Home » Government

Government

Articles

Labor sector diversification could spur local economy: $200,000 study targets finance, retail and construction

Sexier industry sectors like life sciences or motorsports get all the press. But to remain robust, the Indianapolis Private Industry Council believes, the area economy needs diversification. The 23-year-old work-force-training not-for-profit believes the nine-county area also should target three tried-and-true industries: finance and insurance; retail, hospitality and restaurants; and construction. IPIC, whose $9 million annual budget comes from public and private grants, plans to spend $200,000 during the first quarter studying the three sectors, which collectively employ 270,000 people in…

Read More

EYE ON THE PIE: In 2007, sweat the little things

This time of the year, serious people make serious resolutions about important matters; people like me, experienced and lacking determination, avoid resolutions. If, however, I were to recommend resolutions to business and government leaders, my list could be condensed into this: Attend to the little things. For too long, we have heard the preaching of management gurus and public-policy mavens that we must keep our eyes focused on the bigger issues. If you are a decision maker, you are supposed…

Read More

STATEHOUSE DISPATCH: Think the state’s awash in cash? Think again

Most observers assume there will be a confrontation between House Democrats, led by Speaker Pat Bauer, D-South Bend, and Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels this session. They suggest it’s like watching a hockey game and just waiting for a big fight. But confrontation need not be a synonym for breakdown , and while legislative Democrats and Daniels have some different philosophies about the role of government, they also have some basic agreements on just what should be accomplished before the end…

Read More

EYE ON THE PIE: News flash? Indiana continues to lag nation

The U.S. Department of Commerce put two data sets under my tree the week before Christma. On Wednesday, I got personal-income data, by state, for the third quarter of 2006 from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. On Friday, the Bureau of the Census sent me 2006 population estimates for all the states. Could I ask for anything better unless it was the “Complete Works of Alvin and the Chipmunks”? However, my joy may not be shared by those who have…

Read More

New stadium rising; city preparing for Super Bowl bid:

The concrete columns of the Indianapolis Colts’ new $675 million stadium began rising out of the ground in early 2006. Soon thereafter, the new venue had a name. In March, California-based Lucas Oil Products agreed to a 20-year, $121.5 million naming rights deal. Meanwhile, city and team officials in 2006 began discussions they hope will lead to attracting the Super Bowl to Lucas Oil Stadium in 2011. The Lucas Oil pact is one of a flurry of sponsorship deals the…

Read More

TOM HARTON Commentary: Tying up some local loose ends

Maybe you’ve already heard. Mickey Maurer’s column will return to this space in a few weeks. After two years serving as Gov. Mitch Daniels’ go-to economic development guy, Mickey should have plenty of stories to tell. And Associate Editor Tawn Parent and I, as his trusty substitute columnists, should have a bit more time to devote to our behind-the-scenes work at IBJ. I’m closing out my brief columnwriting career by addressing a handful of topics-some of them new, some of…

Read More

INVESTING: Deal-making frenzy sweeps through trading exchanges

More than 200 years ago, people used to gather under the Buttonwood Tree, a big Sycamore on Wall Street, to trade stocks. Those traders have long since passed on, and their piles of cash have been delegated to others. But, oh man, are we talking piles. Exchanges are the hottest investment right now. They are getting more hype than China. All of this recent spike in speculation has created an almost unacceptable level of risk for investors in exchange stocks,…

Read More

RETURN ON TECHNOLOGY: 2006 has seen plenty of technological goofs

Happy holidays to you, and welcome to yet another yearly installment of, “Who’s Got the SNAFU?” the holiday game for those nervous about using technology for anything more complicated than opening cat food. We start comparatively close to home, in Valparaiso, where CNN reported that a modest little $122,000 home was erroneously valued in the county’s computer system at $400 million, which would have generated some $8 million in tax revenue. The $8 million figure was duly calculated into the…

Read More

VIEWPOINT: Sustained momentum crucial for session

The 2007 Indiana General Assembly session will begin in January. As a result of last month’s election, the House of Representatives is now controlled by Democrats, and the Senate is in the hands of Republicans. Regardless of which political party controls which branch of the Legislature, Hoosiers expect collaboration and progress. Indiana has built tremendous momentum in economic development, but more work lies ahead. The momentum must continue into 2007 and beyond. Despite our progress, Indiana must continue to be…

Read More

Small biz unsure about ’07: Legislative agenda is clear, but advocates still worried

Big changes at the Statehouse, including a shift to Democratic control in the House of Representatives and a leadership switch in the Senate, mean there are more unknowns and more unpredictability. Meanwhile, top issues such as health insurance, tax reforms and regulatory changes provide a minefield of concerns for small-business owners. New health insurance mandates could add to already skyrocketing premiums. New local taxing authority could increase the burden on small businesses. Changes to the state’s regulatory structure could dramatically…

