When I arranged to record a podcast with Fishers Department of Public Works Director Eric Pethtel and Mayor Scott Fadness, the subject was celebrating the time capsule to be placed underneath Fishers new City Hall/Arts Center, and we did talk about that.

However, I had to ask the mayor about a news story that broke late last week, where a Marion County Judge ruled a state law provision unconstitutional, sending about $10 million a year of local income tax money from Carmel to Fishers as what the mayor described as a “temporary solution” to what the City of Fishers views as an unfair tax distribution system.

This situation also ties into Fishers’ history, since the Town of Fishers, going back to the days of Scott Faultless as Town Council President and Scott Faddness’ time as an intern with the Town staff, Fishers officials have been warning about an unfair tax distribution system established by the state.  Fadness describes last week’s court decision as “a dramatic turn of events…an unfortunate one.”

Mayor Fadness argues that if you combine the 2 major revenue streams for Fishers, property and income taxes, Carmel receives $60 million per year more than Fishers, even though the 2 cities are similar by most measures, including population.

As to what may come next, Mayor Fadness did not comment specifically, but added, “We are still evaluating everything.”

The $10 million in local income tax funds from Carmel to Fishers is described by Fadness as a temporary solution, making the situation “tolerable,  Doing away with that (temporary solution) makes the financial realities literally unsustainable under the current form.”

It should also be pointed out that Carmel sued the State of Indiana in this legal action.  Any decision on appealing this court ruling is up to state officials.

You can hear the mayor’s comments in full in the first part of the podcast linked below, but the remainder of the podcast is focused on the history of Fishers.  Also, below, see a couple of photos from old Fishers.

The Prairie Dash 5K is set for 2024 on Saturday, May 18, 9:00am at Conner Prairie.  The event is sponsored by the Hamilton Southeastern Education Foundation, the Lawrence Township School Foundation and Conner Prairie.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit each school district’s foundation.  It will be held entirely within the grounds of Conner Prairie.

Registration is $25, and includes a race tee, timing bib and a commemorative medal.

In the event of severe weather/lightning, the race will be delayed up to 30 minutes on May 18th. Should severe weather persist after a delayed start, Conner Prairie may cancel the race. No refunds will be provided to participants if the race is cancelled.

You can register for the Prairie Dash 5K at this link.

It was the late Republican leader in the U.S. Senate, Everett Dirksen, that was supposedly quoted as saying, “A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money.”  I always thought that quote was genuine.

Come to find out, according to the Dirksen Congressional Center in Pekin, Illinois, there is no evidence Senator Dirksen ever actually said or wrote that.

But you don’t need to go all the way up to billions in getting to real money.  In Indiana municipal budgets, millions will do.  I thought about that when reading the Indianapolis Star story posted online March 21, about the court case involving Carmel, the State of Indiana, Fishers and the income tax distribution formula used by state lawmakers.

Marion Superior Court Judge John M.T. Chavis II ruled for Carmel and against the State of Indiana, saying that a provision of state law sending local income tax money from Carmel to Fishers is inconsistent with Indiana’s Constitution.

When learning of this ruling, I asked the mayor’s media relations office for comment and they had no comment at the time.  The next day, Mayor Fadness did have comments for the Star’s government and politics editor Kaitlin Lang.

The Star piece says Fishers could lose $10 million a year in local income tax revenue as a result of this judge’s ruling,  even though Fishers and Carmel are similar in many ways, including population.  The state distribution formula for passing out local income tax money provides Carmel with a lot more of that cash.

Obviously, Carmel takes the position that this is their money according to the state formula.  Fishers says the formula is flawed and Carmel benefits from an unfair share to income tax revenue.  Fadness told the Star this discrepancy is “almost becoming impossible to overcome.”

So, if Fishers is set to lose $10 million a year in its municipal budget, how does one put that into the proper context?  Let me say at the outset I am no expert in Indiana local government finance, and I have seen Scott Fadness juggle finances in ways others cannot.

However, I looked at the current 2024 Fishers city budget.  How would that have been impacted if $10 million were taken away?

