We must enact a plan not just around how to build and encourage industry to adapt and change, but also to maximize Indiana’s ability to compete over the next decade.
Normally, the governor gives the annual State of the State address before a joint session of the Indiana General Assembly inside the Indiana House chamber. But for safety reasons, Holcomb pre-recorded the speech without an audience.
IBJ looked at 30 of the more measurable commitments the governor has made over the last four years to see whether he’s lived up to what he promised and what Hoosiers can expect if he wins a second term.
We don’t often think of Unigov this way today, but in 1970, it was an early response to the challenge of regionalism. It created a regional government covering Marion County. At the time, this included most of the suburban development in the region.
Senate Bill 350 would create a regional development authority framework for central Indiana to allow local officials to work together on significant economic development initiatives. The pilot program would be in place for five years.
The area that includes the Fletcher Place neighborhood and the southeast corner of downtown is one of the hottest parts of Indianapolis, yet it’s included in a federal program designed to spur investments in poor neighborhoods.
State legislators should be receptive. It’s a reasonable follow-up to the 2015 Regional Cities Initiative, which split $126 million in tax amnesty funds among three regions.
The push to create a stronger sense of place in central Indiana could benefit the community at large, of course. But the biggest advocates of such efforts are business leaders concerned about attracting the best talent, and we love the idea that each one of them could take on a little of the responsibility for making the city a more attractive place to live and work.
While these cities definitely benefit from hosting all this regional economic activity, they must handle heavy rush-hour traffic and wear-and-tear on their streets, as well as provide public-safety services to accommodate the increased workday population.
Jodi Golden, the new executive director of Indiana’s Office of Community and Rural Affairs&mdash, is eager to see all the potential and assets that rural Indiana has to offer.
After leaving Indianapolis city government when the administration changed from Bart Peterson to Greg Ballard, Keira Amstutz in 2008 became the highly visible face of Indiana Humanities.
Although lawmakers OK’d less than half the $50 million annual pledge business leaders wanted for expanding state-funded preschool, they passed a major infrastructure bill that businesses favored.
Addressing everything from more direct flights to increased funding for emerging technologies, legislators gave businesses plenty to be happy about in 2017.
