Intellectually, I don’t have a problem with Citizens Energy Group acquiring the assets and operations of the Indianapolis Water Co. The problem is the deal, presented as a great opportunity for residents-taxpayers, is anything but.
Not only is Citizens assuming nearly $2 billion of the water company’s debt, but they’re paying the city over $200 million in a cash down payment. Cash Citizens is borrowing to pay. That means residents-taxpayers will eat that down payment in higher water rates. On top of the 30-plus percent increase the city’s already asking for and additional rate increases to come.
To make matters worse, the City-County Council is being asked to borrow $140 million bucks now; in advance of Payments In Lieu of Property Taxes (PILOT) funds that Citizens will pay the city over time.
The repayment of that $140 million debt, plus the cost of Citizens borrowing the over $200 million down payment they’ll owe the city if the deal goes through, means even higher water bills in future years.
The mayor’s minions are pulling out all the stops in pressuring City-County Council members to approve this pork barrel scheme. Mayor Greg Ballard says the water deal will bring the city $425 to spend on needed infrastructure improvements.
Throughout this debate, the mayor and his minions have never been forthcoming, open or transparent about how and where the $425 million would be spent. So, last week, the city released a list of proposed projects totaling $24,945,071; just 5.9 percent of that $425 million.
But it’s obvious little thought has been given. An example: Pike Township’s only project would be improving and resurfacing Guion Road from 38th to 71st for just $1.5 million. But why doesn’t the plan include extending Guion from 71st to 86th? The land’s been engineered and is sitting with grass growing under it. The Guion extension would relieve traffic pressure on Georgetown and Michigan Roads. Why wasn’t that project included?
Many in our community can’t understand why some of the $425 million won’t be used to keep those six library branches open, rebuild Wes Montgomery Park pool and improve some other raggedly park facilities and other needed improvements.
But why do we have to pay more for water to get those projects?
The haggling and deal cutting on this pork barrel spending, and that’s exactly what it is, is wrong. I thought Republicans hated this kind of wasteful government spending!
Let’s just give the water company to Citizens for the cost of their assuming the billions in debt. Let’s insist Citizens reduce expenses and achieve economies of scale that’ll keep our water bills somewhat reasonable.
Then let’s have a real debate during the 2011 council and mayoral elections on how to reinvest and who and how to pay for repairing Indianapolis’ streets, sidewalks and infrastructure.
Paying to repair our streets with higher water bills is ludicrous!
That part of the deal is something the City-County Council and the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission should reject!
What I’m hearing
in the streets
Ninety days after Sen. Evan Bayh deserted Democrats, denying Democrats a primary election to choose his replacement, Democrats got their Senate candidate, congressman Brad Ellsworth, who’ll face former Sen. Dan Coats in the Nov. 2 election.
The Indiana Democratic Party State Central Committee made the selection, as mandated by state law, after no candidate was in the May primary.
After his election, congressman Ellsworth said he was “humbled” by the opportunity to run for the Senate. Stressing that his 24 years as a Vanderburgh County Sheriff defined who he is, Ellsworth turned to a possible campaign theme.
Ellsworth said that when people “need help when somebody’s hurting they call 9-1-1. Who do we turn to when we need help? A sheriff.”
Ellsworth continued the analogy to the Senate race, “Washington needs to make a 9-1-1 call. Our country is calling 9-1-1 now.”
The two-term congressman signaled that he’ll campaign in the middle of the political spectrum seeking to appeal to most Hoosiers.
“We’ve got to solve problems,” Ellsworth declared. “We’ve got to work together. There is no room for name calling and labeling. Hoosiers deserve better.”
The ultraconservative tone of the Republican Senate primary and his rightwing positions are going to make it hard for Dan Coats to move to the center.
Ellsworth, with his pro-life and Second Amendment views, is more in the center than some Democrats would prefer. His centrist views are one reason the Indiana Stonewall Democrat’s representative on the state committee voted to “abstain” rather than support Ellsworth. But that opposition could paradoxically help Ellsworth with some conservative and centrist voters.
Congressman Ellsworth didn’t utter the “B-word” during his brief remarks Saturday. No one else mentioned Sen. Bayh, either. But several party insiders told me of an impassioned speech Bayh made the night before at the party’s Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner.
In the speech, a passionate and emotional Bayh defended President Barack Obama’s record. There is no tape or MP3 of Bayh’s speech. A shame since it’s something African-American Hoosiers and other Hoosier progressives, who are still livid at Bayh for deserting his party and state in a critical election, should hear.
Bayh and his minions still don’t realize the deep anger his decision not to run still has in our African-American community.
How Bayh reconciles with Blacks and how Blacks bond with Ellsworth are the keys to Democrats retaining this seat in November.
Latest casualty of the rabid, anti-people attitudes of the arrogant poobahs at Indy Parks? The parks department’s show wagon has been laid off. The traveling stage used for numerous events throughout the city-county has been scrapped, with no warning at all. The loss of the show wagon could imperil a wide variety of community events and activities.
One event that could be negatively impacted is the annual August Back to School event at Coleman Middle School. Gov. Mitch Daniels’ education budget cuts in both IPS and Perry Township are threatening this community event that attracts thousands and helps encourage positive attitudes at the start of the school year.
The Indianapolis business community, which talks a good game about supporting education, needs to step in to make sure that this positive community event continues to inspire and encourage our youth.
See ‘ya next week!
