Spin-O-Rama

It was fascinating to attend today's press conference with the Stadium Authority and the NK Hurst Company. The newspapers will tell the story of how a deal has been reached at long last. The pictures on TV will show the participants from both sides looking happy. The public will assume this was a deal of mutual benefit.

Rick Hurst on the TV camera firing line.

The Hursts are such good people. You can tell that all they want is to remain where they are to fulfill their personal commitment to the City of Indianapolis and to their employees. They gave away their land without even a commitment from the Stadium Authority on how much they would be paid for the loss. From the Indy Star:

Though both sides haven't agreed on how much the Hurst company will be paid for the lost land, the stadium authority will immediately pay the family $400,000, and put $1.65 million in an escrow account until a final pricetag is determined.

The agreement is part of a land swap in which the Hursts give up 2.7 acres of their original property, but get one acre the stadium owns immediately to the west of the Hurst property. Now, that one acre is home to a giant pile of dirt from construction of the new Lucas Oil Stadium, which started in September and will end in the fall of 2008. Instead of an L-shape, the Hurst property will now be shaped like a square.

That land is worth waaaaaay more that that. I would have gone to the wall over this. God bless the Hursts, for they are just trying to get back to what they do- selling beans and soups.

The thing that most struck me most is the thing that will not be reported, in all likelihood. It was fascinating listening to Mr. Mutz and Mr. Frick and their choice of words. They spoke as though the Hurst land was already theirs, and that the Stadium Authority was making a concession to the Hursts!

This is exactly backwards. The Hursts made all of the concessions, giving up their land. The spin was so thick I was getting dizzy.

The Stadium Authority made no concession whatsoever. What are they giving up? If the project costs more due to needing to build a parking garage, it won't cost the members of the Authority a penny. It will cost the taxpayers. Of course, it this were a private project as it should have been from the get-go, the taxpayers wouldn't be paying a penny, either.

In a sick way, the Colts may even make more money on a garage. They already get a portion of the proceeds from the lot. They will probably get a portion from the garage, too. What about if the garage is used for non-football events? Man, it's good to be Jim Irsay!

Speaking of whom... The cost for a new garage was stated to be about $15 million. I figure that Mr. Irsay can peel off a cool $15 for that garage and still have $106 million left from that naming rights deal. It would go a long way towards showing that he can be something of the kind of corporate citizens the Hursts are, and have been all along.

This whole deal just shows that there is often little reward for being good people, and ample reward for being snakes.

Update: Spin-O-Rama continues. Even the Star reporter used words that indicated that somehow the Stadium Authority is making concession, in the updated article for Saturday morning:

Under an agreement it reached with Hurst, the stadium authority, which had faced public pressure to end its land dispute with the family business, will lose space for up to 500 surface parking spots for fans. As a result, it may have to spend $15 million on a parking garage. (Emphasis mine.)

Let's be crystal clear here- The Stadium Authority isn't losing anything. It gained 2.7 acres from the Hursts!!! Certainly, the Stadium Authority had to alter its plans, but it certainly did not lose anything. It gained 2.7 acres it didn't have, and would not have ever gotten if not for the threat of an eminent domain taking.

I'd call this a very successful press conference Mr. Mutz, Mr. Frick, and the State.

NK Hurst Ordeal Ending?

Many sources are stating that the NK Hurst Company and the Stadium Authority are poised to announce an agreement this morning, and it would include the NK Hurst Company remaining on some of its land, retaining its building.

That's very nice, but it's far, far less than perfect. Mainly, the Daniels Administration has behaved in disgraceful ways that underscore its disregard for property rights. Don't lose sight of the following:

• The NK Hurst Company owns its land, period. If NK Hurst wants to sell, and on what terms, should be up to them and them alone. The State should meet those terms, or walk away.
• Under no circumstances should their land be stolen. The "public good" argument is bunk. This will benefit a private business entity- the Indianapolis Colts.
• The Stadium Authority filed suit against NK Hurst in order to avoid more restrictive eminent domain laws that were coming up thanks to the horrible Kelo v. New London decision. This is the opposite of negotiating in good faith.
• The NK Hurst Company is a model corporate citizen, one that stuck with the inner city when it was fashionable to leave. This is a lousy reward for them, and an awful signal to other inner city business owners, that your property is not safe.

