Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 24 December 2004 — Page 2
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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2004
KERNAN >■ Continued from Paqo 1 map out his future plans. “I have been focusing my responsibilities on the transition,” Kernan told The Recorder. “Both Maggie (his wife) and I have not really focused on what we are going to do next We will once we get back home.” Before the death of the late former Gov. Frank O’Bannon, then Lt Gov. Kernan announced that he would not run for the high - est position in state government. Upon O’Bannon’s death, Kernan became governor and that decision changed. In respectofKeman’s decision, Vi Simpson and Joe Andrew, the Democratic candidates running for governor both stepped down, as Kernan progressed with his campaign. The short-lived tenure as governor soon came to an end but Kernan says he is not feeling sorry for himself. a I had hoped to have the opportunity to be able to serve in this role,” Kernan said. ‘That is
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the governor’s mansion, Kernan member him by understanding has created memories among that “I did the best that I could many fellow Hoosiers, many of and that I have had an extraordiwhich are, saddened to see him nary honor of serving as governor go. But in the midst of all the and lieutenant governor in this memories, Kernan says that he great state.” would like all Hoosiers to reWhat wiD you remember about Gov. Kernans tenure?
the result of not winning, that it’s not going to happen. While there was disappointment it is all of what you make it. I don’t dwell on what could have been instead looking forward.” Just before the Nov. 2 election, Lt. Gov. Kathy Davis made public the state’s reorganization plan, including combined departments and an addition of a cabinet for the governor’s lead positions. The reorganization plan was heavily supported by Kernan and he says it’s certainly up to Gov.-elect Daniels to decide if he will do anything with the plan. “I believe that they have been impressed with the work that Lt. Gov. Davis has done. Some of that work will help as they are making decisions going forward,” Kernan said. Since the transition, Kernan’s staff has forecasted a bright economic future for the state - a change that he is pleased to see and hopes will continue to grow. The latest forecast predicted a 6.5 percent revenue growth in 2005 and a 3.8 percent increase in 2006. “I hope that this will help the next administration and something that the General Assembly can work through. There are some very significant challenges that they will face when everyone gets here in January,” Kernan stated. Despite his short-lived stay at
“He w as an honest and hardworking man. He cared about people and was very committed to diversity - his appointment of the first lady Lt Gov. Kathy Davis and his appointment of David Lewis as clerk of courts. He was committed to what I call our flower, our children. He is a great friend.” -Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson “Gov. Kerman has been a great leader when it was time to step forward. While working with him over the last 14 months, he has been extremely focused on the well being of others. He knows how to take action and move things forward. I am very impressed with his leadership and guidance.” -Lt Gov. Kathy Davis
“ The most outstanding memory that 1 will have of Gov. Kernan was his outstanding manor in the transition after the shocking death of the late Gov. Frank O’Bannon. We were all shocked and I am sure that Gov. Kernan was shocked even more so. But he handled the transition so smoothly and effortless. I believe that will be one of Gov. Keman’s greatest legacies.” -Mayor Bart Peterson “He is an extremely thoughtful person and had a good solid vision. He had an ability to bring people together and to cross party lines to ensure the success of the state.” -City County Council President Rozelle Boyd
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National officer
Virginia Mason (right) puts a corsage on Linda Cofer, newly elected national vice president of Gamma Phi Delta Sorority. (Photo/C. Guynn)
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► Continued from Page 1 retractable roof,wiD be the newhome of the Indianapolis Colts, as well as various NCAA sporting events, including the Final Four men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. The project not only ensures the Colts and NCAA events to be mainstays for decades to come, the project will reportedly bring in an estimated 4,200permanent jobs and $2.25 billion into the local economy. “We’ve been working very hard for many months now for economic developmentfundingfor Indianapolis, Central Indiana and the entire state,” Peterson said to an RCA Dome crowd of over 57,000. “We’ve been working to develop a new first class facility for NCAA Final Four bids for decades to come. We’ve been working to develop a plan for a facility to expand our great Convention Center. And the final piece to the puzzle, we’ve been workingtoward an agreement that will keep the Indianapolis Colts in Indiana.” As part of the new economic development project, the city and the Colts have agreed to keep the NFL franchise in Indianapolis for another 30 years, with an option for three additional years. The Colts current lease agreement ran through 2013 and, prior to the announcement, speculation of the Colts future in Indianapolis was rampant City officials say the agreement will result not only in additional jobs but an additional $104 million in economic benefit A new facility also gives the city of Indianapolis anopportunitytobid to host the Super Bowl, arguably the nation’s most popular sportingevent Ironically, the announcement — BAYH ► Continued from Page 1
