The Fiscal Conservative AG Candidate?

Recently, I made an observation that winning an election in Valparaiso does not provide support to an electability argument when it comes to running for a statewide office.

This observation is met with a response from Costas supporters about the budgets and employee counts for the city of Valpo and the Costas family business, which has nothing to do with the original observation about electability.

Apples and oranges?

I'd also be quick to note that managing a couple hundred city employees or a couple hundred employees at grocery stores might, just might, be somewhat different than managing a couple hundred lawyers.

Just maybe.

But, since the Costas supporters put the budget numbers on the table, let's look at that $25 million comparison a bit more closely, shall we?

In the EIGHT years Steve Carter has held the title of Attorney General (and Greg Zoeller was his #2), the budget of the AG's office has gone up by 54.8%, or about 6.85% per year.

It went from $16,175,770 in the 2001 biennial budget to $25,048,528 in the 2007 biennial budget. Not bad for shop that is filled with high-priced attorneys that could make loads more (and see far greater annual salary increases) in the private sector.

In the FOUR years John Costas has held the title of Mayor of Valparaiso, the budget of the city has gone up by 43.0%, or about 10.75% per year.

The Valpo city budget went from $17,677,825.00 (page 100, PDF warning) in the 2004 budget (the first over which Costas would have a say, being first elected in 2003) up to $25,285,669 (PDF warning) in the budget passed in 2007.

This means that, on a per-year comparison, Jon Costas increased spending in Valparaiso some 57% more per year than spending went up in the AG's office.

And Mr. Costas is supposed to be the more fiscally conservative candidate?

I'm sorry, but the facts just don't support that.

UPDATE: Apparently, because Mr. Costas decided to expand Valpo by annexing nearby subdivisions (apparently without a matching expansion in city services by hiring more city employees), this 10.75% per-year growth in spending is "justified" according to his supporters.

And when it comes to the electability argument, the geographical talking point being put forward by Costas and the Governor (that we simply must have a candidate from northern Indiana, and a candidate from southern Indiana won't do) is far more insulting (and I've been told as much by delegates) than the simple factual and common-sense observation that running for statewide office is a lot different than being elected mayor of a small city.