Let's hope this press conference is where it is announced that the Colts have taken the high road, and contributed a few million dollars from their enormous $121 million naming rights deal. That would help everyone believe that Mr. Irsay isn't merely a spoiled, greedy child who is content to use the muscle of ego-driven govenment force, but in fact, half the decent corporate citizen the Hursts are. That would be refreshing, and redeeming.

Let's hope the Stadium Authority concedes full asking value to the Hursts. The overruns have already begun in the way of lining lawyers pockets. Let's see a rightful recipient get just compensation.

Indiana's Net Loss

The prevalent idea that Indiana is losing "native" population has recently been confirmed by the US Census. Immigrants are taking up the slack, but that's not viewed too favorably in many quarters. From the Indy Star report:

But since immigrants typically don't have high-paying jobs, Indiana's net loss through domestic migration is troubling. "I don't think 'alarmed' is the right word, but it needs to be watched," said Carol Rogers, of Indiana University's Business Research Center.

The Daniels Administration will probably be quick to point out that the Census figures stop at 2004, hanging this data on the Democratic governors that proceded him. Very well- the Daniels Administration has been on the clock for two years. Let's see the post 2004 numbers soon.

Any time the Daniels Administration wants to turn Indiana into a jobs, wealth, and population magnet, it can take some very simple steps.

1. Cut or eliminate the state income tax. Seven other states have no income tax. Indiana should become the 8th.
2. Cut or eliminate the corporate taxes. Business go off-shore or to other states to flee the tax burden. Eliminate that burden, and they wil flock here instead.

Elect Libertarians, and these things will take place. We have the spine to do it. Keep electing Republicans for fear of electing Democrats, and you'll keep getting empty rhetoric. Look to see if Daniels calls on the Legislature for these growth tools.

Candidate Forum Report

This afternoon was pleasantly spent in Richmond, on the campus of IU East- a commuter school, which is familiar territory to me as I attended and graduated from Cleveland State University. The students tend to be older, and usually hold jobs while furthering their education. Open minds, but with real-world experience.

I was surprised at the attendance, or lack thereof, by the candidates. Not a single Republican candidate bothered to show. I'm not quite sure what to make of that.

The result was a lot of floor time for myself and fellow Libertarian candidate Rex Bell. We were able to be a part of an extended dialogue directly with the audience, on topics such as the nature of teh primary elections, ballot access, the role of third parties, the application of Libertarian policy solutions to issues such as education, child care, and of course, taxes.

I was pleased with our showing, and those present seemed to enjoy our participation. A good percentage of those present left with Kole bumper stickers, which was gratifying.

I hope candidates from the other parties continue to take these events for granted and not show up. No doubt it reflected poorly on them, and well on the Libertarian Party today.

How Can I Help? III

Here's the latest in the series. I get regular emails asking exactly this- how can I help? Here are three more ways:

1. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Is there a position that I have taken on a particular issue that really resonates with you? Write a letter stating that you like my position on that issue, and because of it, you support my campaign, and urge others to do likewise. Most newspaper websites include a "Letters" form, often on either the Editorials page, or on the Customer Service page. Letters that are 150 words or less tend to get published. Check the archives on this blog for my most in-depth discussions on issues, but also be sure to check out my campaign site: www.mikekole.com

2. Add a "Vote for Mike Kole" signature file to your email accounts. Many people have signature files with quotes from famous people or witty one-liners. Adding a simple message like, "I'm supporting Mike Kole for Secretary of State" and then the campaign website: www.mikekole.com, is a simple way to reach people in an unintrusive way. Think of how many emails you send each day, and who you send them to. With a signature file message, you could reach 20 or more people every day.

