Posted on 03/25/2009 12:34:52 PM PDT by appleseed
This was strictly an Indiana protest against taxes held in the north end of the rotunda at the Indiana statehouse. This was an excellent warmup to the nation wide April 15 teaparty. Some of the topics discussed were “Increasing Debt: Mortgaging Our Children’s Future,” “The Colts, Pacers and the Capital Improvement Board,” “Run over by the Speedway Redevelopment Commission,” “Lobbying and Ethics Reform,” “Transparency and Accountability in Government,” “Pay to Play Politics, Indiana Style,” and “Fun and Games in Evansville.”
The protest started at 1130 and lasted for about an hour and a half. It was civil in the Hoosier tradition but very vocal. I spoke with a State Trooper and he estimated the crowd at between 250 - 300 people. Here's a few pic's of the highlights:
My 2 favorite guys at the protest. The fella on the right is a Navy Vet. and gave me a full history of this flag:
This gentleman was there to bring awareness to Alex Jones' website infowars.com. He's a local landscaper and has done fine work in my area:
I hadn’t heard. Are we supposed to bail out the Simon’s? They must have lost a bundle on the the shopping malls, Pacers.
Unbelievable.
Quite frankly, Herb, Mel, all the Simon’s made their bed. They can take the worthless Pacers straight out of town with them.
I am sick of bailing out all these people. I am a rather...well...not wealthy person. I don’t ask for bailouts when times get rough.
The performance and attendance at Pacer games in the last couple of years is proof we can all get by without them.
The Simons have been very good to Indianapolis for a long time, not just with their business, but also with the Pacers. Those that have lived in Indianapolis for a long time will remember that the Simons bought the Pacers as a favor to the city in order to prevent the team from being moved, and they took heavy losses on the Pacers for a lot of years--the Pacers say that the team has lost $200 million since the Simons bought it.
As far as "stealing" money from the taxpayers, the Simons could well have up and moved out of Indy when they built their new headquarters, which, incidentally, was paid for with private funds. The Simons have given a lot to the city of Indianapolis, and I think it's fair for Herb to note that he's not running a charity for the sake of Indianapolis and if the city wants to keep the team, it can step up to the plate in paying the Fieldhouse's costs (which, incidentally, is owned by the city).
How many jobs would the Simons take out of town with them?
Frankly, I don’t give a damn anymore.
You are nuts. We have done fine without the thug Pacers. If anything they have been a national embarrassment.
The Simons are big RAT supporters. They can pound sand.
The Pacers are privately owned and have no obligation to make their books public. We (me and you) have no idea what financial situation the Pacers are in other than the Pacers statement that the Simons have eaten $200 million on the team since they bought it. Given the Simons' unquestioned reputation for honesty, I have no reason to doubt the number that they provide.
So that excuses stealing money from taxpayers? They are a business. Businesses should not have to demand tax dollars to remain solvent.
Simon Property Group is not demanding money to stay solvent. Herb Simon has simply said that he's no longer interested in running the Pacers as a charity for the city, and if the city wants to keep the team, the city can step up and pay for the maintenance on the Fieldhouse.
Also, I think it's worth noting what Simon is proposing: he's not asking the city's support for the Pacers itself, he's merely saying that the Pacers are no longer going to pay for the Fieldhouse's operating expenses, which the Simons do not own.
The Simons should figure out a way to make their business work or declare bankruptcy.
Again, Simon Property Group--and its charitable arm, Simon Youth Foundation--is doing quite well and has given tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars to the city of Indianapolis over the years. All the Simons are saying is that they are no longer going to donate the Pacers to the city.
Like I said before, how many jobs are they going to take with them?
How long have you lived in Indianapolis? Before 1980? Do you remember what Indianapolis looked like then? Take a moment and think about that, and think about what Indy would look like without the Simons. There would be no Pacers, there would be no Colts, there would be no Circle Centre Mall, there would be no development downtown, probably no Victory Field (if the Indians were still in the city, not likely after Bush Stadium became unuseable), likely no NCAA Headquarters, etc. Indy would be what it was before 1980: a third-rate cowtown.
Yeah, I sure wish the Simons would leave and take all their money and jobs and development with them.
I worked exec. and estate security at the mansion property on Ditch for a while. I was given a several page non-disclosure to sign before I hired on. Never signed it. Doesn’t mean if push came to shove all of a sudden a signature would appear on it. I was there just long enough to see that ain’t what I believe in or stand for.
Simon’s have indeed contributed to the Simon Cancer Center at IU Hospital which is now open for business. They contibuted to Riley Hospital phase 5 which is currently on hold for economic reasons. Maybe it’s like some folks say a big tax write-off and free publicity. Their son did die of cancer and they have a memorial on their property to him. I thank them for their contribution. However, when I look at the whole picture, I see something that just doesn’t sit well with me. No sir - doesn’t sit well with me at all!!!
Just my way of life, but I don’t shop at malls or support the thug acting Pacers.
There's no indication that they are. In fact, that would be highly unlikely, again due to their unquestioned reputation for honesty. You're just making things up.
If his business is insolvent, he should declare bankruptcy.
He won't declare bankruptcy, he'll just sell the team and let someone move it to Kansas City.
BS. They are pissed off because the Irsays got a bigger golden palace than the Pacers did,
He told you that? Sounded to me like he said that he was through losing money on the team every year. Of course, I don't have the same inside connection you do, though, since you seem to know the Pacers' finances AND Herb's reasoning for why he's going to sell the team.
I can appreciate your pride in our city. I moved here in 1994 after globetrotting and living in a lot of great states. Indy is my home now and will always be as long as our good Lord will let me. My wife is a native and my father inlaw is pastor of our church. I love this place and it’s people.
I have to disagree however on the belief that the Simon machine has made this such a great place to live. I’ve seen all sides of our great state. I’ve worked in some interesting positions. I think that what makes us great is the Hoosier attitude that I see every day in my rural location and every Sunday in folks who have put heart mind and soul into my community without a care of recognition or praise for what they do every day. To me, we are one of the top places to live because of regular folks like those I deal with every day - not high profile, big money buying influence peddlers that make the news and demand recognition for their influence and power.
I would rather break bread with my folks at a pitch in at our church wearing a flanel shirt than wear a black tie and tails and sip champagne with high power political movers and shakers who are as phony as Hillary Clinton’s smile.
Hey, the Simons took it all in a tax break. Why is it that people like you and me think that for some reason we owe them something. Many members of my family have died of cancer too.
We have contributed too, Not what the Simon’s have, but we too, have contributed.
This is not a reason to bail out Simons.
Besides, the butthole they supported in the election sees no reason to give a break to charitable contributions.
Their boy Obama told them to Kiss his A*S.
My family has also suffered from cancer. I don't owe the Simon's anything. My memorial to my Dad who died a few years ago of lymphoma is his steel mill hard hat and his picture next to my computer. Not as elaborate as a shrine but good enough for me.
We have contributed too, Not what the Simon’s have, but we too, have contributed.
Our contributions are sincere and often times in private where us the good Lord know.
This is not a reason to bail out Simons. Besides, the butthole they supported in the election sees no reason to give a break to charitable contributions.
In my opinion there is absolutely no reason to bail out a Simon. They rabidly support any liberal Democrat with money that would boggle your mind. The kind of money they spend to promote their agenda would support my family for several years in a lavish lifestyle.
Their boy Obama told them to Kiss his A*S.
Then why did they give soooo much to his lavish inauguration?
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