Articles

Questions for Ballard

Mayor Ballard should veto or delay implementation of the proposed 0.05 percent tax to hire 150 police officers until more supporting details are offered: 1. What would these officers do each day? Would they travel our streets in cars, walk new beats or engage in “community policing”? If the latter, would they speak at events, […]

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Make contractor rebuild house

It is sad to see another piece of Indy history is now a pile of rubble [Sept. 15]. I lived in the Fall Creek area growing up. The homes were made better than anything you can purchase today. The owner should not have bought the property if he did not want to abide by the […]

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Interview Issue a hit with faithful reader

I’ve been starting my week with the IBJ for 20 years. I just finished reading the [Sept. 29] issue cover to cover. This is the best one ever. Great idea for an issue—fascinating people and stories. I’ll look forward to the 2015 issue! __________ Ruth Lochary, Fishers  

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Life lessons from Indianapolis leaders

There is power in learning from as many people as you can. IBJ gathered 29 Hoosiers, different in every sense of the word, for its first Interview Issue last week. Collectively, these interviews teach and reinforce many valuable life lessons. Help others. Meet as many people as you can without trying to extract value from […]

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Make voting more convenient

Turnout in the recent vote in Scotland over whether to secede from the United Kingdom was reported to be 85 percent. Turnout in the most recent primary election in Ferguson, Mo., was 12 percent. These are undoubtedly the “poles”—the extremes. Yet … Americans seem evenly divided between those working to increase voter turnout—the League of […]

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Opt for the greatest impact

Nearly two years have passed since Eli Lilly and Co. CEO John Lechleiter called for creating a “world-class” life sciences research institute in Indianapolis, and now the fledgling Indiana Biosciences Research Institute is on the verge of naming its first leader. That choice of a chief executive, expected before Thanksgiving, will telegraph a critical signal […]

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Hicks: Rein in tax increment financing districts

Because TIF districts never go away, redevelopment commissions will have many opportunities over the coming centuries to think of multiple uses for their money. To no surprise, this raises many legitimate policy questions.

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Hicks: Traditional economic development doesn’t work

The cost of luring a firm to town has skyrocketed, while the benefits have plummeted. The United States has created more than 90 million net new jobs over the past 45 years, but fewer “attractable” jobs are available today than in 1969.

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Council should pass Ballard preschool plan

Those of us interested in reforming public education should urge support from the Democrats on the City-County Council for Mayor Ballard’s preschool funding plan that was delayed recently.

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