I consider HB1604 to be a terrible attack on the taxpayers on Indiana.  The very thought that the CIB cannot be self sustaining with the tremendous amounts of revenue generated by the sports arenas in Indianapolis is ludicrous.  

The fact that the Pacers try to blackmail the citizens of Indianapolis and even the rest of the state by threatening to go bankrupt is plain wrong.  How much longer must we be fleeced to fill the pockets of the Simons?  The Simons bought the Pacers for $11 million 25 years ago and today it is worth $303 million.  They claim they lost $30 million last year and claim they have been losing millions for 23 years.  How can this be possible if they have grown in value so much?

The CIB claims a $47 million dollar shortfall in their budget, but they can work that down to $27 million if the Pacers and Colts kick in $5 million each, and the CIB cuts 10 million from its own budget.

If the Pacers have lost so much money how can they afford to pay $5 million?  

The simple fact is this bailout is not for the CIB.  This money is intended to go to the Pacers franchise, which means straight into the pockets of the billionaire Simons’.  This is a flagrant misuse of our money, and I and many others are strongly opposed to it.

I am not an alcohol drinker, but that does not make it right for alcohol to be taxed so that private business owners can become wealthier.  This is the United States of America, home of the free enterprise system.  We are a nation of capitalists.  In such an environment, if a business cannot be managed in such a way as to be profitable it will wither and die.  If the Pacers are truly so bad off, then we need to let free enterprise run its course.

But we all know they are not in dire straits at all.  

The mayor of Indianapolis said this is about jobs.  We all know that isn’t true.

Please vote NO to HB1604.  Please do not allow this travesty.

Thank you.

Sincerely, 


John Evans, Voting taxpayer from Peru, Indiana