Hogsett starts ‘aggressive’ cost review of city programs
Indianapolis mayor-elect Joe Hogsett has enlisted public accounting and consulting firm Crowe Horwath LLP to help complete a “strategic review” of city-county government.
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Pacers go into new season with revenue streams headed in right direction
Sales of season tickets, merchandise and sponsorships are all up. Attendance is expected to match—or even exceed—the 2013-2014 season. And the stadium deal the Pacers struck with the city’s Capital Improvement Board last year has freed the franchise to make investments it hopes will pay dividends long term.
Mayoral foes: City must draw residents to bolster tax revenue
Attracting higher-wage residents is key to future growth as city revenues have stagnated and local governments have become increasingly reliant on income taxes. Republican Chuck Brewer and Democrat Joe Hogsett are proposing ways to bolster Indy neighborhoods.
Indianapolis officials approve $1.1B budget for 2016
The Indianapolis City-County Council signed off on Mayor Greg Ballard's final budget Monday. The 2016 budget is nearly 7 percent larger than last year's and focuses on public safety.
Leaders, candidates grapple with city savings balance
Many are looking to mayoral candidates Chuck Brewer and Joe Hogsett to craft a long-term savings strategy as Indianapolis’ reserves continue on a downward trend.
Indianapolis body camera plan may shrink after funding fails
Indianapolis police may downsize plans to equip patrol officers with body cameras after failing to win federal grants to buy some of the wearable devices.
All property tax bills could jump if retailers win appeals
Uncertainty still looms over how much retail assessment appeals could reduce revenue for local governments, libraries and schools or whether they’ll shift costs to other taxpayers, including businesses and homeowners.
Indianapolis mayor seeks money for police body cameras
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard has detailed a proposed $1 billion city budget that seeks $200,000 to start equipping police officers with body cameras.
EDITORIAL: Vision Fleet mess is lesson in secrecy
A legal battle over the city’s troubled $32 million plan to rent a fleet of electric cars could cost taxpayers dearly. But Mayor Greg Ballard’s administration left the City-County Council little choice.
UPDATE: Local officials to consider more animal shelter funding
The Department of Public Safety estimates $1.5 million is needed to address findings that the Indianapolis Animal Care and Control shelter is unsanitary, understaffed and underfunded.
$1.75B justice center could stretch budgets
Mayor Greg Ballard's office has said the city intends to pay no more than about $50 million a year over 35 years for a proposed criminal justice facility, bringing the cost to $1.75 billion.
Grassroots group challenges jail plan, wants focus on jobs
A grassroots, church-based organization is trying to stir up voter interest in the city’s plan for a new criminal justice complex and questioning the need to expand jail capacity.
Dems block funding for preschool plan as meeting erupts
The Indianapolis City-County Council’s finance committee voted to table funding for Mayor Greg Ballard’s $50 million preschool expansion plan and quickly adjourned a three-hour meeting Tuesday night despite protests.
Democrats raise doubts about Ballard’s preschool plan
Funding concerns involving the homestead credit have prompted work on an alternative plan that Democrats expect to unveil soon.
Indianapolis council OKs public safety tax hike
In a 19-10 bipartisan vote, the Indianapolis City-County Council approved a hike in the public-safety income tax. The 43-percent increase will bring the total local income tax rate to 1.77 percent.
Indianapolis 2015 budget would use reserves
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard will introduce to the City-County Council on Monday night a $1 billion budget for 2015 that taps reserves to make ends meet. Next year would be the third year in a row that the city taps fund balances to close a budget deficit.
City quietly scales back World Sports Park
Indianapolis is reining in costs and dialing back ambition at the new east-side World Sports Park. The park, which will be home to one of the few premier cricket fields in the United States, is coming in about $1 million under its $6 million budget because it will have fewer features than planned.
Council OKs smoke-detector ordinance, road repair funds
The Indianapolis City-County Council voted 24-5 Monday night to update the city code on smoke detectors. It also voted 24-5 to spend $8.3 million from the Rebuild Indy fund on emergency road repairs.
City Dems propose $16 million more for road repairs
Indianapolis City-County Council Democrats want to spend $16 million more on emergency road work. The Democrats oppose Republican Mayor Greg Ballard’s plan for a $150 million bond issue and instead want to tap general and special funds.
Partisan battle freezes proposal to repave ravaged city streets
A Democrat-controlled City-County Council committee has tabled a proposal to spend $8 million in Rebuild Indy funds to repair thoroughfares hit hard by the brutal winter. Democrats say the project would favor Republican districts.