Proposal would let Indy impose tax on Mile Square properties for downtown enhancements

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9 thoughts on “Proposal would let Indy impose tax on Mile Square properties for downtown enhancements

    1. It is not really a “joke,” the businesses in and near the Mile Square make their money mainly off the convention, tourist, and entertainment seeking locals. They used to also make money off the day-time office workers who have largely disappeared with remote work. And, the residential buildings located there only exist (if new) or have any real value (if older) because people want to be next to cultural and entertainment amenities located downtown (with remote work being next to the office buildings generally no longer matters). Most of these amenities have been *entirely paid* for or *heavily subsidized* by local taxpayers. So, the property owners get the basic services that every other neighborhood gets for paying property taxes, but they want “extras” like flowers, banners, additional street cleaning, etc. because all that makes downtown more enticing to lure more potential customers downtown.

      So, great, they can pay additional taxes for all these little perks instead of laundering funds through a non-profit that allows them to claim a tax deduction for contributions.

      My mother has lived in the same house in Indianapolis for 55 years and made substantial improvements and maintenance to it while dutifully paying her taxes (which continue to go up) and the city has never come to plant flowers or hang banners on her street. They usually don’t even bother to plow the snow or fill in the potholes.

    2. Yeah I see the joke too! All of that state owned property in the mile square doesn’t pay a nickel in county property taxes, but gets the benefits.

  1. The Mile Square is just a fraction of what most would consider to be “downtown” Indianapolis, so restricting the tax to a smaller group of businesses does nothing to improve the rest of “downtown” (typically defined by I-65 on the north, I-65 and I-70 on the east, I-70 on the south, and the White River on the west).

  2. The proposal isn’t perfect, but I’m just pleasantly shocked that the State is doing something that could benefit the City. That’s a rare thing to see in the modern Statehouse. Usually everything is anti-Indy.

  3. Put it up for referendum. Only property owners in the mile square can vote on it. Marion county property owners need to take a hard look at their current property tax bills. There is an election coming up soon.

  4. The opportunity to increase property taxes during a time when property taxes are likely to increase? That might be problematic. The State Legislature and the City recently approved increasing the area where taxes are diverted to fund Gainbridge upgrades. This is an example of how some of those funds (or similar funds) could be used.

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