There are two forums next week leading up to the Nov. 6 Election Day.
On Monday, Democratic candidates running for Wayne Township positions will host a meet-and-greet at the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce in Warsaw. Trustee candidate Shari Benyousky and her fellow Dem candidates for township board, Jim Falkiner, Laura Deal-Decker and Lori Roe, invited their Republican counterparts, (trustee candidate Jeanie Stackhouse and board candidates Gordon Nash, Josh Spangle and Bruce Woodward), but GOP County Chair Mike Ragan declined.
Start time is 7 p.m.
Candidates for Warsaw School Board were also invited. Those taking up the offer include Wendy Fairchild and Michael Coon.
On Tuesday, those two school board candidates - along with Keith Manuel – will participate in a forum at Warsaw Community High School Performing Arts Center. A meet-and-greet starts at 6:30 and the forum starts at 7 p.m.
Tuesday’s event is sponsored by the chamber and the Times-Union.
CONCERTED EFFORT – Local Democrats are making a concerted final push before Election Day. A strong fundraising effort in the final months has allowed the party more opportunities to get their word out.
Among the marketing efforts: a new website for Wayne Township trustee candidate Shari Benyousky, (bfortrustee.com); radio ads for Tippecanoe Township trustee candidate Rebecca Burton on WRSW and Willie 103.5; a digital ad for county commissioner candidate Todd Weingart; and a mailer that will go to nearly 20,000 homes in Wayne, Tippecanoe, Turkey Creek and Plain townships.
“Our fundraising has been strong this year. Local Democrats have been very generous because they believe in our candidates,” said Kosciusko County Democrat Chair Brian Smith.
FUNDRAISING UPDATE – The following is an update on congressional fundraising for two area congressional districts.
In the 3rd District, Democratic challenger Courtney Tritch outraised Republican incumbent Jim Banks in the most recent Federal Election Commission reporting period through Oct. 17.
Tritch reported $85,243.23 in contributions, while Banks reported $19,056.13.
The Tritch campaign pointed out the latest report is the fourth time Tritch has outraised Banks in the current election cycle. While Banks received 71 percent of his funding from PACs, 99 percent of Tritch’s total contributions in the most recent period came from individuals, her campaign said in a news release issued Thursday.
The Tritch campaign has raised $830,000 in the current election cycle. Banks has raised $903,042.
According to opensecrets.org, the amount of money raised between the main candidates in the 2nd District totals more than $5 million.
Republican incumbent Jackie Walorski has raised $2,565,239 while Democrat challenger Mel Hall has raised $3,013,274. Hall has self-funded much of his campaign, while Walorski has relied heavily on PAC money.
Walorski is not self-funding any of her campaign. About $1.5 million (59 percent) comes from PAC money.
Hall has accepted very little PAC money and has self-funded $2.1 million, which is 70.4 percent of his war chest, according to open
secrets.org.
RATE HIKE DEBATE – It appears the debate over a second rate hike for sewer bills will take center stage Nov. 5 at the Warsaw City Council meeting.
Landlord Chad Zartman and his supporters are once again expected to oppose the rate hike, even though they got concessions in favor of renters as part of the first rate hike last year.
At the same time, the folks at Warsaw Community Facebook page report that representatives of Indiana Apartment Association and others have filed a public records request seeking details of the rate request breakdown ahead of the Nov. 5 meeting.
According to their post, Mayor Joe Thallemer declined their request, saying the information was still just a “draft” version.
OUTLINE OF PROGRESS – If you visit Center Lake Park in Warsaw, you can get a good idea of how the future Buffalo Street development is shaping up. A new road that connects Indiana and Buffalo streets was recently paved and encircles the city parks office.
The development will be a mix of commercial and residential. The parks office will likely soon be moved to temporary headquarters until a permanent home is found.
BSU POLL – A poll by Old National Bank and Ball State University points out that not many Hoosiers are impressed with Sens. Joe Donnelly and Todd Young.
In the telephone survey of 604 adult Hoosiers, about 35 percent of respondents approve of Donnelly’s work, while Young is at 31 percent. Donnelly’s disapproval rating is 14 percent higher than Young’s, the report said.
A high number of Hoosiers have no opinion of either senator: Donnelly at 30 percent and Young at 45 percent, the survey also found.
