First, the BMA.  Following my earlier blog post and radio show this week, I got a call from Brandon Johnson’s mother Shantay Chandler.  She called to thank me for telling her story, which I graciously accepted.  I asked her if there was any follow-up regarding her situation.  She told me she did receive a call from the BMA, but it wasn’t to apologize for not helping her family, but to chastise her for speaking to me.   Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but if I was caught pimping someone’s child and I was going to call them, I’d definitely say I was sorry and try to make things right.  Apparently, the BMA is sorry, just sorry it got caught.

And now on to IPS.  I told you about a study that showed IPS spending up to $300,000 on cell phone usage.   IPS told one of my brothers in the media that most of the cell phone usage is not due to administrators, but janitors, police and bus drivers.  They also attributed the high bills to its GPS tracking system.  So how does that explain a $19,000 cell phone bill from December 16, 2009 through January 15, 2010;  a good chunk of that was winter break.  The district really needs to get a good spokesperson.

There’s nothing like ending Ramadan on an upbeat note.  Time to go work on the perfect martini, six parts gin to one part vermouth and two olives.

Senate Stuff

Is it my imagination, or is there a 9-11 subtext in the latest round of Dan Coats political commercials?  They’ve been running for a couple weeks and it’s “ironic” that they just happen to be around on the 9th anniversary of the terrorist attack.

Meanwhile, Brad Ellsworth is going on the attack saying Coats lobbied against American jobs, no offense to the Ellsworth camp, but it would be nice to see some substantive policy positions get unveiled.   Maybe we’ll get some (from all candidates) during the upcoming debates.

IPS Problems

If you’re like me, you were shocked when you saw the story about an Indianapolis  Public School teacher that had to rummage through the trash bins of Carmel schools in order to find supplies for her students.  And while the district cries poverty, a new report shows its spending between $225,000 – $300,000 on cell phones.  I don’t think anyone was calling Office Depot to order pencils and paper.

Smoking Ban

Indiana lawmakers are talking about wasting the taxpayers time and attempting to pass a smoking ban in all public places.  However a new study by the U.S. Center for Disease Control & Prevention shows the smoking rates have remained stagnant for the past five years, going from 20.9% to 20.6%, even though more states have adopted smoking bans.  It would make more sense to spend money and energy  on tobacco prevention rather than total bans, because obviously they’re not working.    And here’s another interesting fact from the CDC, 54% of 3 to 11-year olds are exposed to second hand smoke and I don’t see a lot of kids running bars.

Parking Problems

I’m working on a blog post regarding the city’s parking proposal.  Fundamentally, I agree with it, but I am spending time reading through the deal which will take a day or two.  In the meantime, I ask opponents to come up with an alternative to pay for infrastructure  in a world of declining property tax revenues.

I say this because I recently sat down and spoke with Shantay Chandler, the mother of Brandon Johnson, the 15-year old who accused IMPD of excessive force earlier this year.  The officer accused of the beating, Jerry Piland has been recommended for dismissal.  Since the incident which occurred this past spring the BMA has led marches, called for Public Safety Director Frank Straub to be fired and spent $20,000 to bring Al Sharpton to town.  They have made a lot of noise.  And frankly, that is all they have done for Ms. Chandler.

She’s been unemployed for months while trying to take care of her son and the family has had financial struggles.  She even lost her car.   I asked her if she’s gotten any help from the BMA and her answer was a stark “no.”  The BMA hasn’t assisted the family with any money or other types of support.  So while the preachers were raising 20-grand for Al Sharpton’s visit, Chandler was and is struggling to find $1700 to pay for her son’s dental work.  And here’s an interesting sidebar, when Sharpton came to town, no one called the Chandler family, she found out when a reporter called her.

I asked Ms. Chandler if she had any contact with Stephen Clay, the wannabe black Pope of Indianapolis.  She recalled meeting him once since this entire ordeal, but has had no real contact since then.   You would think that if the BMA was the official voice of the black community, its members could pick up the phone and make sure the family had its basic needs met, like a job and medical care.  So that means either the BMA doesn’t have the juice it purports to have or Brandon Johnson is low hanging fruit.