3. Get a bumper sticker on your vehicle. If you send an email to mikekole@msn.com, the Campaign Team will send you a bumper sticker. They look great, and they help build name recognition. Here's the bumper sticker:

I appreciate the email requests from people looking for ways to help. The Campaign Team is still growing. If you have an interest beyond these simple things, and into more traditional campaign roles such as fundraiser or precinct walker, by all means contact us on mikekole@msn.com.

Candidate Forum Tuesday

I have been invited to a candidate forum, scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday) at Noon. This is a campus town hall meeting at Indiana University East, held in the Library Atrium, Hayes Hall. The campus is in Richmond. Link to map.

I am looking forward to sharing Libertarian ideas with what I imagine will be a mostly collegiate audience. I believe this event is open to the public, so if you are a Richmond, Hagerstown, or Wayne County resident, and able to break free in the afternoon, please attend. It's always great to hear what candidates are backing.

Update: Rex Bell, Libertarian candidate for Indiana Representative in District 54 will also be at this forum. I will enjoy this event if only for hearing Rex speak! He's good. Attend if you can!

Featured Letter

With Tax Day here, Libertarians always have featured letters and articles in our nation's newspapers. Today's Indy Star is no exception, with a feature letter by Dr. Eric Schansberg. His topic is the payroll taxes. From his letter:

Unlike the income tax, there are no deductions or exemptions for the payroll tax. Every single dollar is taxed. As such, it is easy to imagine why payroll taxes typically impose a larger burden than income taxes. And it should be easy to see why the working poor are hit hardest of all.

April 15 - Just Another Day?

Hopefully, soon it will be. I am a proponent of the Fair Tax, which would eliminate at the very least, the seven hours I put into completing my forms this year.

The Fair Tax is not perfect. It does nothing to question the amount of federal spending, or the priorities of that spending, nor whether the object of the spending is even proper in the first place.

However, here's what the Fair Tax does do, which makes it worthy of support:

* It eliminates the IRS
* It ceases the punishment on earning
* It ceases the punishment on saving and investment
* It abolishes the 16th Amendment, which authorized the personal income tax
* It makes it unnecessary for individuals to fill out cumbersome forms, or hire accountants to do it for them, making compliance easier and less costly
* It eliminates the Alternative Minimum Tax, which was designed to snare millionaires, but now bilkes upper middle class people * It eliminates corporate taxes, which would make the USA a haven for businesses from around the world and end the off-shoring American companies engage in
* It eliminates hidden taxes- the ones corporations pass along embedded in their prices, which most Americans scarcely know are there
* It collects dollars that are currently not collected from people who operate in the underground economy

Get all this done, and our economy will soar immediately. And, because the tax is a consumption tax with a visible 23% price tag, Americans will finally see how much they are paying, and will begin to question the amount of taxation and federal spending, the priorities, and whether the objects of the spending are within the proper role of government in the first place. Get this done, and the average American will get eight hours of his life back, will be encouraged to save and to invest, and take on more work. It just disgusts me that the tax code discourages people from doing these things for fear the gains would kick them into a higher tax bracket.

Go to the Fair Tax website for more details. Also, Neal Boortz' book on the Fair Tax is finally hitting library shelves and getting into paperback, so you can read up on it there.

Update: C-Span is airing Neal Boortz in a debate with Yale Law Professor Michael Graetz right now (Saturday evening, 7pm)! C-Span will air this item again Sunday early morning at 2:30am, and then again at 10:30am, all times EDST. Set up the Tivo!

Greenfield Report

Libertarians and a concerned citizens group held a Freedom Rally outside city hall prior to the Greenfield City Council meeting last night. It was interesting, to say the least.

The rally came in response to Greenfield's smoking ban. Some of the concerned citizens are smokers, others are business owners that catered to smokers, and others are defenders of property rights. The group took the time to craft a compromise ordinance, that would give greater options to business owners. It would permit restauranteurs to make their establishment an adult-only facility, which matches the law in nearby Indianapolis.

