Sunday, October 28, 2007

Star Wants Four More Years Of Lies And Corruption

I said months ago the Star's editorial writers had already made up their minds to endorse the failed leadership of Mayor Bart Peterson for another four years. While the eggheads who make up the Star's editorial board will nitpick from day-to-day about the many problems with this administration, at the end of the day, it is far more important to them to have an inviting seat at the table of the ruling elite in this town who operate government as if it were their own personal kingdom and the rest of us are mere servants to them. The fact that you face a future of higher taxes, more crime and unbridled corruption is of little concern to them.

Mayor Peterson has hardly made a case for his own re-election, but the Star ticks off a list of what it sees as accomplishments supporting four more years of him:

  • "He is fixing the antiquated sewer system." Response: He has no choice. It's called the Clean Water Act, a federal law which is holding a gun to his head. The largest cost of rebuilding the system is being shouldered by the working class.
  • "He has created a charter school system that provides families with a valuable alternative for educating their children." Response: Charter schools have been awarded to political cronies of the mayor, while IPS, the public school system which serves many of our most in need citizens continues to rank as one of the worst public school systems in the nation.
  • "He negotiated agreements that are leading to a midfield terminal at the airport and a major expansion of the Convention Center." Response: Check out the mayor's campaign finance reports. It's replete with contractors making bucco bucks off this project. If the feds would bother to investigate, a number of folks would go to prison. The RCA Dome, on which we still owe $75 million of the original $75.8 million construction cost will be torn down to make room for an expanded convention center. Smart deal?
  • "He helped forge a deal that kept the Colts in Indianapolis." Response: At what cost? A $700 million stadium built on the backs of taxpayers with no funding stream to operate the damn stadium. Absolutely no other NFL team owner made off better at the expense of taxpayers than this one-sided deal. Jim Irsay's gain is a huge burden on the city's taxpayers, which could bankrupt the city before it's all over.
  • "He promoted government efficiency by merging the Indianapolis Police Department and the Marion County Sheriff's Department." Response: He gave up control of the police department in the midst of a crime explosion and didn't produce a dime's worth of savings for the taxpayers, his phony claims notwithstanding.
  • "He is pursuing consolidation of township fire departments with the Indianapolis Fire Department, a move that will save money and improve service." Response: He allowed a government consolidation plan to fail because he wouldn't force the most corrupt township in the state of Indiana, Center Township, to be eliminated.
  • "He helped shepherd deals that led to major Downtown construction, including the Simon headquarters and the Conrad Hotel." Response: Again, he gave away more than $50 million in public funds to the area's most wealthy citizens, not to mention eliminating a city park facing our State House in the process.

All of the strengths identified by the Star point up serious flaws in his administration of this city for the past 8 years. While giving Peterson a complete pass, the Star raises the bar in its evaluation of Greg Ballard. "But Ballard is a rookie when it comes to politics," the editors write. "His inexperience has often shown during the campaign." Translated, that means Ballard is an unknown to the ruling elite and can't be trusted to carry out their orders. "Ballard hasn't shown a sufficient understanding of the city's problems or of potential solutions," the editors continued. "[H]is inability to recruit support from his own party calls into question how he would fare as mayor in rallying people from various backgrounds to help his initiatives succeed." In other words, as long as the ruling elite vetoes you, you will never earn the endorsement of the Star.

Why don't these Star editorial writers just hang up writing editorials altogether. It makes no sense to harp day in and day out about the multiple problems which plague this city if you're simply going to conclude that the voters should re-elect the same people who have been responsible for dealing with those problems for years. And don't forget, these same eggheads urged you to re-elect Julia Carson to Congress for another two years last year. She has one of the worst attendance records in Congress because of her poor health and, when she does show up to vote, we don't know even know if she has a mental capacity to cast a vote because one of her colleagues or staff members must cast her vote for her. Thanks a lot, Star editors, for once again failing your readers miserably.

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

Apparently you only read the headline and not the explanation of why the Star endorsed Bart Peterson. They made a very convincing case. It made perfect sense which is why I am voting for Bart also. It is bad practice to vote for a blank slate and that is all that Ballard is ....

Anonymous said...

(9:30)Wilson was up early this morning. No substance as usual.

