Former Mayor Bart Peterson has landed a big job at Eli Lilly. The job description is very similar to the one Gov. Mitch Daniels once held at the company. "Bart is a proven leader with a strong list of achievements. His strategic approach, intellect, and political acumen will make him a valuable addition to Lilly's leadership team," said Eli Lilly CEO John Lechleiter. Given the disastrous state of financial affairs he left behind at the City of Indianapolis (bankrupt CIB, bankrupt water company, unfunded public safety jobs, unfunded over-time pay for city workers, etc.), it's hard to say his business acumen won over Eli Lilly. "Political acumen" is the operative word in this announcement. I'm happy to see Peterson is collecting his financial pay off for the more than $100 million in tax abatement incentives his administration handed out to the company during his eight years as Indianapolis mayor. I'm sure the thousands of Lilly workers who've lost their jobs over the past few years from "early retirement", outsourcing and other planned job cuts are happy to see the company found a high-paying job for Peterson, if not them.The political cartoon is the work of the Star's Gary Varvel.
The most difficult part for Bart was probably the waiting two years so it didn't seem so obvious.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure his family's share of the haul from the water company deal was more than enough to tie him over.
ReplyDeleteBart Peterson destroyed this city! From the CIB, unfunded public safety, falsified city budget (forgetting overtime), disaster at the water company, spending the capital purchase fund & leaving rust-buckets to plow our streets and failing to replace police/fire equipment & vehicles: Bart has shown total incompetence.
ReplyDelete...and let's not forget giving "Sweet Pea" Monroe Gray the "no-bid" airport concrete contract. Just how did Johnson get a position on the airport authority board?
ReplyDeleteShuold the other tub contain the CIB drowning in debt?
ReplyDeleteIf Peterson has such great political acumen, then how on earth did a small band of patriots, who took to the streets with little to no resources, out smart him?
ReplyDeleteOkay, a sense of perspective is in order. As bad as Peterson was, Mayor Ballard has proven to be equally as bad.
ReplyDelete"If Peterson has such great political acumen, then how on earth did a small band of patriots, who took to the streets with little to no resources, out smart him?"
ReplyDeletePatriots? You really, really need to leave references and links because I have NO idea what you are talking about.
"Bart Peterson destroyed this city!"
ReplyDeleteCity looks like it is standing to me.
I'm not a Peterson fan, but destruction is such a strong word.
There is a lot to learn here, but sometimes the hyperbole gets in my way.
ReplyDelete"Okay, a sense of perspective is in order. As bad as Peterson was, Mayor Ballard has proven to be equally as bad."
ReplyDeleteMaybe that's who the second bathtub is for?
"If Peterson has such great political acumen, then how on earth did a small band of patriots, who took to the streets with little to no resources, out smart him?"
They didn't. Peterson was ousted (barely) because huge numbers of people had property tax increases and Peterson didn't take the problem seriously.