Blogger's On Vacation

Unless something pressing or immediate comes up, no daily updates until Monday.  I've flown the coop for a few days.

Thanks for being loyal readers!  There will still be updates as breaking news occurs, though.  Follow me on Twitter @johnnystir to see what I'm up to.

See you Monday.

Butler Running for Judge in Lawrence Township

Jackie Butler

Lawrence Township's ticket for 2014 seems to be starting to firm up on the Democratic side.  A local attorney has decided to throw her hat in the ring for Small Claims Court Judge.

Attorney Jackie Butler has decided to pursue the office and fill the seat currently occupied by Judge Clark G. Rehme.

Butler announced her candidacy last week with a news release.  In the release she said that she was looking forward to the opportunity. "I have enjoyed being a part of Lawrence Township and would now like the opportunity to serve the residents that live around me," said Butler in the release.

Political watchers may remember that Butler was one of the late additions to the 2011 City-County Council ballot in June to run against the staunchly conservative Ginny Cain in District 5.  She was unsuccessful in that race though she gave it a valiant effort.  This should be a much more winnable campaign for her.

Democrats hold most of the major executive and judicial offices in Lawrence and Lawrence Township with the exception of the township Small Claims Court position.  Judge Jim Joven, a Republican, was elected back in 2010.  He resigned when he was appointed to the Marion County Superior Court and is now serving there.  Judge Rehme has never faced the voters.

This should complete the Lawrence Township ticket pending any primary challenges.  Steve Talley, as we reported last week, is expected to run for Trustee.  Terry Burns is likely to pursue a second term as Constable and now Butler will attempt to win the Small Claims Court Judge seat.  That's quite a diverse group of good and capable Democrats!

Mayor Ballard Meets a Celebrity (Satire)

I created this in good fun.  Hope you enjoy.

ESPN Article from 2009 Tells Different Story on Indy Cricket Stadium

An ESPN article from 2009 said Indianapolis was very interested in building a cricket stadium to be financed by PRIVATE and not PUBLIC dollars.  

This could be one wicked googly.

The October 4, 2009 article penned by Peter Della Penna details a meeting between Mayor Greg Ballard and his administration with the USA Cricket Association, the same organization now wanting to bring a national cricket tournament to the city.

Much of the article centers on Ballard's plan to build the cricket stadium on the Eastside of Indianapolis, it curiously includes a different line of funding altogether and suggests a significantly higher pricetag than the one detailed to Indy residents.

The article talks about what Indy wishes to build vs. what was built in Broward County, Florida.  From the article:

One major difference between the Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, Florida and the proposed plan for Indianapolis is that the latter will be financed by private funding, whereas the US$70 million it cost to build the stadium in south Florida came from taxpayer dollars and bonds. 

While Lowry doesn't know what the total project will cost, the city is looking to get it started sometime in the next six to eight months. How soon things get underway will depend on how long it takes for someone to step up to support the project with the necessary financial backing. "There's been a couple of companies very interested," he said. "I can't give specific names yet but one Fortune 500 company is very interested."

It appears that at one point Mayor Ballard's administration was looking for corporate dollars to help them build the stadium.  What happened Mr. Mayor?  Also, if ESPN knew about this in 2009, why didn't you tell your city?

This is one sticky wicket.  Maybe the Mayor's new "cricket village" will go next to the Litebox plant or maybe even the new Chinatown he advocated during the '07 campaign.

Father's Day Weekend Brings Back Memories

Dad and Me

Some of us never get to appreciate our fathers.  Thankfully, I got to appreciate mine.

I didn't appreciate him enough though as I look back.  My dad was a good man.  A couple of years ago, I wrote his story here on the blog.  If you want to find out more about him, click here.

Like I said, I was fortunate in that I knew my dad, and I got to know him pretty well.  There were, however, things I didn't know about him.  Sometimes, the mysteries even get revealed today in bits and pieces of stories I hear.

I had a great father.  He was loving and devoted to his family.  He adapted to the changes in my life that I threw at him.  I know he agonized over my bad decisions and worried about me even more than I worried about myself.  I didn't always listen, either, but that's what a kid is supposed to do, right?  You don't listen and then later you realize how right your father was.

I don't know where this blog post is going.  It's 3:21 a.m. on a Saturday morning.  All I can do is think about my father.  I hear his voice in my head, and I can feel him here somehow tonight.  I think he's doing what he used to do for me.  When I was sick or when I couldn't sleep when I was little, he would hold me and rock me until I was not scared any more.  He'd wait until I'd fall asleep, and then he'd put me in my bed.

I don't think he could do that any more.  Imagine a 6'4" 350 pound guy sitting on a 6'3" 250 pound guy's lap.  The physics alone could scare any La-Z Boy manufacturer.  Even when I got too big to rock, my dad was still my rock.  I can feel him here tonight.  He's probably wondering why I'm rambling about him on this blog post.

Happy Father's Day Dad.  I love you, and I miss you every day.

If you still have your dad and you are on good terms or you feel comfortable reaching out to him, hug him today.  Call him.  Buy him dinner.  Do something.  Appreciate him while he's here.  The good news is that he will be with you always.

Sources Say McQuillen May Run for Auditor

Michael McQuillen

Sources say a member of the City-County Council is wanting to move up to state office.

Sources tell Indy Democrat that Michael McQuillen is interested in running for Indiana Auditor of State, a position currently held by government veteran, Tim Berry. Berry is term-limited as auditor after previously serving eight years as Indiana Treasurer.

There’s nothing in McQuillen’s bio that particularly screams Auditor. He does run a small business that sells and collects political campaign memorabilia and has been a member of the City-County Council since 2008.

