Township offices have to go
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.
Government & Economic Development
Articles
Fearful companies are curtailing employee insurance, retirement perks
Experts worry that if unemployment worsens, even more companies could be forced to cut benefits, especially health insurance.
War did not end the Great Depression
It was not World War II that moved America out of the Great Depression.
Brightpoint adjusts as wireless demand finally cools off
After years of torrid gains in the number of wireless phones it handles, Brightpoint has had two consecutive comparable-quarter
declines.
Raising already-lofty lodging levy could cause convention planners to bypass Indianapolis
Raising Indianapolis’ tax on hotel rooms — already one of the highest rates in the nation — could be the tipping
point that causes conventioneers to bypass Indianapolis, some industry experts say.
Geist restaurateur buffeted by financial squalls
Henri and Shelley Najem, who own The Bella Vita restaurant in Geist, represent the scores of Indiana restaurant operators
feeling financial pressure, given the severe economic slump.
Indiana Public worker, teacher funds have lost $8B in 15 months
The state’s two biggest pension funds are poised to combine into one Indiana Public Retirement System, with a single executive
director and board.
For unemployed, searching for job is full-time endeavor
As job losses accelerate in the worst recession in a generation, it’s becoming tougher and tougher for even well-educated,
experienced professionals to find work �¢?? or at least to find a job in the area and at the pay they want.
Unemployment taxes could break small biz
Raising the taxes to 5 percent-6 percent for a company like mine would be devastating, even though I have few employees.
Property-tax bill would hurt seniors
Retired people living on a fixed income have no way to raise extra money to pay for property taxes.
Here’s the solution to economic crisis
Replacing all sales taxes with an import tax/tariff is among several reforms that would solve the nation’s economic crises.
Legislators struggling with economic imperatives
The Indiana state budget will continue to be a work in progress for many more weeks.
Market, not bailouts, should stimulate refinancings
Markets, no matter how imperfect, not government programs, manage the economy.
Payroll tax hike looming
Shoring up the state’s jobless-fund shortfall likely will cost employers and employees more.
Crackdown on bank pay pinches Hoosier execs
When Sen. Chris Dodd decided to wage war on corporate excess, he had Wall Street fat cats in his sights, not people like Bob Jones, the folksy CEO of Old National Corp. in Evansville.
ICVA seeks extra $15M to market new center
The Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association says it needs more sales and marketing firepower to fill an expanded convention
center and adjacent hotels. That means asking the city’s Capital Improvement Board—one of ICVA’s primary sources of funds—for
a budget increase of up to 50 percent at the worst possible time.
Economic illnesses are like viruses
What kind of remedy should be applied to the economy? Surely we want something that will work quickly. But we also want something
that will help provide income in the future. That’s called investment.
CIB can’t count on mall funders
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.
Indians concerned about possible ticket tax
Some local officials wrestling with the Capital Improvement Board’s $37 million deficit think part of the profit made by the Indianapolis Indians could be used to narrow that deficit, but Indian officials balk at that idea because they say they’ve already paid more than their share.
CIB could ask for $34 million in write-offs from Circle Centre investors to ease deficit
A group of mostly local companies that made big investments to help launch Circle Centre mall soon could be asked to write
off a portion of profits they agreed to redirect into the construction of Conseco Fieldhouse.