... of public dollars and media self appraisal in today’s post. Where the dollars go - or are likely to - and media questioning of those decisions. Or the failure to do so.
With all the hullabaloo about Amazon and what it might mean to the area, we are reminded in the media that, as far as public officials are concerned, it’s none of our damned business as to what albatross may be hung around the neck of the taxpayer. So far, we have not seen any suggestion that said media is prepared to question that stance.
All of which connects to today’s column by Mr. Tully in this morning’s paper. He has interviewed a few high school journalists on their opinion about a recent movie idolizing a newspaper on its responsibility to the reader.
One of the students makes an extremely important point, to wit: " ‘The most important message in 'The Post’ (the movie)' she said, ‘is that media outlets must be willing to challenge those in power, even if that makes them unpopular.’" (Our emphasis.) Tully blew right on by that one without comment.
For decades this city has had financial policies which ignore, except for talk, so-called structural financial problems, leaving it unable to handle adequately some ordinary municipal functions. To the best of our recollection, neither Tully nor his employers have challenged city "leadership" - political or otherwise - about the decades long refusal to review continuing "old" spending before looking at "new" taxes. In virtually all cases, media have strongly supported that approach.
As a horrible example, we will, once again, raise a question which we have never seen addressed in the media. When the RCA Dome was destroyed to be replaced by Lucas Oil Stadium, it was reported in the same media that nothing had ever been paid toward the debt on the newly razed stadium.
It has, as far as we know, never been questioned as to the disappearance of twenty four years of revenue from the Food and Beverage Tax which was enacted for the specific purpose of funding that project. Why not? (Is it fair to wonder about payments on the current stadium debt?)
So long as the present situation continues without responsible reaction, we find it somewhat inappropriate for local media to assume a mantle of righteousness based on acceptance of responsibility to its readers, as that responsibility is properly stated by a senior high school "journalist."
And to get back to Amazon for a moment, we wonder whether inclusion in the final 20 is at least partly based on Amazon's recognition of Indianapolis's policy of generosity with taxpayer dollars toward corporate welfare.