City-County Council - Regular Meeting

I will now call to order the meeting of the City County Council for Monday, August 10th, 2026. We'll begin our meeting with a prayer and pledge of allegiance led by Leader Evans.

Thank you, Madam President. Before we begin, I invite everyone to join me in prayer. For those of different faith traditions or for those who do not practice a particular faith, I invite you to pray, reflect, or observe this moment in whatever way is meaningful for you. Heavenly Father, we come before you tonight grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Indianapolis. We recognize that the authority we have been given is not truly ours. It is a trust placed in our hands, and with that trust comes a great responsibility. Give us wisdom to make decisions that serve our neighbors, courage to stand for what is right, and humility to listen when we are wrong. When the work before us is difficult, give us perseverance. When disagreements arise, give us patience and grace. When we are tempted to put politics, pride, or personal interests ahead of our responsibilities, remind us we are here to serve. Lord, help us conduct ourselves in a way that honors you. Let our words be truthful, our actions be honorable, and our decisions be guided by genuine concern for the people we represent, especially those whose voices are too often overlooked. Give us the strength to do the work that needs to be done, even when it is difficult. Give us the courage to lead with conviction, compassion to lead with grace, and the wisdom to remember that public office is an opportunity to serve, not to be served. May the decisions we make tonight bring good to our city, strengthen our neighborhoods, and improve the lives of people who have placed their trust in us. We ask all of you, in the name of Jesus, amen. And now, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you, Leader Evans. If all counselors would select the green button to indicate your attendance. Chairman Boots. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have 24 members present. We do want to take a moment of privilege to congratulate Councilor Bain on his appointment, and we do wish him the absolute best. The next item on our agenda is introduction of guests and visitors. Seeing none, proceed to the official communications. Madam Clerk.

Thank you, Madam President. Ladies and gentlemen, you are hereby notified that regular meetings of the city county council, police, fire, and solid waste collection special service district councils will be held in the city county building in the public assembly room on Monday, August 10th, 2026 at 7 o'clock PM. The purposes of such meetings being to conduct any and all business, that may come properly before regular meetings of the councils. Sincerely, Maggie A. Lewis, President, City County Council. Ladies and gentlemen, I have caused to be, pursuant to the laws of the state of Indiana, I have caused to be published in the court and commercial record in the Indianapolis Star on Friday, August 7th, a copy of the notice of public hearing on proposal number 239-2026, said hearing to be held monday august 17 2026 at 5 30 in the public assembly room of the city county council i'm sorry i am missing a sheet give me one second i'm sorry I'm sorry. Ladies and gentlemen, I have approved with my signature and delivered this day to the clerk of the City County Council, Yolanda Winfield, the following ordinances. Fiscal ordinance number 16 through 18, 2026. General ordinance number 43, 2026. Special ordinance number 7 through 28, 2026. General resolution number 13, 2026. And special resolution number 14, 2026. Joseph H. Hogsett, Mayor. Madam President, this concludes the official communications. I will now read the veto letter from the Mayor. Dear City County Council, when this body introduced its proposal to raise vehicle excise surtax and wheel tax, I made it clear that I do not support this measure. as it adds to the increased financial burdens facing Indianapolis residents today. Throughout this conversation, one reality has been impossible to ignore. Many households are already stretched to their limits. That is why I have decided to veto proposal number 192. Families across our city are making difficult financial choices every day. Just this past weekend, parents at back to school resource fairs told me they're unsure if they can afford their children's school supplies. Over the course of the last month, my office has heard from older adults on fixed incomes who say this increase is simply not doable. When neighborhoods tell me rising costs are forcing hard decisions, it is my responsibility to listen. Let me be clear that administration will meet the state's match. Meeting this moment has never been an afterthought. Over my tenure as mayor, our infrastructure budget has more than tripled. That growth didn't happen by chance. It reflects a deliberate, sustained commitment to investing in our neighborhoods. Our commitment to meet the state's match has been in development since we first had advocated for this increased funding at the state house. It has been shared with our city county council and we will continue to communicate it transparently throughout the budget process. I remain steadfast in pursuing solutions that not only strengthen our infrastructure and city services, but take into account the well-being of our neighbors. Sincerely, Joseph H. Hogsett. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. The next item on our agenda is actually our Honorable Mayor, Honorable Mayor Joe Hassett.