The meeting started with a discussion on all things related to the ban, but it was a council-only discussion. The issue of the literal interpretation of the ban, which would prevent churches from burning incense at services, was discussed at length, as were the issues of enforcement.

The Council entertained two amendments to the ordinance that were suggested by Council members. They voted on these, and moved on.

They did not introduce the amendments proposed by the citizens group. They took public comment after the voting was completed.

It really served as excellent commentary on how much interest the Council has in public input.

But, public input was taken, and an interesting group of people spoke. Two were from the Daniels Administration, and both commended the Council on the passage of the ordinance. One said it made his job of luring business to Indiana easier. How's that? By showing people property rights have no place here? I'm really doubting that the floodgates of corporate relocations are now beginning to burst. Slash the tax rates and pump smoke into every room, and then you'll see an exodus to Indiana.

Another supporter, who spoke directly before me, made the claim that "Big Tobacco" was behind the opposition with big dollars, that opponents always couch their arguments in terms of rights, and that we always ask the question, "if this now, what next"? He got 2 out of 3.

I spoke and made no apologies for defending the rights of property owners. I made the case for the primacy of property rights. The dynamic involved in backing non-smokers who want the policy enforced over the objections of the restaurant property owner is this: "I'm here now, so you get to change to suit me". I stated that Libertarians believe that the owner gets to call the shots, not every body else but the owner. Alas, this is the absurd world we live in.

I did ask "what next", because if a City can ban smoking within a business, can they not use the same rationale to extend the same law to your home? Health is the rationale, and it seems entirely foreseeable to me that banning smoking in the home to protect children is next.

As for "Big Tobacco", I said I sure would love to see about $300,000 in tobacco money. I turned and asked the gallery if anyone had even seen a nickel from a tobacco company. Of course, nobody had. In fact, tobacco is one of the most curious industries in the USA today. It is the only legal product whereby its producers have to spend millions of dollars urging people not to use it. More importantly, and contrary to the assertion made by the man who preceded me, Big Tobacco actually funds the non-profit organizations that do the work of pushing these bans on the cities. The websites that host the model legislation are paid for by Big Tobacco dollars.

Well, why let facts, or liberty, get in the way of an unfortunate ordinance? I don't smoke, by my own choice. It was choice that was squashed in Greenfield once again.

I am eagerly awaiting the publication of the Greenfield paper. I was having a conversation with a friend as the reporter stood by. He asked me what I thought of the Councilor who made a claim to this effect- (paraphrasing) "I try to listen to the constituents and go with them. More people who were in favor of the ban spoke to me and urged me to vote this way. This is the right way to govern, in my opinion".

What do I think of that? Not much. What I said was, "That man has no moral compass". The reporter wrote hungrily in her notebook. That's fine. I knew she was there.

I meant it. If a preponderance of residents approach this Councilor and urge him to enact an 80% tax on guys named Fred, would he do it only because it was the will of the majority? Right and wrong has no basis? Principle has no place? That was what this man explained for all to hear. What matters is the mob.

What the heck- business was good for me. About 30 people took lovely 'Kole' bumper stickers. I really wish there was zero interest in them last night. I would have gone away happier knowing that the health of our nation -the defense of property rights- hadn't been traded away to the health nannies.

Radio Appearance Tomorrow

I will be on WXNT 1430-am once again, Friday morning, from 6-7:00 am. Those in and around Indy can tune in. Others can go to www.wxnt.com and listen to the streamed signal.

Brad Klopfenstien is the fill-in host tomorrow, as Abdul takes his comedy act on the road. Klopfenstien is the Executive Director of the Indiana Licensed Beverage Association.

We'll talk about the issues of the day, take calls, and talk about the nature of the primary election system, the snafu's being encountered by the various counties with their primary ballots, and the expected anti-April 15th comment everyone comes to expect from a Libertarian candidate for office!

Greenfield Freedom Rally

I will be standing with others who support the right of business property owners to set their own policies on their properties in Greenfield this evening, around 6:30pm. Come down and show your support! We'll be right downtown, at City Hall.

