City officials at loggerheads over anti-blight funding - Evansville Courier & Press
EVANSVILLE - Neither side in the dispute over paying for a war on housing blight in Evansville will relent, meaning the initiative could die in 2016 budget negotiations. Republican Mayor Lloyd Winnecke said last week that newly available riverboat money is “the most logical funding source” for the initiative, which would kick off a $1. 7 million demolition effort to tear down nearly 2,000 dilapidated structures in... But City Council Finance Chairman Conor O’Daniel, a Democrat, insisted Winnecke shoehorn the anti-blight campaign’s $1. 5 million riverboat portion into his regular budget. The mayor’s financial officer said that would mean “going after people,” because the proposed budget is already tight. 3, the mayor could ask a new City Council for a special riverboat appropriation to fund the project. O’Daniel said such a move would be so bold as to be “almost offensive,” while Winnecke said discussion of it is premature. “I think after the council has heard from every department about all the needs of the city, they can put it in better perspective,” Winnecke said. O’Daniel said the state might take a dim view of the city trying to spend that much money in defiance of a previous City Council. Source: www.courierpress.com
