'Livability' for Indianapolis

February 23, 2009
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A year into his tenure as mayor of Indianapolis, Greg Ballard over the weekend articulated what may be the closest thing we’ll hear for his vision for the city.

Ballard’s State of the City address touted making Indianapolis the nation’s most livable big city. He defined livable as safe, prosperous and a destination for the best and brightest. Also sustainable, and with strong neighborhoods and efficient local government.

He went on to describe how his administration is making inroads on many of the goals.

How do you feel about livability as a goal? It certainly fits with Ballard’s style of managing the fundamentals, but is it enough? And should Ballard be expected to articulate a soaring vision when times are so tough?

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  • Da HooeyFebruary 23, 2009 1:13 PM
    What I don;t understand is why Ballard feels it is necessary to form a commission to develop a strategy to fix the city's infrastructure? I mean, isn't addressing that issue something the mayor himself should be doing? Why wait 6 months and spend valuable tiem and resources with this commission nonsense.

    Take a look around Greg, see those potholes? fix them. See that road falling apart? Repave it. Broken Parks equipment? Replace it. And oh yeah, why the hell were you sedning out SALT TRUCKS Saturday? It barely covered the streets!


    God help us indy, with 2 years and 10 months to go of this clueless leader.
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  • Concerned CitizenFebruary 23, 2009 3:04 PM
    Where is the comprehensive Public Investment that our leaders have said that they will do, partnering with community investments, creating long term sustainability, economic development, and places people want to be! SMART GROWTH Project Ready to Go / 180+ Jobs will be Created / Public and Private Investments help citys grow and double the Publics returns on investment via sales and income tax, Just To Build the buildings, while creating long term Community Redevelopment! The Uptown reconnecting our midtown our corridors and our community back to our downtown should be a 1st priority. Brown to Green Redevelopment. Mayor Ballard and Governor Daniels need to make the needed commitments, creating the opportunity's for the foundation of our people, community, City, State and Country, Now. More study's are not needed. Commitments and checks with real investments into our community, is what is needed, NOW!
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  • GwynyFebruary 23, 2009 3:20 PM
    I just spent the morning in a meeting where we had to teach what should have been known, yet again, to the very people who thought they knew everything. The people who knew everything were shocked, shocked! to find out that they weren't the repositories of all information, even in an office as small as ours and had they left the door ajar, even slightly for other input, we wouldn't have had this problem.

    In this respect, I applaud Ballard for not plunging ahead to do what he knows but instead is making sure he's getting other feed-back. I only hope that his commissions are not made up of people who know, but that they also ask for input from everyone in the process - including the front-line people, patching the asphalt, the ones who really know.
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  • Da HooeyFebruary 23, 2009 4:30 PM
    IF bALLARD DOES *not* HAVE THE ASNWERS, THEN WHY IN THE WORLD DID YOU VOTE FOR HIM?
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  • BerwickGuyFebruary 23, 2009 7:11 PM
    Hey DaHooey,

    The mayor ain't King Tut. He doesn't have a gong to sound. And he doesn't have a cadre of court jesters to clown around and entertain you while you whine and moan. Maybe he'll do some good things, maybe not. He does seem to be doing some correct things according to Abdul. And Abdul may be a better source of recognizing the mayor's accomplishments than you tout yourself to be.

    Then we look ahead to think of a few of Dems that want to run against Ballard - Melina Kennedy, Frank Anderson, and Woody Meyers. Give me a break - if you think we have it bad now, just let one of those three court jesters get a promotion.
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  • Truth TellerFebruary 23, 2009 8:58 PM
    Berwick Guy,

    If your source of information about what's going on is from Abdul, a person with a radio show with invisible ratings, then you have no clue what is happening in this city. Oh, forget thinking Frank Anderson or Woddy Myers is running for Mayor. More unsubstantiated rumors spread by people like you with no clue
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  • Da HooeyFebruary 24, 2009 9:56 AM
    Thank you Mr. Truth Teller.


    Abdul? News source? :lol: You crack me up. I think one of his news sources is this bloggy thing.

    I can guarantee you Frank is not running for Mayor. He is running for womthing, but not mayor.


    Mark those words.
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  • BerwickGuyFebruary 24, 2009 12:22 PM
    Truth Teller:

    I did not state that Abdul was MY source of information. I only used him to compare to Hooey's assumptions. Oh, and congratulations on being the person will ALL the clues.

    Be sure and SMILE when you say those things!
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  • UnigovFebruary 24, 2009 1:44 PM
    Smart Growth is the process by which rich developers steal tax money, in the name of green and other such nebulous goals.

    Smart Growth gave us an unsustainable downtown

    Smart Growth means Light Rail for white people who moved out of Indy to get away from black people.

    Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uBXk5dcc1s
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  • AblerockFebruary 24, 2009 4:04 PM
    Oh brother.
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  • INDY6February 27, 2009 9:15 PM
    It is sad how uninformed people can be and still insist they know more than anyone else. Da Hooey, this pertains to you. While I can appreciate your viewpoints, and often your concerns are vallid, you need to express them in a more productive manner. You are beginning to sound like a bratty little kid having a tantrum. Potholes are being fixed, roads are being paved. Just because it all isnt happening outside your front door doesnt mean it isnt happening. Anyway, have a great day.
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