Central Indiana mayors to convene on public safety after Finkam’s call to action
The effort, officially named the Regional Mayors’ Public Safety Partnership Summit, will convene multiple times during the year.
Local government
-
Citizens Energy reaches agreements on multiple eminent domain cases for LEAP-related project
Citizens has filed over 40 eminent domain cases related to the project since August, according to court records.
Read More -
The town had no attorney. So the mayor earned a law degree.
As mayor during the day and law student at night — and husband and father at all hours — Estabrook immediately ran into his first and primary obstacle: distance.
Read More -
South Bend woman’s case against the police for property damage could head to the Supreme Court
The raid left Hadley with thousands of dollars in damages to her home and property, costs for which the city refused to reimburse her.
Read More -
Hancock County becomes first to develop dashboard on prosecution data
The justice system is one of the largest expenses for local governments.
Read More
Articles
Lawsuits accuse fire truck makers of price fixing
The suits accuse many of the country’s most notable manufacturers of emergency vehicles of fixing prices and monopolizing the market, according to the International Association of Fire Fighters.
State Ethics Commission rules against former IEDC official, grants waiver to governor’s aide
Matthew Wade requested a formal advisory opinion on whether his offer would trigger the statute.
Indiana governor could replace local bar associations in selecting Marion County judges
Proposed legislation would remove representatives from local bar associations and legal groups from the judicial selection process — a change opponents worry could politicize the judiciary.
Stakeholders weren’t happy with Indianapolis decisions, so they took fights to the Statehouse
At least three bills this state legislative session stem from conversations previously had at the city level that didn’t work out the way stakeholders and the council’s super-minority GOP caucus wanted.
Incoming police chief Tanya Terry enjoyed years of ‘street cop’ work
She’ll make history in becoming IMPD’s first permanent female police chief, but Tanya Terry said she “doesn’t necessarily seek the spotlight.”
Lawmakers back away from a youth social media ban
Bills on township government, hemp and utility costs also pass General Assembly.
Indiana National Guard ‘military police’ bill passes House
Opponents fear the provisions could be abused, pointing to President Donald Trump’s ongoing, lethal deployment of federal immigration officers to Minnesota.
Mayor Joe Hogsett appoints 27-year veteran as Indy’s first female police chief
She replaces outgoing Chief Chris Bailey, who announced earlier this month that he would leave the role to become Hogsett’s chief deputy mayor.
Streamlined process or steamrolling local control? Housing permit bill advances to House floor.
Indiana lawmakers are considering legislation to lower housing costs by removing restrictions from the permitting process. Local governments worry the measure takes decision-making power away.
Livestreaming local meetings brings new accessibility
Nearly all 567 localities, 88 counties and 354 school districts are now in compliance with a new law that requires local government meetings to be livestreamed.
Property tax case argued before the Indiana Supreme Court has major implications
Local governments could lose significant property tax revenue under a case heard by the Indiana Supreme Court Thursday about how much land falls under the state’s 1% tax cap for homesteads.
New prize named for former Indy mayor challenges local leaders to innovate
The Sagamore Institute’s new Goldsmith Prize aims to recognize sustainable solutions that leverage technology and data, foster collaboration, empower public employees and innovate creatively.
Report says townships fail to disburse emergency help taxpayers are funding
The January report by poverty- and homelessness-focused service providers, titled “Marion County Township Trustees: Opportunities Seized; Opportunities Missed,” is the result of a yearlong investigation.
Gov. Mike Braun threatens to veto property tax bill, call special session if more cuts aren’t added
Senate Bill 1, which previously carried Gov. Mike Braun’s ambitious property tax relief plan, was pared down significantly in committee following outcry from local government leaders.
Some local governments are slowing spending as lawmakers debate property tax cuts
The bill would reduce property taxes—and therefore reduce local government revenue—by about $1.4 billion over three years, according to the bill’s fiscal plan.
Opposition brings likely end to Indiana utility siting bill, but the issue isn’t going away
A key lawmaker called the bill a response to ongoing resistance of local governments to greenlight solar, wind and other renewables projects that are necessary to support the state’s growing energy demands.
Indiana Office of Technology to offer free website hosting for local governments
For the last four years, the office has supported website hosting for a “low cost,” but announced it would be eliminating the attached price tag this week.
Legislature bans sister-city agreements with ‘foreign adversaries’
Indiana lawmakers this year slipped a new prohibition blocking locals from joining cooperative agreements with communities in six “foreign adversary” countries into a bill that originally dealt with property taxes.
COA rules zoning exception for treatment center must be granted, agreeing that denial was based on ‘irrational animus’
The denial of a zoning exception for a drug treatment center was based on “fear and bias” and must be reversed, the Court of Appeals of Indiana ruled Wednesday.