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.
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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.
Biden says he’s open to compromise on infrastructure, but not inaction
The president has taken heat from Republican lawmakers and business groups for proposing that corporate tax increases should finance a $2.3 trillion infrastructure package that goes far beyond the traditional focus on roads and bridges.
Indiana lawmakers dial back controversial wetlands bill
Although the bill still broadly reduces wetlands protections, the Hoosier Environmental Council called the amendment “much less damaging” than the Senate-passed version of the bill.
New to Washington, Buttigieg looks to build bridges with Biden plan
The man known during his campaign as “Mayor Pete” faces the first test of that potential in his first job in Washington: Selling a $2.3 trillion infrastructure program that will be paid for with corporate tax hikes.
U.S. forges ahead on $1 billion tariff plan over digital taxes
Goods entering the U.S.—ranging from Austrian grand pianos and British merry-go-rounds to Turkish Kilim rugs and Italian anchovies—could face tariffs of as much as 25% annually.
Indiana’s COVID vaccine rollout gets mixed reviews
While the state’s rollout of eligibility for the vaccine has come under some fire, many Hoosiers have begun planning for a summer and fall free from worry, ready to resume their normal lives.
Anticipation building for boom in U.S. hiring this year
After a year of epic job losses, waves of coronavirus infections, and small business closures, numerous trends are brightening the outlook.
Holcomb signs police reform, school funding bills into law
Bills aimed at increasing police accountability and ensuring Indiana’s public schools receive full funding for all students during the coronavirus pandemic were among 19 measures signed into law by Gov. Eric Holcomb on Thursday.