The art of redistributive campaign finance: 1st class passengers in the Gravy Train kick the juice right back to Jeff Gahan.

Cartoon credit is in the cartoon.

You likely won't see either mainstream party or their candidates address it but a politician receiving significant campaign contributions from companies who are awarded large public contracts is an obvious conflict of interest, ethically stunted if not outright graft -- Bluegill

If you're still wondering why street grid reform is taking so long, or why rental property registrations once again are being swept under the rug -- by folks who fancy themselves as Democrats, no less -- then sharpen Occam's Razor, put civic affairs into proper focus ... and follow the money.

If it cannot be readily monetized into campaign finance, as with a walkable city, then it isn't a priority. Conversely, if campaign finance is monetized from it, as with slumlord empowerment, it must be left as is.

ON THE AVENUES: It's just like when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor.

ON THE AVENUES SPECIAL EDITION: Adam's rib tips.

Over a period of years, Mayor Gahan consistently has bypassed the elected city council to spend millions on plaque-ready infrastructure projects approved by appointed boards, primarily the Redevelopment Commission* -- upon which his DemoDisneyDixiecratic Party chairman (and de facto campaign chief) sits.

Many millions of dollars have been spent, and subsequently, many thousands of dollars have found their way from design, engineering and construction beneficiaries, straight into the mayor's re-election fund. After all, when you're planning future political careers, nationally recognized telephone voter contact services don't come cheap**.

The mayoral hologram now is booted up (thanks to Walt Disney Animation Studios, the stress and strain of unscripted public appearances is kept to a bare minimum), and we're told that fat cats, big wheels and special interests needn't be the exclusive domain of tried and true practitioners like Kerry Stemler.

“I think it shows we have some broad support from a lot of local firms as well some firms that have helped us in the various projects that we’ve begun and will soon be completing,” (Gahan) he said.

“Generally speaking, I feel like we’re equipped and we’re prepared to begin our campaign, and go out and talk to people about how promising a future New Albany has.”

But if holograms are good enough for Jeff Gahan, surely George Orwell can be reanimated, too. We need him here to help explain concepts like bellyfeel, duckspeak and minitrue, which are alive and well in New Albany's DemoDisneyDixiecratic hermetic state.

Gahan holds campaign funding lead in New Albany Dem mayoral race, by Daniel Suddeath (News and Tribune)

NEW ALBANY — Incumbent Jeff Gahan held a sizable fundraising advantage at the end of 2014 over challenger David White in the race for the Democratic nod for New Albany mayor.

The Committee to Elect Gahan — who is seeking his second term after being elected in 2011 — had more than $89,000 on-hand at the end of 2014, according to an annual fundraising report filed in January. Gahan entered last year with about $36,000 on-hand, and raised about $58,000 in 2014 for his re-election campaign ...

... White’s fundraising campaign differed from Gahan’s in that most of his contributions came from individual donors. Some of Gahan’s biggest contributions came from Political Action Committees, engineering firms and contractors.

Wayne Estopinal, owner of The Estopinal Group, gave Gahan’s committee $4,000 last year. Jorge Lanz, co-owner of Jacobi, Toombs and Lanz pitched-in $5,000 in 2014 to Gahan’s election campaign, and Clark Dietz Inc. donated $2,000.

Each of the three companies have held various contracts with the city in recent years for professional services. Multiple other companies that have received city funds for services also contributed to Gahan’s campaign last year.

Three Indianapolis PACs — Frost Brown PAC, Citizens for Excellence in Government and CD PAC — donated $8,500 to Gahan’s campaign in 2014.

Are you disgusted yet?

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* From the city's web site:

New Albany Redevelopment Commission

Irving Joshua, President
Adam Dickey, Vice-President
Edward Hancock, Secretary
Dan Coffey
John Gonder

Mr. Dickey, Mr. Hancock and Mr. Joshua were appointed by Mayor Jeff Gahan; Mr. Coffey and Mr. Gonder were appointed by Common Council.

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** The client list at InFocus Campaigns includes relatively few mayors and council persons, most of whom are from cities like Los Angeles, San Antonio and Houston. One client is from New Albany, Indiana. You get three guesses who ... and the first two don't count.

InFocus Campaigns is dedicated to delivering the highest quality telephone voter contact service for Democratic, progressive and non-partisan clients. Since our founding in 2011, InFocus Campaigns has worked for over one hundred clients in thirty states in the U.S., and for international clients in the U.K. and Canada.