The corruption continues. Hopefully this pisses off the voters even more and gets them to the polls.

Wilson46201 said...

Sorry "harry" to disappoint you: there are a lot of folk like me commenting favorably about our Mayor Bart Peterson. I thought the Star endorsement was a good one.

Gary Welsh's response was also quite predictable - just a little more vehement than even I expected...

Anonymous said...

The corruption continues. Hopefully this pisses off the voters even more and gets them to the polls.

They shouldn't even waste their time. What they should be doing is trying to find a way to flee the city/county. Take on a second job and pay down the mortgage/save up some cash. The simple fact is that the number of people who want to put their hands into someone elses bank account out number those who want to keep their own money. The three reasons someone has to stay living in the city and still be able to complain about things: (1) The down housing market is making it so they can't sell their home. (2) They have a take-home car benefit with the city/county. (3) They don't want to up-root their kids from their current school/friends. If you don't fit into one of these groups, I am starting to think that you have no more right to complain. Things are only going to get worse in terms of corruption. Defenses such as "I love my neighborhood!" are no longer valid. You either favor your love for living in the city more than the hate for corruption or you don't. Escape is still possible.

Sir Hailstone said...

I've had people tell me "Oh, Bart will get rid of Monroe Gray after the election" ... Are you willing to risk it? Why hasn't Mayor Brat done something about him yet? Easy - he cannot without P'O-ing the blacks.

What I can't figure out is if the Ryerson Rag went on experience, how much experience did the Mayor have in 1999? None. Eight years later he's still trying to figure it out.

Indianapolis is not Jackie Nytes' little socialist experiment. Nor the Mayor's playground for kickbacks from construction contractors - as Gary says from the Midfield Airport project.

Mayor Brat is lucky the US Attorney here is lax in public corruption. If someone were here like Joe Van Bokkelen or even Peter "FitzFong" Fitzgerald, the Mayor would be singing a much different tune.

Anonymous said...

The Star is a booster club for big government.

A new Colts Stadium, downtown library, $800 million sunk into IPS, the Circle Center mall, hotels, convention centers - how many ways can we blow through cash?

The airport is another one - if there's not enough traffic to pay for it, we taxpayers are on the hook.

Worst of all is the flippant manner in which the Peterson mob decided to build it - it was based on a "pep talk":


"Sunday, November 10, 2002

Indianapolis Airport's $974 Million Project Will Pay Off, Officials Contend
The Indianapolis (IN) Star

Just before Indianapolis International Airport officials announced their plan to build a new terminal 20 months ago, Mayor Bart Peterson called the project "the most important thing the city can do at this time for our economic development future."

And he still believes that to be true.

But last month, with the airline industry mired in economic troubles, Peterson called on two of his closest airport advisers, seeking assurances the estimated $974 million project was safe.

Lacy Johnson, president of the Airport Authority board, and John Kish, the authority's project director, delivered a pep talk.

The two men, Peterson said, "made a pretty compelling case" that the industry will rebound and that the airport project is on track. They argued that the market for flights out of the city is strong and that even if one airline failed, others would meet demands. "

Anonymous said...

Corruption and Machine Politics are what Bart stands for....if the uninformed follow The Star's endorsement, our city is doomed and everyone might as well get out of South Detroit, Indiana before they are killed, taxed to bankruptcy, or violently victimized by a criminal The Democrat Machine has turned loose to prey.

Anonymous said...

The Star mentioned the midfield terminal at the airport, but forgot to mention how Monroe Gray, City Council President, lied on ethics forms and obtained a "No-bid" contract for concrete work at the terminal...

Anonymous said...

9:30,

Bart was a blank slate in 1999 and look what that got us!

Anonymous said...

I read the Star's evaluation of Ballard and found something funny. If you replace Ballards name with Petersons in the same evaluation you'll find it rings true. Bart has no political experience, doesnt understand the problems of this city nor does he have any solutions for them. This city is in a mess and look who has been in charge for the past 8 years. The Peterson pumpers say "Ballard has no plan". Obviously they didnt pay attention to or have forgotten about Peterson Plan I and Peterson Plan II. I cant name one thing Bart had in either of those plans that he has carried out that has worked well for Indianapolis. In fact in one of the plans he called for " No consolidation of IPD and MCSD ". Well he went against his own plan and look at the crime rate as well as the overall cost of consolidating. Fewer officers more taxes and horrible morale. The FOP endorsed Peterson the first time he ran and hasnt since. Why? He didnt do what he promised. I also find it funny that the Star endorsed Beth White last year, and she like Ballard had no experience and wrote a plan called the "White Papers". That plan went over real well back in May when we had the worst Primary in the history of the city. A Marine with a degree in business and economics and experience in leadership doesnt even come close to a proven incompetant politician with a law degree. Ballard gets MY vote and MY endorsement.