This date and time was chosen as the Greenfield City Council meets at 7:00pm. The purpose is to remind the City Council that their smoking ban has crippled the operations of small, mom-and-pop restaurants, such as Annie's, which is owned by Ann Tomey. I have chronicled her plight many times, but here's the bottom line: the change in the law caused her to see her business drop by 80%. People who smoke seemed to really like to eat at Annie's. The City Council never consulted her to see how their law would impact her.

The City Council may not support her, but Libertarians do. We'll show it again tonight.

Lawsuit Filed To Block Toll Road Deal

A citizens group filed suit today, suing the state on constitutional grounds, in the hopes of blocking the Major Moves toll road deal from moving forward. From the Indy Star:

Within hours of the state signing a deal to lease the Indiana Toll Road for 75 years, a citizens' group filed a lawsuit to block the agreement.

State officials signed the lease this morning with Macquarie-Cintra, a private Australian-Spanish consortium, for $3.85 billion. Meanwhile, the Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana filed a lawsuit in St. Joseph County arguing the agreement violates the state's constitution.

Dave Menzer, a campaign organizer for the Indianapolis-based group, argued the Indiana Constitution requires the proceeds from any state-owned asset must go toward paying down public debt.

Proceeds from the lease would be used to fund Gov. Mitch Daniels' Major Moves roads initiative, which includes the extension of I-69 from Indianapolis to Evansville.

Libertarians are generally in favor of privatization. The constitutional argument made by the citizens group is an excellent one. Pay down the debt! Libertarians issued other objections prior to the passage of the law, on the following grounds:

• The deal is too long. 15 years for the same money would have been appropriate, not 75.
• This is a socialistic redistribution of wealth program, where uses of the road in the northern counties are paying to build roads in other parts of the state.
• New terrain I-69 is the main target for new construction. Libertarian prefer upgrading existing roads to Interstate standards before consuming new terrain.
• The people of the northern counties were against it. Their will should have been respected, or at least a better job of selling the deal to them by the Daniels Administration should have happened.

Relax With Marion County Libertarians

Travis Cross has done great things in putting together a strong Marion County Libertarian Meet-Up group, and also a regular after-hours meet-up.

Tomorrow will be one of the after-hours events. Meet at Bearno's Pizza downtown (Google Map) beginning at 5:00pm and talk politics and issues of the day with other supporters of free markets and individual freedom! You can RSVP here if you want to be included in future notifications of Marion County Libertarian Meet-Up events, or simply show up.

New Poll Time

The Libertarian Party of Indiana hosts annual state conventions, attracting delegates from all over Indiana who vote on party business. Link to LPIN State Convention info.

The 2006 state convention is in the most important of the four-year election cycles, as it nominates the party's candidate for Secretary of State. The SoS candidate's outcome in November determines the LPIN's ballot status. The candidates for other statewide offices, such as Auditor and Treasurer will also be nomindated, along with candidates for State Representative, State Senator, and others.

Do you plan to attend your party's state convention? Take the poll!

Here are the results of the last poll:

When the Libertarian Party earns Major Party status this year, it will be eligible to participate in the 2007 Primaries. The LPIN should:

57% Take the moral high road and opt out. Continue to spare taxpayers the expense, and nominate candidates at party-funded conventions.

29% Participate in the Primaries. It shows Hoosiers the LP is major just like Rs & Ds.

14% Participate in the Primaries. The Rs & Ds use them to figure out who will be their volunteers and contributors. Why should they enjoy this advantage?

This was pretty much as I thought it would be. It would be interesting to poll this question seriously among Hoosiers statewide. I don't think most citizens give much thought to the question of how the primaries are funded, and to the benefit of whom. If they did, I think they would want a change.

NK Hurst "Update"

If two parties come to an agreement in principle in January, it doesn't necessarily mean that the documents have to be signed in any kind of hurry, does it?

