About: John B. Kalb
- kalb@fortwaynepolitics.com
- Profile
- Born in Minnesota in 1935. Grew up in Lakewood, Ohio, western suburb of Cleveland. Family moved to Fort Wayne in 1949 as I started in high school. Grad of North Side, 1953, the General Electric Apprentice School as a toolmaker, BSEE from Purdue in 1961. Have lived in Fort Wayne since 1949 except years at West Lafayette at Purdue and two years in upper New York state with G.E. on engineering training program. Went into sales engineering in 1968 and sold for the R.L.Guimont Co., Inc.(machine tool components and inspection equipment) for 39 years, retiring in July of 2007. Active in my parrish, Emmanuel Lutheran on Jefferson Blvd., have sung in church choirs for over 65 years (tenor). Married Judith Holloway in 1969 - we have four children, Mike, Carrie, Mary, and Katrina; eight grandkids; our cat, Venus (who really believes she owns the place) and three grand-dogs. Big Purdue Baseball, Football and Basketball fan; hope to live to see Purdue men win a final four (maybe 2009!!!) Active in Engineering Societies - Fort Wayne Engineer's Club, American Society for Quality and Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Member of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Educational Foundation International Scholarship Committee; the Northeast Indiana Engineer's Week Committee; Indiana Future City Competition Steering Committee.
Posts by John B. Kalb:
Federal Government on health insurance
1/4/11 @ 12:24 am
Want an insight on how giving the Feds the charge to process health insurance claims? Here are details on a local experience -
My bro-in-law’s daughter has a husband who has been on active duty with the Army National Guard. As such, they are covered by a health insurance policy with Health Net Federal Services and Tricare North Region Claims in Surfside Beach, SC handles any claims. In November, 2010 they sent in a claim on services for one of their daughters. On seven consecutive days starting in late November, a notice of non-coverage for this service was received - all seven addressed the same and each envelope containing the exact same computer-generated three-page copies. Each of these was franked with $.335 in US postage done with a Pitney Bowes postage meter. Then on the next day, 43 of these exact same envelopes - each with the same contents and each with the same $.335 in postage on it were received!
So, 50 envelopes with 3 computer printed pages in each and $16.75 in postage were spent on this one claim response! The company sending the envelopes, PGBA, LLC doing business as Tricare North Region Claims is probably on a “Cost Plus” contract with the Feds - so the more of our tax dollars they spend - the more they make in profits - WITH NO VERIFICATION by anyone. Multiply this by the millions to be covered by Obamacare and you see why this is NOT the way to go!
Filed Under National Politics | 4 Comments
The day it all began
10/11/10 @ 10:04 pm
With thanks to Douglas M. Christian for the idea of this post.
January 3rd, 2007 was the day when the Democrats took over the House & Senate, the start of the 110th meeting of the United States Congress - the first time since 1995 that they controlled a majority in both groups. On that date, the DOW closed at 12,621.77, the GDP for the last quarter of 2006 was up 3.5% from the previous quarter, the unemployment rate was 4.6% and we had just completed 52 straight months of job CREATION!
This date was when Barney Frank took over as the head of the House Financial Services Committee and also the day when Chris Dodd took over the Senate Banking Committee.
The present economic meltdown that began 15 months after this date was in the Banking & Financial Services part of the economy! So we can thank the Democratically controlled Congress for this crisis by the dumping of 5 to 6 trillion dollars of toxic loans on the economy - all coming from Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac!
And just who took the third highest pay-off from Fannie & Freddie? It was Senator Barack Obama!
And who fought against reform of Fannie & Freddie? The Democratic Congress (including Senator Obama!
But who asked Congress seventeen (17) times to stop the stuff happening at these two organizations, starting in 2001, because it looked like it was financially risky for the U.S. economy? It was George W. Bush!
So, just who is being blamed in all the Democratic commercials and the main-line media for this crisis? Remember - IT SHOULD BE the people who are now separating themselves from their voting record (and their party!) - the same ones who did not listen to the electorate during their disastrous bailouts, the Obamacare bill, the Cap & Trade push!
Please mark your ballots in three weeks to rid us of these dangerous liberals before it’s too late!!!
Filed Under 2008 National Elections | 3 Comments
Will the real baseball fans stand up?
9/10/10 @ 6:01 pm
The Fort Wayne TinCaps did make the playoffs - 1st game was at Parkview Stadium wednesday of this week. The “announced” attendance average for the season came out at 5,776 per game. Remember that this is the “announced” number - it counts every seat sold (or given free by the team), not the number that pass through and are counted by the electronic devices at the gates.
