Sam Talarico

Earlier today I posted this post:

The News Sentinel ran a GREAT editorial today. Please read it:

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/fortwayne/16794298.htm

OK, so it may not be great; however, it is mine...

I will be generating a list of questions to ask the City about the financing. What would you like for me to ask?

Mike Sylvester

Our current Republican City Councilman, Sam Talarico Jr, has this to say:
NOTE, Sam Talarico sent me an email from his law office email account and verified that he did in fact post this comment!
(Mikes comments are in red following Sam's)

Mike,

I fully support your right to review all of the numbers with the Richard Administration.
Thank goodness...

All citizens should get their questions answered whether it be in public meetings like the one on March 8th or in invidual meetings.
We certainly agree on this one. Does it disturb you that our Mayor could not answer any of the three questions I asked him about the financing for this project Sam?

I am trying to figure out, however, what expertise you have to be the "community analyzer" of all the finance issues relating to this project. The fact that you are a tax accountant does not make you an expert on all aspects of development and municipal financing. It seems a little over-reaching for you to be holding yourself out as the community's auditor.
Sam you are showing more then a little arrogance with this comment. I have NEVER held myself out to be an expert on Governmental financing. I am an accountant, a small business owner, and a taxpayer. I am also a journeyman electrician, spent six years as an electronic technician, and four years as the Maintenance Manager at a local factory. I may be looking at this project from a different perspective then you do. I think I am qualified to look at a Financial Plan and determine if it makes sense...

In your opinion are ANY of the current City Councilman who will vote on this project qualified to vote on the project?

Surely if you think that I am not qualified to ask basic questions about the project you might think that some of our nine current City Councilman may be even less qualified then I to analyze the project AND then to vote on it?

I read a GREAT letter to the editor in the newspaper from local business owner Tom Current supporting the project. The Currents grew up right around the corner from me in Walden. Do you think he was qualified to write the letter to the editor he wrote in support of the project?

Are any of the business owners in Fort Wayne qualified to look at the plan?

Is the only person qualified to look at the plan a Governmental Finance specialist?

I do however, hope that the Richard Administration sets down with you and other citizens to answer questions whether it be in individual meetings or further group meetings like the one on March 8th.Sam T.
Me to...

I have to say that I find Sam's comment to be fairly typical of many politicians and elected officials. They seem to think that we need to be taken care of and are not competent enough to understand what is best for us.

Sam please feel free to come to the meeting and explain anything to me that I am too feeble to comprehend... I am sure that as a City Councilman you will be able to hold my hand and help me understand the complexities of Governmental financing that apparently the general population is to un-educated to understand...

I need to stop posting or I am going to go on a rant and say some very un-charitable things...

Mike Sylvester