And to make matters worse, when the images of Brandon Johnson were printed on t-shirts, some of the ministers sold them for $5-$10 each, and the family never saw a dime.   To her credit, Ms. Chandler says she wasn’t expecting help, but it would be nice if the people who allege they are fighting for Brandon to do more than just talk.   If you claim to represent 50,000 church members isn’t there someone in your collective congregations that could help someone land a part-time job.  And it would it really be that hard to raise an average of 4 cents from each of your members to help with some dental work.

Now we can debate excessive force, police policies and procedures, and even parental responsibility. But I don’t think there’s much to debate that if you’re going to take up a cause it probably wouldn’t hurt to go all in.  That is unless you have something else going on and Brandon Johnson is just a cause to further your agenda.  But we all know that wouldn’t be going on, now would it?

You can hear Ms. Chandler in her own words below.  Each segment is about 5 minutes long.  I also spoke with City-County Councilor Jose Evans who has stayed in close contact with the family since the incident in May.

Chandler Interview, pt 1

Chandler Interview, pt 2

Jose Evans Interview

Mayor Greg Ballard

Good job in stepping up this past weekend and getting in front of the situation.  Your announcements about the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department reforms as well as speaking at the Sunday biker rally were the right moves to do.  You need to keep the momentum going and stay in front of the news.  You ran on public safety and this issue can and will make or break your administration.  The last thing you want to do is adopt a “bunker” mentality.   Also, there is only so much your public safety director and chief of police can do, you are the Mayor and you have to be the face of the city during this time of crisis in public safety confidence.  Do not let your opponents control the news cycle.   If you don’t speak out on a regular basis, your opponents will gladly fill the void.  Also, you know as I do that there are differing opinions in your administration on how to handle this situation and that has led to some serious internal strife at times.  My advice, listen to all sides, make an informed decision and stick with it.  At the end of the day, you run the show.

Public Safety Director Frank Straub & Chief Paul Ciesielski

I have never believed in conspiracies, so I am not going to start now.  I don’t think either of you would purposely cover-up anything because in the 21^st Century, information has a way of leaking out, and only an idiot would try to hide information that would eventually get out.  I would make it a point to be as open and honest with the public as possible and putting out every bit of information you can.  I frankly don’t mind hearing about bad officers, because I’d be more worried if the information never got out.   I know there is some bad blood that has built up with the Fraternal Order of Police leadership lately, but like in the film ‘The Defiant Ones” you both are chained together and will need each other to survive.

Fraternal Order of Police

Guys, I know a lot of you have issues with some of the reforms that are being proposed as well as your public image right now.  I don’t mean to sound harsh, but right now it’s best that if you remind the rank and file to do everything by the book, on and off duty.  There are a lot of people in this town who traditionally have supported law enforcement who are at best skeptical.  We all agree that 90% of officers are doing their jobs, but you’re going to have to step up and help deal with the other 10% that are causing grief and hassle for the rest of you.  And as much as some of you have issues with the Chief and Public Safety Director, you may want to read the last sentence in the above paragraph.

City-Council Republicans

Good move on the reform proposal.  Stay engaged.  I would not rule out the Democrats’ idea of a bi-partisan investigative panel, but I would wait until after the current investigations have been completed.

City-Council Democrats

I’m going to surprise you guys and say for once, you have an idea that makes sense. It would be nice if you had more of them over the past three years. I think a bi-partisan panel to review the Bisard case is a good idea, once you get all the facts in and the current investigations are completed.

Baptist Ministers Alliance of Indianapolis

I’ve got a special post written just for you, so stay tuned.

The General Public

You are well within your rights to be mad and skeptical at the events of late.  Keep demanding accountability and transparency.  But also remember, the average officer is a decent man or woman who gets up everyday and puts his or her life on the line to keep us safe.  And out of 1700 employees, someone is bound to cross the line.  We should support officers who are doing their jobs and continue to call for the removal of those who won’t do their jobs and violate the public trust.

To mark the occasion, we’re going to recreate our first date.  I’m going to take her to dinner, say something inappropriate, she’s going to slap me, throw her drink in my face and tell me to lose her number.  Seriously though, my wife is the most patient and well-grounded person I’ve ever met.  And depending on your perspective I am the either the luckiest or most blessed person in the world.   Come to think of it, she is too.

