Consolidation Numbers
By: Shalah Sasse
Updated: November 7, 2012
The plan to consolidate Evansville and Vanderburgh County government failed by more than 23,000 votes Tuesday. We're learning more about which areas voted against the unification plan that would have combined the city and county governments.
The day after the election, CORE committee member Rick Davis is getting a better idea of how people voted on consolidation.
"A skeleton is the remains of a dead body there was no life to it, there was no future to it. It was unfair for city people and for county people. It was unfair for minority people and it was unfair to the rural influence and that is born out in this data," Rick Davis said.
Davis says in the county, more than 6,000 people voted yes and more than 22,000 voted no. In the city, things look a little different. Nearly 17,000 voted yes, and around 24,000 voted no. The numbers show both the city and the county rejected consolidation. But in some areas, the differences are clear. Like in Armstrong, which is in the county, about 50 voted yes and nearly 900 voted no. And back in the city in the 1st ward on the east side, nearly 5,000 voted yes and nearly 4,000 voted no.
"But back then, I mean that was, you didn't want to mess with the county people like that. They were really, because we had I'm sure a lot of county people that voted yes for this, and back in the 70's you'd been lucky to find one out there that voted yes for Vandy-Gov is what they called it," Vanderburgh County Clerk, Susan Kirk said.
Back in the early 1970's, consolidation was voted down 3 to 1, and in this election 2 to 1. Roberta Heiman is the President of the League of Women Voters. She helped get the issue on the ballot and says she's disappointed with the outcome.
"It's typical in most communities that have merged local governments, they've failed two or three or four or five times before it's finally approved. Change is difficult, even good change," Roberta Heiman said.
And even though consolidation has passed in places like Louisville and Nashville, it appears it won't be happening in the River City at least for awhile.
Davis thinks the consolidation issue will come up again within the next 20-40 years.
The day after the election, CORE committee member Rick Davis is getting a better idea of how people voted on consolidation.
"A skeleton is the remains of a dead body there was no life to it, there was no future to it. It was unfair for city people and for county people. It was unfair for minority people and it was unfair to the rural influence and that is born out in this data," Rick Davis said.
Davis says in the county, more than 6,000 people voted yes and more than 22,000 voted no. In the city, things look a little different. Nearly 17,000 voted yes, and around 24,000 voted no. The numbers show both the city and the county rejected consolidation. But in some areas, the differences are clear. Like in Armstrong, which is in the county, about 50 voted yes and nearly 900 voted no. And back in the city in the 1st ward on the east side, nearly 5,000 voted yes and nearly 4,000 voted no.
"But back then, I mean that was, you didn't want to mess with the county people like that. They were really, because we had I'm sure a lot of county people that voted yes for this, and back in the 70's you'd been lucky to find one out there that voted yes for Vandy-Gov is what they called it," Vanderburgh County Clerk, Susan Kirk said.
Back in the early 1970's, consolidation was voted down 3 to 1, and in this election 2 to 1. Roberta Heiman is the President of the League of Women Voters. She helped get the issue on the ballot and says she's disappointed with the outcome.
"It's typical in most communities that have merged local governments, they've failed two or three or four or five times before it's finally approved. Change is difficult, even good change," Roberta Heiman said.
And even though consolidation has passed in places like Louisville and Nashville, it appears it won't be happening in the River City at least for awhile.
Davis thinks the consolidation issue will come up again within the next 20-40 years.
