Indiana

Ballard?s Balanced Budget (Part 3)

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

Sixteen Republicans and one Democrat helped give Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard his first budget.  The Mayor says the $1.1 Billion spending plans provides more dollars for public safety and closes a $26 million shortfall and still spends less than last year.

Ballard called the budget “balanced, comprehensive and transparent.”  Democrats said it fell short, primarily by not delivering the 100 additional police officers which they say were promised as part of last year’s 65-percent increase in the County Option Income Tax.

An effort to delay passing the budget failed.  Following that Democrats tried to pass an amendment calling for the hiring of 25 additional officers by transferring funds within the public safety budget.  However City Controller Dave Reynolds said Democrats wanted to use federal grant money to pay for police which was prohibited by law.  The Mayor added he wants to hire more officers but disregarded the 100 figure, saying he wants Public Safety Director Scott Newman to determine what the actual manpower needs are.

The budget leaves a small balance of about $800,000.  Money was added for township assessors and the Sheriff’s original budget request of went from $111 million to $85 million, although the agency won’t have to directly pay for emergency dispatch services.

The budget is broken into several catergories.  Here’s a breakdown.

• Airport Authority, 28-1.
• Capital improvement Board, 29-0.
• Health & Hospital Corporation, 24-5.
• Indy Go, 24-5.
• Marion County Public Library, 24-5.
• Police Special Service District ($222 million), 19-10.
• Fire Special Service District ($94 million), 23-6.
• Solid Waste Collection, 22-7.
• All that other stuff like public safety, metropolitan development ($49 million), community affairs, public works($196 million), parks and recs ($29 million), 17-12.

And if you thought things were tough now, just wait 2010 when the one-percent tax caps kick in.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on September 23, 2008 (boomark / email).