Quote:
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/opinion/columnists/guest-commentary/guest-commentary-answer-questions-before-taking-our-air-show/article_e8898d82-b5c7-5fd9-ac09-c41ebfdd7c9e.htmlGUEST COMMENTARY: Answer questions before taking our air show
Thomas McDermott Jr.
November 28, 2013 12:00 am • By Thomas McDermott Jr.
The South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority (aka Lake County Convention and Visitors Bureau) announced the annual Gary Air Show would be relocated from Lake County, where it has been for the last 10 years, to a private business in Newton County — Fair Oaks Farms.
According to the agency, the annual show in Gary was discontinued for a number of reasons, the exorbitant cost of the show on the city of Gary and the South Shore CVA being among them.
The air show was reported to cost more than $400,000 annually, taking funds that would otherwise be available for other festivals and events around Lake County.
On my weekly radio show and in a Times article, I remarked that I didn't agree with the decision of the South Shore CVA to use that money to promote an air show, at a private business, in another county. Using Lake County’s hotel/motel tax at a private Newton County business is unwise.
Not only is the South Shore CVA’s director, Speros Batistatos, setting a precedent by sending Lake County money down I-65 to Newton County, this move also will mean less money to other festivals around Lake County, like Whiting’s excellent “Pierogi Fest,†which has never received a single penny from the South Shore CVA, despite drawing hundreds of thousands of people to Whiting every year for more than a decade.
After the initial article, The Times Editorial Board chimed in, saying I was off mark in my critique of the new location. The editorial justified the use of hundreds of thousands of dollars of Lake County’s “hotel/motel†tax to be shipped to Newton County for the air show.
The Editorial Board felt strongly about the fact that since tourists were the ones paying this tax in Lake County’s hotels and motels, there should be no restrictions on where South Shore CVA decides to spend the money. Quite frankly, using this logic, Speros would have no geographical restrictions whatsoever on how he uses the money generated from Lake County’s hotel/motel tax. He could literally spend it in Indianapolis if he chose to.
No one has yet discussed the financial benefit to a private business — Fair Oaks Farms. How much profit will Fair Oaks Farms reap using Lake County taxpayers' money as a seed for their event?
What are the terms of the “business deal†struck between Fair Oaks Farms and the South Shore CVA? How much will be charged? Will there be transportation from Lake County to the event for people that can’t make it down to Newton County on their own? If so, how much will that cost Lake County residents?
There are many issues that haven’t been discussed and many questions unanswered, yet the editorial has quickly endorsed moving one of the most popular festivals in Lake County to Newton County.
The legality of this move is still in question. Does the law allow visitor bureaus to simply spend money wherever they pleases? If it does, I suggest the Legislature take a long, hard look on how this could be allowed to happen.
Instead of knee-jerk reactions, more careful analysis needs to be done on how much money will drain from Lake County at the expense of other great festivals.
I was going to give tom a break today, have some things to do, but after I read this insulting, higher than thou bull about what kind of deal struck, I thought of the couple of hundred special deals tom has cut with his friends and family.
Then the next thing that came to mind was $400,000 of casino revenue reportedly given to a family member of one of tom's closest friends/advisors to build two homes in hammond. How many contractors get a $400,000 handed to them to build a couple of homes? $400,000?
Then there was the $300,000 given to a Hammond non for profit. SBA auditors asked tom why he gave $300,000 to this non for profit with out contract performance guidelines. If I remember correctly a McDermott got a $65,000 or was it $70,000 a year job at the NFP.
Or how the SBA found $27,000,000 of tax payer's money was placed in uninsured investment accounts, I wonder which bank/friend of toms benefited?
And back a couple of years ago, SBA Auditors questioned Tom, about a $100,000 of unauthorized credit card expenditures. Tom was reimbursed with out appropriate receipts.
Well, we won't talk about how a certain water boy running the water department was illegally paid $250,000, 4 years of salary up front and had to go to school, which the taxpayers paid for, to qualify for the job. Then we won't talk about how it has been reported he stated he services 18 clients, represented Sr in his tax woes, and wrote a $35,000,000 bond deal, sells real estate all while working for the city. This water boy should teach classes in time management. Didn't the SBA question this person's use of benefit time?
Well, we won't talk about the $3,000,000 fine the city of Hammond paid to someone Tom, was it because of non compliance with HUD grants?
Well, we won't talk about the $250,000 a year, is it for the last 7 or 8 years you diverted tax dollars to the legal clinic. Has that legal clinic brought one solid case to court? It's alleged it employes your friends Tom. Its now $275,000. Some of Tom's staff need raises? Or did rapchek need an increase in rent to compensate for the lost revenue of da dance club?
Well, then we won't talk about College Bound, is it 460 participants over $3,000,000 and only 60 graduates. No audit on the program and its administrative cost .... Tom.
Well, then we all know how the Election Board, some believe your purse strings operate the board, which tossed Janiec off the Election Ballot and the State Supreme Court, in a landmark case, ordered, yes ordered Janiec back on the ballot with specific performance time frames and conditions. Some might see that as a slap to the face.
Well, then Tom there are allegations out their that you use the code enforcement as your own personal tool going after political candidates.
Well, then Tom, what about that $1,900,000 it cost the city of Hammond to move the city's health care plan to a firm reportedly owned by McDermott Sr and then back to the city?
Well, Tom talk about stench, 9 years of Festival of the Lakes, over 100,000 people attending, with five people in a car, some where near $200,000 of parking fees seem to have disappeared each year.
Tom, it seems like one of your appointee's has a difficult time accounting for how money in Hammond is spent and the State Board of Accounts talked about the poor accounting of those pass thru dollars.
Well, Tom, a State Audit surfaced concern that contracts, awarded by the city, using Federal money, the contractors are not paying union wage to their employees, but very well may be charging union wages in the contracts.
And then we have the question, why is convicted felon Dave Johnson's company allowed to do business in Hammond? Does he have some leverage over Tom?
These were just a few of the where did the money go that came to mind. there are a couple of other dozen I don't have time for, so tom pigs are flying in your own administration.
WEEEEEEEEE!
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