Stimulus to brighten city’s traffic lights
The bright lights of Indiana’s largest city are getting brighter—at hundreds of street intersections, anyway.
Local Government
Articles
Green year for city hall, businesses
It’s been a year since Republican Mayor Greg Ballard launched the City’s Office of Sustainability. On Oct. 6,
Ballard and his sustainability director, Karen Haley, outlined accomplishments in the first year.
Controversial downtown project to get tax abatement
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission approved a 10-year tax abatement Wednesday afternoon for a controversial
public-private plan to redevelop a vacant downtown office building.
IT consultant up for tax abatement
A city board this week will consider tax abatements worth about $47,000 over six years for Indianapolis-based IT consultant
Apparatus Inc., which is moving its headquarters to the former WFYI building at 1401 N. Meridian St.
Proposed Fishers medical park faces uncertain demand
Fishers development officials hope to create a huge cluster of medical and research facilities near Interstate 69’s Exit
10, near St. Vincent Medical Center Northeast, but local real estate experts disagree about the amount of potential demand
for such a development.
Council to hear plan for stricter smoking ban
A proposal that would prevent smokers from lighting up in all indoor public places in Marion County is expected to meet fierce
resistance from bar owners who oppose a stricter smoking ban.
City receives host of sale, privatization ideas for water, sewer utilities
Officials grappling with a water utility deep in debt and a sewer infrastructure needing upwards of $2 billion in
upgrades were swamped with proposals about how to fix the mess.
NCAA, city haggle over Final Four rental deal
A little more than six months before the 2010 NCAA men’s Final Four is set to tip off at Lucas Oil Stadium, the NCAA
has not yet finalized a rental deal for the facility. While officials for the NCAA and Local Organizing Committee,
the group charged with operating the event in Indianapolis, downplay any problems, sports business experts say it is unusual
not to have an agreement pinned down in the months leading up to the event.
Indianapolis Economic Development Inc. boasts job-creation success
In the worst recession since the Great Depression, it must be difficult to broker business expansions. But
IEDI’s making no excuses for the city’s job creation and retention figures. In fact, it’s touting them.
Greenwood merger would create one of state’s largest cities
The new city would count more than 80,000 residents. In terms of population, it would zoom past Fishers and Carmel to rank
sixth or seventh in the state.
Commission OKs Ameriplex, Rexnord tax abatements
The Metropolitan Development Commission this afternoon approved two requests for property tax abatement, including one for
a mammoth development known as World Connect at AmeriPlex.
Westfield makes smoking illegal in most public places
The Westfield City Council passed a smoking ban 7-0 last night that will prohibit smoking in most public places, including
outdoor arenas, stadiums and amphitheaters.
More layoffs, furloughs possible for cash-strapped CIB
The financial condition of the city’s Capital Improvement Board, though improving, is still dire enough that employees
of the Indiana Convention Center could be subjected to more unpaid furloughs or layoffs.
ICVA unlikely to seek loan to pay for enhanced marketing
The idea of the not-for-profit Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association taking out a loan was not warmly received by
city officials. And financial institutions were less than thrilled with the idea given the ICVA’s diminishing revenue
and increasing costs.
Fitch strips Indianapolis of prized AAA bond rating
Fitch and other rating agencies are concerned that the phase-in of property tax caps will further strain the city’s finances.
ICVA: Stadium’s retractable roof worth the cost
Three music events with direct visitor spending estimated at $28 million that were hosted at Lucas Oil Stadium offer proof,
city officials said, that the expense of the retractable roof and other features of the $720 million facility are paying off.
Merrillville furloughs workers in budget move
The northwestern Indiana town of Merrillville is requiring its employees to take five unpaid furlough days this year, along
with five more in the first half of 2010.
Chrysler sticks it to Kokomo
Officials in Kokomo and Howard County are in a tough spot. The “new” Chrysler created after its bankruptcy
sale to Fiat contends it‘s no longer on the hook for $12.9 million it owes various local taxing bodies this year and
$12.3 million it will owe next year.
ICVA might take out loan to market city for conventions
The Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association is so desperate for more marketing funding, the organization charged
with promoting the city as a convention and tourism destination is considering taking out a loan. While that
would be the last resort, ICVA CEO Don Welsh said it is one he will have to consider if the money can’t be raised through
local taxes.
EDITORIAL: Partisan games plague council
The City-County Council wisely averted disaster for the Capital Improvement Board Aug. 10 by voting to raise the city’s
hotel tax from 9 percent to 10 percent, but the razor-thin vote was another disappointing case of elected officials making
decisions based on partisanship rather than good judgment.