City-County Councilor Joanne Sanders.  They were charged with blocking a public sidewalk, a misdemeanor.

I think a couple points need to be made here.  The union issue between the Hyatt and some of its employees is a pretty standard one.   The Hyatt says it doesn’t mind dealing with a union as long as it’s done by secret ballot.   The workers who want to unionize want to use the process known as “card check”.  Instead of a secret ballot, workers sign a form saying they want a union and the company has to stay neutral in the process.

I have never been a fan of card check.  As much as I despise unions and the concept of collective bargaining, if people want to unionize they should have the right to do so, but it should be done by secret ballot so people can be free from intimidation.  The bigger issue though is pay and wages.   I understand people wanting more money, but my father always told me, if I have a job and don’t like the pay, I should either get another job or shut up.

The last time I checked, slavery was illegal in this country an no one was forced to work anywhere.  Should a company that’s making money hand over fist share the wealth with it’s employees?   Sure, if that’s what they want to do.  Should a corporation pay a “living wage”?  Sure,  if that’s what they want to do.  Of course, no one can tell me what a “living wage” actually is.    The fundamental principal of employer-employee relations is that both parties are free to contract with each other.  Employees don’t have to take what the company offers and the company can’t force the employees to stay.

So my advice to the hotel workers who don’t like their pay, get another job that pays closer to what you want and go get some marketable skills so you can back up those demands.  No one is guaranteed anything in this world.  Sorry, but that’s how it is.  Deal with it.  You’ll live longer and sleep better.

The following is a guest column by 18-year old Lauren Roscoe.  She is a student at the University of Indianapolis.  I met her at the Indiana Black Expo news conference this week on the creation of a task force to address public safety and youth violence.

******

Since when did our people become the beholders of violence, hatred, ignorance, and arrogance?  Since when did we become the race known as drug dealers, gang bangers, uneducated good for nothing jailbait? Since when did we start thinking it was okay to walk around like we own the place, “cuz we strapped,” when unbeknownst to us, we are thought of as one of the lowest minorities to exist.

What I want to know is why must we betray our ancestors and destroy every single building block of opportunity that was built in order for us to be able to walk, talk, and live in the ways we do. By the ignorance and arrogance of being able to have freedom, our generation has taken for granted the sacrifices of past generations. If it weren’t for our ancestors, we wouldn’t be able to have a Summer Celebration, Circle City Classic, or anything else we have today for that matter.

I’m sick of being considered a Black statistic. I will not be defined by what the “experts” say I am to be. Too many of our people think they’re too good for hard work and can handle their lives on their own. We are getting left in the dust and being dragged by the stereotypes and limits society has tried to put on us and tell us that we will be nothing more than drug dealers, gang bangers, jail bait, and pregnant mothers.

The only hope for success they’ve given us is to be an athlete or a musician; aka a rapper. Very rarely do we see our people promoted as doctors, lawyers, judges, senators, artists, dentist, psychiatrist, entrepreneurs, and business owners. That is because not only does the world not believe we can be more, but the African-Americans that have succeeded in these areas have given up on us too. Do you know why?

Apparently, we are too big headed for our own good. All these kids think they’re grown; out here running around acting foolish trying to “make some paper” and trying to protect some street, some block that can’t do a thing for anybody. But for what? People are out here dying because of a street, a hood. What is “your hood” going to do for you? Except be in the same place. It sure can’t get up and say, “I’m going to protect my citizens.” That street has been there in that same place and nothing’s going to be any different about that street or that block after you’re dead and gone. And yet, all these people think they need to go out and get a “glock” to protect some object that can’t do a single thing for them.

The real question is since when does having a gun or killing somebody else make you a stronger man or woman? Since when were you given the right to take somebody else’s life? You aren’t God and you never will be. If you think that you have the right to kill somebody just because of some random reason; that means someone else has every right to take yours. And who says none of your lives have value? To me, that is complete arrogance and ignorance.  We are looked down upon because of childish and cowardly acts like Saturday night. We are still treated like inadequate and uneducated, clueless people.

We’ve got to come together and put an end to the destruction of our own generation because we are growing weaker and weaker. We’ve got to make a stand and make a change. We need to band together and be stronger instead of being worried about our own personal interest. It’s time to make a move and show youth that there’s more to life than what has been made visible. Education is the key to our success.