So what is the attendance when only those that show up are counted - like a playoff game? Well, Wednesday night, a great weather evening, 2,462 fans showed up - of which about 200 were of the free variety(tickets to league officials, to visiting team members and family members of players for both teams, et al). And, of course, it was not a $1.00 beer night!
So, can it be said that, on average, 5,776 less 2,462 -or 3,314 people are seeking any kind of entertainment other than minor league baseball during each TinCaps home game? And, without Parkview Field, they would be going elsewhere for it? So just why are we spending millions per year to pay off the debt we incurred just so these 3,314 people can go spend their money somewhere else (and ALL the profit goes to Atlanta, GA!)?
Just asking?
Filed Under Local Politics | 4 Comments
More Hogwash From Another Allen Co. School System
8/5/10 @ 11:37 pm
In Wednesday’s News-Sentinel, Sarah Janssen published an article covering the action of the SACS board in approving a $1,350,000 contract to a Michigan firm to install an “energy-saving” roof on the Summit Middle School building. She quoted Mr. Jim Coplen, Business Manager from SACS, in saying that the yearly savings due to this expenditure would be $37,000 per year resulting in a pay-back in 8 years.
Well, $37,000 for each of 8 years would result in a total of $296,000 - not even close to the $1,350,000 cost of the energy-saving roof! So I wrote an email note to Sarah asking how Coplen came up with these erroneous numbers(copying Mr. Coplen).
As of tonight, 8/5/2010, I have not heard from Sarah. But, I did hear early this morning from Coplen, outlining how he had calculated the payback. Basically, he told me that the cost to just replace the roof was quoted back in early July at $425,000. The school board asked him to see if there was some way to get help in paying for part of this cost. So the administation came up with a scheme that could allow them to apply for federal help and - yes, help was available - but it required spending an additional $825,000 on an ‘energy-efficient” roof. If this was purchased, $600,000 in federal money would be available. So the net increase in SACS money to be spent would be $225,000 and this would result in the 8 year payback, but only of the $225,000! So another $600,000 in future tax revenues could be used to enable SACS to spend $225,000 more than the replacement cost. So all the kids and grandkids in the USofA will be paying this $600,000 back - with interest - probably to China over the next 20 or so years.
Mr. Coplen included a statement in his reply to me that said,”I have been told by the feds if we don’t use the $600,000 it will go to someone else”. This is like our young children saying, “Everyone else is doing it, why can’t I do it also?”
We are in dire need of some fiscal restraint not only on the federal level , but also on the local level! Seems like we are not getting it!
Filed Under Uncategorized | 8 Comments
FWP @ Republican State Convention
6/19/10 @ 11:01 pm
Since the originator of FWP claims to be a Democrat (and he is on an extended sabatical from this blog), I took it upon myself to use my time at the convention (as an elected delegate!) to glean as much useful information from this event - plus represent FWP in a couple of ”Question & Answer” sessions that came up. So here it is -
I am convinced that our state GOP candidates for this November’s election, including those chosen at the primary, the one chosen at last Saturday’s caucus, and the three elected at the convention are all very, very electable in addition to being true fiscal and social conservatives. Richard Mourdock, Charlie White and Fort Wayne raised and educated Tim Berry all fit this category.
The question/answer sessions were held on this afternoon at a post-convention reception sponsered by the Indiana Federation of Young Republicans. (I was admitted, after proving that I had not yet reached the 40th anniversary of my 39th birthday!) About a dozen political bloggers from our state’s conservatives were represented. We questioned Senator-to-be Elected Dan Coats and our own 3rd district Representative-to-be Elected Marlin Stutzman.
Dan was asked “Why” and his answer was that he was concerned about having Evan Bayh serving another 6 years as Indiana’s junior senator and felt that his name-recognition would assure a good chance of swinging the vote to the GOP. And, the unexpected departure of Mr. Bayh made running even more sense. Dan was also questioned if he felt his opponent would be blasting him for the reported ommission of two organizations in the list of his clients in the lobbying group that his has been employed with for the recent past. Dan responded that his group represents many organizations, and that he cannot recall ever working for either of these entities in a lobbying position. Dan was also asked how he stands on the large number of “earmarks” that have been used by our elected Senators and Representatives in the recent years. He indicated that he is in line with the position of Mike Pence on this subject.