Thank you, Madam President Lewis, Vice President Barth, leaders Evans and Mallory. Tonight marks the 11th annual budget I have had the honor of presenting to the City County Council as mayor. At its core, a city's budget showcases a commitment to the people and programs that make city government work. City government is not measured solely by numbers on a page. It is measured by its impact. How safe a parent feels walking with their children home from school. By how quickly emergency services respond when an older adult calls for help. How much fun a child has playing on their neighborhood playground. If a neighborhood is positioned to thrive, it will. Every detail of this budget matters because every cent represents a commitment to the people of Indianapolis. This year had its challenges. We saw revenue growth, but we also saw this continued fiscal constraint beyond our control. Despite this, We present to you tonight our 10th consecutive fully balanced budget. The goal we set one decade ago remains unchanged, to provide our residents with essential city services, to invest responsibly in the future, and to do so without spending money that we do not have. That goal is not only within reach, it is the foundation of the nearly $1.9 billion budget that I present to this august body this evening. We begin with the individuals whose work makes every essential service possible. A city's strength is measured not only in assets or infrastructure, but in the professionals who bring public service to life. Every day, thousands of city employees lace up their work boots, pins on their badges, start up their mowers. They often open spreadsheets, draft maps, answer calls, and connect residents with services that they depend on. They perform the steady essential work that keeps Indianapolis moving forward. The budget before you tonight is an investment in sustaining a dedicated, knowledgeable workforce that is prepared to meet the evolving demands of Indianapolis. The 2027 budget includes new labor contracts for the Mayor's Action Center and our 911 Communications Center. These two teams of frontline personnel provide direct service to our community, fielding thousands of calls each and every day. The budget also establishes a tenure-based step system for employees, creating a clearer more predictable pathway for professional growth. Since 2021, our workforce has seen a steady increase in salaries across the board, made possible through intentional policy implementation, including our annual cost of living adjustments. As a result, our vacancy rates are down. This new tenured-based system builds on these practices, ensuring that city departments and residents can benefit from the invaluable institutional knowledge that comes with years of administrative experience. These workforce investments are not simply administrative changes. They are commitments to the people whose dedication enables every function of local government. So to all city personnel with us tonight, or by television, for 10 years, I have borne witness to your dedication. We have overcome immense challenges and celebrated great accomplishments. Your endurance has kept Indianapolis running in even the most uncertain of times. It is not lost on me that every groundbreaking and ribbon cutting that I have had the pleasure of attending is the result of years of your listening, your problem solving, your planning and doing. And for all that work and so much more, I thank you. Please join with me in celebrating our city's workforce. But showing up for the people to keep Indianapolis moving does not stop there. Let us turn now to an area I know many of you, myself included, care deeply about, infrastructure. Let's think back to January. Temperatures plummeted. Snow fell and kept falling. And the hardworking men and women of DPW, in large part comprised of AFSCME Local 725 crews, powered up the plows, and they got to work, staffing 12-hour shifts until our roads had been cleared to drive. They worked day and night for us, and they returned to a garage that frankly doesn't represent the appreciation these public servants deserve. That is why tonight I'm thrilled to announce a fifteen million dollar investment in our dpw facilities including a new consolidated garage this project will result in improved storage and maintenance facilities for dpw equipment and more importantly enhanced working conditions for the very people that show up for our city at all hours in all conditions. Let's hear it for the hardworking individuals that spend every day making our roads safer. Thank you for your service to our city. Over the course of the last decade, this administration has tripled the city's transportation investment and prioritized the safety of our transportation network for all road users through policy like community-powered infrastructure and Vision Zero. This year, this administration's commitment to funding our city's infrastructure takes a historic step forward. The 2027 budget introduces a new $100 million annual investment in local transportation infrastructure made possible by the sustained collaboration and compromise with the Indiana General Assembly. This effort awarded Indianapolis with $50 million in new annual state funding dedicated to roads contingent upon a $50 million local match. Let me be perfectly clear. This proposed budget meets that commitment with a local match of $50 million in 2027. It also anticipates our continued commitments increasing gradually until the city matches 100 million dollars annually by 2031. Meeting this moment has never been an afterthought for this administration. Our plan to meet the state's match has been in development since we first secured this increased funding at the State House. This generational funding will allow us to build on a decade of sustained commitment to our infrastructure. But our residents know that experiencing all that a city has to offer goes above infrastructure alone. A safe, healthy, and stable community depends on the institution and the professionals who protect lives, respond in moments of crisis, and work every day to prevent harm before it occurs. The 2027 budget strengthens this foundation with targeted investments that support the full continuum of public safety and the individuals that make our city safer. Indianapolis continues to see meaningful results from its gun violence reduction strategy and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's data-driven strategic enforcement efforts. Since 2021, we have seen a 57% decrease in criminal homicides and a 15% decrease in violent crime. Now, those are not just simply statistics. Those percentages are lives saved. Fewer grieving families and fewer neighborhoods impacted by the trauma of violence. Tonight, I have the pleasure of announcing that the City of Indianapolis will build the first city-constructed, city-owned IMPD facility since 1995. This new North District and its facility will replace a building that has not lived up to the high standard that the men and the women of IMPD hold themselves to every time they put on the badge. It is time to fix that. This neighborhood-focused facility will include modern workspaces for our officers, dedicated bike patrol operations, and a community room designed to host neighborhood meetings and community gatherings. This facility improvement joins a new Indianapolis Fire Department station and the Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services headquarters in recent upgrades to the facilities our emergency personnel use 365 days a year. Public safety, however, is not limited to law enforcement and emergency response. It also relies on proactive violence prevention. We have continued to build on our community-based outreach through IndyPeace and the work of trained peacemakers engaging directly with individuals at highest risk for gun violence. We have also expanded the clinician-led community response team to serve all of Marion County. This life-saving work also includes diverting individuals suffering from mental health crises away from the justice system and into supportive care. Again, this work would not be possible without our growing team of first responders. Please join me in giving it up for our first responders. Quality of life in Indianapolis is shaped not only by safety and infrastructure, But by the stability and dignity we extend to residents who are facing the greatest challenges. A thriving city ensures that every individual has access to opportunity regardless of circumstance. The 2027 budget builds on this administration's commitment to housing stability, homelessness prevention, neighbor revitalization, and the public spaces that anchor community life. These issues are not isolated. Our approach to addressing them is not either. Beginning with our continued work in addressing homelessness in Indianapolis, after two years of implementing successful winter contingency strategies, the city is now investing over $2 million in building additional capacity at the Assessment and Intervention Center. expanding our ability to provide shelter to our most vulnerable residents in times of extreme weather year-round. This expansion builds upon a project our administration has been working on to diligently realize. Indianapolis' first ever city-owned low-barrier homeless shelter. Thank you. Tonight, I am pleased to announce that this budget includes $2.7 million to begin operations at the housing hub following its anticipated opening in mid-2027. Temporary shelter is an essential aspect of our multi-pronged approach to homelessness. But our investment in our unhoused neighbors must create pathways to permanent housing. Streets to Home Indy has already helped more than 230 residents transition from encampments into stable housing, pairing rapid replacement with supportive services to reduce chronic homelessness. Housing stability also requires addressing the problems that most commonly result in housing insecurity. And this budget continues our commitment to keeping neighbors in their homes. Continued financial allocation to the city's homeowner repair program, for example, supports a program that can be the difference between a neighbor selling their home or receiving essential repairs to keep their home for generations to come. This budget also reflects this administration's sustained effort to pursue affordable housing, adding 1,200 affordable rental units and 55 affordable homes in 2027 alone. And finally, the budget I am presenting tonight will bring meaningful investments to some of our most beloved places, our city's parks. This administration has tripled our Department of Parks and Recreation budget over the course of the last decade. In 2027, parks will see a 20% increase in maintenance funding and an increase of $2 million in dedicated investments for playground improvements and hard court renovations to our tennis, pickleball, and basketball courts. because in the sports capital of the world, our rising stars deserve world-class facilities. We were also very excited to recently announce major investments in Indianapolis' access to our riverfront spaces through a $10 million grant to reimagine Reverend Moselle Sanders Park, ensuring that residents in every part of the city can access welcoming, well-maintained spaces for recreation and community gatherings. Together, these investments strengthen the broader quality of life. They acknowledge that our city is not merely a place where residents live, but a place where neighbors are supported when challenges arise, where communities can gather in times of celebration, and where investments in neighborhoods are synonymous with investments in the people that define Indianapolis. In closing, the budget before you is more than a ledger of revenues and expenditures. It is a reflection of what can be achieved when we commit ourselves to working together to supporting our public servants and to investing in our residents. Our city has never backed away from challenges. We have faced fiscal pressures, rising service demands, and moments that have tested our capacity and resilience. Yet time and time again, Indianapolis has demonstrated that progress is possible when we engage one another with honesty, respect, and determination. This budget continues that tradition. It shows that even in the face of complexity, government can function effectively, responsibly, and with an unwavering commitment to public service. More importantly, it reinforces our promise to the people of Indianapolis that their local government will always strive to meet their needs. from filling potholes to preventing violence, from mowing a neighborhood park to supporting families in navigating housing insecurity. We continue to work for them. When all of us elected officials, public servants, and residents alike bring our best efforts to the table, we show what is possible. We show that government can work and that it can work well when we stand together in service of our community. This is the spirit that defines the budget I present to you tonight. And it is in that spirit that will carry Indianapolis forward in the years ahead. I thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The next item on our agenda is the adoption of the agenda. Do I have consent? Yes, Madam President. Councillor Brown.

I want to be introducing a proposal tonight, and if you'll permit me just 30 seconds to explain it. This proposal would remove the three council appointees to the zoning board of the county, which, as you all know, is the Metropolitan Development Commission. The reason I'm doing so is because these three council appointees continue to approve data centers for development over the unanimous voices of our constituents. The people are clear they do not want these data centers, yet their government is pushing them forward anyway. This resolution would remove our appointees so the council could appoint new people who will follow the moratorium we've requested and the will of our people. And so, Madam President, I move to amend the agenda to insert proposal number 277-2026 for consideration and action this evening under special orders final adoption. Copies of the proposal have been distributed to each counselor. They're at the back of your packet. And the proposal reads as follows. It's a council resolution invoking Indiana Code, Title 36, Article 7, Chapter 4, Section 218G. Be it resolved by the City-County Council of the City of Indianapolis and of Marion County, Indiana. Section one, Greg West shall be removed as a Metropolitan Development Commissioner. Section number two, Daniel Moriarty shall be removed as a Metropolitan Development Commissioner. Section three, Brandon Hurgett shall be removed as a Metropolitan Development Commissioner. Section 4, each question is to be decided by roll call vote. And Section 5, per the requirements of Indiana Code 36-7-4-218G, I ask that a formal letter be mailed to each removed commissioner's residence address, indicating that they are removed effective immediately. And Section 6, this resolution shall be in full force and effect upon adoption and compliance with IC 36-3-4-14. Thank you, Madam President.