Anonymous said...

Gary:

You'd be alot more effective and persuasive if you'd end your tiresome use of hyperbole and character assassination when it comes to the Mayor. Bart Peterson is a good and honest public servant who's done much for the City. You and I may disagree on certain of his priorities, but you've put yourself squarely in the "Bart lies" and teabaggers' camp when you engage in this kind of rhetoric.

There is no panacea to Indy's or any other major city's problems if its citizenry is unwilling to invest in its neighborhoods and infrastructure. I saw a campaign sign yesterday urging me to vote for a candidate who's promising better police protection and lower taxes. Sorry, Bart Lies crowd, you can't have both. We can and should have fairer taxes, and at last the Governor has proposed a plan to fix the mess his colleagues in the State Senate left us when they repeatedly slashed taxes for businesses. But to blame Bart Peterson for that mess is at best ludicrous and at worst grossly dishonest.

Gary R. Welsh said...

"Bart Peterson is a good and honest public servant who's done much for the City."

I simply don't agree. I know too many people who made the mistake of crossing him, only to be on the receiving end of having the powers of city government unleashed on them in what I would describe as an abuse of power. Good and honest public servants don't use the power of government to settle scores with their political enemies.

Anonymous said...

Has it ever occured to anyone that this whole sordid election is nothing more than a stacked deck of cards.
The Indianapolis Star knew,long before they published those poll results, who they would endorse for Mayor. The poll was merely a ruse to give the impression of fair play.
The sorry ass truth is that most of you have bought their line.
If you make your voting decisions based on what the Star writes then you deserve what you get.

Anonymous said...

I would say that those Cuban cigars and the top shelf single malt scotch whiskey at the Columbia Club are tasting mighty fine to the GOP financiers of Peterson right now.
Unfortunately, the tab will be picked up by the taxpayers...........for the third time I might add.
Reminds me a lot of the pre-Chavez days when I worked outside Caraccas and the "free elections" were financed by American corporate "contributions" to the ruling elite.

Anonymous said...

Bart Peterson is a good and honest public servant who's done much for the City.

Since when does "the City" = "Irsay, the Simon's, and a handful of other business owners"?

I saw a campaign sign yesterday urging me to vote for a candidate who's promising better police protection and lower taxes. Sorry, Bart Lies crowd, you can't have both.

Wrong. What you do is cut administration. They are making tons of cash and usually driving around unmaked take home "police" vehicles. So, what you do is come in and make sure there is no Sgt. or Lt. running say autodesk or gun permit section. You can hire civilians to do those things. Anything that does not reqire an ILEA certification a civilian could be doing. This includes management of certain departments, like HR for instance. The only sworn officers working in HR should be a team of detectives for background checks (no rank, so less pay) and the Capt. who some civilian director reports too. That is about all the sworn folks you need in such a department. Second is that in times of budget problems, you do what the private sector does: You force your top admin to do more for the same money.

Every single police department and fire department throughout the country has these problems of giving certain offices desk jobs because of who they are, who they know, etc. etc.. It is time for this to stop. A good example is that of the job of quartermaster. That could easily be a civilian job. Some admin. types will say that it needs to be an officer with rank so they can punish an officer for destroying equipment, whatever. That is bs. All that means is that the admin. does not want to deal with officers who are not using the equipment right. There is no reason a $30K/year civilian cannot keep an Excel spreadsheet of equipment loaned out, miles on a car, etc. etc.. There is no reason a mechanic cannot supervise the fleet of vehicles. If you have a gun and badge, get busy investigating or riding a beat.

Anonymous said...

