Council steers $16.3M in federal funds toward rent assistance, masks
The funding comes from roughly $168 million that Indianapolis received from the federal government to respond to COVID-19 needs.
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Councilors debate future of Blue Indy assets, reject proposal to waive buying option
A City-County Council committee this week killed a proposal requesting the mayor and his administration waive the city’s option to purchase Blue Indy’s charging stations and kiosks.
IndyGo seeks $25.8 million bond to purchase 27 hybrid buses
The Indianapolis City-County Council’s Municipal Corporations Committee voted 7-2 Wednesday night to advance the proposal to the full council.
City-County Council committee approves $5.3M bond for library upgrades
The money would be directed toward needs at the West Perry, Pike and Nora branches, plus the library’s Center for Black Literature and Culture digital project.
Proposed pilot program would distribute public safety grants based on district need
The program’s aim is to provide funding to not-for-profit organizations with new or existing programs that show a potential to reduce crime or provide resources to reduce crime in Marion County.
Council approves rezoning for south-side apartment project
Roughly 22 acres on the northern half of the 104-acre site would be reserved for a multifamily project by Sheehan Development Co. Inc. that would include 320 apartments.
Council seeks ‘Black Lives Matter’ message on Indiana Avenue, commission on Black males
The Indianapolis City-County Council on Monday passed a resolution to paint a message on Indiana Avenue condemning racism and inequality. It also proposed the creation of the Indianapolis Commission on African American Males.
Indy Council passes resolution declaring racism a public health crisis
The council on Monday night also approved the mayor’s plan to to immediately deploy nearly half of the $168 million it has received in federal coronavirus relief funds to help residents and businesses that have been affected by the pandemic.
Vop Osili: Riots must shake us out of the status quo
We can and will address the concerns of citizens and business owners grappling with the damage to public and private spaces caused by last weekend’s violence. But we cannot do so without simultaneously wrestling, and besting, the historically tolerated race disparities that lie at the heart of that violence.
City considers major street closures to expand outdoor dining
Marion County’s reopening plan allows restaurants to open at 50% capacity on Friday—but only if diners eat outside.
UPDATE: Council approves $25M to make federal paycheck loans available to small businesses
The Indianapolis City-County Council voted unanimously Friday morning to provide Indy Chamber with $25 million that will enable the business-advocacy group to quickly offer forgivable loans to small businesses in Marion County backed by the federal Paycheck Protection Program.
City-County Council allocates $1.1 million to absentee-voting initiative
Mailing absentee ballot applications to Marion County’s nearly 650,000 registered voters is expected to cost $550,000 for the primary. The council also allocated $550,000 for the fall, in case social distancing is still being encouraged at that time.
Holcomb vetoes controversial landlord-tenant legislation
The governor’s decision to block the bill from becoming law allows tenant protections the city of Indianapolis recently put in place to remain in force.
City-County Council seeks to root out inequities in city hall
The council committed to addressing the problem throughout city-county government by passing a special resolution outlining steps that will be taken to move the needle on the issue.
City-County Council pledges to tackle racial, social disparities in Indianapolis
The resolution, co-sponsored by all 25 council members, calls for creating a steering committee tasked with developing a strategy to end racial disparities, with its first task identifying where disparities exist in city policies.
Council Democrats turn down proposal to form special study commission on crime
The Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee on Wednesday night voted along party lines to reject the Republican proposal, hours before a shooting on the far-east side left four people dead.
Council Republicans to introduce proposal to study violent crime in Indianapolis
The proposal comes after police investigated 154 criminal homicides in 2019—five lower than the record set in 2018—and an increase in the number of non-fatal shooting victims.
Indianapolis Democrats want to study impact of climate change on city
A City-County Council proposal introduced Friday calls for the creation of a year-long commission to take stock of climate-change effects and make recommendations to address them.
City-County Council pay lags badly in Indianapolis
Indianapolis’ part-time city-county councilors are paid significantly less than officials with the same positions in comparable cities across the nation
Democrats’ historic council grip likely to last, political observers say
Republicans will be forced to work with Democrats to see any GOP proposals take flight. And new, young Republican councilors say they’re eager to work across the aisle.