Marlin was questioned about how he was going to respond to Dr. Hayhurst’s questions about his working so closely with Mark Souder without knowing what was transpiring in his life. Marlin responded that, as he has said, when he became aware of the rumors about this, he went to Mark directly and Mark lied to him, saying that they were not true. This will continue to be Marlin’s truthful response. Another blogger asked if Marlin might run into questions about his being “an opportunist” - taking the opportunity of Mark Souders resignation to run for another office after finishing second in the primary race for the junior senator election this fall. Marlin responded that he felt that his state-wide contest for the senator’s job would enable him to garner the caucus vote and thereby aid the GOP in the November election against Dr. Hayhurst.
The Young Republican’s are to be thanked for holding this event, giving the New Media a chance to interview conservative candidates. Dan Coats was asked how he viewed the “New Media”. His response was that “it’s the way that we will be conversing in the future” - but, he asked that conservative bloggers allow him to respond to “revelations” prior to there appearing as posts in the public domain.
If anyone wants specific info on the GOP State Convention, just respond as a coment or email me.
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
When does a professed “conservative” act like a “liberal”?
4/13/10 @ 12:55 am
Monday morning “Conservative Breakfast” this week featured Allen County Commissioner Linda Bloom. She expounded and bragged about how she has “traveled to Washington,DC” often to be instumental in getting “many dollars in Federal money” for her constituants in Allen County, Indiana. She also indicated that she has worked our Indiana government in Indianapolis for “State dollars” for Allen County.
Ms Bloom and at least one of her fellow commissioners, Mr. Peters seem to think that their major charge by those that have voted them into their positions is to “milk” other governmental funtions to fund our counties needs. And then they run on what they think is a ”fiscally conservative” platform! This is “male-cow excrement” in a big way!!
Any one who considers themseves as a conservative, CANNOT believe that funneling tax dollars through Washington DC to accomplish local projects, can EVER be more efficient than using those revenues locally in a direct manner! Somehow politicians have gotten into the habit of using the fiction of “Free Money from Above” as their fall-back to remove any thought of their personal responsibility for local spending decisions from their backs. As an example, the commissioner’s removal of the “bridge maintenance” funding from the Allen County budget some years ago - then asking the State to pick up this local service cost!
And the comments of Paul Lagemann( carpetbagger Coats pusher) and Paul Morrison in support of this practice (probably due to the fact that they both rely on elected politicians for their livelihood) leads me to question how individuals with these fiscal principles can ever be included in a true conservative group! And we have to place our 3rd district congressional representative Souder in this camp also.
Isn’t it about time that we get rid of ALL incumbents, just to get back on track? How else can we begin to remove the fiscally- irresponsible cross we are loading on on children, our grandkids, our great-grandkids and their children? Our political forefathers did not foresee elected office as a life-time job! We have to correct what we have come to over the last 200 plus years- and soon - or we can just cash-in.
Filed Under 2010 Local Elections, 2010 National Elections | 6 Comments
Are incumbents watching???
2/15/10 @ 11:09 am
It’s Bye,Bye, Bayh - He has announced that he will not run for another term. So are Coats and Souder watching? They better be!! Coats left the Senate with “term-limit” justification - and we don’t need him to go back on his word - like Souder has been doing! Go Stutzman and Rachel Grubb !!!
Filed Under 2010 National Elections | 1 Comment
How did this guy ever become Sec. of Treasury?
11/20/09 @ 12:07 am
With the Democrat Peter DeFasio leading the way, the hearing in DC today is finally asking how Tim Geithner ( the tax dodger exemplar) could have ever been offered the job he has been so royally screwing up. They have also asked him to resign and all thinking citizens are replying, “How soon?”.
Filed Under National Politics | 1 Comment
An unnamed Fort Wayne morning newspaper?
11/13/09 @ 7:28 pm
Want to share my recent experiences with the subject:
On October 31, 2009 a “letter to the editor” was sent by email to both of the Fort Wayne newspapers. The subject was the non-use of local contractors on the unnecessary new downtown hotel. (You can read this letter - it was published by the News-Sentinel on Tuesday, November 10)
After sending the email, one week went past with no contact with anyone at the morning paper. So on the morning of November 5, Stacey Stumpf was contacted by telephone asking why it had not yet appeared. Her answer really floored me- she said that the letter was full of “number errors” and would not be published unless they were corrected. Of course, she was asked for examples and she indicated that the writer had listed that White Lodging had bought the land for the hotel for $1.00. She said that according to the newspaper’s archives she found that White actually paid the city $17 and some cents for the land. After stopping my laughter on this item she was asked for another example. Stacey said that the city paid $3.5 million “for all the Harrison Square land and the land for the hotel was just a portion of that” I told her that was in error and she was asked just where in the archives that info was found. She hemed and hawed and we discontinued the conversation with me saying I would be stopping to see her that afternoon.
