City-County Council, Ballard still split on budget
The Indianapolis City-County Council approved one piece of Mayor Greg Ballard’s budget proposal Monday night, but they’re no closer to agreement on the whole $1 billion spending plan.
Government & Economic Development
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Indy council Democrats pitch budget alternative
City-County Council Democrats are pitching a 2014 budget alternative that would close an $8-million gap left by the majority party's refusal to go along with Mayor Greg Ballard on eliminating the homestead tax credit.
State’s longest-serving female representative dies
Phyllis Pond of New Haven was a retired kindergarten teacher first elected to her Fort Wayne-area district in 1978. The 82-year-old's legislative work included pushing measures that reduced class sizes throughout the state and helped minority students attend law school.
Law prompts some schools to end open enrollment
A new Indiana law that prevents public schools from turning away transfer students with poor grades or disciplinary problems has prompted some districts to end their open enrollment policies.
Urban farmer battles to keep chickens in Muncie
A woman fighting a city ordinance that bans chickens in residential areas says her little farm enables her to provide for her family.
House votes to derail Obamacare through funding cut
The GOP-controlled House voted Friday to cripple President Barack Obama's health care law as part of a risky ploy that threatens a government shutdown in a week and a half.
GE dropped planned investment in Bloomington factory
A GE Appliances spokeswoman says a $161 million investment announced three years ago was never made at a southern Indiana refrigerator factory where 160 jobs are now being cut.
Anderson leaders work to make most of gateways
A group of Anderson business and civic leaders is focusing on ways to change perceptions of those traveling into the city by improving interstate entrances.
Pilots heap praise on state lawmakers
Indiana aviators are still celebrating two tax breaks created in the 2013 legislative session, one eliminating a sales tax on parts and repairs and a restructuring of the fuel tax that translates to hundreds in savings per fill-up.
Central Indiana mayor traveling to Italy to lure business
Anderson Mayor Kevin Smith said he'll meet with executives from five manufacturing companies near the city of Milan during the trip that starts Saturday.
Fishers plans new development on train-station site
Incentive deals are on the table to keep two high-potential businesses in Fishers, and the town is poised to pull the trigger on redevelopment of the Fishers Train Station property—where one of the firms could occupy third-floor office space.
City votes to end tax break for tech staffing firm
The Metropolitan Development Commission voted Wednesday to cancel a tax abatement for Indianapolis-based tech staffing firm BCForward, since it didn’t hit job-creation targets laid out in a 2009 economic development agreement.
Biofuel fraud case shines light on Imperial CEO
Federal prosecutors say Jeffrey Wilson did not initially know about a fraud scheme in Imperial Petroleum’s new subsidiary, E-Biofuels, but allowed the deception to continue once he did, costing investors tens of millions of dollars.
Ruling: Indiana failed to study mine’s water impacts
An environmental law judge has found that Indiana failed to fully assess the impact of coal waste runoff on local waterways when it issued a permit for a southwestern Indiana surface coal mine that’s the largest such mine east of the Mississippi River.
Alzheimer’s targeted in $45M government study grant
Part of the funding will go to an existing study of drugs from Eli Lilly and Co. and others to see whether they can ward off the disease in people who inherited genes that predestine them to get Alzheimer’s.
Lottery sales lag forecast under new manager
The Hoosier Lottery is running about 17 percent behind projections for surplus revenue in July and August under manager Gtech Indiana, a subsidiary of a firm that also has missed its forecasts for the Illinois lottery.
Recycled paper mill plans 137 jobs in Indiana
The Indiana Economic Development Corp. said Tuesday that Pratt Industries will invest $260 million to build the recycling plant next to its existing box-making plant in Valparaiso.
City set to end tax break for tech staffing firm
Indianapolis-based technology staffing company BCForward won’t fight a Department of Metropolitan Development move to discontinue tax breaks for the firm’s Market Street headquarters.
Indy faces $80K in fines for trash collector death
A workplace safety inspection prompted by the death of an Indianapolis trash collector has resulted in 10 violations and proposed fines of $80,000 for the city's public works department.
State officials explain extension for Healthy Indiana Plan
Family and Social Services Administration Secretary Debra Minott took questions on the Healthy Indiana Plan two weeks after the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services signed off on a one-year extension and some sizable changes to the program, including a new limit on earnings.