"Bart Peterson is a good and honest public servant who has done who's done much for the city"
If you really believe that than I some good farm land down in the Florida Everglades that I'd like to sell you. Seriously how can anyone say that with a straight face about a politician who has created and led one of the most corrupt and ineffective governments that this city has ever seen? Take a look at the 65% tax increase, the second vote on the police merger, the 50K pay raise the sheriff received for approval on consolidation just to mention a few and tell me how Bart is a good and honest public servant.

Anonymous said...

From what I've seen the only people who support Peterson are a) diehard Democrats, or b) people who don't understand the issues or what's going on in the city. I have yet to see this disproved...

Anonymous said...

A vote for Bart is a vote for four more years of inept management by Bart, Anderson, Monroe et. al. You think there are a lot of homes for sale now if Bart wins again you won't be able to give your home away.

Anonymous said...

Hey Indystar!
If you cowards have any sense of dignity. Publish what Gary Welsh just wrote.

The Dennis Ryerson rag is as spineless as the rest of the Democrats.

P.S. Please cancel my subscription to your slanted news paper.

Anonymous said...

4:15, I'm not a diehard Democrat, and I support the Mayor.

I wish he'd done some things differently, but on balance, I am pleased with his administration.

I am NOT pleased with the council, but I've put my anger into that entity, not the Mayor's office. They are two separate branches of government, thankfully.

Altho, I am relatively certain the Mayor has gotten the message, and he'll exert more influence in the election of Demo caucus leaders in the next council. If you don't believe it, watch how fast he abandons the Gary-Drummer nonsense after this election. Their bucket is empty.

Because it's pretty clear a nobody came from nowhere and gave Bart a serious run for his money, without any money. There are multiple reasons for that, many out of the Mayor's control. But the things he can control or influence, for the most part, he left untouched. I'd wager he won't do that again.

Hail, I'm pretty familiar with the deals mentioned above, and the reason the US Attorney has not intervened is that there's no corruption. Pining on about "Bart Lies" and similar drones, do not make your charges true. Far from it.

I read the newspaper's endorsement, too. I am supporting the mayor, but I disagreed with about ahlf the editorial. They need to get out of the endorsement business. As a former journalist, I'd view endorsements as a reward for good reporting. They have not earned the reward. Not even close.

Anonymous said...

you know, I find it interesting that the GOP fails to endorse Greg Ballard and that he happens to be a graduate of Cathedral high school. I have no idea what his current religious affiliation is, but if he is a practicing Catholic, I can understand why the right wing conservatives won't endorse him. Does any of this really have anything at all to do with running the city. Are any of you right wing conservative "Christians" brave enough to face the lions?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 5:20 ....you sound like a sore loser.

Anonymous said...

Why would anyone who knows anything about Indianapolis politics be surprised at the Indianapolis Star's endorsement of a Mayoral candidate who's administration has been marked by blatant corruption.

During the reign of the Klan in 1920's Indianapolis, the Pulliams were most accomidating nary printing a word of protest.
That task was left up to the Indianapolis Times which won a Pulitzer for it's expose of Klan corruption at the expense of many of it's reporters careers.

Fast forward to 1971 when Mayor Dick Lugar lost his first bid for higher office on the heals of an expose of police corruption that the Pulliams were FORCED to print. Only 5 police officers were convicted after the coverup began.

Now we have only one print paper in town and yet it's historic mission to guard corruption by the city's elite in the name of progress remains unabated.

Go ahead and pull that lever for Peterson, just as those who pulled the lever for Duvall and Jackson. Then you shall see what God hath wrought on a city that will be taking in it's last gasp of air.

There will be a price that will be paid. Are you willing to pay that price? Corruption in this city will know no bounds and yet you will fear not because the murders you read about were not on your street or the drug dealers where not next door to you. Abandoned houses were never on your street so why worry? Everybody gambles so what's the big deal with black organized crime and numbers racketeering? Who cares how many drugs go thru unchecked at the new Midfield Terminal, it's not on your street? What's the big deal with a stadium that will not be paid for in 30 years, you will have died of old age by then?
Everybody lies and fudges the numbers so why would you care if it's somebody else who has to suffer for it?

Vote the bastard back in office because I don't give a good goddam anymore.

Anonymous said...

Gary wrote:
"I simply don't agree. I know too many people who made the mistake of crossing him, only to be on the receiving end of having the powers of city government unleashed on them in what I would describe as an abuse of power."

