Yesterday’s post took a lot of time to research and put together so I don’t have a whole lot for you today, but I’ve got enough to keep life interesting.  Here you go…

• Although Mitch Daniels doesn’t step down as Governor until 2012, word on the street is that the camps of two serious Republican contenders for the job are going at each other like it’s nobody’s business.  I’ll let you figure out which two.
• Speaking of  Governor, add a new name to the potential list of Democrats who may run in 2012, 8th District Congressman Brad Ellsworth.
• With Joe Hogsett getting out of the race for Mayor this week, one big benefactor may be Brian Williams.  Williams reportedly is lining up major campaign contributors which could put his war chest in the millions.
• Indianapolis Water says it may change the way it bills customers.  The utility is asking for a 35% rate increase for “infrastructure” improvements.  Matt Klein says currently customers who use more water pay less for usage on average.  Klein says they are looking at a measure that would change that so the more water a customer uses, the more they will be charged for usage.
• If efforts to bring a total smoking ban to Indy do materialize, anti-smoking advocates will still have to battle their arch nemesis, Brad Klopfenstein.  Klopfenstein, former head of the Indiana Licensed beverage Association, is volunteering his time to local bar and tavern owners to help fight a possible ban.

That’s all I got for today.  What are you hearing?

One bit of consternation from the City-County Council’s recent budget vote was the allocation of $290,000 for redistricting.   In 2010 a new census will be taken and those figures will be used to draw a new City-County Council map.  What makes this interesting is although the census is being taken in 2010, the full results won’t be available until the Spring of 2011.  The primary is in May; however candidates have to file by February.

Complicating matters is the Indiana Code (IC  3-11-1.5-32) which says, for the most part, no redistricting can be done after November 8 of the year proceeding the year in which a municipal election is to be held and before the day following the date on which the municipal election is to be held.  One would think that this would be an open and shut case and the Council could not redraw the map before the primary.

My political counterpart Amos Brown went out of his way in a recent column in the Indianapolis Recorder to make this argument.  However my good friend Mr. Brown and the people who have come out of the closet to support him (talk about strange bedfellows) have failed to grasp one minor fact.  Although the Code says you cannot redistrict after November 8^th of the year proceeding the election,  there is no prohibition on redrawing the map before the November 8^th deadline; prior to completing the census.

Where’s that?  Section 3 of IC 36-3-4-3; the law states the following…

This division shall be made during the second year after a year in which a federal decennial census is conducted and may also be made at any other time, subject to IC 3-11-1.5-32.

This means the Council can redraw the maps before the census is complete by using early data as outlined by IC 1-1-3.5-3, but they would also have to redraw the maps after census is done as well.    As long as the Council doesn’t draw a map between November 8, 2010 and November 3, 2011, it is free to do as it pleases, within reason of course. The law the new maps would have to be compact, subject to natural boundaries, of near equal population and do not cross precinct boundary lines.   And history has shown that maps drawn using early census data don’t change that much once the final data is available.

And for the people ready to jump out of the hood and yell racism and Voting Rights Act violations, as long as African-Americans don’t have a net loss of any representation on the Council, I really don’t see any place where the Free Huey crowd has to go.   If anything,  Latinos may have a claim if enough of them are concentrated in one area.

And just to add some icing to the cake, there is another provision about redistricting that I don’t think anyone opposed to early redistricting has read, IC 36-3-4-3.

An election of the legislative body held under the ordinance or court judgment determining districts that is in effect on the date of the election is valid, regardless of whether the ordinance or judgment is later determined to be invalid.

And if you still don’t believe me,  I point you back to 1991 and 1971, where the Council used preliminary data to draw maps for the subsequent elections in 1993 and 1973.   The 1991 redistricting was done based on 1990 data as the result of litigation involving the at-large seats and minority representation on the Council.

Now we can debate whether this is a good use of taxpayer funds and whether the Council should just wait until 2011 to redistrict.  But to try to make the legal argument that it can’t be done doesn’t fly, especially when it’s clear opponents haven’t read the code in its entirety.   Better luck next time.

I was doing some research this morning and came across this interesting factoid regarding where the voters are in Marion County.

As of 29 September 2009 there are nearly 582,000 registered voters in Indianapolis.    You would think that Center Township had the largest number of registered voters, but it doesn’t.  It’s actually Washington Township.  Here’s a breakdown.

• Center – 96,190
• Decatur – 17,233
• Franklin – 32,632
• Lawrence – 80,180
• Perry – 64,304
• Pike – 51,596
• Warren – 62,928
• Washington – 101,465
• Wayne – 75,457

You can draw your own conclusions about what this all means in the grand scheme of things.  I just thought it was interesting.   Oh, and just so you know there are 880,380 residents in Marion County.

Democrat Joe Hogsett exiting the race for Mayor of Indianapolis raises a lot of interesting questions.

1. Now that Hogsett is out, where will his supporters go?  Will they flock to Melina Kennedy, will they look at Kip Tew, Jose Evans or Brian Williams?
2. Does Hogsett’s exit pave the way for a “dark horse” candidate to enter the race?
3. Did Hogsett decide to run for another office in 2010 instead of 2011?
4. Did money play a role in his decision to exit the race?  This economy has taken its toll on donors just like everyone else.
5. If Kennedy is the front runner, does she run the risk of pulling a Hilary Clinton, where you’re so far ahead the only place left to go is down?
6. What does this mean for Greg Ballard, would Hogsett have been the most formidable opponent?

Lots of questions; anyone want to speculate on the answers?

Just got this e-mail from Joe Hogsett.

