Moss returns: "Tolls will set back regionalism," and that's not all.

Dale Moss has returned, and of course I'm delighted that in his first column for the News and Tribune, he gave me a shout-out -- but only because his point about the beer revolution resonated with me after a difficult week spent barely tolerating the new generation of auto-erotic narcissists.

Dale's observation about the toll-driven bridges project is repeated below. Climb the paywall to read the rest.

MOSS: Some thoughts while dreaming of a nap, by Dale Moss (N and T)

... Some days, when the nap is interrupted and lunch does more to me than for me, I do not believe I will live to see new bridges open or my Hoosiers win every basketball game they should. Other days, I believe in the future like I did that I’d always have hair and energy. I have quit believing that the Pulitzer Prize committee finally will come its senses. But I still believe my wife might give up expecting me to make the bed.

Anyway, as part of my reintroduction to you, after all those years in that other newspaper, here is some else of what I believe:

I believe we will adjust to Ohio River bridge tolls like we do to paying for 1,000 TV channels and 1 million cell telephone minutes. But the tolls will set back regionalism, will especially pinch Southern Indiana work commuters plus any business that relies on metrowide appeal. I believe that tolls should not have been an absolute must. A recent study confirms the incredible economic boost new bridges will provide. If any project is worthy of Uncle Sam playing sugar daddy, this one is.

8664: An update

In addition to news that 8664 principal and former Louisville mayoral candidate Tyler Allen is endorsing Hal Heiner in the general election, today brings an email update from JC Stites:

From today's 8664 Update email:

What's happened to 8664?

That's a good question. Basically, we've withdrawn from the bridges discussion for the time being. The good news is the oversized project looks to be taking care of itself. More about that below.

As you know, with the help of some spineless Metro Council members, Mayor Abramson supported handing the decision-making on the bridges issue over to an unelected authority. This group, conflicts and all, has made it clear that they don't care what you think - see public poll info below - and just want to "get 'er done". So, the timing for our less expensive, forward-thinking alternative needs to wait.

In what appears to be an effort to discredit possible alternatives, the Bridges Authority did say at their August 19th meeting that they planned to discuss the scaled-down, toll-free St. Louis bridges project and 8664 at a future meeting. But in their last meeting they took the opportunity to arbitrarily rule out downsizing the ORBP and failed to mention 8664 at all. We've sent numerous emails to find out if/when we might be added to their agenda, but they have not responded. After reading this email, it's probably even less likely.

Back to the good news. Louisville doesn't want to build two bridges. Whether you believe the "two bridges, one project" was a political compromise between KY and IN or a way for special interests to stop the East End Bridge, it doesn't matter. While the increasingly pathetic Courier-Journal has neglected to poll on the issue of bridges for more than a decade, cn|2 did a poll last month and the results are overwhelming and positive.

50.3% want only an East End Bridge
17.3% want only a Downtown Bridge
14.5% want both bridges
10.1% want neither
7.9% refused or don't know

View the entire poll.

So what does this all mean?

It means that Louisville's stale political and media structure got us into this mess. Five years ago, Mayor Abramson basically patted us on the head as to say "never you mind, I've got this all taken care of". Well enough of that.

We need to embrace new media outlets and hold our elected leaders accountable. No more back room deals and unwritten agreements with special interests. Whether you are a Republican, Democrat or Independent, Louisville's future depends on us to hold politicians accountable.

In conclusion, it's clear that Louisville wants to finally build the East End Bridge and move our regional economy forward. We can and will wrestle the decision making for this project away from the Bridges Authority and do the right thing. Removing I-64 from our waterfront will be a game changer, but its time has not yet come. We'll get there and we will make it happen.

Thanks for your continued support.

Ciao,

JC Stites
Co-Founder

PS Need a new 8664 decal? Shoot us an email with your mailing address.

PPS Louisville is great and getting better!

Another purely "negative" report on Thursday's Bridges Unauthority meeting.

The unelected, extra-governmental Bridges Authority held a meeting on Thursday, September 2.

The nine a.m. meeting paused after 20 minutes so that traditional local media could get derive the meat of their stories from Greater Louisville Inc. head Joe Reagan's bullet points. Public speaking time came two hours later, when the room had largely emptied of media. In most significant ways, the meeting was a venue for "equal time" only in the narrow sense of the Nurnberg Rallies.

Ed Glasscock (right) gives Louisville mayoral candidate Hal Heiner's campaign manager Joe Burgan (left) an earful about proper respect for Bridges Authority: Spotted At The Bridges Debacle Meeting.

The chief architect of Goebbelsian bridges disinformation was spotted -- Courier-Journal's David Hawpe, glad-handing to the last.

Our own Jeff "Bluegill" Gillenwater's comments were insightful, as usual. He counseled the Bridges Authority to provide "facts" in their proper context. Reagan and the others yawned; many had already left the room.

One of Reagan's bullet points was his assertion that the Bridges Authority has a "moral obligation" to address the safety element of area transport as corrected by the scope of the Bridges Project. Moral? Then how come the Kye's bar wasn't open for business? And why just light beer on tap, even if it were open? Tlak about immoral.

REWIND: Nobody listened to Eisenhower, either.

The following was originally published on November 19, 2007. Since then, some have taken to referring to my occasional cautionary utterances as alarmist. Granted, I don't always get it right but, given the region's current position vis-à-vis the Bridges Project circa 2010, I think I can live with that.

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.

Small business, regionalism, and Rep. Clere's public forum tomorrow.

Rep. Ed Clere is hosting a Small Businesses public forum tomorrow (Tuesday, August 24 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Purdue Technology Center, 3000 Technology Avenue, Suite N2225, Conference Room, New Albany, IN 47150.

According to the material I received, "This forum will be geared toward small businesses in New Albany and its surrounding metropolitan area ... small business owners and those interested in starting a new business are encouraged to attend the public forum. They will be given the opportunity to discuss issues concerning the process of starting or growing a business ... some of the discussion items include: Strategic Planning, Market Research and (understanding) Financial Reports ... Rep. Clere and members from the local and state offices of Indiana Small Business Development Center will be available to answer questions and address any concerns."

Sounds interesting. I'm not sure I can attend owing to a prior commitment, and so if anyone reading makes it, can you please ask this question of the experts in attendance:

"As a small business owner, what should I do when an appointed (not elected) extra-governmental agency establishes tolls for Ohio River bridges, thus discouraging a significant number of patrons to come to Indiana?"

Thanks.