City-County Council to vote on $70M bond issue for roads
The plan scales back Mayor Greg Ballard’s original proposal for borrowing $150 million to help handle street repair.
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Access counselor doubts city’s need for secrecy on RFP
Indiana Public Access Counselor Luke Britt told the city of Indianapolis that he wasn't swayed by its reasons for withholding its request for proposals for a new $500 million criminal justice complex.
Council Dems say they’re pushing preschool debate into 2016
City-County Council President Maggie Lewis and Vice President John Barth said children could be served next year by the state’s much smaller pilot program, which will reach nearly 800 economically disadvantaged four-year-olds in Marion County.
Former GIPC leader gets 2 years of home detention
The former executive director of the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee was sentenced to two years of home detention Friday after pleading guilty to four counts of forgery. The plea agreement was approved after Matthew Hendrix turned over a restitution check for $126,356.
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.
Lilly execs make pitch for local preschool education
Eli Lilly and Co. executives on Friday repeated their plea to local businesses to support early childhood education, highlighting the work force development and crime-reduction benefits associated with the effort.
Melangton leaving Sports Corp. for IMS
Allison Melangton plans to step down as Indiana Sports Corp. president and will become senior vice president of events with Hulman & Co., parent of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Ryan Vaughn, chief of staff to Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard, will succeed Melangton.
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.
Lowe’s seeks $500K tax break from city on customer center
The home-improvement retail giant plans to hire 1,000 workers for the center at Intech Park on the northwest side. The jobs would pay an average hourly wage of about $16.
City Dems tap replacement for departed councilor Brown
LaKeisha Jackson was chosen to replace Vernon Brown in District 18. Brown stepped down in August after 11 years on the council.
Infighting bogs down digital billboards
Marion County is an untapped market for digital billboards despite years of lobbying by sign companies, and it’s not because of political opposition to the large, lighted signs. What’s holding back changes to the city code is industry feuding over the form of regulations that could determine their future market share.
Advocate brokers lower IPL rate hike for car-sharing service
Indianapolis Power & Light Co. customers would see less of a rate hike for an electric car-sharing program under a settlement agreement negotiated by the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor.
EMS service to lay off 361 workers in Indiana
Rural/Metro Corp. says the changing health care landscape and the challenges of covering rural communities are forcing it to end its area ambulance services. It’s also closing a billing operations center in Indianapolis.
Flanner House charter school to close after cheating allegations
The Flanner House Elementary charter school will close on Sept. 11 after the Indiana Department of Education found evidence of widespread cheating on the state standardized ISTEP test. The school has 176 students.
Engineers: Union Station requires $3.7 million in emergency repairs
The Department of Metropolitan Development could tap the downtown TIF fund to cover the costs. The problems were uncovered after bricks fell off the station’s south wall in December 2012.
Cardinal Health unit seeks tax breaks for local drug facility
A subsidiary of Dublin, Ohio-based Cardinal Health Inc. is seeking tax breaks from the city of Indianapolis to help it open a $14.4 million local drug-production facility that would employ 85 workers by 2017.
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.
Top Ballard deputy Kintner heading for private sector
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard announced several staff changes Friday morning, including the planned departure of Deputy Mayor of Economic Development Deron Kintner.
Democrats question $12M in consulting contracts
The cash-strapped city of Indianapolis has entered agreements worth more than $12 million as it pursues a public-private partnership for a new courthouse and jail. Mayor Greg Ballard’s office says the fees will be paid by the developer.