TERRE HAUTE —
Steady stewardship of any public entity in Indiana proved crucial in the past four years.
A perfect storm of difficulties for city governments struck in 2007. Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels began his push for property tax caps that year, and their eventual implementation substantially diminished funds for municipalities such as Terre Haute. Of course, the fiercest economic downturn since the Great Recession hit in December 2007. Six months later, Terre Haute suffered through its worst flood in decades. The impact of all three lingered for years.
Duke Bennett’s first term as mayor began in January 2008. Less than three years later, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce declared Terre Haute the state’s Community of the Year. To be sure, a healthy measure of that honor reflects the bold work of Bennett’s predecessor, Kevin Burke, loyal businesses, the local colleges, risk-taking industry leaders, and many others. But that distinction also was a testament to Bennett’s careful management through tight financial times, allowing the city to meet its daily demands and follow through on projects long in the making.
That performance hasn’t been “flashy,” as Bennett puts it. Yet, his steady attention to tedious, day-to-day details was valuable during rocky times.
As a result, he deserves a second term and the opportunity to more aggressively lead Terre Haute during what could be a more vibrant era.
In past mayoral elections, when the incumbent had done a good job, we consistently endorsed the re-election of those mayors. That record included the 2007 race in which Bennett became the first Republican in 40 years to win. Burke, a progressive leader but not a seasoned politician, did not deserve to lose, especially in such divisive fashion. But it happened, Bennett took office and has represented Terre Haute well. Now, it is Bennett who has earned another four years.
Voters have the ultimate decision, though, on Nov. 8. The good news is, they can’t go wrong.
The challenger, Fred Nation, would be an excellent mayor. Nation exhibits genuine passion for the community and the energy to pursue consequential, transformative projects. Democrats could not have chosen a better candidate, and with Nation’s unifying nature, the party has its best foot forward. Our endorsement of Bennett in no way diminishes what Nation has done or could do as mayor. In other situations, we could resoundingly endorse Nation.
It does not seem fair, though, to deny Bennett a second term. He has worked hard, acted ethically and been accessible. Using a collaborative approach, he’s kept the city moving forward through uncertainties.
That said, it would be wise of Bennett to make peace with the progressive initiatives that occurred during the Burke administration. Bennett did not inherit a budgetary mess. Despite some mistakes in style, the previous mayor made moves desperately needed to revive the heart of the town. Such broad measures became impossible in Bennett’s tenure because the recession and state cutbacks dried up revenue.
The term “visionary” has become central in the current campaign. Nation promises to operate with visionary style and insists that Bennett is primarily a proficient manager. Both candidates discussed those labels in separate meetings with the Tribune-Star Editorial Board.
Bennett stuck by his preference to function as a team-builder, rather than as the point man for economic development (the role Nation favors). As evidence of his strategy’s success, Bennett pointed to the forward momentum of several projects. Those include railroad improvement plans, a master trails plan for the city and county, and an airport strategic plan, and all are primed to show results, Bennett said. He also expressed support for the exceptional Riverscape project, even though he and the Wabash River Development and Beautification Inc. organization — of which Nation is a member — have been at odds over Bennett’s decision to locate a combined sewer overflow pond on the old International Paper site beside the Wabash.
Big-picture ideas such as Riverscape merit a mayor’s commitment and faith that they can and will happen. Terre Haute should never again be content to merely tread water or to preserve the status quo. We’ve tasted progress in the past decade, and we should always be cooking up more. To his credit, Bennett said he is ready to follow through with significant proposals in a second term.
“Planning is one thing, doing is another,” he told our Editorial Board. “Now we’ve got plans. We’re wrapping them up. Now it’s time to begin to implement those.” We’re eager to see Bennett and his team deliver.
Editorials
EDITORIAL: Two good options for Terre Haute mayor
Does Bennett deserve second term or does Nation get chance for his ideas?
- Editorials
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news: MVC tourney an event worth having
It’s been a long time since the Missouri Valley Conference chose Indiana State University to host its post-season baseball tournament, but Terre Haute had never been more prepared for an event such as this.
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EDITORIAL: Cleaning up voter rolls
It’s not a lot of money in the big scheme of things, but the $2 million designated in the recent session of the General Assembly will begin the messy but necessary process of cleaning up Indiana’s voter registration rolls.
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EDITORIAL: Waging the ‘readiness’ campaign
Almost every Hoosier who starts college intends to finish. Unfortunately, those who arrive on campus unprepared in key academic areas are far less likely to fulfill that aspiration.
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EDITORIAL: Insult to an independent press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news: Dashing finish for the Sycamores
It’s always thrilling to see Indiana State University’s athletic teams do well in high-level competition, and two specific teams rose to impressive heights last weekend in the Missouri Valley Conference outdoor track and field championships.