Read More

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS: Laws, regulations rippling through corporate America

They say that one way to avoid getting angry at the car traffic around you is to imagine that the drivers are people you know. Likewise, it is said that substituting the words “other people” for the word “government” in the discussion of government’s obligations and responsibilities toward its citizens can take some of the thunder out of the latter’s demands. That’s no great insight, of course. We want to impress, please and be liked by people. But organizations, bureaucracies…

Read More

EYE ON THE PIE: A private eye looks at privatization

I was sitting with my back to the door, watching the deer consume urban gardens, when she entered. “Mr. Marcus?” she asked, in a voice that suggested the lower range of a clarinet. “Yes,” I replied, swiveling in my swivel chair. “You don’t know me,” she said. “My name is Arlene Amour.” “I can understand that,” I said, examining her with my eyes as would an eagle swirling over his prey. I liked what I saw. “I want you to…

Read More

BRIAN WILLIAMS Commentary: Is privatizing public services the answer?

Since being elected governor, Mitch Daniels has unveiled several big ideas, a common theme of which is the privatization of public assets. Privatization is not a new idea or a big idea. Indianapolis residents are familiar with privatization, specifically of the city’s wastewater treatment facility and Indianapolis International Airport. While these privatization efforts purportedly have generated significant savings, none of those savings have been remitted to Indianapolis citizens, whose utility rates and ticket and parking fees helped construct and maintain…

Read More

Does gender matter in politics?: Despite high-profile wins, politics still remains a male-dominated field

1992 was dubbed the “Year of the Woman,” when four women were elected to the U.S. Senate, but 2006 may be seen as the beginning of a new women’s political movement, says Marie Wilson, president of The White House Project, a Washington, D.C.-based group that’s working to advance women in political office. Indiana has made some strides, but 85 years after women won the hard-fought right to vote, the number of women in elected office at the national level hasn’t…

Read More

Hamilton County officials splash cold water on RiverPlace: Upstream trouble on White River could result from adding fill, overflow channel

A government panel is echoing the concerns of the Hoosier Environmental Council that Centre Properties’ proposed RiverPlace development along White River at 96th Street could worsen the effects of a flood. The Hamilton County Drainage Board doesn’t carry the weight of the U.S. Geological Survey, but its opinion could influence the giant, mixed-use project’s chances of winning a rezoning case. A letter the drainage board sent recently to the Fishers planning commission comes just before the Fishers Town Council considers…

Read More

EYE ON THE PIE: Time for progressive Indiana income tax?

There is growing agreement that the rich are getting richer faster than the poor are improving their lives. If you believe the trickle-down theorists, the poor will get the runoff as wealth is showered upon the few. If you look about, however, you will question this charming opinion held by the comfortable. At the same time, policies at the national and state levels continue to emphasize cutting the most important means we have of correcting this growing imbalance in America….

Read More

TOM HARTON Commentary: Business in a hole climbs out

Everyone says owning a restaurant is hard work. But for Tracy Robertson, not owning one has been much harder. Robertson’s restaurant, the 745 Bar & Grill, hasn’t served a burger or a beer since the afternoon of Jan. 25, 2005. That’s when the 745 literally fell into a hole. A cook, a bartender and five patrons escaped just moments before the restaurant collapsed into the excavation pit for what is now the 757 Mass Ave condominium building. In an instant,…

Read More

BEHIND THE NEWS: Unique, low-profile bank shaking up the status quo

It’s a quiet giant, but not a sleeping one. The Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis is the state’s fourthbiggest private company, with revenue last year of $1.8 billion. The $45-billionin-assets financial institution racked up 2005 profit of $153 million. Yet the board and executives of the 150-employee quasi-governmental enterprise aren’t wallowing in self-satisfaction. Seeing storm clouds on the horizon, they’re taking pre-emptive action to ensure the bank remains competitive and retains its formidable financial strength. “We’ve been cutting back,”…

Read More

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS: Legislative process has its own language

It’s probably not wise to admit this in a family-friendly publication, but one of my favorite comedians always has been George Carlin. The man has a genius for zooming in on the language we hear and use every day and finding nuances and symbolism that we never knew was there. Every time I land in an airplane, I have to laugh, because George Carlin reminded us how crazy it is for the pilot who landed at the same time we…

Read More

Techpoint explores tapping bank fund: Bankers oppose altering management of $308 million

High-tech leaders eager for money for venture capital investments have set their sights on a new potential source: Indiana’s $308 million Public Deposit Insurance Fund. It’s an idea sure to draw adamant opposition. Take Indiana Bankers Association CEO Jim Cousins’ reaction: “Over my dead body,” he said. “That fund exists to insure deposits. Any deviation from that, we will fight like banshees to oppose.” Formed in 1937, in the wake of the Great Depression, the PDIF insures deposits of public…

Read More