Not if the Stadium Authority is involved, apparently. Oh, sure, they'll commission digging half-way to China and piling the soil such that it dwarfs the NK Hurst building (is that intimidation?) before construction season even begins, but sign an important deal that sends a signal of good faith? Bah. Why rush? From John Ketzenberger's Indy Star report:

Optimism ran high after a marathon meeting Jan. 21 between the two sides. The grueling nine-hour session ended with an agreement in principle: The company could stay on the property and would be paid for a 3-acre parcel shared with the stadium, if it agreed to give control of the land to the state.

Emotions ebbed and flowed at that meeting, the first face-to-face gathering since the state filed suit Dec. 30 to take the land. The breakthrough came at mid-afternoon, according to people at the meeting, when stadium authority member John Mutz made it clear the Hursts could stay on the land.

A few days after the big meeting, Mutz, a Broad Ripple High School classmate of company exec Needham Hurst, predicted a done deal in short order.

Now it's nearing mid-April, and the huge mound of dirt just west of the two-story Hurst factory is at least triple the height of the brick building's roofline.

I don't know if the Star ran pictures of the mound in the print version (I don't buy the Star because they don't cover Libertarians enough), so here's one of mine, from March 16. Somehow, it doesn't convey the feeling of being there. Oh, that's right- if you take the photo from the other side of the mound, you can't see the building at all.

(T)he Hursts got a tour of the site, including a trip to the top of the dirt mound Jim Hurst called Mount Klipsch in honor of the stadium authority's point man, John Klipsch. "I told him that," Hurst said, "and he thought it was pretty funny."

If you can't laugh about it, you might cry. Let's hope this thing ends as it should- on terms favorable to the Hursts. Then let's pray we never see another pointless, ugly eminent domain theft attempt in Central Indiana again.

Abdul On Stage

After a year of hearing about radio host Abdul Hakim-Shabazz having the stand-up comic alter ego for about a year, I finally got to witness his act, and without having to drive to Springfield, IL, where he often goes to do it.

Abdul opened for former Saturday Night Live cast member Victoria Jackson last night at Crackers in Broad Ripple, and in my opinion, was the best of the three comics this evening.

My favorite Abdul gag was the one about frivilous racial lawsuits, such as the recent one against Southwest Airlines. Abdul's got his own waiting in the wings. It has to do with opening aspirin bottles and having to pick cotton out of them. Abdul warmed to his routine as he progressed through it and won the crowd over by time he handed the mic off to the next comic.

He's been saying on his morning show that there is a lot of material in his act that he can't use on WXNT. He delivered in that as much as I've heard him on the air, there were plenty of lines I've never heard from him before, and actually, he probably could use it on the air without any worries from the FCC.

I ended up feeling a bit sorry for Jackson. It can't be good for the self-esteem trading on the good ol' SNL days, being a platinum blond telling dumb blond jokes, and getting some of the biggest applause for doing a handstand.

How Can I Help II?

There are so many ways to help the Kole Campaign, or any other campaign for office, all of which fall below the answer of "write a check for $1,000".

1. Walk your home precinct on behalf of the candidate. This is a very effective method a impressing upon your neighbors that the candidate you support is worthy of their vote. Precincts are small enough chunks of neighborhoods that a committed walker can get the whole area covered in a few weeks, walking less than two hours per evening.

2. Take and use the candidate's bumper stickers and yard signs. Some people don't like affecting the re-sale value of their car by marring it with stickers. No problem- tape the sticker to the inside of the window. Driving with a single bumper sticker on your vehicle makes it a moving billboard. Parking it in the same lot every day creates the repetition necessary to generate name recognition. Placing the yard sign in your yard tells people you support the candidate. Placing a yard sign at a busy intersection merely tells people that the candidate has plenty of money to toss into the breeze. The personal support of a sign on your property is a meaningful statement to your neighbors.

3. Donate to the campaign. Small contributions are important! Many small contributions add up in meaningful ways. If all you can afford to contribute is $20, don't hold back. That $20 will become at least two radio ads, which will then bring the message of smaller government to several thousand people. Combined with similar contributions from hundreds of other supporters, suddenly there is money for a major media buy that can blanket the entire state. Besides, the supporters of big government won't be holding back. They contribute and their message gets out. There is no good reason that their message should be the only message being heard. Follow this link to donate.

