Indianapolis City-County Council Member Ike Randolph may face a censure from the full Council for abstaining to vote on the last week’s public safety tax. During the somewhat heated exchange, Randolph told the Council he was abstaining because the tax increase would fund his pay raise negotiated in the most recent fire fighter contract. City […]

I compiled this data on crime, taxes and schools today while thumbing through this weekend’s Indianapolis Star. Car jackings – up 145%. Homicides – up 12% (The full list is here. Warning, it is a partisan blog.) Robberies – up 11% Aggravated Assaults – up 34% IPS Seniors Who Graduate and without passing the Graduation […]

There’s nothing worse than starting out the week with bad news, but here it is. All my early analysis of the property tax mess in Indiana is telling me not much is going to change after the reassessment. At best, there may a 5-10 percent drop in your bill if you’re lucky. So if you […]

The Mayor’s Office is apparently complaining about the news and media coverage of the public safety tax increase, accusing a lot of us, me in particular, of sensationalizing the tax and going for the more inflammatory headlines and stories. This is not the first time the Mayor’s office has complained about media coverage and it […]

Although Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson said he would not cut funds from public safety, I am told that the Indianapolis Fire Department is having close to $800,000 taken away from it for now. The debate is whether the 800 grand that’s off the table is being cut or frozen. The city has already depleted its […]

Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson’s re-election campaign has unveiled its web site. On it the Mayor highlights his anti-crime plan, the first Peterson Plan and cultural development district. You can find it here, http://www.bartpetersonformayor.com

Shortly after yesterday’s news conference at Marion County Democratic headquarters, I spoke for a few minutes with City Council President Monroe Gray. We chatted informally for a few seconds and then Gray told me that I was very one-sided in my reporting of events here in Indianapolis. I was a bit taken back by that. […]

Marion County Democratic Party Chairman Mike O’Connor called on Republican candidates for this year’s municipal offices to get on board the consolidation train. O’Connor said he found it odd that the same people who opposed government consolidation for the past three years are now calling for less government. He said if they want less government […]

I am hearing rumblings from a lot of citizens angry about this week’s increase in the county option income tax that they may file a suit to have the vote thrown out. The tax was raised to help pay for public safety. The advocates say when several members of the City-County Council voted for the […]

The fallout continues from Monday night’s controversial City-County Council meeting where lawmakers approved a 65-percent increase in the county option income tax to pay for public safety. Former City-comptroller Jim Steele, who was hired by the city to help pass the tax increase and help solve its financial problems, has turned in his resignation. Steele […]