I asked for Stacey when I arrived at !PM. She came down to the lobby and we talked about our earlier discussion. She then told me that she had called Greg Leatherman after she had received my letter and that he was the source for the $17 plus change and the statement about the cost of the land. I took out of my file that I had brought along a copy of our morning paper that told that Leatherman had stated at a recent City Council meeting, ” six commercial and 26 residential properties were aquired by the Redevelopment Commission for Harrison Square at a total cost of $11,923,389 of which $2.4 million was for the Bill’s Palace and $2 million was the eminent-domain price paid for the Belmont Liquor Store.
Stacey then went on to inform me that Leatherman had told her that 18 local contractors had received written contracts from the general contractor. She was asked if the local Associated Builders and Contractor’s Association had been asked about these numbers. No answer - I had contacted them and they reported that only one of their generals had even been asked to bid on any part of the job!
Stacey then repeated the statement that”only if these so-called number errors were corrected to her satisfaction” would the morning paper even consider printing my letter.
Two emails between editor Tracy Warner and myself resulted in a repeat of the above statement, even when corrections to the “silly” $17 vs $1 plus other clarifying statements was summitted.
Is our morning newspaper “in the pocket” of our city administation or not? Sure sounds like it is!
Filed Under Uncategorized | 5 Comments
Final Attendance Numbers for TinCaps Home Games for 2009
9/16/09 @ 11:45 pm
Total “Announced” attendance for the 76 home games = 404,318
Net attendance that will count toward the 275,000 before Fort Wayne receives the $1.00 per Performance License Fee = 380,118
380,118 less 275,000 = 105,118 which results in $105, 118 from Hardball Capital toward the Stadium Maintenance Fund. Add to this $150,000 (one-half of the “Naming Rights” fee), and the result is $255,118 toward the contracted $230,000 for the maintenance fund. This leaves Fort Wayne with $25,118 to apply toward the contracted payment by Fort Wayne of all the utilities used at Parkview Field, which has been estimated to be over $50,000 per year. So, in addition to providing Hardball Capital with a prime stadium at no yearly cost to them, Fort Wayne also will have to come up this year with over $25,000 from other taxes to help Hardball make a nice profit on their only investment of just over $5 million.
Tonights 6,269 fans probably is a record for all of Minor League Baseball at a Championship Series Game! And the TinCaps won - only need one more victory to wrap up the first Minor League Championship for a Fort Wayne team -and this will be any one of the, if necessary, three games over the next three nights.
The TinCaps are finishing a “dream year” - A Fort Wayne furnished, absolutely fantastic new stadium, the Fort Wayne fan support that our town has been giving to professional teams for years, and a group of up-and-coming young future Major Leaguers who have played their hearts out - in both halves of the regular season and in the playoffs!
The ownership of the team, Hardball Capital, has to be pleased with how Fort Wayne has treated them. But, to date it has all been “one-way”, with millions of Fort Wayne dollars going to Atlanta, Georgia. Be aware that the Padres organization pays all the salaries for the players, the managers, and the umpires. Plus transportation expenses, equipment (balls, bats, et al) and lots of the other expenses. A modest average paid ticket of $7.00 times the 380,118 paid for the season has resulted in $2,660,826 of gross revenue for just this item (less the $105,118 that will be paid to Fort Wayne due to the Performance License Fee). Again, assuming a modest $10.00 per person “food & beverage” expenditure per paid attendee, would result in a gross income of $3,801,180 (all going to Hardball-none to the city). The revenue due to advertizing signage at Parkview Field, one-half of the $300,000 “naming rights” fee per year paid by Parkview Health, all the charges for the leasing of the suites, scoreboard advertising, broadcast rights and any advertising on radio and television, sales of souvenirs, plus “all other revenues from all Hardball Events”, goes only to Hardball Capital.
Yet, for some hard-to-understand reason, Hardball’s partner, Barry Real Estate, has not been able to complete the portion of the overall Harrison Square development that was a part of the agreement between Fort Wayne and their corporations. But, Fort Wayne still is paying for the stadium and the borrowing costs due to it’s construction - for 2009 this amounts to $3,344,748.
Will Fort Wayne see the same dropoff in attendance that the Wizards saw in their second year (1994) over the first (1993). 266,670 vs. 318,506. This dropoff, if it happens, would result in a 2010 attendance of 325,594 and this would require the city to budget a total of over $100,000 in 2010 to cover this short-fall.
It will be interesting to see where the city administration puts this in their suggested budget for 2010.