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend.  I’ll be back Tuesday.

I was not surprised that the Baptist Ministers Alliance of Indianapolis called, for the 20th bajillionth time for Frank Straub’s resignation/termination/flogging/tarring/feathering as Public Safety Director.  Nor was I surprised that some Democrats on the City-Council are trying to politicize and capitalize on the tragic death of Eric Wells.  If they say they’re not being political, don’t believe them, their  latest news release was put out by Adam Kirsch, Executive Director of the Marion County Democratic Party.

Where I am puzzled is with all the recent discussions about what did all the parties the day of the Bisard crash and when did they know it.   My fellow brothers and sisters in the press have reported that the day of the incident Deputy Chief Daryl Pierce and Assistant Chief Ron Hicks went out to the scene but were called back by Chief Paul Ciesielski to talk about a news conference regarding the image of  Director Straub.

There have been references to conversations and text messages, but no one has produced anything in writing.   There is a lot of  “he said/he said” but I would assume that the easiest way to clear up this controversy would be for the parties involved to release the text messages that transpired that day.    With the back and forth between the culture and the command structure of IMPD, a review of the text message communications of that day would clear up confusion and we would know what everyone else knew.  Was it a failure of command at the scene or was the Chief more concerned about public relations?

And here’s something else a release of the text messages would show, did any of IMPD’s field command tell the Chief that the scene was so bad they weren’t going to come back to the office, but stay there and supervise?   That has been in the back of my mind since this controversy began.   I know IMPD has a pending investigation so they may not want to release anything until the findings are complete, but there is nothing to stop Hicks, John Conley or Pierce from releasing information through their attorneys.

I’ll be paying close attention to see how this part of the drama all plays out.

The comedy of errors began last Friday when the response from Democrats was to release a poll showing Ellsworth was losing by double digits, but less double digits than before, a move political reporter Jim Shella called, “curious”. Next, the Ellsworth campaign called a press conference in Jeffersonville. The ad is only running in Indianapolis so naturally the campaign would call a press conference in a different media market a hundred miles away and introduce the issue to voters who have never heard of it. No reporters showed up but the campaign managed to chase down a New Albany News and Tribune reporter to do a story. Ellsworth called the ad misleading and demanded it be pulled off the air. Seconds later, he reiterated his support of the vote saying, “if and when Gitmo is shut down, I have full confidence in our federal prisons.” Sounds to me like Ellsworth is still on board with the plan he voted to support. So what’s the misleading part?

Yesterday, Ellsworth hosted former terrorist prosecutor turned defender Morris Davis, who has had an on-again, off-again relationship with Gitmo. But rather than use the former Bush official to defend his position in support of closing the terrorist detention center and gain credibility, Ellsworth had Davis trot out the same old tired talking points about Coats’ former law firm. Two attorneys who Coats has never met, and who worked out of an office he’s never visited, defended detainees on a pro bono basis several years ago. So what does that mean? Well… nothing really. But it’s all Ellsworth has going for him.

I asked him his reaction to critics who say he’s been in office too long and what he thinks about a primary challenger?  He told me he will serve until his fellow Hoosiers decide it’s time for him to do something else.  And when asked about a possible primary challenger in 2010 , he said “it’s a free country and people are entitled to do what they wish.”  He says he has a lot of energy left and looks forward to the race.

I bring this up, because Lugar has been in the U.S. Senate since 1976, for some people that’s too long.   For me, I’ve always believed you should serve until you are no longer effective.  For some politicians that means serving one-term, others that could mean a couple decades.   I also think that if the voters have had enough of someone they should get together and remove that person from office.  It has been done before, just ask Lisa Murkowski, Robert Bennett and Arlan Specter.  Each was an incumbent and each lost.  Granted it was a primary, but they still lost.

Of course critics would say the above examples are the exception, not the rule.  I will freely admit incumbency always brings a certain amount of inherent advantages.  However, at the end of the day, it’s the votes that count.   I think we can make voting more competitive by eliminating blatant gerrymandering and the creation of districts that look like a Rorschach test.  We can also neutralize some of the power of entrenched incumbency by putting term limits on committee assignments.  Just because you should be allowed to serve until you die, doesn’t mean you can keep the same spot in perpetuity.

