Indiana

Re-Checking In

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

I’ve put down my martini, Cohiba and GQ magazine for a few minutes to comment on a few issues that have popped up this week

Pacers Deal in the Works?

My reliable sources are telling me the Indiana Pacers and the Capital Improvement Board could be close to reaching a short-term deal.   The way I understand it the agreement would be for about three years, which is until the time the Pacers and NBA would renegotiate their contract with the player’s union.  The city would loan the Pacers $45 million to cover the operational costs of Conseco, however in exchange the Pacers would give up revenue from non-Pacer events to the tune of $7-9 million per year.  The point of this would be to buy some time to get a better understanding of the Pacers financial situation once the union talks are over.  I’ve got calls out all over the place.  When I get something, you will too.

Monumental Task

While spending my days on Monument Circle, I’ve gotten interesting feedback over the possibility of closing the Circle to vehicular traffic.  Opinions are mixed.  If you are a member of the Columbia Club, you’re likely to oppose it.  If you’re a little further from the Circle, you’re likely indifferent.  While I’m willing to give it a test run in August, I’m leaning against making the Circle a full-time pedestrian only plaza.  It would be one thing if Monument Circle was primarily retail and restaurants, but it’s fundamentally a church, and insurance company, radio station, utility company and a bank.  Perhaps the city should look at closing the Circle once a month for local festivals, but full-time, not so much.

Library Lament

As the city and Library Board look for ways to keep several branches from closing due to a lack of funds, here’s a thought.   Maybe the library needs to redefine its mission and we need to decide what exactly should a library do and for all the people who thought building that giant white elephant was a good idea, how’s that working out for you?

More Brizzi Stuff

My colleagues at RTV 6 are reporting the FBI wants to have a closer look at plea deal worked out between Marion County Prosecutor  Carl Brizzi’s office and Paul Page, a defense attorney and Brizzi business partner.   I’m not  convinced Brizzi has done anything illegal,  but as I’ve said before, it’s not what it is, it’s what it looks like.

Democrat Demands

Marion County Democrats are holding a news conference this afternoon at 1:30 to demand “transparency” from the Ballard administration  regarding “critical city issues.”  I’m assuming their doing this because some of them have a hard time attending one of the bajillion budget review meetings or public hearings on the water deal or Mayor’s Night Out where these “critical city issues” are discussed regularly.  Oh well, when you have no ideas and no alternatives, the least and the most you can do, is demand for more transparency.

That will do it for now.  The wife and I are heading out of town for a couple days, so I’ll likely have something new to chat about on Monday.  However, if something breaks, I have her permission to blog about it.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on May 13, 2010 (boomark / email).