One Southern Indiana already has two public school systems, two colleges, four local governments, six banks, and the phone and electric companies represented on their board.
Rather than fostering inclusive, informed debate about the future of regional development from the grassroots up, however, they've fabricated a top down model, insinuating that their suggested course(s) of action are inevitable while providing little public explanation as to why their particular ideological choices are more (or less) beneficial to the region than any possible alternatives. They've yet to openly admit that plausible alternatives even exist.
If they're allowed to continue unchallenged, amassing consequential levels of financial and political support from a roster of executives with an inherent self-interest in protecting their own respective positions, 1SI could easily develop the power to dominate individual local governments, thereby lessening the degree to which public input matters and creating a situation in which our region's future would be decided by the appointed members of a private organization rather than elected public representatives.
Regardless of their intentions, that's dangerous.
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11 comments:
Have any of us attempted to get on their board to maybe provide some balance to the equation or are those doors slammed shut?
Good luck!
Your comment
If they're allowed to continue unchallenged, amassing consequential levels of financial and political support from a roster of executives with an inherent self-interest in protecting their own respective positions, 1SI could easily develop the power to dominate individual local governments, thereby lessening the degree to which public input matters and creating a situation in which our region's future would be decided by the appointed members of a private organization rather than elected public representatives.
is really unsubstantiated. I know many of these people personally and professionally and they are not closed-minded individuals. There is a lot of time and energy put forth on their part.
If you want to facilitate change, make it known you would like to be considered for a position.
Get involved in the organization. Change typically occurs within just as in our flawed two-party political system.
you are right on target on this one Roger. One Southern Indiana is a bunch of modern day arch conservative fuedal overlords who consistently fight to keep the $8.00 an hour serfs at the local industrial plants down by opposing the creation of high paying, technolgy based jobs and by refusing to invest in or encourage workforce development thereby retraining New Albany's working class, yet they also lobby for tax abatements for their important members draining tax revenue from a fiscally poor city, they have the audacity to seek $90,000 from the city to fund their inept economic development efforts and they openly oppose environmental stewardship and advocate irresponsible development and now they have crossed the line by becoming affiliated with the religious right.
I was vice president of the southern indiana chamber of commerce in 1988 and am sad to witness that this new chamber has degenerated to this arm of the wealthy and politically powerful while blatantly ignoring its true mission.
I would hope that the incoming city council will hold this group more accountable and reject their obvious attempt to create an income gap similar to what George Bush has done on the national scale.
We need to take control of our own destiny by helping our existing industries expand, retool for the information technology and global marketplace and most importantly invest in workforce development so we can finally begin breaking the yolk of economic feudalism that permeates New Albany.
Tim Deatrick
I know many of these people and they are not all open minded. They are getting people appointed into every nook and cranny in the area. The reason is that they cannot get their people elected into public office in Clark or Floyd Counties so they are sneaking in the back door to get the power. EXAMPLE, Debbie Farmer is head of DNA. When it came up that the council was thinking about giving the money to DNA or dividing it between them and OSI they approached her. She is now a member of OSI as well. A council member approached her about accepting 25k from the council and SHE TURNED THEM DOWN-- and said wait until next year! They got to her. This is why they want to consolidate floyd county gov and NA city gov. and eventually merge clark and floyd counties---less for them to deal with. This is a mostly Republican organization that takes monies and actively supports candidates. They have asked the NA city council to increase their donation over 850%. I can not imagine the council doing this. If you support Daniels, Sodrel and Bush--donate. Understand, I have some good friends in this organization, they are to be watched carefully.
HB--dennis brooks and kerry stemler are open-minded--right.
"They got to her."
KT, you're stretching quite a bit here. The "Debbie Farmer" conspiracy theory here isn't one of your finest moments.
You gotta love conspiracy theories.
The likelihood of changing the mindset of this tribal democratic mentality in floyd county is unlikely as the recent election showed.
Business leaders who have invested and continue to invest in the community need to look at other avenues to make change and this is one that could work.
If we could get better qualified people elected, organizations like this wouldn't be needed.
I'd like to see examples of where this organization has been modern day arch conservative fuedal overlords who consistently fight to keep the $8.00 an hour serfs at the local industrial plants down by opposing the creation of high paying, technolgy based jobs and by refusing to invest in or encourage workforce development thereby retraining New Albany's working class
While I, too, question the validity of some of Tim and KT's assertions, I think the overall tone of their writing expresses something that's apparent to many in the community:
To wit, that while 1SI claims to speak for the region and asks for tax dollars to do so, what they tout as "one vision" has little if anything to do with what many in the community want. Their public advocacy, in fact, has often centered around exactly what we don't want.
Further, given the number of contradictory messages they've put forth thus far, it's not at all clear if they know what they want or if they're willing to at least accept responsibility for it. To see a group so factually and conceptually challenged presume to speak with such authority for the region is cause for concern.
I'm a bit perplexed by HB's position, however. Yesterday, when I warned that too much power could make 1SI a threat to local elected representation, he said there was nothing to substantiate such a claim. I'd argue that the past 50 years of U.S. history provide more than enough evidence, but so be it.
Today, he tells us that if we had better people in office, 1SI wouldn't be necessary. His partisan shot aside, there seems to be an implication thereabouts that a part of 1SI's mission is to somehow overcome those locally elected representatives.
What gives?
If you want to change the democratic party, you need to be a part of the party. The same with the republican party.
But if you have no chance of undoing the tribal mentality of voters and you need to move things forward in your community, than advocacy groups like this can put outside pressure on those elected individuals.
I am comfortable with the basic platform and mindset of the republican party and don't believe it needs substantial change, but the odds of getting a majority of republicans elected in Floyd County is unlikely to occur in my lifetime.
If you believe 1SI needs substantial change within its basic tenets, then you need to become a part of the organization. It is the easiest way to make a change
HB wrote:
"But if you have no chance of undoing the tribal mentality of voters and you need to move things forward in your community, than advocacy groups like this can put outside pressure on those elected individuals."
I don't think a comment is even necessary.
maybe the city council should deny the upcoming renewal of the city's membership in 1si, I believe its $1000 based on their dues schedule
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