In recent months, many friends and long-time supporters have encouraged me to run for mayor in 2011.  They all expressed concern that Indianapolis is moving in the wrong direction — for our families, for our economy and for our future.  It’s a concern I share and it is that concern that led me to consider running.  I have spent the summer visiting with rank and file Democrats all over Indianapolis, and while I’m flattered by the encouragement many have offered,  I have decided that I will not be a candidate for mayor.  I think Democrats will have several well-qualified candidates from which to choose, all of whom will present their own ideas for getting our city moving again.  I look forward to doing all I can to support the Democratic nominee for mayor.

I guess it’s official.

Terry Burns over at Indianapolis Times is blogging that Democrat Joe Hogsett has decided NOT to run for Mayor in 2011.

According to Terry…

Democrat Joe Hogsett has decided not to run for mayor in 2011, at least not for now. Hogsett made his decision over the weekend for “professional, personal and political” reasons.

Terry and I don’t agree on much, but if this is true it totally changes the dynamics in the race for Mayor on the Democratic side.  It also poses a question, if Ballard is so beatable, why get out of a race that should be a cakewalk?

Stay tuned.

I was told I was crazy and had no clue as to what I was talking about when I said Congress’ efforts to deny funding to  ACORN for its activities might be unconstitutional because the body could be passing a bill of attainder.

Well apparently I’m not alone in this assessment.  The Congressional Research Office has apparently reached the same conclusion.

I’m not an ACORN fan and the sooner the organization goes away the better, but you can’t make that happen by breaking the law or violating the Constitution.

My very reliable sources are telling me the anti-smoking people are about go at it again and try to push for a total public smoking ban in Marion County.  Under the current law smoking is only allowed in places that are either not open to the public or only allow adults; a reasonable compromise that was worked out four years ago.

I don’t see why my anti-smoking friends would want to push for a total ban when the free market has addressed this issue.   There are a number of  smoke-free drinking and eating establishments in Marion County.   Indy Jazz Fest went smoke free and my part-time employer, Crackers Comedy Club, has also gone smoke free.  Consumers and workers have plenty of choice as to whether they want to patronize or work in a smoke-free environment.

In addition, a poll done by Smoke Free Indy shows more than 80% of the County’s population like the current compromise.    So if everyone has choice and everyone likes the current compromise, what reason is there to change anything?

You ponder that while I’m having a cigar.

I have to hit the road this weekend, but I couldn’t leave without dropping these tidbits of gossip, rumor and blatant innuendo.  Enjoy.

Super Bowl Shuffle

• The head of the Marion County Emergency Management Agency has managed to get on the bad side of the FBI.  As the City puts together its plan for security for the 2012 Super Bowl,  I’ve discovered that EMA Director Jim White has managed to annoy the “you-know-what” out of the FBI by overstepping his bounds and authority on several occasions.  Things have gotten so bad that the FBI has apparently told the city that they are no longer dealing with White and prefer to have someone else as their point person on security.

Water Works

• City-County Councilor Ben Hunter says it may be time or serious changes at the Indianapolis Water Company.  The Utility is planning to ask the State for an 11% rate increase for some capital improvement projects.  Hunter, who chairs the Public Works Committee, says while the Council can’t stop the Utility from asking the state for a rate increase, it can use some of its other power to reign in the board.   Hunter says the Water Company has been mismanaged in the past and it may be time to get rid of  the current board and get one more responsive to the taxpayers.

Melina’s Mayoral Run

• As Melina Kennedy moves forward with her run for Mayor in 2011, she may want to brush up on her economic development stats.   Kennedy touts her time as the head of economic development for former Mayor Bart Peterson.  However, I’ve been informed by some of her rivals that job creation in Indy was virtually stagnant during her tenure with Peterson.  Keep an eye on that issue.

CCC Redistricting

• Despite charges that the Indianapolis City-County Council would be breaking the law by redistricting prior to the completed census results in 2011, it turns out the Council actually can legally redraw the maps beforehand.   I’ll have a fully spelled out legal argument and rationale when I come back.  You’ll love it, Amos.

Klop’s Out

• Brad Klopfenstein is no longer Executive Director of the Indiana Licensed Beverage Association.  Klopfenstein and the Association parted ways a couple weeks ago.  This comes at a time when the Legislature is debating Sunday alcohol sales and a smoking ban may be returning to Indianapolis.   Someone made a mistake and I don’t think it was Brad.

Back on Monday.  Play nice.

I got a notice in the mail at the radio station Wednesday from the Nora-Northside Community  Council regarding their October 1 meeting.   There will be a presentation by the folks at Wishard Hospital on the new referendum.

The presentation has been just one of hundreds Wishard has been doing to drum up support for the referendum.   As I type this post Channel 16 is running Wishard’s presentation to the Marion County Alliance of Neighborhood Associations.   In addition, Franklin and Perry Township schools as well as Beech Grove also have efforts to drum up support for their referendums.    And the water company has just announced it plans to ask for a rate increase for capital projects after raising rates this past year to pay for some bad bonds it floated.

With all these measures floating around, I am surprised I haven’t seen any organized opposition.   I have come across people who oppose the referendums, but none of them are organized.   There’s been griping in the blogosphere, but that’s about it and none of it has affected any real change.

This is a far cry from the tax protests of 2007 when hundreds of locals would flood the streets and city hall to make their voices heard.   At the last City-County Council meeting I only counted less than 10 people there who were also there back in ’07.

So what happened?  Why does it look like the revolution has died on the vine?  Is it because tea parties and national issues are all the rage?  Is it because of infighting amongst the activists?  Is it disillusionment because one organizer allegedly hijacked the movement and used his platform to launch a bid for the U.S. Senate?  Or could it just be they lost interest?

There are a lot of questions, but regardless of the reason, the revolution is dead.  May it rest in peace.