May 2, 2013
IBJ StaffJason Dudich is already familiar with the financial workings of the city. He was Ballard's budget director and deputy
controller from February 2008 to August 2010.
More
April 10, 2013
Kathleen McLaughlinThe city will lose its controller a few months before the 2014 budget is due to be presented to the City-County Council.
More
April 8, 2013
Kathleen McLaughlinIndianapolis leaders made a pact to cut 5 percent from the already-adopted 2013 budget, but the reality might prove too difficult
to stomach.
More
February 9, 2013
Legislator says the recent tax increases aren't being used for the purpose intended when such increases were authorized in
2009.
More
February 9, 2013
Kathleen McLaughlinMayor Greg Ballard is nationally recognized as a rigorous charter authorizer, picky about which schools open and willing to
shut down the under-performers. But there is a cost to the city’s education work and Ballard may have to consider how
much of it can be supported by the city’s maxed-out general fund alone.
More
January 28, 2013
IBJ StaffThe Indianapolis City-County Council on Monday night approved tax hikes to admissions to downtown events and on rental cars.
More
January 12, 2013
The merit raises for non-union employees come as the city tries to trim expenses by 5 percent.
More
January 8, 2013
Scott OlsonIndianapolis is poised to raise its tax on car rentals, drawing the ire of the auto-rental industry. Though local politicians
routinely say such taxes hurt only visitors, more than half of car rentals are actually local, industry figures show.
More
January 7, 2013
Kathleen McLaughlinIndianapolis City-County Council leaders have agreed to increase visitor and entertainment taxes to avoid what one councilor
called a drastic reduction in services.
More
December 4, 2012
J.K. WallAfter saying in August he would revoke raises for police officers and firefighters, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard has agreed
in principal to a new contract that would delay a 3 percent salary hike by six months.
More
October 26, 2012
Kathleen McLaughlinMayor Greg Ballard plans to sign a $1 billion budget plan approved by the Indianapolis City-County Council earlier this month,
but only after using his line-item veto powers to kill major portions of it.
More
October 15, 2012
Kathleen McLaughlinThe Indianapolis City-County Council approved a budget Monday night that relies on a $15 million payment from a tax-exempt
entity, likely setting the stage for a legal battle, plus difficult negotiations with Mayor Greg Ballard.
More
October 12, 2012
IBJ StaffThe plan—opposed by Republican Mayor Greg Ballard and members of the CIB—now advances to the City-County Council.
More
September 29, 2012
Kathleen McLaughlinEfficiency expert Manny Mendez, who has saved the city $4.9 million since 2008 through Six Sigma practices, is now scouring
government operations in search of $15 million more.
More
August 28, 2012
IBJ StaffA proposal that would expand a downtown tax-increment financing district to the northeast and northwest was approved Monday
by the City-County Council's Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee.
More
August 18, 2012
Mayor proposes shifting $10 million out of downtown district to help make up for $65 million general-fund shortfall.
More
July 31, 2012
Kathleen McLaughlinIndianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard’s staff received a collective 18-percent raise this spring following the hiring of a
new deputy for education with an annual salary of $120,000.
More
July 28, 2012
Kathleen McLaughlinPublic safety and criminal justice are the only places left in the city-county budgets to look for ways to close a $27 million
spending gap for 2013. Sheriff, police, fire and court budgets account for 85 percent of the $569 million general fund.
More
February 11, 2012
Cory SchoutenBrian Mahern, a Democrat on the City-County Council, plans to propose a study commission to examine the effectiveness of TIF
districts, how property tax caps will affect them, and ways to increase transparency for the complicated financing vehicles.
More
August 30, 2011
Francesca JaroszOfficials from the Marion County Sheriff’s Department say they are concerned that a $10 million gap in this year’s
budget will hurt their ability to pay critical bills.
More
August 19, 2011
Scott OlsonIn the quarter ended June 30, the city's share of revenue from parking meters totaled $498,273 compared with $108,265 in the
same time frame of 2010, a 360-percent increase.
More
August 11, 2011
Francesca JaroszIndianapolis will shed 200 positions next year to help cut $20 million from non-public safety agencies.
More
August 10, 2011
Scott OlsonThe money would be used as a safeguard to help Indianapolis maintain its AAA credit ratings. But Democrat mayoral challenger
Melina Kennedy is criticizing the move.
More
July 22, 2011
Francesca JaroszDemocratic mayoral candidate Melina Kennedy unveiled a proposal Friday to set aside $150 million in proceeds from the sale
of the city's water and sewer utilities to fund early education, crime prevention and job training.
More
June 6, 2011
Indianapolis' Community Crime Prevention Board awarded a total of $1.7 million in grants, down from $4 million last year,
due to the city budget crunch.
More
Saw the Indy Men's Chorus "Music of Gilbert & Sullivan" at the Indiana Historical Society on Sunday evening.
Temporary workers are not "tools" they are people and companies that keep large amounts of temp staff are cheating.
I miss having them around. I hope one of their stores is in the general Meridian/86th Street area. I will make good use of it.
The Fringe! Plus, the simple fact that there are so many local faves in such close proximity to each other.
I remenber, watching the toll road, being built, through South Bend, when I was 10 years old. I believe, back then that it was estimated, that the toll road, would be paid for in 20 years and then it would be free. I am now 71, what happened? Since the power is in the people, by that, I mean that, we the people are in total control of everything. I, suggest that no one ever use the toll road again, let it go broke. We the people can control the price of everything, from groceries to gas, if we would just do it. If we don't pay the asking price, the sellers will lower the price and if we wait awhile, they will lower the price to what we accept as reasonable. I would like to know why a highway like interstate 94, is so well maintained, a much better highway, than the toll road, but has no tolls. I would also like to know why, a sitting governor, with a term limit, maximum of eight years, can lease, public property, for 75 years. Even though I have transponders in both of my trucks and will not be affected by the increase, I have been and will contine to avoid using the toll road. I make many trips from northern Indiana to Chicago, every year, and I prefer the better highway, I94!