The Auditor pays the state's bills among other functions and duties.  As Berry says on his state website, "As Auditor, I serve as the Chief Financial Officer for the State. As CFO my most important obligations involve accounting for all of the State's funds, overseeing and distributing Local Governments tax distributions, paying the State's bills and paying the State's employees. I also serve as administrator to the Indiana Deferred Compensation Plan working to help secure a better retirement future for all State workers."

A local Council race is much different than a statewide race.  It seems McQuillen is lining his campaign war chest for the long haul.  The Councillor has held two high dollar and high-powered fundraisers the last two years on or around his birthday.

McQuillen’s record on the City-County Council could come back and bite him. As the City-County Council’s Minority Leader, he’s been linked with a Republican like Greg Ballard who many Republicans believe to be a liberal or a moderate at best. In Tea Party pockets, that probably won’t play so well.

Abdul-Hakim Shabazz reported recently in one of his Cheat Sheets that Richard Mourdock was also interested in moving over to the Auditor’s Office. Of course, a run by Mourdock for Auditor would make the race for the down ballot office much more competitive for whatever Democrat might run.

As I’ve explained before, these offices are not determined by primary voters. Instead, the Auditor, Treasurer, and Secretary of State candidates will be chosen at the party’s upcoming 2014 state conventions.

UPDATE:
And look what just popped up in a web search this morning:  www.mikemcquillen.com

Five Years Have Passed...Still Missing Tim Russert

Five years ago today, the world of journalism lost a legend.

Timothy John Russert passed away at work while preparing for an edition of Meet the Press.  Tim was the best in the business and one of my journalistic heroes.

He is still missed today.  Sunday mornings just haven't been the same without him.

Vetoing More Police Proposal Would Be Big Mistake for Ballard

Mayor Ballard

On Monday Night, the City-County Council passed a proposal to take $6 million from Rebuild Indy funds to address the critical shortages we have in IMPD right now.

Greg Ballard is signaling that he plans to veto it.

That's right.  The Mayor of Indianapolis, who has no problems with using Rebuild Indy funds to build a Cricket Stadium...er...World Sports Park that no one asked for and that he didn't tell anyone about, is thinking about vetoing a proposal to put more police on the streets.  Why?  He says it's unsustainable.

The Ballard Administration claims that Indy will not be able to pay these officers in future budgets, so the $6 million is only a temporary solution.  Apparently, the Mayor has never heard of a temporary solution until you find the permanent solution.  It's a stop-gap measure, if you will.  Perhaps the Mayor doesn't know what these things are.

Politically, this is just not a smart thing to have to explain to Indianapolis citizens who continue to see shootings and crime reports mount.  As my friend Christian Mosburg said on Monday night via Twitter, "What good are sidewalks and infrastructure if people are afraid to use them?"

It's a good question.

With his veto pen, Mayor Ballard will end any chance of his reelection.  He will show his priority is not police on the street.  It's cricket.  It's anything but public safety.  Public safety will no longer be job one, and the door will be wide open for a potential opponent with a skilled campaign to sweep in and grab the high ground on this critical issue that people really care about.

So, what's it going to be Mr. Mayor?

Talley Considering Run for Lawrence Township Trustee

Councillor Steve Talley

There are few things that can draw a consensus in politics, but one of those things that most people in local politics would agree with is that City-County Councillor Steve Talley is a genuinely nice person.

Agree or disagree with him politically, but Talley is a devoted public servant and an excellent City-County Councillor. In 2011, the former City-County Council President came out of political retirement to reclaim a seat on the Council by a wide margin replacing the ethically-challenged Paul Bateman. Bateman would later be sent to prison for his transgressions.

After the mess with Bateman, District 11 needed a councillor with a moral compass, and it got one with Talley. He has brought honor and dignity back to the seat where it was needed so badly. Now, it appears that he’s ready to move on.

Talley announced at a recent Lawrence Township Democratic Club Meeting that he was considering a run for Lawrence Township Trustee. Russell Brown, the current occupant of that office, is not seeking reelection.

The folks in Lawrence Township have been ably served for years by Talley on the Council. Now, it seems that he wants to continue that service in another capacity. I wish him very well.

Did Chairman Joel Miller Tell Democrats to Stop Whining About Senate Bill 621?

Chairman Joel Miller

Well, I have to give credit where credit is due.

I was skeptical when Abdul-Hakim Shabazz reported in a recent tease for one of his cheat sheets that Marion County Democratic Party Chairman Joel Miller told his folks to stop talking (specifically whining) about Senate Bill 621.

Since he has yet to comp me on a subscription for the cheat sheet, I didn't read the piece.  Thus, all this time, I thought Abdul had been making stuff up again.

Well, I was wrong...technically that is.  Last night, at the Decatur Township Democratic Club meeting, Miller took a moment to set the record straight.

Miller said that Democrats should no longer refer to the bill as Senate Bill 621.  Miller said that technically Senate Bill 621 was now a Senate Enrolled Act.  It's law.  He went further, though.

Miller said the new law needs to be referred to in terms of its effects.  Said Miller, "I will say is that our people need to remind people exactly what this law is.  It's Mayor Greg Ballard's Power Grab."

I want to thank Abdul for bringing this to the forefront and what the new corresponding Senate Enrolled Act should be called.  Hopefully he, the news media, and other bloggers will begin referring to SEA621 as "Mayor Greg Ballard's Power Grab."

Please make a note of it.

Given Miller's statements at the meeting, I think we'll hear a lot about Mayor Ballard's Power Grab in the future.  Sorry Abdul.  This one's not going away.