Second. The motion has been properly moved and seconded. We need 15 votes in order to add this item to our agenda. Questions, comments from councilors? We'll proceed to the board for our votes. The green buttons indicate yes, add this item to our agenda. The motion fails seven to 17. Do I have consent on the agenda? The next item on our agenda is approval of the journals for July 6, 2026. Do I have consent? We'll now proceed to presentation, petitions, memorials, and special resolutions. At this time, I will ask that our city controller come forward and give us an overview of the 2027 city-county budget. Madam Comptroller?

for this yeah we'll see if we can get my fancy clicker working or not it works OK, good evening. I'm controller Abby Hanson. Now that the mayor has shared his vision and goals for the 2027 budget, I will provide an overview of the city's financial state and tell the story of how this budget was built. Before I begin, I want to take a minute to thank a few key contributors of this budget process to my deputy controller and budget director Jake McVeigh and the entire budget team. Thank you for the long hours of dedication you put in. To my colleagues in OFM, especially Janae Roten, Brett Weininger, and Tawana Ellis, thank you for your support and the many meetings you picked up while I was busy doing budget stuff. To the mayor's administration, thank you for your leadership and guidance as we tackled complex policy challenges. To the agency leaders and CFOs, I appreciate your understanding, respect, and collaboration through what has been another difficult budget. And finally to the council, I'm grateful for the partnership and the work that we've done together to build this budget tonight. As the OFM was working on a presentation of the city's finances for rating agencies, we made a pretty significant list of financial accomplishments to remind us how far we've come. The 2027 budget represents our 10th balanced budget. Since 2016, we have had 35 credit rating affirmations and upgrades, allowing us to have the highest credit rating from both Moody's and Fitch, both of which were recently reaffirmed. We recently presented the results of our 2025 audit, and I'm pleased that we have continued our trend of clean audit opinions. We've also been recognized by the Government Finance Officers Association for outstanding presentation of our financial documents, winning the award for the city's financial audit 48 times, the county's financial audit 31 times, and the budget award 13 times. Not only have we shown fiscal discipline, but we are also proud of the investments we've made in our city services and our employees. We've made a number of improvements to our compensation package through a compensation study, adding paid additional holidays, implementing a premium pay policy, parental leave, hybrid work, cost of living adjustments for non-union staff, and significant increases for our union staff. New this year is Step and Grade, which provides financial increases for tenure. And throughout this administration, we have invested in 19 government facilities worth nearly $880 million. This budget package includes funding for a 20 and 21st facility. Moving to the 2027 budget, as we started the process, I was given six goals, which are listed here on the screen. Having a balanced budget without any tax increases is a continuation of a decade of financial policy. Additionally, our goal was to continue our investment in our human capital. Securing our $50 million road funding match and focusing on core government mission were two other goals. finally we wanted to continue refreshing our infrastructure if we were able to without increasing taxes before we started the 2027 budget process there were a number of factors making things more difficult on the expense side we were anticipating character one overspend due to a number of factors including not being awarded a safer grant which funds ifd recruits Hiring and retention was better than what we expected or budgeted for, and IFD overtime was also trending higher than we thought it would. We knew we had to address these issues in the 2027 budget. The NPRS board, the public pension system, voted to increase the pension base for police and fire by 22%, which was a $15 million increase in our budgeted expenses. Similarly, we have seen growth in our workers' compensation expenses and knew we needed to increase that budget as well, and we did increase it by 10%. And finally, our jail population is higher than it should be because of slow transfers to the Department of Corrections. Recently, nearly 10% of our population is waiting to be transferred to the prison system. And while the state does pay us per inmate per day that we hold them, it is lower than what the costs to the city county are. On the revenue changes, there were changes at the state legislature over the last several sessions that have decreased our share of state tax revenues by 6%, representing a $2.6 million loss. Legislative changes to permitting have restricted when permits are required, and comparing those revenue sources, we've also lost money. And finally, for the second year in a row, we are seeing a decrease in our state grant funding, largely concentrated in the Department of Corrections, which decreased 19% from 2026. Our 2027 budget process looks very similar to our 26 process. We found the improvements that we made last year worked well, and so we continued our collaboration with the council, providing regular updates on where we were throughout the process. We worked together to make difficult policy decisions, and the dialogue was a key part of what made balancing the budget possible. Internally, we also implemented important process improvements. We continued using a scoring matrix, like a grading rubric, to evaluate budget requests in a consistent, comparable way. We are expanding the program budgeting for our budget presentations this year, asking certain departments to present by program rather than by fund or division or by character. For 2027, we add BNS, DMD, parks and isa to those who were included last year which are impd ifd ophs and dpw this will cover the largest city agencies it provides a more complete view of the resources devoted to the services that these departments deliver that's all the work that brought us to this point now i will turn to the details of the 2027 budget Our 2027 budget is one substantial grant award away from the $1.9 billion threshold, up from 1.7 billion in 2026. Our revenues have exceeded expenses by $43,368. So speaking about our priorities, over the last five years, we've made a concerted effort to prioritize employees. For 2027, non-union staff receive a 3% cost of living adjustment, and union staff increases range from 3% to 4% based on bargaining group. Staff will see just a 1% increase in their health insurance premiums, and the projected average employee's monthly contribution will increase less than $2 per month. This budget also includes an average of double-digit salary increases for employees in Mesa who serve in the 911 Center and the Mayor's Action Center, who negotiated new contracts after the 2026 budget process closed. We've also decreased our assumptions about how many positions will be vacant in each agency at any one time. Of the 21 departments that assume some level of vacancies in their budget, On average, 2026's budget assumed 11% of positions would be vacant at any one time. However, in reality, agency leaders were having to hold positions open for long periods of time to meet that assumption. This budget assumes that the average of 95% of our positions will be filled. And finally, this budget includes a new compensation policy we called Step and Grade. The policy isn't