A referendum this fall on Wishard Health Services’ plans to build a $754 million hospital will tell a lot about the
mood—and savvy—of Marion County voters. In this economy, and with government at all levels strapped
for cash, the knee-jerk reaction might be to reject such a proposal.
In trying times, people and businesses often have to get creative to make ends meet. The same should hold true for local government. That’s why we commend city leaders for thinking outside the box in considering two initiatives to cut costs and generate public revenue.
A state budget was passed June 30, but it’s balanced on the backs of poor children. Legislators
deserve praise for at least slightly increasing overall education funding, but because of a flawed funding
formula, urban districts such as Indianapolis Public Schools actually will lose money in the next two
years.
The legislative session that concluded June 30 with passage of a two-year budget left a bad taste in our mouths. For starters,
legislators lacked the courage to tackle local government reform—even though cash-strapped units of government
desperately need the millions of dollars in savings they would generate. In short, they put political cronyism ahead of the
interests of the state.
Lawmakers must take action but also ensure that any plan incorporates four basic principles.
The city has unveiled a dramatic plan for new housing and retail development to revitalize the old Market Square Arena site.
Despite some shortcomings, the project deserves a chance to give the stagnant area a boost.
Overtures Gov. Mitch Daniels has extended to the General Assembly should be sufficient to end squabbling over the budget.
Legislators ought to take the offer, pass a budget, and leave the Statehouse before they throw any more sand in the gears.
We applaud the efforts of those who are laying the groundwork for viable mass transit in the Indianapolis area.
Incentives have long been used as an effective tool in business to improve employee performance. But can a concept that helps
companies motivate workers also work in public education?
Indianapolis still looks like a city with momentum, despite the dismal economy. But appearances can be deceiving.
A strong economy requires risk-takers, and it is the bold and brash who will seize opportunities as the economy rebounds.
Lawmakers sometimes do their best work right after an election, when they have a fresh victory in hand and can think beyond
their political self-interest. Not this time.
Casting the CIB’s deficit as an Indianapolis problem is simplistic and inaccurate because it overlooks the millions of dollars in state tax revenue generated by those venues and an endless list of vendors that do business with them.
Rating doctors via online services helps consumers make better health care decisions.
We’re generally supportive of a plan to merge the state’s two largest public pensions in an effort to save money, but it’s
hard to know exactly what to think considering the lack of detailed information available about the performance of the funds.
Leaders on both sides of the aisle have called for streamlining township government, and it’s time to demand that our legislators
make those changes.
If the Capital Improvement Board comes, hat in hand, looking for help, we trust the investing companies will carefully weigh the benefits they’ve derived from the city and its thriving downtown before delivering an answer.
It’s time for Indiana to get rid of a law that limits liquor distribution to in-state companies.
Creativity and transparency are required to fix the Capital Improvement Board’s financial woes.
Saving money may be the bottom-line reason for reforming local government, but that’s only one of the benefits.