My request is that we develop a city-wide forum, for all high schools: administrators, faculty and staff, students, police departments, politicians and clergy, inside Lucas Oil Stadium to inform all students that education is important and unity must be present in order to be successful. By coming together, we can change the negative mindset and begin to reach our full potential.  We are our brother’s keeper and it’s time for change.

I just took a look at the details of the Smoke Free Indy/Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids poll.   The poll is actually pretty telling, but not for the reasons that you might think. 

The poll of 500 likely voters says nerly 70% of the public supports a total ban on smoking in most places, including bars and resteraunts.  I’d like to say I was shocked, but that’s the same percentage as a poll done last year by IUPUI.  By the way, that poll showed more than 80% of the Marion County residents liked the current compromise.  So in essence nothing has changed.

What’s really interesting are some other things the poll says.  For example, 61% of the respondents said they think the city was on the right track.  And only 26% thought the city was on the wrong track.   If I were a Democrat  looking at next year’s Mayor race, I would be very concerned about those numbers because it’s a reflection on the current leadership.    The breakdown of the poll was 34% Republican, 35% Democrat  and 28% independant.    That demographic also includes 21% minority population  and more than 80% above the age of  35.   Nearly 76% have some college education.  Forty percent called themselves conservative, 20% liberal and 35% moderate.

In addition, the poll also showed that even if there was a tougher smoking ban, not that much would change.  About 68% said their bar and resteraunt habits wouldn’t change if there was a new smoking ban in place and 73% had the same response for bowling allies.

This tells me the current compromise is working just fine so there’s no real need to change anything.  Thanks guys!

The poll was taken on July 8 and 10 and has a margin of error of  4.38%.

If you don’t think it’s time for new leadership to step up to the plate in Indianapolis’ Black community listen to these two interviews.  One is with State Rep. Bill Crawford and the other is with Rev. Charles Ellis of the 10-point Coalition.

I spoke to both gentlemen Tuesday about Black Expo and the new task force being formed to address some of the issues stemming from Saturday night’s shooting that sent nine people to the hospital.   The Crawford interview is about five minutes long, the Ellis interview just a couple minutes long.

Bill Crawford

Charles Ellis

See what I mean when I say there is time for new leadership.  By the way, my very reliable sources tell me the members of the Baptist Ministers Alliance were furious that they weren’t allowed to stand at the podium and speak during today’s news conference.   Hey, if I was all about cameras and not getting results, I’d be pretty upset too.

I’m taking brief respite from blogging about Indiana Black Expo and yesterday’s arrest of Shamus Patton.  I’m working on a longer, more analytical piece which I will throw up tomorrow because I need a couple more pieces to fall into place.  In the interim I would like to pontificate on the proposed transfer of the city’s water and waste water facilities to Citizens Gas.

The City-County Council’s Utility Committee voted 7-4 to move the deal to the full Council.  All six Republicans voted for the deal, as did Paul Bateman.  I asked Bateman why he supported the deal, and he told me keeping sewage from backing up into his constituents sinks ad fixing their crumbling roads were more important than playing politics.

Democrats on the Committee did offer up a some amendments, two of which  surprised me because of the legal issues they would create.  One of which would have allowed the city to take back the water company if Citizens failed to provide “adequate service”.  When I heard that the lawyer alarm in my head went nuts, because the amendment did not define what “adequate service” was and anybody and everybody who didn’t like what was going on could haul Citizens into court.

The second amendment offered was a little more complicated, but still sent off a couple of legal flares as well.  Democrats offered an amendment that would require that 30% of Citizens contracts go to women and minority owned businesses, a goal similar to that of the current water companies.  Right now Citizens has adopted the city’s participation goals which are about 18%.    The legal issue here would be that Citizens is defined as a public utility and in order to increase those goals it must be based on a disparate impact study geared toward addressing past discrimination.  The last such study was done in the early 2000s.  To me if Democrats wanted to include language increasing minority participation they would have asked for a second study be done and based on those results had new goals put into place into the agreement.

I don’t know who was giving them legal advice, but someone should get their money back.  I think it was the same people who told the Baptist Ministers Alliance that it would be a good idea to bring Al Sharpton to town.

Oh well, now that the measure has gotten out of committee, it goes to the full Council.  By my last count, the measure will pass with at least 18 votes, 15 Republicans and 3 Democrats.  Libertarian Ed Coleman is still undecided and the remaining 10 Democrats are all “no” votes.