fully finalized, but it provides increases on the anniversary of your start date in your current position. Our aim is to reward tenure and provide financial progression that is over and above the cost of living. We settled on this policy after reviewing data on our personnel trends. The data in the honeycomb on the screen ranges from 2021 to 2026. In that time, we have increased our staffing by 5%, Salaries have increased by 34% on average. However, our tenure has decreased by 5%. This tells us that we're able to hire positions and somewhat reduce our turnover rate, but employees aren't necessarily staying longer. Step and Grade aims to address that. The second priority this budget season was securing the $50 million match in road funding. To meet this match, the budget adds an additional $10 million in income taxes to the 10 million that were included in the 2026 budget, bringing it to a total of $20 million of income taxes. We are also dedicating $5 million of stormwater revenue growth to support the stormwater component of these projects. Alongside the 2027 budget was introduced a fiscal ordinance that allocates $10 million in funding toward road work and the match. Finally, that leaves $15 million in funding that will be needed from the spring income tax supplemental. which we expect our allocation to meet that $15 million and provide an additional $20 million for other needs that should come in the spring. Over the course of the last 18 months, since this monumental legislation has passed, city leaders have had numerous conversations with interested state parties laying out our plan for the 2027 match. This budget is only the second without significant federal COVID spending, and there were a number of programs that remained from when there was an influx of federal funds. Because of the pressures that we went into this budget with and the end of the federal funds, we had to focus on our core government services, and we re-evaluated multiple programs throughout the budget process and in our discussions. Our taxpayers and trust us provide core government services, picking up trash, maintaining the roads, ensuring safety, and addressing those who commit crime. On this slide are a very simplistic set of questions that we ask ourselves for programs we were supporting. There are programs that are within our mission, but we don't have data to support that the program is generating successful outcomes. And for those programs, we're proposing revisions, such as adjusting the amount of funds to what the program was actually spending or changing the way that it was administered. Alternatively, for programs that aren't for government services or don't have data to support outcomes, we are wrapping some up. This budget does make major investment in operating three facilities that support our most vulnerable neighbors. First, we have funding for the housing hub to begin operations late in the second quarter of 2027. Second, we're preparing the assessment and intervention center to serve as year-round weather contingency space. This will replace our operations at West Morris Baptist Church, which can be seen in the photo, by building more bed capacity at the AIC to operate. This concept of the build-out is pictured as well, and during the 25-26 winter, the city provided shelter to 1,139 individuals who needed a warm refuge during extremely cold temperatures. And finally, we are adding local funding to ensure the operations continue for the Family and Youth Intervention Center, run by the Marion Superior Court after a grant ends in the middle of next year. This facility provides safe shelter 24-7 for youth as an alternative to incarceration, family strife, or homelessness. Alongside this budget is the authorization to issue general obligation property tax backed debt. We paid off a portion of existing debt that allowed us to issue new debt without increasing our tax rates. Our overall property tax debt rate will remain unchanged from 2026. By keeping this rate steady, we are able to issue $27.5 million, funding capital investments we could not otherwise make through the operating budget alone. These investments include the replacement of IMPD's North District Station at 38th and Sherman Drive. We originally allocated funding for a design of this facility in 2024, and it's exciting that we're at 100% design and are ready to begin construction. And secondly, we are allocating $15 million for renovations for DPW's largest operation garage at West Street, allowing DPW to consolidate several other operations facilities and building a truck wash and equipment storage structures to protect them from the elements and reduce our maintenance costs. This table shows the revenue sources that make up the city's budget. Property and income taxes continue to be our two largest revenue streams, and their growth makes up 46% of our revenue growth in 2027. From the 2026 budget, income tax collections show a $40 million increase. Property taxes grew by $47 million, which is also very strong growth. You'll notice a change in intergovernmental revenues. $51 million of that growth is the result of changes in grant budgets with significant increases in IMPD, metropolitan development, and public works. The remaining growth is attributed to the $50 million match from the state for road funding. This table shows the budget by major service area. As expected, Public Works is seeing the greatest increase. And while you might expect to see $100 million increase, it is important to remember that 10 million of the funding was accounted for in the 2026 budget. Additionally, $25 million of the funding is coming through fiscal ordinances. The remaining $65 million is included in the budget increase along with an $11 million increase in grant funding for a total of $77 million. Public safety remains our largest budget category and it experienced a significant increase this year. Parks appears to be a small increase, but they are receiving a 7% increase in their operations, which shows as an offset due to a change in anticipated grant funding in this table. And I also want to note the increases that you see in the other public services category, which includes animal care, business and neighborhood services, and metropolitan development. That represents an increase of more than 25% of ACS's budget and a $14 million increase in grant appropriations for metropolitan development. are also introducing a 19 million dollar fiscal alongside this budget of that amount 10 million is allocated to dpw toward the 50 million dollar road funding match for 2027. the proposal includes 8.3 million dollars in capital asset investments across parks the assessment intervention center build out for winter contingency and election equipment replacement Finally, we are allocating $150,000 to destroy documents that have exceeded their retention requirements, $400,000 to complete the 2026-2027 school year for Circle City readers, and $150,000 to do data center research. Just to put all the proposals in one location, on the screen are all the items that are included in the budget package. And in closing, the 2027 budget reflects thoughtful collaboration, responsible fiscal management and a commitment to advancing the priorities that matter most to our community. We've made meaningful improvements to our budget process to increase transparency and engagement. Our revenue projections are solid and we are protecting strategic investments in public safety, infrastructure and housing while maintaining strong fiscal discipline. I'm confident that this budget positions us well for the year ahead, balancing the needs of today and an eye toward the future. Thank you for your attention and partnership. I look forward to our working together.