How Can I Help?

I am very grateful to be getting an increasing number of inquiries of people asking this question in regards to my campaign. Here are three things that would be most helpful:

Sign up for the Libertarian Party of Indiana's state convention. This is where all statewide candidates are nominated by delegates from across the state. Friendships are built here as is the momentum the newly minted candidates will ride. My nomination is not a foregone conclusion. Any Libertarian who recalls the 2004 national convention in Atlanta also recalls that someone can come from relative obscurity to win a nomination. I don't take it for granted, so please- follow this link and sign up today! The early bird discount for registration is today, so don't miss out.

Host a Meet & Greet at your home. The single most effective way for any candidate to leave a positive impression on people is to meet them personally. It's the most effective when the candidate is being introduced to the family, friends, and co-workers of a trusted person. You are that trusted person! Host a two-hour event- a coffee, a sports on TV night, a poker night, etc.- where I can be introduced to those close to you. You don't have to spend a lot of money to have a very successful event.

Donate to the campaign. Most of the money any candidate spends is on advertizing, and the Kole Campaign will do likewise. The ads we run will be designed to put pressure on office holders- Republicans in particular- to reduce the size of government and taxes. With so many dissatisfied fiscal conservatives across the state, there is a huge opportunity for the Libertarian Party to successfully move policy in our direction via political pressure, win or lose. And of course, Secretary of State is the Libertarian Party's ballot status race. 2% means continued ballot access, but 10% means major party status. This is our minimum goal in 2006, while winning is our ultimate goal! Follow this link to donate.

I thank you for supporting me and my campaign!

Let The Overruns Begin

The financing hallmark of a publicly funded stadium is the massive cost overruns. The Lucas Oil Stadium will apparently be different- the overruns are starting way earlier than usual under the oversight of the Daniels Administration. From an Indy Star staff report:

Seven months into construction of the Lucas Oil Stadium, building officials already have drained half of the contingency fund set aside for unexpected expenses.

So far, $26.4 million of the stadium's $50 million contingency fund has been used for bids that came in higher than expected and for contaminated soil found during excavation, according to budget data released at this week's meeting of the Indiana Stadium and Convention Building Authority.

About $350 million in contracts have been awarded for the project, which has a budgeted price tag of $675 million. That includes construction costs, the $50 million contingency fund and "soft" costs such as design and legal fees.

Wouldn't it have been nice for the state to have gotten even a third of that $121 million in naming rights, instead of having it all gone to the Colts? It would look good in buffering that contingency fund right about now.

The Stadium Authority can watch millions dribble away on "soft" costs while they fail to meet the terms of the NK Hurst Company. I would declare it amazing if it weren't rather predictable. Every publicly funded stadium project in the USA goes like this.

Common Sense Prevails

The case of a young man who made an honest mistake in bringing a knife to school and turned it in when he realized he had it only to be suspended has been made right. The school cancelled the expulsion hearing that was days away. From the Indy Star report:

Today the district administrators cancelled an April 10 hearing that would have considered expelling Elliot, and the school board said in a letter that "we can all learn from this incident and in the future apply some common sense when interpreting rules."

Well, the school board positions are part of the May 2 Primaries, so that might have inspired the reversal. A little national embarrassment couldn't have hurt. Word is that Hannity & Colmes covered the story.

Thanks to Kevin for his tip on Indiana House Bill 1093. As he pointed out, this law is not yet in effect. From the State of Indiana website:

HOUSE BILL No. 1093

Synopsis: Possession of knives at school. Makes possessing a knife on school property or on a school bus a Class B misdemeanor. Makes the offense a Class A misdemeanor if the offender has a previous unrelated conviction and a Class D felony if the offense results in bodily injury or serious bodily injury to another person.

Effective: July 1, 2006.

Good management = rewarding good behavior, punishing bad behavior. Never deter young people from pursuing good behavior.