Of course, if people would get off their rear ends and exercise their civic duties and stay engaged in the process, this discussion wouldn’t be necessary.

Now in 2010, Mayor Ballard’s parking proposal, like the proposal to transfer city water and wastewater systems into the Citizens Energy non-profit, is being hailed as a creative proposal which helps shift the burden for infrastructure improvements away from property taxes toward alternative sources.

Under the agreement the city would contract out the management of its parking garages and lots for 10 years and meters for 50 years. In exchange the city will receive $35 million upfront to reinvest in roads and benefit from a revenue sharing arrangement over the length of the contract. Not only will the city receive a large payment and a share of parking revenue over time, but the city is expected to save $40 million in operation savings over the life of the contract. Parking meter rates will necessarily increase gradually over the life of the contract, and they should.

I wasn’t alive the last time parking meter rates were increased in 1975, and if left to politicians to control, I probably wouldn’t be alive for the next increase. Despite the fact that the city’s infrastructure is underfunded, previous mayors and councils have failed to raise rates to keep pace with costs. While meters and parking tickets amounted to over $4.1 million in revenue in 2009, after subtracting the city’s expenses of managing the meters, only $750,000 went to the streets, curbs and sidewalks they are intended to support.

Compared to our peer cities, those places we compete with for jobs, convention business and tourism, we rank among the cheapest at 75 cents per hour. Many meters are more than 40 years old, and the Mayor’s proposal would replace all of the city’s meters with electronic meters that accept credit and debit cards in addition to currency. As approved by the board of the Department of Public Works, rates would increase to $1.50 per hour in the busiest parts of downtown and in Broad Ripple by 2012. Other areas of downtown would see rates increase to $1.00 per hour. Increases would then be capped by rounding the growth in the Consumer Price Index down to the nearest quarter. Still, a bargain compared to nearby cities like Cincinnati where the rate is $2.00 an hour.

Today, Indianapolis parking meters are at best, a non-factor, and at worst, an annoyance (ask anyone who has gotten change stuck in a broken meter). Mayor Ballard’s proposal will vastly improve parking technology and convenience, generate more on-street turnover to help businesses, and generate the kind of revenue to make an impact in the city’s infrastructure needs.

Mayor Ballard deserves credit for his efforts to capitalize on under-leveraged public assets and fund infrastructure without a tax increase. This is exactly the kind of creative proposal that protects recession-weary taxpayers while still allowing the city to modernize and make necessary improvements.

Word of caution, I am friends or following all of the candidates because it helps me keep track of their campaigns and it is not to be taken as an endorsement of their candidacies.  I like and dislike everybody equally.

So with that said, here’s where everybody stands as of when I wrote this post this morning, the numbers may have changed slightly since then.

U.S. Senate

• Dan Coats – 3,889 friends.
• Brad Ellsworth – 7,484 friends.
• Rebecca Sink-Burris – 742 friends.

2nd District

• Joe Donnelly – 1,848 friends.
• Jackie Walorski - 4,938 friends.

8th District

• Trent van Haaften – 1,279 friends.
• Larry Bucshon – 1,186 friends.

9th District

• Todd Young – 2,413 friends.
• Baron Hill – 2,219 friends.

Secretary of  State*

• Charlie White – 1,916 friends.
• Vop Osili – 2,008 friends.
• Mike Wherry – 305 friends.

Auditor

• Tim Berry – 543 friends.
• Sam Locke – 1,355 friends.

Treasurer

• Richard Mourdock – 1,420 friends.
• Pete Buttigieg – 1,096 friends.

State Parties**

• Republicans – 805 friends/8,846 friends.
• Democrats – 627 friends/965 friends.
• Libertarians – 1,847 friends.

*Just for the record,  if Facebook friends were votes, Libertarian Mike Wherry helps Libertarians keep their ballot access because he get seven percent of the total vote.

**State parties have a couple pages that I pulled the data from.  HT to blogger Matt Stone for the info.