Thank you, Madam Comptroller. The next item on our agenda is Proposal Number 96, refer to Community Affairs Committee. Madam Chair Brown.

thank you madam president on July 22nd we had our community affairs committee meeting at the new animal care and control facility which is amazing by the way thank you so much to animal care and control staff for allowing us to be there and thank you channel 16 for making that available on broadcast we heard one resolution and that is resolution number 96 which appoints Angela Hobson to the animal care services board this passed 7 to 0 with a do pass recommendation and I so move

The motion has been properly moved and seconded. Comments from councillors? CNN will proceed to the board for our vote. The proposal carries 24 to 0. The next item on our agenda is introductions of proposals. Madam Clerk.

Thank you, Madam President. The following proposals were referred to the Administration and Finance Committee. Proposal number 242, 2026, introduced by Councilor Muscari, reappoints Tanya Ndeye to the City-County Audit Committee. Proposal number 243, 2026, introduced by Councilors Lewis, Evans, Jones, Nielsen, Boots, and Barth, renews the existing investment policy authorizing the investment of public funds of the consolidated city of Indianapolis and authorizes the investing officer of the city of Indianapolis to make investments having a stated final maturity that is one more than two years, but not more than five years after the date of purchase or entry into a repurchase agreement. Proposal number 244, introduced by Councilors Lewis, Nielsen, Jones, Barth, Evans, and Boots, approves the issuance of special taxing district bonds of the Metropolitan Thoroughfare District of Marion County, Indiana, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $15 million and a maximum interest rate of 6.5% for the purposes of procuring funds to be applied to the cost of the design, planning, construction, renovation, installation, and or equipment equipping of all or a portion of the Department of Public Works operations facility and related improvements located at 1735 Southwest Street or other approximately located city known property together with necessary apparatus, improvements and equipment related thereto or other capital project at facilities owned or operated by the Department of Public Works. Proposal number 245, 2026, introduced by Councilors Lewis, Nielsen, Jones, Barth, Evans, and Boots, authorizes the issuance of and appropriates the proceeds of one or more series of revenue bonds or bond anticipation notes in a maximum principal amount not to exceed $35 million for the purpose of providing funds to refund interim financing used to pay the cost of renovating repairing or improving the design and construction of an approximately 300 car parking garage, approximately 1,000 car parking garage, each located at the Indianapolis Marion County Community Justice Campus, provides for payment of such bonds from legally available funds of the city, provides for safeguarding of the interest of the owners of said bonds, and approves and authorizes other actions respect thereto. Proposal number 246-2026, introduced by Councilors Lewis, Nielsen, Jones, Barth, Evans, and Boots, makes a preliminary determination to authorize the sale of general obligation bonds of the consolidated city to procure funds to be applied to the cost of financing all or a portion of a new police station for the North District of the Consolidated City together with related improvements and equipment and incidental expenses in connection therewith, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $12,500,000 and a maximum interest rate of 6.5%. Proposal number 264-2026, introduced by Councilors Lewis, Nielsen, Jones, Evans, Barth, and Boots, and referred to the administration and finance Metropolitan Economic Development, Parks and Recreation, Public Safety and Criminal Justice, and Public Works Committees adopts the annual budget for the City of Indianapolis and Marion County for 2027. Proposal number 275, introduced by Councilors Lewis, Nielsen, Jones, Evans, Barth, and Boots, approves an additional appropriation totaling $19 million the 2026 budget for the office of the mayor office of finance and management parks and recreation department of metropolitan development department of public works public defender and the election board for various city county funds for various purposes proposal number 276 introduced by counselors lewis nielsen jones evans barth and boots proposes a resolution of the Marion County Local Income Tax to request approval from the Department of Local Government Finance to lower the levy freeze tax rate and to cast the vote of the City County Council on such resolution. The following proposals were referred to the Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee. Proposal number 239-2026, introduced by Councilors Gibson and Graves, designates a portion of East 19th Street specifically from Dr. Andrew J. Brown Avenue to Hillside Avenue as the Pastor David Lee Memorial Way. Proposal number 240-2026, introduced by Councilor Osili, reappoints Craig Von Dalen to the Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals Division II. Proposal number 241-2026, introduced by Councilor Osili, appoints Alan Pat Hickman to the Greater Virginia Avenue Corridor Economic Improvement Board. The following proposals were referred to the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee. Proposal number 247, introduced by Councilor Robinson, appoints Kimberly Stowers to the Citizens Police Complaint Board. Proposal number 248, introduced by Councilor Robinson, directs the City County Council to accept for the record the 2026 second quarter report submitted by the Marion County Sheriff as required by HEA 1208-2025. Public Law 54, and IC 36-8-10-21. Proposal number 261, 2026, introduced by Councilors Lewis, Nielsen, Jones, Evans, Barth, and Boots, approves the tax levy and rate for the Police Special Service District for 2027. Proposal number 262, 2026, introduced by Councilors Lewis, Nielsen, Jones, Evans, Barth, and Boots, approves the tax levy and rate for the fire special district for 2027. The following proposals were referred to the Public Works Committee. Proposal number 249, 2026, introduced by Councilor Barth, authorizes a speed limit reduction to 25 miles per hour in the area bounded by Broad Ripple Avenue, Kessler Boulevard, East Drive, College Avenue, and Compton Street, District 7. Proposal number 250, 2026, introduced by Councillor Dilt, authorizes a speed limit reduction to 25 miles per hour within the Crystal Lake South Division, District 24. Proposal number 251, 2026, introduced by Councillor Anae, authorizes a speed limit reduction to 25 miles per hour within the Dahlia Gardens Subdivision, District 22. Proposal number 252, 2026, introduced by Councillor Osili, authorizes parking restrictions on North Meridian Street between 18th and 19th Street, District 12. Proposal number 253, 2026, authorizes a speed limit reduction to 25 miles per hour to area bounded by 52nd Street, Kessler Boulevard, East Drive, Central Avenue, Meridian Street, and Westfield Boulevard, District 7. Proposal number 254, 2026, introduced by Councilor Jones, authorizes parking restrictions on Maryland Street from Shoemaker Way to Missouri Street, District 18. Proposal number 255, 2026, introduced by Councilor Osili, authorizes parking restrictions on Waterway Boulevard from Gent Avenue to a point of 140 feet east of Gent Avenue, District 12. Proposal number 256, 2026, introduced by Councilor Anae, authorizes parking restrictions on wellingshire boulevard between tibbs avenue and southport road district 22. proposal number 257 2026 introduced by councillor lewis authorizes a speed limit reduction to 25 miles per hour in the trophy clubs of division district 5. proposal number 258 2026 introduced by councillor ossoli authorizes special parking privileges along the west side of Pennsylvania Street from New York Street to a point 175 feet south of New York Street for official federal courthouse business, District 12. Proposal number 263, 2026, introduced by Councillors Lewis, Nielsen, Jones, Evans, Barth, and Boots, approves the tax levy and rate for solid waste collection special service district for 2027. The following proposals were referred to the Rules and Public Policy Committee. Proposal number 259, 2026, introduced by Councilor Hart, modifies provisions of section 995 through 305 of the revised code regarding the non-consensual towing ordinance. Proposal number 260, 2026, introduced by Councilor Cahill, accepts for the record the approval by the Department of Local Government Finance of a resolution of the Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township to impose an operating referendum tax levy under IC 20-46-1. Madam President, this concludes the introductions.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. The next item on our agenda is special orders priority business. Proposals number 265 through 274-2026 are all rezoning cases that were certified to the council for approval by the Metropolitan Development Commission. If no district councilor wishes to call down any of these proposals for a public hearing, they will pass into law. Seeing none, they will pass into law. We'll proceed to special orders public hearing. There is no business there. We'll proceed to special orders unfinished business. Proposal number 192 was referred to Rules and Public Policy Committee. Assistant Majority Leader Nielsen.

Thank you, Madam President. Proposal number 192, 2026 revises certain provisions of chapter 121 of the code to amend the county's excise and wheel taxes and to add a new division 12 entitled state and load local road funding. The administration and finance and public works committees and a separate meeting on the east side heard presentations and meetings held different parts of the county with final recommendation taken by the rules and public policy committee on june 16 2026 to recommend the proposal for adoption by a vote of seven to three the full council adopted the proposal as general ordinance number 44 2026 on july 6 2026 by a vote of 14 to 10. subsequently excuse me the mayor vetoed proposal 192 2026 on july 16th section 151 78 of the council rules lays out the process for reconsideration of a veto which reads as follows quote if the mayor shall veto any ordinance or general resolution of a council upon receipt of the communication from the mayor So informing the council and at the next succeeding regular meeting of the council, which the clerk read at the beginning of the meeting under official communications, the ordinance or general resolution shall be made a special order of unfinished business. Upon coming to order of business, the President shall state the question, quote, shall the ordinance or resolution be effective nonwithstanding the veto? If the question receives the statutory majority of two-thirds of the members of this council, that is 17, the ordinance shall be in effect. Therefore, Madam President, I would move that the ordinance be effective nonwithstanding the veto, and that the veto be overturned by a vote of this body.

The motion has been properly moved and seconded. So the question that has been moved and seconded, whether the ordinance shall be effective not notwithstanding the veto and is now, therefore, properly before this body, a yay green button vote would signify a vote to override Mayor Hoxick's veto, causing General Ordinance Number 44-2026 to take effect. A nay, the red button, would be against the motion to override the veto and the veto would stand, causing the proposal to fail. Just a reminder that it takes 70 yay votes to override the mayor's veto. Comments from councilors? Chairman Miscari.

Thank you, Ms. President. I was a no vote almost all the way to today. People need to understand the state house is directing this. While they're sitting on $6 billion- They're sitting on $6 billion and they're forcing 33 schools to do referendums right now. So next time you vote Indiana, think hard because the State House has a super majority and they're forcing many cities to do the same thing we're doing. Thank you.

Chairman Boots?

Thank you, Madam President. Nobody likes taxes. Nobody likes imposing taxes. More so, we don't like being bullied by the state and the super majority that has really set us up for this trap. where they gave us no choice but to do a flat fee, which is automatically inherently a regressive tax. So the super majority of the State House has set it up that it's automatically, again, a regressive tax and will tax those who are least able to afford it. That's not our fault. That's the supermajority at the Statehouse. So keep that in mind. Tell your friends outside Marion County they need to get rid of the supermajority in the Statehouse. That is the enemy. Thank you.

