Northwest Indiana Discussion

We are in total agreement about Dan Klein.

However, I reviewed Dave Uran's campaign contributions for 2009 which was not an election year. He raised about $100,000 largely from Crown Point city contractors. This seems to me similar to what Pastrick, Pabey, Scott King, and Rudy Clay do.

It is not what Sue Landske, Larry Blanchard, Elden Strong, Mark Schweitzer or the Center Township Boad members do. It is not what Jim Forsythe, Dick Collins, Jim Conlon, Jack Kemp, etc used to do.

I believe that pay-to play politics and kickbacks are preventing companies from coming to Northwest Indiana. There are plenty of locations that are fighting for companies that don't require kick-backs and pay-to play practices.

I have followed the Plasmatronics debacle closely which involves both the Klein Administration and the Uran administration. Klein loaned $380,000 to Plasmatronics under very questionable circumstances which the newspapers report are under FBI/grand jury investigation. Uran has already spent over $250,000 (Clerk-Treasurer Olson’s figures) on lawyers, who, according to his campaign contribution report for 2009, contribute to Uran's warchest.

I believe these practices of Uran, Pabey, Pastrick, Scott King and Rudy Clay are damaging the Northwest Indiana economy and preventing economic growth.

That is totally incorrect.

Uran filed suit in June, 2008 against Plasmatronics. By December, 2008, Uran and his attorneys through the discovery process had Plasmatronics bank statements and cancelled checks.

In an additional lawsuit filed in December, 2008 against Moress LLC, the owner of the Plasmatronics building, Uran and his lawyers alleged in their sworn complaint that Plasmatronics spent $255,000 on the buildout of the Plasmatronics building.

However, Uran, Keith Stevens and city attorney Dave Nicholls went into the Plasmatronics building in April, 2008 right after Plasmatronics left and saw that there was minimal buildout. They appear to have made a misstatement under oath when they alleged $255,000 was spent on the buildout.

They should have called in the criminal authorities as soon as they saw the city's money was gone and there was no collateral. Furthermore, the money had not gone where the claims filed with Clerk-Treasurer Patti Olson stated (Times, February 25, 2009).

Instead, they ran up $250,000 to $300,000 in legal fees for their lawyers and the tab is still mounting. In my opinion, and the authorities' opinion, that is improper.

It appears that for their $250,000 to $300,000 in legal fees, they will recover just $10,000 ($3,000 from Plasmatronics and $7,000 from Moress LLC) - And none of the original $380,000 loan.

The days of honesty and integrity, and economic growth, can return to Crown Point if we clean out the questionable practices of the current administration.

As an example, Uran's policies on economic development are troubling.

1. His attempt to push through a 500 unit housing development that was alleged to be the project of a close friend and supporter ran into a buzzsaw of public opposition and was withdrawn.

2. Bo Jackson appears to be a rerun of Plasmatronics in that:
A) Greg Guerrettaz and his FSG Corp. are the prime financial advisers on the Bo Jackson project. Greg Guerrittaz did the due dilligence review of the Plasmatronics loan. I have read Guerrettaz' due dilligence review of the Plasmatronics project which runs 1.5 pages and felt it was not top quality work. B) Both Plasmatronics and Bo Jackson are billed as private/public partnerships, but no private investors want or wanted to put money into either, C) Both the Bo Jackson and Plasmatronics projects read like scams, D) Both Plasmatronics and Bo Jackson have a high probability of costing the taxpayers a great deal of money, while the public officials and their lawyers and consultants seem assured of making out like bandits.

Those practices seem similar to the practices of Pastrick, Pabey, Scott King and Rudy Clay.

And most importantly not a member of your favorite party.

I'm opposed to political corruption.

It is true that most or all of the Lake County politicians in the last 50 years that have gone to prison have been Democrats.

Center Township has been Republican for the past 50 years and there has never been a charge of corruption. Politicians such as Glen Corbin, Red Witten, Lou Ferrero or Eldon Strong have been above reproach.

But that is not true of Uran, Pastrick, Pabey, Scott King, Rudy Clay, Carol Ann Seaton, Frankie Kolintzas, etc.

However, the question that was being discussed was Uran's inability to bring credible economic development to Crown Point, while other parts of Indiana, like Tipton, are experiencing exceptional economic growth. Like Uran, Mayors Pabey and Rudy Clay have not brought major economic development to Lake County.

If Uran doesn't want to grouped with pay-to-play politicians, he shouldn't engage in pay-to-play politics.

You know the old saying: If you lie down with dogs, you're likely to get up covered with dog poop.

If Hank Adams can beat Carol Ann Seaton, can Lake County's other dishonest Politicians be far behind.

Elden Strong was reelected Center Township Trustee. Brian Bodamer, Bub Wise and Kate Webster were elected to the Township Board. They are all Republicans. Center Township will continue to be run efficiently and honestly as it has for over 50 years.

Carol Ann Seaton is the symbol of Lake County Democrat corruption.

Good to see Center Township didn't fall for Randy Palmateer. As i stated once before on this board. It seems like the only purpose of his do nothing union official job is to get drunk with Democrat elected officials!