Performance venues say federal grants should help them survive
Businesses are looking for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, which had its launch derailed last week because of technical problems with the application portal, to reopen soon.
Government & Economic Development
Articles
Is Carmel’s city council less aligned with the mayor?
Recent council actions are raising questions about whether members are becoming more skeptical of Mayor Jim Brainard’s vision for the city and subsequent spending.
Better-than-expected Indiana outlook brings calls for bigger education boost
Indiana educators on Thursday called for a bigger school funding boost to help improve the state’s lagging teacher pay, as new projections showed state tax collections are expected to bounce back stronger than expected from the pandemic recession.
Indiana poised to open school vouchers to families making more than $100,000
Indiana lawmakers are almost certain to approve a significant expansion of what is already a broad private school voucher program, setting one of the highest family income ceilings in the nation.
Former VP Mike Pence undergoes surgery to implant pacemaker
The 61-year-old former Indiana governor had previously been diagnosed with a heart condition called asymptomatic left bundle branch block.
Indiana budget outlook shows bigger-than-expected tax revenue jump
A new state tax revenue forecast given Thursday to state legislators projects state tax collections going up by more than 4% in in each of the next two years.
Wetlands deregulation bill advances to Indiana governor
Lawmakers gave final approval Wednesday to a disputed bill seeking to remove protections from Indiana’s already diminished wetlands amid mounting criticism that the legislation could cause damage to the state’s waterways, wildlife and vegetation.
Controversial Indiana environmental bills inch near passage
Lawmakers approved two environmental bills Tuesday that critics say could damage the state’s ecosystems by scaling back current policy affecting water, energy and other resources.
U.S. budget deficit jumps to record $1.7 trillion
The deficit has been driven higher by trillions of dollars in support Congress has passed in successive economic rescue packages since the pandemic struck in early March 2020.
White House gives Indiana C- in state-by-state infrastructure report
The Biden White House is amplifying the push for its $2.3 trillion infrastructure package with the release of state-by-state breakdowns that show the dire shape of roads, bridges, the power grid and housing affordability.
Proposed new Indiana vaping products tax blasted as ‘measly’
The president of the state’s largest business organization says the Senate’s proposed tax amounts to “a measly one-tenth” of the state’s cigarette tax and is “arguably worse than no increase at all.”
Could Indiana spend its $3B from feds on a one-time, impactful investment?
The state has an estimated $3 billion in federal funding coming its way. IBJ decided to ask what would happen if officials did something big and bold with the money.
Aging water systems, increasing demand require heavy investment
For nearly a decade, voices across Indiana have raised warning flags about the need to repair the state’s aging water-utility systems and make plans to meet the growing water demand.
Broadband ‘imperative for our professional and educational lives’
Most Indiana leaders and politicians agree that providing every Hoosier with a high-speed broadband connection is a worthy goal, if not a high priority. But they disagree over how to accomplish and pay for it.
White River could become a national-park-like amenity
Improving a 58-mile stretch of the White River and taking advantage of the natural resource that flows through the Indianapolis area has been on local leaders’ wish list for years.
Bill Oesterle: State needs to recruit new talent to Indiana
Unlike many other states, Indiana has its fiscal house in order so this federal money is a rare opportunity for thoughtful new investment.
Greg Porter: The American Rescue Plan can change the course of Indiana
It is up to the state to get relief into the hands of those who need it most.
Financial concerns cast doubt on State Road 32 project
The Westfield City Council president is questioning whether to move forward with a road-widening project more than a decade in the making over concerns that it will exceed its budget.
Lawmakers adopt penalties for failing to protect monuments
The Indiana Legislature passed a bill Thursday that allows the state to withhold funding to cities that fail to protect public monuments and memorials from vandalism.
New Indiana budget proposal scales back private school voucher expansion
The budget proposal, presented Thursday to the Senate Appropriations Committee, would increase state funding for K-12 education by $408 million over the next two years.