A quick spin around some of the blogs reveal the following:
This morning over at Advance Indiana, Gary Welsh talks about the gambling (I refuse to call it "gaming") lobby vultures circling the nearly dead carcass of the Capital Improvement Board, offering its help if the lobby can only have an expansion of gambling. As Welsh correctly points out, just handing the CIB more money does not fix the Board's mismanagement problem that has resulted in 10 straight years of deficits.
Over at the Indianapolis Times, Terry Burns reports on what he believes is a Republican Council plan that involves raising several taxes to bail out the CIB. While Burns normally has pretty accurate information, I imagine this is more likely a leadership plan, a plan that Council President Bob Cockrum is trying to get his Republican caucus to adopt, as requested by the Mayor. As I've noted before, if the Republican caucus goes down that road, they will surely be the minority party after 2012, probably for decades to come.
In another post, Burns takes a shot at Governor Mitch Daniels, trying to put the entire blame for the CIB bailout on his shoulders. Of course, this overlooks the fact that the General Assembly, with the House controlled by Democrats, was responsible for the bill that resulted in building Lucas Oil Stadium. The State folks refused to allow then CIB President Fred Glass and then Mayor Bart Peterson to borrow operating costs for the facility, not exactly an irresponsible position on the part of the State. Further, It was Glass who signed off on the sweetheart deal that put the City in such a hole. While Governor Daniels can rightfully be held responsible if he signs onto a taxpayer-funded bailout of the CIB in the special session, it is a reach to put the blame on him for the boneheaded Lucas Oil Stadium deal signed by Glass.
Finally over at Indiana Barrister, Abdul reports on the rumor that the Pacers are talking about moving the team to Vancouver. Of course, the rumor is nothing more than a negotiating ploy to squeeze $15 million more out of taxpayers during the special session. I'm sure our crack negotiators at the CIB will see right through it. FYI, that was sarcasm. Undoubtedly the CIB will use this as further evidence of a need for the bailout.
2 comments:
As the Governor stated so well, the boomer generation has been selfish, self centered and arrogant. Nothing has changed since his remarks on Saturday.
Indiana has a mentality of keep spending to help out their buddies. The Governor told the Legislature to flat line education. He should flat line the CIB as well. If he doesn't what will that tell our teachers and their students?
The Junior Achievement City that touts how it teaches sound budget management with school children will need to close down as it will not be the Indiana standard.
Do away with after school programs for schools, do away with Indiana College educated teachers and give money to the Sports Teams and the CIB to have thugs like Jamall Tinsley stay home and collect $21,000,000.00 for doing nothing, have the Colts bring back a player who violated the NFL and Colts drug policy.
Something about all of this just does not make sense. But the CCC and the CIB know what is right and the Legislature will be the guiding light to keep on taking care of the elite Good Old Boys, their employees who stay home for millions and others that break the law.
Hey school kids go play in the street. You can't afford a ticket to the game, we have no after school programs for you and the teachers have all been laid off.
"Back Home Again in Indiana". It makes one proud!
Easy fix to the CIB 47 million deficit, let the Pacers leave. Bill the Simons for uncollected revenue on the parking garage, the Circle Center and pay the penalty for moving the team. Per articles in IBJ, parking 3.45 million per year and 50+ million to break their contract and what ever we choose to charge for the Circle Center rent.
In short the Simons are trying their case in the media in the hopes that the weak will be deluded and acquiese to their demands.
Considering the past history of the CIB, they may be right.
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