Indiana

Monday Morning Mayoral Musings

Posted on November 23, 2009
Although 2010 is a few days away, it never hurts to take a sneak peak at 2011 and the Indianapolis Mayor’s race. Here’s what I’ve heard so far. Brian Williams has put together what could be considered the first political ad of the season...

Thursday Thoughts

Posted on October 01, 2009
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 [...

Map Maker, Map Maker, Make Me a Map

Posted on September 30, 2009
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 [...

Where the Voters Are

Posted on September 29, 2009
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...

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Mayoral Q & A

Posted on September 29, 2009
Democrat Joe Hogsett exiting the race for Mayor of Indianapolis raises a lot of interesting questions. 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? Does Hogsett’s exit pave the way for a “dark horse” candidate to enter the [...

Where There?s Smoke

Posted on September 28, 2009
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 [...

Hogsett Exits Race for Mayor

Posted on September 28, 2009
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...

Hogsett Exit, Stage Left?

Posted on September 28, 2009
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...

Not Just Me?

Posted on September 28, 2009
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...

Friday?s Follies

Posted on September 25, 2009
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...

Whatever Happened to the Revolution?

Posted on September 24, 2009
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 [...

We Interrupt This Blog?

Posted on September 23, 2009
We’ve had to do something with Indiana Barrister this morning that normally we don’t like to do, delete comments. One comment was just over the top and another, was included enough factual errors about an elected official that it warranted taking down...

Taken for Grant-ed

Posted on September 22, 2009
By now you know the City-County Council passed the Mayor’s $1.22 billion spending plan.  There’s more money for public safety, fewer dollars for parks and the there is $16 million in the rainy day fund.  No big shocker and most measures passed with bi-partisan support...

Strange Bedfellows

Posted on September 22, 2009
A veteran reporter once told me that if you stick around a place long enough you will eventually see everything.   Well that statement was definitely true at Monday night’s City-County Council meeting.  Here’s what I witnessed. Libertarian Ed Coleman voting with Joanne Sanders against eliminating the position of Telecom Director...

Did Carson Get It Right?

Posted on September 21, 2009
Indiana’s 7th District Congressman Andre Carson has come under fire for voting against an amendment that would deny funding to ACORN, the controversial community action group. Congress voted to deny funding to ACORN after an investigation showed ACORN workers giving tax advice to undercover conservative activists posing as a pimp and prostitute...

Budget; Bang or Bi-Partisanship?

Posted on September 20, 2009
On Monday night, the Indianapolis City-County Council will take up Mayor Greg Ballard’s second budget, $1.22 billion, and by all indications much of it should pass (no big shocker) but with overwhelming bi-partisan support.  I make this assumption based on committee votes...

Township Talk

Posted on September 19, 2009
Unless you were paying close attention this week, there were three items in the news this week regarding local government which I think further illustrate the inevitable change that is coming to Indiana. In Marion County, the Franklin Township Board voted 6-0-1 to move forward with fire consolidation...

Who?s Who?

Posted on September 18, 2009
Okay guys,  I’m compiling my list of who is running for what.  We know it’s only going to get worse before it gets better so feel to pile on right now.   Whether it’s the U.S. Senate or some useless township office, it doesn’t matter...

Afternoon Delight

Posted on September 17, 2009
A few big items to report this afternoon. An Indiana appellate court has struck down the state’s Voter ID law on the basis that it violates the state constitution.   The Court held the law did not treat all voters uniformly because it required ID for voting in-person, but not absentee nor nursing home residents if their [...

ISTEP by ISTEP

Posted on September 17, 2009
Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Tony Bennett says the state is ready to step in and take over under performing schools. Bennett’s comments followed the release of  state ISTEP test scores. While ISTEP results  showed statewide pass rates of 70% for English, 71%  for Math, 62% for Science, and 59% for Social Studies, nearly 40% of students  failed to pass either one or [...

Indiana AG: ?Court Decision To Have No Impact on Upcoming Local Elections?

Posted on September 17, 2009
The Indiana Attorney General’s Office says the recent decision by the Indiana Court of Appeals that the state’s voter ID law is unconstitutional will not have an impact on upcoming  local referendum. The Court ruled Indiana’s Voter ID law violated the state constitution because it treated  citizens who voted in person differently than those who voted [...

Sunday Sales

Posted on September 16, 2009
Indiana lawmakers are deciding whether to allow Sunday alcohol sales in grocery and liquor stores. Proponents say Hoosiers want to be able to buy beer, wine and spirits on Sunday, opponents say it will lead to more alcohol-related problems and that mom and pop stores will lose money from having to be open an extra day...

Early Discussions

Posted on September 15, 2009
If the Indiana Pacers wanted to break their contract with the Capital Improvement Board because of their failing financial health, they could do so. That’s according to CIB officials.  However the Pacers would have to pay a penalty which could be used to conceivably keep Conseco Fieldhouse open for years...

Lilly Payback

Posted on September 15, 2009
I don’t have much use for Gary Welsh, but sometimes even a blind squirrel finds a nut, or vice versa. Eli Lilly announced more than 5,000 layoffs Monday, many of which will impact the Indianapolis area.   If Lilly goes forward with the job reductions will it have to payback some of the money it received in [...

Tea Party or Third Party

Posted on September 14, 2009
As I watched some of the coverage of the tea party rally in Washington D.C., one thing that crossed my mind was “where do these guys go from here?” I ask that question because attending a rally is a relatively simple thing to do, all you have to do is show up...

Private Parts

Posted on September 13, 2009
Now that the wedding stuff is over and my new wife and I have started to settle into a routine, I can now get back to the business of paying closer attention to local government. I’ve found most of the budget hearings to be pretty mundane and nothing out of the ordinary, with the exception of [...

Eight Years Later

Posted on September 11, 2009
Today marks the eighth anniversary of 9-11.  We can all remember what we were doing that day when the Twin Towers were struck.  I was driving on I-55 from Springfield to Bloomington, IL to buy a new car when I heard about the event on the radio.  It wasn’t until I got the dealership where [...

So What?s Your Plan?

Posted on September 10, 2009
Okay, the President spoke last night about health care reform.   We all know what he said.   However, here’s my question. If you don’t like his plan, which is cool, what do you suggest we do to reform the health care system? For example, if you’re going to advocate tort reform, be specific...

Little Things Mean A Lot

Posted on September 09, 2009
I’ve finally had some time to get caught up on the little news stories from in and around the area.  Here are my thoughts. CT Time A group of parents are advocating Indiana move to the Central Time Zone so kids don’t get hit by buses and cars in the morning when it is dark...

School Dazed and Confused

Posted on September 08, 2009
It’s amazing what happens when you spend a few days away getting married. I’m doing my regular Internet-news cruising when I come across this silliness that some parents are actually taking their kids out of school today because of President Barack Obama’s 18-minute address to the nation’s students...

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