cameduringtheColts match up with the Baltimore Ravens, the team that currently resides wheretheColtsonce called home. Where the Convention Center is concerned, the mayor said the expansion is sorely needed in order to continue to lure national events and revenues to the city. With a winning franchise having a record-setting year, Peterson obviously had little trouble convincing those in attendance of the benefit to Hoosiers statewide. But with an estimated price tag of $800 million, Petersonandthecityhavemuchwork to do in order to assure the project takes place. Peterson pledged the project will be financed without raising property, sales or income taxes; however, the city has proposed various hospitality tax increases and the introduction of slot machines into Marion County to pay for the Convention Center expansion and new stadium. Specifically, consumers wiD help pay for the new facilities through hikes in hotel taxes and admissions taxes for the city’s other venues such as Conseco Fieldhouse and Victory Field. The Colts and the NFL have also agreed toprovidean additional $100 miUion to the new project StiD veiy much a work in progress, the project in its current form must now meet the demands of the Indiana General Assembly, who must decide on the tax increases and gambling enhancements. In the meantime, Colts fans must wait on resolution, whDe watching their team and itsfranchisequarterbackkeeplndianapolls on the sports map.
Saddam Hussein’s government fell in April 2003. Bayh said it was unwise to send home all career Iraqi military personnel, even with the rank of major and lower, and dismiss nearly every bureaucrat affiliated with the Baath Party, which had ruled Iraq since 1968 (even if they were not close to Saddam or participated in brutalities). “We basically told them they have no place in the new Iraq,” Bayh said. “And after two years of unemployment and having no future many of them have decided to go against us and join the insurgency. Many lives are being lost, and that’s unfortunate.” The senator, who was re-elected to a second term last month, also echoed the disappointment of an increasing number of officials who believe the number of U.S. forces in Iraq was too low from the beginning. Low troop strength, they say, has opened the door to an environment of lawlessness that the U.S. and Iraqi military are still tryingto control today. “The strength of a potential insurgency was underestimated from the beginning, and that violates a basic principle tenet of planning for any difficult undertaking, particularly going to war,” said Bayh. “You have to plan for the worst and hope for the best. Here they only planned for the best and as a result of that things are worse and it’s led to too many injuries and deaths that could have been avoided. Immediately after his return, Bayh stopped short of joining a group ofU.S. senators who are calling for the resignation or censure of Secretary Defense Donald Rumsfeld, one of the main architects of the war in Iraq. But during an interview with
National Public Radio Bayh replied “I do” when asked if he felt Rumsfeld should resign. “There are errors in judgment that you can look at and say, nobody’s perfect,” said Bayh. “But there are other errors in judgment you can look at and say wait a minute, they should have known that one was coming.” The senator noted that his doubts about Rumsfeld is nothing personal, saying that even senatorssuch as John McCain, R-Ariz., andTrent Lott, R-Miss., have publicly lambasted Rumsfeld and the Department of Defense for “not listening to its officers.” Rumsfeld faced criticism last week after simply replying, “You go to war with the army you have” to a soldier who expressed concern about troop readiness and armor on military vehicles. Bayh said it’s important that government officials be honest with the American people about the prognosis for success in Iraq. He noted that significant progress could he made after Iraqis choose their own government in elections on Jan. 30 and the I raqi military is prepared to provide its own security. “But I think people must understand this is not going to happen overnight,” he said. “It’s going to take more lives, time and money than any of us would like. But regardless of whether you supported the Iraqi action or not, it’s important that we stay the course until the job is done. Pulling out now or settling for failure would have disastrous consequences not only on the Middle East region, but also us in the long run if we leave and allow Iraq to become a haven for terrorists.”