Additional comments? Councillor Cahill.

thank you madam president I just I want to respond to two things that were brought up we're not forced to do this in fact the mayor has presented a budget here tonight that does not do this and does not require it and to this regressive tax that you talked about this flat tax was implemented by governor by so it's it's not the Republican supermajority that created this thank you councillor Hart

Thank you, Madam President, and I've got to share similar concerns to Councillor Cahill that there is a plan from the mayor that actually shows, even in this budget, the growth of $47 million in property taxes going into this budget, as well as $40 million in the income tax. What the state was directing us to do was to put the priorities straight, put the priorities on roads, and that message was heard loud and clear. shown clear this evening that there are dollars being appropriated for this match next year and that growth pattern is shown to be there moving forward and that we've i have full confidence in the growth in our city and that we will continue to make this match with the growth in the property taxes as well as the the county income taxes that come into the city so with this i will be a no vote this evening thank you councillor hart council delaney

Thank you, Madam President. I have felt strongly since the original vote for a compromise between all the parties here. As you all saw in the news, we were at a no vote less than a week ago. And I will be voting to override the mayor's veto tonight because I have heard strongly from the residents of this county. That roads are the number one priority. And unfortunately, as my colleagues have mentioned, we are in this position by our colleagues at the state house who talk loud about lowering taxes and meanwhile giving us this plan where we have to raise taxes to meet the match. And so I've heard you, my constituents, my colleagues, the business leaders, the state representatives that have all reached out to me. I've heard you, I've listened, and I will be voting to override the mayor's veto tonight. So thank you.

Thank you, Councilor Delaney. Vice President Barth.

Thank you, Madam President. I've been a consistent yes vote on this, and I'm a co-sponsor, and I'm proud to be. And I will be voting to overturn this veto tonight, but I just wanted to tell a story that really underlines, bolds, and italicizes why this is important. Yesterday, I was speaking at an event to support volunteers at a nonprofit in my district. And after I got done speaking and the event was winding down, Several people, three people asked me to overturn the veto. One of them said, told me a story about how in his neighborhood, he and some of his neighbors had went and bought cold fill themselves and filled their own potholes. And they spent $600 doing that. So point being, they spend far in excess of what they'll spend more, what they'll pay more in this tax to get much better service. But they're very concerned about the state of our roads, so much so that they're starting to take action themselves in their own neighborhood, which is beyond inappropriate. We need to make sure we're funding this appropriately, servicing the people in this city, and making sure we have the best roads possible. And that's why we have to take this action tonight.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Madam Chair McCormick.

Thank you, Madam President. This is not an easy position for any of us to be in. My colleagues have stated that multiple times. my concern with the mayor's plan allocates dollars in 2027 uh through the spring fiscal and there is no confirmation that we have there have been different sides that we've gotten information about whether a spring fiscal will be okay because that money is not allocated by december 31st of 2026. and so we are putting millions and millions of dollars in a what-if scenario with variables and as an engineer the variables that are so uncertain outweigh what we could lose in the historic funding for our roads that we know we need it is not an easy decision none of us want to do it i wish there was a more equitable way but the calculations again the way that we do this is set by the state so our we are being forced to make a decision that none of us want to make it's not an easy one and i hope that when it comes to uh your turn to elect state officials that this is something that you keep in mind thank you leader maury sorry and then counselor brown thank you madam president um you know one of the things we hear tonight is equitable and i'm thinking of the

The grandmother, the grandfather that are on a fixed income that are paying about $750 today, let's say, and it's going to go up to $100. How are they going to be able to afford that? And then I think on the other side, these people that are driving the exotic vehicles that are paying over $100 are going to now pay less. So how are we addressing that as well? We're not. We're taking an easy way out, and we're not actually looking at a hard solution that can come without a tax hike like this. It would be my hope that we can uphold the override veto tonight and not override the veto because we need to give our constituents a chance to come to the table, not just a month. Thank you.

Thank you. Councilor Brown.

Thank you, Madam President. chairman muscari said it perfectly and he said what all of our constituents are confused by which is why are we hearing on the news that our republican governor and republican state house have six billion of our dollars in the bank and yet we're forced to make these hard decisions to raise 50 million this doesn't make any sense And I'm disappointed to say that the mayor's plan is essentially the same as Councilor Hart's, and that plan is austerity. I know that's a big word we don't talk about in the states as much, but what it means is cutting basic city services. And you can look at our streets and see that there's not much to cut. You can try to go to visit your neighborhood pool over the summer, flip a coin and see if it's open or not. That's because of the cuts we've already seen. How many times are our streets swept? How many times are trash pickups missed? How long did we have to fight just in order to get our residential streets plowed? When we pretend that there is cuts that any of us deserve to our quality of life, which is what these growth-based movements are really saying, that's outlandish. I also wanted to mention a quick interaction I had with a constituent. I had a woman just two weeks ago. reach out to me and ask why she has submitted five different mayor's action center requests to have her alley fixed and yet nothing had happened and she wanted to know what's the timeline on that alley getting fixed and i had to tell her there is no timeline there is no budget for alley funding and she said well you don't understand my son just got injured and is in a wheelchair We have steps in our front yard, he has to go out through the alley. So this means that he cannot leave the home and he's confined to his home because the alley is not navigable by a wheelchair unless he wants to go face down in the dirt. I walked and I took pictures and she was not exaggerated, she may have been downplaying it. And under our mayor's budget and under Council Hart's plan, there is no hope coming at all in the near future. This plan is difficult. I don't think $100 is a small amount of money, and it's going to be a lot for me as well. And we just cannot tolerate this low standard of living in the richest country that's ever existed. So I'm a proud sponsor of this. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President. As I talk to my district and I talk to residents of Marion County, the number one thing that we hear about is infrastructure. It's 10 to 1. It's infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure. And leaning in what Councilor Brown said about alleys, since I've been elected, alleys is a top conversation when i'm knocking doors it's alleys and we have to have those tough conversations about we do not have funding for it so in this plan we were very creative for those counselors who have who represent districts who have alleys and we made sure to advocate and have funding in this for alley funding and repair work so for those counselors who have alleys that we can go back because this is tough i am a sponsor and i've advocated and been a strong supporter of this from day one because i feel that it is needed it's sustainable and it's the only way to get our infrastructure fixed in the city of indianapolis but for me to put this upon my residents i had to make sure that i could advocate for things that they're telling me about and alleys is at the top of the list so for me to be able to tell my residents when i'm talking about this with my residents and we have those conversations such as alleys it is such a relief to them that this will be a resource this will be another tool in the toolbox that we can help have them i can't say i can promise you that your alley is getting fixed but i can say this is absolutely as council brown said some hope that this will be for you in the future and so that is why i will be a strong supporter and i absolutely will be voting to override this tonight thank you

Thank you, Madam President. I wanted to acknowledge a couple points. One on the timeline of how it all works. I feel very confident in my plan and I clearly have seen the similar plan from the mayor's office that we are using this year. What's important to note is that any dollars that come from a new tax won't impact this year. So you're counting on dollars that won't even be here to make the plan work. So you know, in other words, The match for next year, the tax dollars that you're raising this evening won't affect it, which is showing that we can get there through new growth. That new growth will continue to come, and it will come year over year, and as it pertains to the spring fiscal, that money comes in June. We will do the budget in October, and we will certify the match in December. That timeline works out perfectly well to make sure every dollar is accounted for and based on the growth over the last five years, the spring fiscal has been there and county income tax has continued to grow. I've seen it in the audit committee that I've sat on for six years. I've spent hours studying this and clearly the policy analytics who did research for the mayor's office, the mayor's controllers, the Office of Finance and Budget, is all agreeing to this. This is a difference of opinion clearly by your caucus there, so when we think about who we are voting for next year when we have elections, I think it's very prudent to understand which city councilor voted to raise your taxes, and it is the ones on your side of the aisle, not mine. We don't see that.

