A familiar name to anyone who followed Fishers development debates a few years ago is now at the middle of a political standoff at the City-County Building in Indianapolis.
Megan Vukusich, who served as Fishers’ director of planning and zoning before leaving in 2023, is director of the Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development and a member of Mayor Joe Hogsett’s cabinet. Last week she publicly broke with the mayor’s own economic development arm over $56 million in tax breaks sought for a proposed $250 million data center in the Martindale Brightwood neighborhood.
Indy Economic Development Inc., the organization Hogsett created to lead development efforts and whose board he chairs, recommended the abatements for California-based Metrobloks. Vukusich told the Metropolitan Development Commission at its July 15 meeting that the request should be pulled.
“I am urging the IEDI to withdraw their request today,” she said. “If they do not, then I would ask that the commission not vote to move this (tax break) forward.”
“Offering economic incentives at this time is not appropriate,” Vukusich added. “It is vital that we do not rush these decisions and take our time to have all community benefits clearly outlined and documented to ensure that we are getting the best outcome for the residents of Indianapolis.”
Her comments came two days after city-county councilors voted to advance a moratorium on new data centers — a moratorium Hogsett supports, and one that would not affect projects already in the pipeline, including Metrobloks. According to Mirror Indy’s Peter Blanchard, the statement appeared to catch commission president John Dillon off guard, and two people familiar with the mayor’s thinking said Hogsett did not expect his DMD director to stand in the way.
IEDI has said the project would not be economically feasible without local incentives. IEDI President Andrea Richter-Garry, who declined an interview request from Mirror Indy, said in a statement that IEDI is working with the mayor’s office, DMD and the community to document the long-term benefits of the incentive package.
Hogsett spokesperson Emily Kaufmann disputed that there is any daylight between Vukusich and the mayor, saying all parties are working to secure “the highest standard of commitments” for Martindale Brightwood residents. City documents indicate those could include pedestrian improvements, affordable housing and other infrastructure.
Vukusich came to Indianapolis in September 2023 as DMD deputy director after roughly a year running planning and zoning in Fishers. She was promoted to director in 2025 and now oversees zoning, planning, historic preservation, housing programs and economic incentives for the city.
The tax abatement goes to a public hearing at 1 p.m. Aug. 5 at the City-County Building, 200 E. Washington St., where residents will be able to comment.
Reporting in this story is based on Peter Blanchard’s coverage for Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom covering Indianapolis.