Outsider appeal, moderate stance helped Ballard win
Mayor Greg Ballard maintained an appeal as a political outsider and moderate Republican that drew enough Democratic support to secure him a second term Tuesday, experts said.
Francesca Jarosz
Articles
Dems gain 16-13 edge on City-County Council
Democrats won control of the Indianapolis City-County Council on Tuesday, capturing 16 of 29 seats and taking over the city’s legislative body for the first time since 2007.
Ballard cruises to victory in bid for second term
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard won a second term Tuesday, pulling off a solid victory against Democratic challenger Melina Kennedy by claiming more than 51 percent of the vote.
Mayoral election outcome could hinge on turnout
The fate of mayoral and City-County Council candidates in Tuesday’s election is likely to come down to turnout in a few key districts, including Center Township and southern Marion County.
Lawmakers looking for solutions to online sales tax issue
At least one Indiana lawmaker plans to file a bill requiring the state to collect sales taxes from online retailers like Amazon.com. Other state lawmakers are working on a federal solution.
State mulls ditching traditional pensions
Lawmakers are mulling converting the state’s pension system into a 401(k)-like model, bringing Indiana into the heated national debate over public pensions.
Court case might roil not-for-profit tax rules
A Bartholomew County not-for-profit affordable housing development group is preparing to fight in Indiana Tax Court a denial of its property-tax exemption. The denial has put the organization
$200,000 in debt and its rental homes in danger of tax foreclosure.
Mayoral race draws gifts from outside city, state
About a third of the money that flowed to Indianapolis mayoral candidates Greg Ballard and Melina Kennedy in the most recent fundraising cycle came from donors not eligible to vote in the election.
Court sides with racinos in tax dispute with state
A federal bankruptcy court has sided with two Indiana racinos in a dispute over their tax burdens, a ruling that could reduce the total amount they pay into state coffers by as much as $30 million per year.
Ballard, Kennedy add more than $1M in campaign funds
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard and Democratic challenger Melina Kennedy each raised more than $1 million in the most recent seven-month reporting period and are neck-in-neck in the amount of campaign money they have on hand.
Control of City-County Council hangs in balance
Several close City-County Council races this fall are expected to make the battle over which party controls Indianapolis’ legislative body fiercely competitive.
Kennedy’s persistence put to test
Supporters and detractors of Melina Kennedy agree on this description of her: a persistently hard worker. Whether that trait is enough to make the 42-year-old Democrat an effective leader of the nation’s 12th-largest city is an open question.
Bank directors feeling greater scrutiny
Tough economy, regulations dampen interest in the positions.
New gym giving City Market a boost
The full-service YMCA, known as Indy Bike Hub, opened Sept. 7 after a $3.5 million renovation of the City Market’s East Wing that also included improvements to the market’s main hall.
Commission approves demolition for Indy East Motel
The Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission unanimously approved the demolition of the former motel at 5585 E. Washington St.—with a few conditions. Developers plan an $8.7 million project for the site.
Lawmakers might consider revamp of jobless benefits
State lawmakers could take up a proposal next year that would make unemployment benefits more flexible and give companies additional options for cutting back on employee hours through work-share programs.
City seeks new operator for recycling program
Indianapolis is soliciting proposals for its drop-off recycling program with the aim of boosting participation in the initiative.
Anderson racino emerges from bankruptcy
The parent company of Anderson racetrack and casino Hoosier Park has officially emerged from bankruptcy. The original shareholders of Centaur Inc., about 80 individual Indiana investors, lost their entire investment in the company.
Report holds next steps for Pan Am Plaza garage
Part of the Pan Am Plaza parking garage has reopened after being closed for several hours for emergency repairs late last week, but a report will reveal whether more extensive work is needed to restore the garage to a structurally sound state.
Candidates’ pledges keeps the campaign rhetoric flowing
Melina Kennedy, the Democrat taking on Mayor Greg Ballard in the November election, has made some campaign promises of her own. And some in Ballard’s camp have questioned whether she’ll be able to bring those to fruition.