Plan to house homeless off to slow start
It’s been more than two years since the city and state chose four developers to build 500 affordable housing units—including some reserved for people experiencing homelessness.
Government & Economic Development
Articles
Holcomb opts in to accepting refugees
Gov. Eric Holcomb is giving the green light for federal officials to continue placing refugees in Indiana, following in the footsteps of a growing group of governors.
City-County Council pay lags badly in Indianapolis
Indianapolis’ part-time city-county councilors are paid significantly less than officials with the same positions in comparable cities across the nation
2020 election will direct Statehouse attention to teacher demands
State lawmakers might choose not to address some education issues in the upcoming legislative session, but they are likely to loom over Indiana politics in the election season.
911 tax hike means Hamilton County has cash to spend
An income tax hike going into effect next year will generate millions of dollars more than needed—a windfall government officials are eyeing to help pay for other public safety initiatives.
Complexity of Indiana school funding complicates teacher pay debate
Top Republicans touted “record investment” in school spending in defending themselves as thousands of teachers turned out for a Statehouse rally this past week calling for a bigger boost in education funding. But it’s not that simple.
Timeline: Ambrose and the GM stamping plant site
Hopes were high nearly 2-1/2 years ago, when Ambrose was selected to redevelop the GM stamping plant site. But the deal has since fallen apart. Here’s the play by play.
Ambrose, city likely to spend years in court over GM site development
Negotiations could be difficult, given that both sides have strong arguments, legal experts say.
Democrats’ historic council grip likely to last, political observers say
Republicans will be forced to work with Democrats to see any GOP proposals take flight. And new, young Republican councilors say they’re eager to work across the aisle.
Legislator for Greenwood area retiring from Statehouse after more than 30 years
Rep. Woody Burton has helped push for property tax relief, bullying prevention programs and increased accountability in the child welfare system.
Lawsuit filed by Ambrose alleges city tried to take stamping plant land for Infosys campus
The company said in its 28-page complaint that Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration had threatened to take the site through eminent domain in 2017—two years before it’s latest threat to use the legal maneuver to buy the land. That led Ambrose to add a clause to its project agreement with the city meant to prohibit the Hogsett administration from pursuing eminent domain in the future.
Indiana unemployment rate holds steady at 3.2%
The state saw job losses last month in the manufacturing sector, but the overall unemployment rate is still lower than in Indiana’s four neighboring states and across the U.S. as a whole.
FBI arrests Muncie mayor amid city corruption investigation
Muncie Mayor Dennis Tyler was arrested at his home Monday morning and was in custody. Tyler is a Democrat who’s been mayor for eight years after serving in the Indiana House.
State CIO Dewand Neely will tackle new challenge with Eleven Fifty Academy
After 15 years working in the information technology department for the state of Indiana—the last four as chief information officer, Dewand Neely is departing to take a job as chief operating officer for Eleven Fifty Academy, the not-for-profit coding academy with facilities in downtown Indianapolis and Fishers.
Embattled Attorney General Curtis Hill says he will seek re-election
Hill’s decision comes as he awaits the outcome of an Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission hearing over allegations he drunkenly groped a state lawmaker and three legislative staffers at a party in March 2018.
Hogsett to aim for bipartisanship even after Democrats’ big wins
Elected to a second term on Tuesday, Democratic Mayor Joe Hogsett said he’ll continue to look for common ground between parties on the City-County Council, although Democrats will outnumber Republicans about 4-to-1.
Longtime Democratic Rep. Pete Visclosky retiring from Congress
The 70-year-old Visclosky issued a statement Wednesday thanking his district’s residents for “the incredible life privilege” of serving in Congress since first winning election in 1984.
Democrats expand majority on City-County Council
Democrats picked up at least five seats—and possibly six, depending on the outcome of a race with a razor-thin margin. Republican leader Mike McQuillen was among the GOP casualties.
Source: White House finds Pelosi drug plan ‘unworkable’
President Trump is instead backing a bipartisan bill that would for the first time limit what seniors have to pay out of their own pockets for medications.
Indiana GOP aiming to take some mayoral offices from Democrats
The outcome of Tuesday’s local elections will also decide whether a new casino can be built in Terre Haute and the fate of several school district construction and security improvement proposals.