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EDITORIAL: Better monitoring needed to prevent local environmental messes
The nasty, hazardous messes lurking in the community raise a bottom-line, red-flag question. Could these environmental problems have been monitored and, thus, prevented?
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EDITORIAL: Memo to U.S.A.: You can ‘SPPRAK’ just as we do in Vigo County
Our kids, truly, are ‘Making a Difference’
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Some words in praise of boring government — Indiana’s
A conservative Republican governor has super majorities in both branches of the legislature. One might suspect such one-party government leads to major changes in public policy. This did not happen in 2013 in Indiana.
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EDITORIAL: Doc’s prescient prescription
Viewed through a 2013 prism, Doc Bowen’s response to the AIDS epidemic looks merely prudent, routine.
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EDITORIAL: Education remains worth the cost
Within the next few weeks, each of the local colleges will have conducted graduation ceremonies. A few days later, a different Class of 2013 will don caps and gowns for commencement — the seniors at five Vigo County high schools. It is still a smart, worthy aspiration for those high school grads to replicate the achievement of those college students by earning a higher-education degree.
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EDITORIAL: Good news for downtown
For decades, it seems, downtown Terre Haute has been in the throes of change
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EDITORIAL: Overall, state budget step in the right direction
For average Hoosiers uninterested in political point-scoring, the budget crafted by the Indiana Legislature inspires only muted, if any, fanfare.
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EDITORIAL: The lessons of organ donation
The range of emotion surrounding life-saving transplantation of a vital organ is extreme. It is the ultimate “good news-bad news” scenario.
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READERS’ FORUM: April 26, 2013
• Pence’s tax cuts benefit wealthiest
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news
This does not qualify as a surprise in any way. But the Wabash Valley’s response to widespread flooding of recent days has been nothing short of impressive, even inspirational.
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EDITORIAL: Still waiting for the jobs reward
The forces in control of Indiana government for most of the past decade need to show some results to Hoosiers in one primary category.
Good-paying jobs. -
MARK BENNETT: Littered with irony: Why do people callously discard their trash, and who are they?
Though they aren’t acknowledged by the U.S. Census Bureau, there are basically two demographic groups of people … Those who would dump their old toilet on the banks of the Wabash River or a rural roadside. And those who wouldn’t.
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EDITORIAL: Doing the dirty work to clean up tossed trash
A first-of-its-kind, coast-to-coast project to remove litter from U.S. roadsides brought the Pick Up America crew through the Wabash Valley two years ago.
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EDITORIAL: Keep school security a local issue
The decision to provide armed security inside a schoolhouse should be made locally.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news
Indiana’s parks need your help.
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EDITORIAL: The return of terror
Emotions today remain strong and raw in wake of Monday’s terror bombings near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.
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EDITORIAL: A solution to distracted driving … stop it … now
You’ve got to stop. You know you do it. It’s a miracle you haven’t caused a tragedy already.
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EDITORIAL: ‘Women of Influence’: 2013 selectees have given much to their communities
For the second year, United Way of the Wabash Valley has teamed up with local sponsors to select and honor a group of women who have made outstanding contributions to their communities, professions and families.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news: A new honor for our veterans
A commendation goes out today to state Rep. Clyde Kersey, a Terre Haute Democrat who led the charge this week in the Indiana House of Representatives to pay tribute to the nation’s Purple Heart recipients.
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EDITORIAL: Shifting view on marriage
One could argue, as many have, that Sen. Joe Donnelly did the right thing last week when he dropped his support of government-sanctioned opposition to same-sex marriage. It wasn’t a radical move, considering most Democrats have now made the switch.
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MAX JONES: The American Newspaper: Changing? Yes. Dying? No way!
It happened again this past January when all those “looking at the year ahead” stories started popping up on Internet “news” websites and broadcast “news” programs. Under a provocative headline reading something like “Five industries/businesses doomed to tank in the coming year,” there it was, a prediction based on an unsubstantiated “expert” analysis that the newspaper industry will continue in 2013 to suffer its slide into oblivion.
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EDITORIAL: A chance to change our bad cultural habits
The sight of diligent, eager young people dragging trash out of the Wabash River wetlands is both inspiring and sad.
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EDITORIAL: Maintaining high standards
Standards
It’s the raging buzzword in education circles these days. Everyone insists that higher standards must be met. Anything less is, doggone it, unacceptable. -
Noteworthy in the news
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EDITORIAL: Crack down on dumpers
There is a reason it’s called “illegal” dumping. It’s against the law. And there is a very good reason illegal dumping is against the law.
- More Editorials Headlines
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news: MVC tourney an event worth having
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