We don't see that.

I'm putting a data center by my house. Right.

Yeah.

Well, thank you very much, Madam President. somewhat polarizing issue, but I want to say to all those, uh, who have spent time, uh, both the majority of minority caucuses, the mayor's administration feedback from our community. Um, it's been valuable, uh, to listen to not only kind of the city, but also certainly my district on the South side. I think that a lot of the things that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle have said this evening are true. and I think that we all want to end at the same destination, which is better roads, safer streets, and increased services. So I think that's the positive note from this evening, is that we really all do want the same thing. The question is, how do we get there? And I do believe that a legitimate, viable solution plan has been provided that would give us the ability to have those safer, better roads without increased taxes. And my constituents have made clear that they believe they pay enough in taxes and they believe that it's incumbent upon our city and our city leaders to do more with what we have than to ask our residents to go further into their pockets. in addition to that i would just say that i do think the narrative to suggest that this is something we have to do that there is no alternative or other route in which we can take uh and that the state house has kind of pinned us up against a wall and is forcing us to vote for a tax increase, I just personally don't find that to be a very fair assessment, and I find it to be a little bit lazy when we're talking about this conversation. But I will say to all of those who have been a part of the conversations, I appreciate your hard work, your input. I simply believe that we can do what we need to do for our city's infrastructure. I think that's been shown tonight with the mayor, with Councillor Hart, in his plan, and I will be voting to support Mayor Hogshead's veto.

Councillor Gibson.

Thank you, Madam President. I think we mentioned multiple times in the chamber that voting for a tax increase is never easy for anyone. And certainly in these times right today, people are really hurting. This is not the time to increase the tax, especially on those who are working class. seniors with fixed incomes, those who have limited resources to impose a tax at this particular time. I believe without a shadow of a doubt that if we take what the mayor's plan has given us for 2027 and see if that plan works and we revisit any possible consideration for tax increase in subsequent years. We showed a state that we have sustainable growth, which I think we've measured over the past several years that we do have sustainable growth. And history has shown that it will continue in the future that the mayor has a real solid plan to get the additional $50 million for infrastructure needs in 2027. And we can do that without a tax increase. I think we've got to stand up for the least of those. We've got to stand up for the least of those and make sure that we stand strong with them.

Thank you, Councillor Gibson. I'm going to ask that you keep your comments to yourself in the audience. Additional comments? We ask that you keep your comments to yourself. Additional comments from Councillors? Assistant Leader?

Well, thank you, Madam President. I obviously had a different set of remarks for tonight, but I kind of want to, as you often say, land the plane with some thank yous. I want to thank our state house partners. I do have some disagreements with how they, let's say, implement public policy, but I do want to thank our Marion County delegation and General Assembly leaders and the administration for years of hard work that got us to this point. I want to thank our external partners for all the support and work you have put into helping the public and this council appreciate what's at stake. I want to thank the public for engaging and listening. I want to thank council staff for the hours of work that is oftentimes unseen. finally I want to thank all members of this council for your consideration over the past two years of discussion on this topic in one way or another the conversation stemming from state legislation and the lengthy and transparent public process over the past several months what stands in the way from proposal 192 becoming ordinance is not a discussion of good public policy or good government but a test of leadership and the ability and capacity to make hard decisions face facts and ultimately do what's right by putting the future of our city above anything else especially excuses i know this has been a robust conversation people who care are not afraid of showing that they care that's what gives our city the character it needs to become a world-class city a city that grabs a once-in-a-generation opportunity by the horns, refuses to pit basic services against one another, and delivers for the 900,000-plus people who call Indianapolis home. I want our city to look back and be proud of this moment. And for the final time, colleagues, for the final time, to each and every one of you, I ask for your vote. Prove to future generations that they have grown up in a city where leaders choose to lead. Thank you, Madam President.

Thank you, Assistant Leader. The motion has been properly moved and seconded. Again, to override the veto, select the green button. Pardon me. And for the veto to stand, select the red button. The floor is now open. Proposal number 208, referred to Admin and Finance Committee, Chairman Muscari.

Thank you, Madam President. Proposal 208 elects to allow certain employees to participate in public employee retirement fund, PERF, as administrated by Indiana Public Retirement System. Pass out of committee, 8-0, I so move.

motion has been properly moved and seconded comments from counselors cno proceed to the board for our votes the proposal carries 24 to 0. the next item on our agenda is proposal number two one two refer to public works committee madam whip

Thank you, madam president proposal number two 12, which authorizes high intensity activated crosswalk Hawk signal for nickel plate trail crossing on 56th street, Kessel Boulevard, east drive 71st and 75th street. It was moved in second in to send proposal number two 12 to the full council with the do pass recommendation. The motion carried by a vote of 12 to zero. And I so move.

Properly moved in second. Are there comments from counselors? CNN will proceed to the board for our votes. The proposal carries 24 to 0. The next item on our agenda is proposal number 213, refer to public works committee.

madam whip thank you madam president proposal number 213 with which authorizes in intersection controls adjacent to iu health medical center on 13th street at capitol avenue and senate avenue and on 14th street at senate avenue it was moved and seconded to send proposal number 213 to the full council with the due pass recommendation the motion carried by a vote of 11 to 0 with one abstention and iso move the motion has been properly moved and seconded are there comments from counselors

CNO, proceed to the board for our vote. The proposal carries 24 to 0. The next item on our agenda is proposal number 214, refer to Public Works Committee. Madam Whipp.

Thank you, Madam President. With consent, I would like to take proposals number 214 through 221 together. Please proceed. Thank you. Proposal number 214 authorizes high intensity activated crosswalk hawk signal for Eagle Creek Trail crossing at Lynnhurst Drive Bridge. Proposal number 215 authorizes high intensity activated crosswalk hawk signal at Grassy Creek Connector at 3500 North German Church Road. Proposal number 216 authorizes a speed limit reduction to 25 miles per hour in the area bounded by Sherman Drive, Emerson Avenue, 30th Street, and 34th Street. Proposal number 217 authorizes a speed limit reduction to 25 miles per hour in area bounded by Keystone Avenue, Hobart Road, Southern Avenue, and Raymond Street. Proposal number 218 authorizes a speed limit reduction to 25 miles per hour in the Autumn Creek and Autumn Creek East subdivision. Proposal number 219 authorizes intersection controls at the intersection of Bonnie Drive and Eddy Lane. Proposal number 221 authorizes intersection controls at the intersection of Harway Court and Thompson Road. Proposal number 221 authorizes residential permit parking at 524 and 526 East 9th Street. It was moved and seconded to send proposals number 214 through 221 to the full council with the do pass recommendation. The motion carried by a vote of 12 to 0 and I so move.

The motion has been properly moved and seconded. Are there comments from councillors? Seeing none, proceed to the board for our vote. The proposal carries 24 to 0. The next item on our agenda is proposal number 238, refer to Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee. Chairman Ostlie.

Thank you, Madam President. Proposal number 238, 2026, amends chapter 740-202, 742-109, and table 743-208-1 of the Consolidated Zoning and Subdivision Control Ordinance of Indianapolis Marion County, Indiana, concerning data center development. The proposal passed as amended out of committee by votes of 10 to three. And Madam President, I so move.

