A two-front war is waging over control of the City-County Council. The General Assembly recently changed the Unigov statute to eliminate the four at-large council seats. Meanwhile, a special five-judge panel is considering a challenge to the city-county ordinance drawing the council’s 25 single-member districts.
The debate over cutting the state income tax was settled for this year, but the subject isn’t put to rest.
After each decennial census, the law requires redrawing the City-County Council districts. A decade ago, after a Democratic mayor vetoed a redistricting ordinance adopted by the Republican majority following the 2000 census, the Indiana Supreme Court rejected the partisan maps proposed by the two parties and adopted a neutral map that established the districts through the 2011 election.
Gov.-elect Mike Pence proposes a 10-percent reduction in Indiana’s income tax. Some question whether we can afford it. But if we can, should we?
Marion County’s trial judges are selected by a process used nowhere else in the state, and, as far as I know, nowhere on this planet. In the May primary elections, the two major parties each nominate only half the number of judges that will be elected in the general election.
The ballot this year will ask you whether two judges of the Indiana Supreme Court and four on the Court of Appeals will be retained in office. Don’t forget to vote yes on all six retention questions.
You may have seen recent news reports discussing a Ball State University study of how the total tax burden in this state varies for different industries and forms of organization. The takeaway is that there are multiple “inequities” in Indiana’s tax structure.
Pardon me for reminiscing on this 25th anniversary of the 1987 Pan American Games. Others have told how the Indianapolis “sports strategy” helped regenerate downtown, grow IUPUI, and establish Indianapolis as a major league city and a convention destination.
The mayor announced that the preferred site of a proposed transportation center will be the city-owned block of Washington Street between the City-County Building and the jail.
Making a farce of the general election in November is no laughing matter.
A rule change by the Indiana Supreme Court can prevent plaintiffs from choosing their courts.
Larry Bird and Frank Vogel have done a marvelous job.
Indiana’s appellate courts are the envy of most of our surrounding states.
Action by the Legislature is often required to permit local initiatives to proceed.
The names of the married couple who sold the home to us in 1991 remained on the voter lists at our address.
There is no serious vetting of candidates for lower office.
Our government structure has not kept pace with our economic and cultural growth.
The consequences of permitting a violent response are unacceptable.
We do have the benefit of thoughtful study, if not completely reliable data, to support some basic reform that will save the state money and produce a fairer and more productive criminal justice system.