Yep, I know people too. And I am betting Gary and I run in different circles. Yet another reason to remove Bart and his cronies from office.

Anonymous said...

We are meeting at 5:30 pm in front of the City County Building on Monday, 29 October, for a costumed protest of the CCC. This is the LAST FULL COUNCIL meeting before the election next week.

The cartoonist, Rinky Dink, has made masks in the form of the usual suspects on the council.

If we want to win, we have to get everyone's attention. The Monday before Halloween would be a VERY GOOD TIME to do that! Who's in?

Anonymous said...

6:08...The Pulliams didn't own the paper in the 20s. I believe Gene Pulliam bought it in the 40s.

Anonymous said...

Democrats must be getting desparate after the latest poll. Representatives of that Party are calling up Republican election day workers and saying they are calling for the County election board and the board has reassigned them to different precincts other than the one the Party as them assigned to. The Dems are attempting to confuse the workers so that they won't show up on time when the polls open.

The Dems are planning to steal the election and will blame the Republican Party for not having their clerks and judges show up to work the polls.

This is one of the oldest tricks they play the week before an election when the races are so close.

My advice to all Republican poll workers, call Beth White directly, 327-5100 and ask her if you have been reassigned before you report to the wrong polling site on election day.

Anonymous said...

Beth White is not trying to confuse republican workers. Beth White is too stupid. She is calling Demo workers and telling them the same thing. She is too disorganized and wont listen to anyone...we could be looking at another election where many polls do not open...she needs to be removed from office. I am a Democrat.

Sir Hailstone said...

"the reason the US Attorney has not intervened is that there's no corruption."

Campaign contributions from companies holding contracts for the midfield airport terminal is not corruption? Only in the mind of a LIEberal.

OK semantics - "no taxpayer dollars are going into the new airport". Talk about your razors edge, maybe no "tax" dollars are going into it but every "taxpayer" that flies into or out of IND will pay through increased fares and increased prices due to extra fees charged to concession holders.

Anonymous said...

5:56 PM.

Wilson, could you at least make a juvenile attempt to write in a different manner.

Your pathetic race, gender, orientation, and religious bigotry is even beginning to wear thinly upon me.

Anonymous said...

Hail,, your postings are oftne informative, and usually entertaining. But the corruption thread is old.

Bart's campaign contributions, from wealthy and not-so, are all listed on his campaign reports, and they're all legal.

Your wishing otherwise does not change the facts.

What in the world are you gonna do after Nov. 6? After your main target is re-elected. Collapse in a complaining whining heap?

Anonymous said...

what i see with mayor peterson is that he will raise taxes and fees as high as he can and, moreover, will stand silently with corruption rather than against it. there is no refuting either of the above, sorry. it's the record and the bottom line. the star says he is keenly aware of the city versus the suburbs.

well, bart, be aware of this, you are sending yet another family across the hamilton county line. we'll take a loss on our house but with the lower taxes and appreciating rather than declining real estate we will make it up in time.

good luck maintaining your city in the face of the smart flight you have created.

Anonymous said...

Check out this Website:

http://www.monroegray.com/

Anonymous said...

5:29, my line of thought is that if the mayor disapproved of the way the council was running things he would say something. Instead he's just run away from that problem like he's ran away from everything else. Since he doesn't seem to have anything bad to say about it one can only think he doesn't have a problem with it.

I heard the mayor on the radio today, and he was talking about how his office finally has the ability to deal with a lot of the problems in the inner city (?) I'm sorry, but if you can't get it right in 2 terms and you still get reelected, you're not going to bother trying to get it right because technically, if your failures get you reelected, did you really fail?

Oh, and the whole lack of leadership really bothers me too, but I think around here the bar is set pretty low.

Anonymous said...

I saw a campaign sign yesterday urging me to vote for a candidate who's promising better police protection and lower taxes. Sorry, Bart Lies crowd, you can't have both.

Wrong, Wrong, Wrong! There is so much "fluff" in that budget it is easy to find ways to help reduce cost.One example is 500,000 spent in new office furniture! I want new furniture too but it will wait till I can pay for it!
Once Ballard can get his hands on a real (line item) budget he can see the true picture and make cuts on spending that should have neen done long ago!