Ballard breaks another campaign promise

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 10, 2008

Ballard breaks another campaign promise

Mayor increases pay for top staffers

INDIANAPOLIS - Back when he was a candidate, Greg Ballard made the following promise to Indianapolis voters on his campaign website:

"Once my administration is in place (with fewer deputy mayors, assistant mayors, deputy assistant mayors, etc.), I will institute a hiring freeze until we have the budget under control. The current administration uses hiring for high-level positions as favors or paybacks. I don't have any political cronies, nor do I have an organization to which I am indebted. I will just hire the right people for the right job. All of my hires will be with the understanding that we work for the citizens of Indianapolis, and not to protect our own power or that of any organization."

The Indianapolis Star reported over the weekend that the average pay among those in Ballard's inner circle has increased 8 percent - a total of $90,000 - from the prior administration.

"This isn't the first campaign promise Greg Ballard has broken, and it won't be the last," said Indiana Democratic Party Chair Dan Parker. "He pulled the wool over voters' eyes, and now we're all paying for it."

Parker pointed out that many of the people Ballard has hired are longtime political operatives, and several of them have no experience in the areas they were hired to oversee. Parker called on Ballard to immediately reduce the salaries of his top aides to be in line with or below comparable positions in the prior administration.

"There's a reason it's called public service, and it's not because you're supposed to get rich doing it," Parker said.

A look at Greg Ballard's other broken promises:

Replacing his pledge to push for the end of property races with support for Gov. Mitch Daniels' property tax plan:

"'I wholeheartedly support eliminating property taxes in Indiana and replacing them with a mix of income, corporate and sales taxes.'"

- Greg Ballard, Indianapolis Star, October 27, 2007

"Indianapolis Mayor-elect Greg Ballard said during the campaign that he would like to see property taxes eliminated. But he acknowledged this week that such a move doesn't appear doable. He now speaks favorably of the governor's plan."

- Indianapolis Star editorial board, November 17, 2007

Violating his own ethics rules by appointing, Bob Grand, one of the city's most influential Republican lobbyists, to head up the powerful Capital Improvement Board, which finances and manages Lucas Oil Stadium, Conseco Fieldhouse and other local capital improvements.

""Local government has far too many independent boards and commissions with the authority to raise taxes and spend taxpayer funds. But what's worse is there are too few requirements keeping influence peddlers from sitting on such boards."

- "Ballard Proposes Ethics Reform", August 23, 2007

"'Bob said he wouldn't do it if it embarrassed us,' Ballard said. ‘But we want top talent.'"

- Greg Ballard, Indianapolis Star, February 2, 2008, explaining his willingness to make an exception allowing Grand to chair the CIB despite his campaign promise

Hiring the same number of top-level, high-paid advisers (two deputy mayors and a chief of staff) as his predecessor and creating at least one new position, a Director of Marketing, within the Mayor's Office:

"Once my administration is in place (with fewer deputy mayors, assistant mayors, deputy assistant mayors, etc.), I will institute a hiring freeze until we have the budget under control."

- www.ballardformayor.com, November 11, 2007

"Just wanted to let you all know of additions we've made to our communications staff.

"Jessica Higdon - Deputy Press Secretary; Jessica served as the Press Secretary for the Indiana State Republican Party

"Jen Fanger - Director of Marketing; Jen previously served as Communications Director for Secretary of State Todd Rokita.

"Lacey Everett - Press Assistant; Lacey served as Communications Assistant at the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration"

- Marcus Barlow, Press Secretary, "COMMUNICATIONS STAFF ADDITIONS", January 25, 2008

Hiring a number of well connected insiders to run City Hall despite promising that his would be an administration staffed by the people, for the people:

"The current administration uses hiring for high-level positions as favors or paybacks. I don't have any political cronies, nor do I have an organization to which I am indebted. I will just hire the right people for the right job. All of my hires will be with the understanding that we work for the citizens of Indianapolis, and not to protect our own power or that of any organization."

- www.ballardformayor.com, November 11, 2007

Ballard's top appointments include:

- Former Marion County Prosecutor Scott Newman (Public Safety Director)

- Former Marion County Clerk Sarah Taylor (Constituent Services Director)

- Former U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Randall Tobias (Indianapolis Airport Authority Board)

- Bob Grand, managing partner, Barnes & Thornburg (Capital Improvement Board)

- Nick Weber, former aide to U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar and former Mayor Steve Goldsmith (Deputy Mayor)

- Jen Fanger, former press secretary to Secretary of State Todd Rokita (Director of Marketing)

- Marcus Barlow, press secretary for Indiana Family & Social Services Administration (Press Secretary)

- Chris Cotterill, general counsel for Indiana Office of Technology (Corporation Counsel)


For more information: Jennifer Wagner, 317-231-7125 or 317-752-6497

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Paid for and authorized by the Indiana Democratic Party, Daniel J. Parker, Chair.

This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.