Second.

There are a couple of, the motion has been properly moved and seconded. There are a couple of amendment, Vice President Barth,

Thank you, Madam President. I have an amendment that fulfills the commitment you made during the hearing to insert language about a definition of a data center. So Madam President, I move to amend proposal 238-2026 by adding a new definition of data center to the previously amended version in this proposal that deleted the zoning provision sent over by DMD and adding the moratorium requirement. Deleting the language that is double stricken through and adding double underlying language

as designated all counselors have a copy of the definition and I so move thank you madam president I just wanted to thank you for following through on this from the discussion and committee I will be supporting this

The motion carries 23 to 1.

Councillor Allen.

Thank you, Madam President. I move to amend proposal number 238, 2026 by adding a new definition of data centers to the previously amended version of this proposal that deleted the zoning provisions.

Councillor Allen, I think our attorney says we have the wrong one.

You have the wrong amendment. Do you need a copy of it?

Yeah, that's the one that Madam- That's the one that they gave me. Okay.

Do you have a copy of it, Councillor?

I have a digital copy.

Sorry, Councillor Allen. We're going to get this together. This does not read the same. Just the first portion.

I apologize. Thank you, Madam President. I move to further amend proposal number 238-2026 by deleting the language that is and adding the double underlined and highlighted language to read as follows. Nothing in this ordinance or any moratorium preventing data center development, including the moratorium established in section one, shall prevent the submittal or approval of any permits for data centers that have received zoning or land use approvals, including but not limited to rezones and variances of use before the enacted date of this ordinance. Madam President, I so move.

The motion been properly moved and seconded. Are there comments on the amendment? Councilor Brown.

I have comments, but I first had questions. Could we explain, yeah, clarify why this amendment is being offered? Thank you.

So I believe in Councilor Hart, you can jump in here at any point. that this just allows, as we said that we were gonna hit pause, it allows those that are in the queue to finish their process. Again, any incentives, anything that comes before this body will continue, but again, this just allows the work to continue with the ones that are already in the queue. Does that sound right?

Yep, that's correct.

Comments? Yes, Councilor Brown.

Well, then I do have comments. We should definitely not do that. It's been extremely clear from our constituents what they want us to do. This body- This body has played games over and over again, including earlier tonight by refusing to remove the commissioners. This is the city county council, if we vote for this, choosing to help push along these hated data centers. This isn't because of the mayor, this isn't because of the MDC, this would be this council choosing to spit in the faces of all of our constituents. And I urge you all to vote no.

Additional comment I ask that you keep your comments to yourself in the audience, please and thank We hear you Council requirement Thank You madam president I just for clarification yay vote is

to take the amendment which is saying that only from today forward and anything backdated is not. Is that correct, just for clarification?

Madam Councilman, did you hear a question?

Did you hear a question?

Repeat my question. A yay vote is to accept the amendment, and the amendment is that is just from today going forward and doesn't remove anything going backwards, backdating. That's correct. Is that correct?

Thank you. That's correct. Thank you. Yep, Councillor Hart, are you about to say something?

yeah customer comic so what this does is it allows the projects that are already in the pipe to continue to move forward I mean it I'll wait counselor are were you done with your sitting where you three you done counselor all right counselor Delaney

Thank you, Madam President. I do have a question relating to this amendment in that there's been a lot of votes and law and decisions that have been made regarding the data centers that have already happened. So can we, and this maybe is for Council Pierce, can we even, like I feel like we're sort of legislating in reverse. And so I was wondering if you could speak to that, like how this actually operates. Is it legal?

so technically technically the law is as exists today is that anybody who has an application in prior to the adoption of this ordinance is allowed to continue on and get the permits and things to move forward and that this is just clarifying that The the Indiana statute allows them to for three years past that date if you're your applicant if you have an application on file then all the permits associated with that application are good for three years as of that date and so anything after the moratorium date will be Will be subject to the moratorium or the acceptance of this ordinance will be subject to the moratorium

But I'm asking about backwards, because that's how I read this, is that we would be invalidating things that we've already gone through.

All this is saying is that the data centers that are already in the pipeline have already gotten their applications that have already been approved, continue on as approved.

Vice President Barth?

So Madam Council, it sounds to me like you're saying this amendment is inconsequential because, is that correct?

I think it just provides clarification for those data centers that are already in existence.

We ask again that you keep your comments to yourself, please and thank you. Additional comments? Additional comments? Leader Evans.

Thank you, Madam President. I just want a clarification. So is the amendment, is it somehow correcting us and putting us in line with state statute? Because it's currently in, we're out of state statute if we pass the proposal as is?

No, I don't think we're out of state statute, but they're within. It did, the state statute was not clear to some people and so we are just clarifying this here.

If you can't explain it, don't do it.

Additional comments? Councilor Brown.

Thank you, Madam President. I just wanted to point out the ridiculous conversation we're having here. If you go to a gas station right now, If you go to a gas station right now, you're paying substantially less for your gas because our governor just blatantly ignored the law in order to do what his constituents were asking for. When we as a body act like we're wearing handcuffs that we put on ourselves, everyone can see what a joke this is. We don't have to do this. Don't do this. Thank you.

I think...

So the motion has been properly moved and seconded. Let's go to the board for our vote on the amendment.

The answer is on your hands. Death is on your hands.

Who built the cancer next to elementary school? That's not going to grow.

So we're now voting on. on the proposal as amended. The board's open. Sorry, Mayor Mallory.

Thank you, Madam President. I just wanted to say, echo Councilor Cahill's sentiment in adding this in while I was a no vote in committee on this proposal. I do see the added benefit in having had discussions with some of the MDC members about how these data centers are a tricky subject given that they're so new and we need. Folks, please let me finish. Thank you. And while this is a tricky subject, I think there's a good opportunity for us to put governance around data centers before we move any further forward with them. So I will be in support of this tonight. Thank you.

Additional comments? CNN will proceed to the board for our vote. I think that's the last. We'll proceed to Special Service District Council. Seeing no new business before the council, we'll move to announcements and adjournment. The docketed agenda of this meeting of the council having been completed, the chair will now entertain motions for adjournment.

Madam President.

The chair recognizes Leader Mowery.

Madam President, I've been asked to offer the following motion for adjournment by Councilor. By all councillors, in memory of Francis Sears. By councillor Jones, in memory of Ellen Sichting. By councillor Roberts, in memory of Ted Houghton. By councillor Barth, in memory of Barbara Smith-Winn. By councillors Hart, Mallory, Osley, in memory of Kathy Burton. by Councilor Osley in memory of Larry Lee, Emeka Kenneth Achiku, Christian Taylor Rhodes, Christopher Thorpe Sr., Mamu Mbappe, and Sam McHenry, by Councilor Lewis in memory of Kenneth Williams Dobbins, Katherine Helena Martin, James Jim Ochletree Dunham Sr., Elise Mae DeWitt Sutton, Gina Day Fears, Lee Angela Smith, Janie Woods Hodge, and Flora Jones. Madam President, I would like to move the adjournment of this meeting of the Indianapolis City County Council in the recognition of and respect for the life and contributions of those persons I have here specifically named. I respectfully ask the support of fellow counselors. I further request that the motion be made part of the permanent records of this body and that a letter bearing the council seal and signature of the president be sent to the family of each person advising of this action.

Thank you, Leader Mowery. Hearing no objection, the motion is received and the requests are still in order. Hearing no further motions, we are adjourned.