In 2024, Fishers city workers received a 5% pay increase, The Police Department added 3 uniformed officers, 2 School Resource Officers and a lab technician.  The Fire Department added 3 firefighters.

Using general numbers, the entire Fishers Police Department has a  2024 budget of about $19 million.  Fire and Emergency Services funding is just under $22 million.  The Department of Public Works Budget is $21 million.

$10 million equals roughly half of the entire 2024 budget of each department named above.  I could go over many other parts of city government, but you get the picture.  A $10 million cut would hurt the city’s operations.

The entire Fishers City Budget for 2024, including debt service, is $164 million.  $10 million represents about 6% of all city spending in the current year.

Presuming this court ruling stands and there are no other changes in the offing soon, we should know more when Mayor Fadness begins the process of putting together the 2025 budget proposal to present to the City Council.  The mayor’s budget process normally begins during the summer months, with final approval from the Council in October.

Expect Mayor Fadness and his staff to be working on next year’s budget proposal with a fine tooth comb.

As a small local news blogger, I am not always notified of some events by large companies.  Such was the case on March 18 when Kroger broke ground for its new grocery on Allisonville Road, north of 116th Street.  Perhaps it was just as well, since the Twitter (excuse me, X) post describes a cold ground-breaking ceremony.

The only reason I would have wanted to be there is the long and winding road this project has traveled.  It was either 2017 or 2018 when Kroger originally announced plans to take the existing grocery north of 116th Street, just west on Allisonville Road, and move it across the street to another strip mall development east of Allisonville.  The City of Fishers had preliminary plans for public space where the current store at that time existed.

It was in 2018 that Kroger said several developments in the grocery market, particularly Amazon’s stated intention to enter the grocery business, resulted in the company halting new projects.  The Fishers move plan was scuttled at that time.

Last year, Kroger said it was ready to move on the previously dormant plan.  The vacant lot in the strip mall north of 116th Street just east of Allisonville Road was still there, so the land was available to go ahead with the new Kroger grocery store.

This is part of a development plan for a large section of Allisonville Road, once the commercial hub of Fishers when I first moved here in 1991.  The Kroger move comes as the city is planning to replace the automatic traffic signals at 116th Street and Allisonville Road with a roundabout.

As a former resident of the Sunblest neighborhood, I am so happy for the residents in that section of Fishers.  The new Kroger grocery will be a boon to the area.  Things are looking up for that part of Fishers.

The City of Fishers does a nice job of providing updates each week on road construction, not just city projects, but other work going on in and around Fishers.

Here is the latest report, as provided by Fishers:

Continue reading Fishers area road construction update for the work week starting Monday, March 25 →

The Hamilton County Highway Department has issued another update on the construction project ongoing at 146th Street and Allisonville Road.  Here is that update:

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Friday, March 22 into Saturday, March 23: Our contractor will be completing work in preparation of the upcoming phase switch of 146^th Street. At various times between 9am Friday to 7pm Saturday, the contractor will have workers in or near the travel lanes to complete pre-phase switch work items. Short duration lane closures when in-lane preparation work is requires should be expected.

Saturday, March 23 into Sunday, March 24: Beginning at 7pm, the contractor will utilize lane closures and short duration closures to implement the traffic pattern change. The new traffic pattern will be in place by Sunday morning.

Please use extreme caution while driving through this construction zone. We have continued to notice a lot of traffic going above the posted speed limit of 35 mph, so the Fishers Police Department, Noblesville Police Department, and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department have increased patrols along 146^th Street. Please be cognizant of the speed limit. It is posted at 35 mph for a reason. We would love to keep our construction crews safe, as well as local traffic exiting their subdivisions, through this heavily traveled thoroughfare.

While covering the many meetings and other events tied to Fishers city government the past few years, I have heard the mayor often say, how can we find more money for the Neighborhood Vibrancy Grant Program?  The City of Fishers is providing more money for this program in its annual budget, from $100,000 a year to $750,000 in 2024.

Deadlines to apply for the remainder of the 2024 grants are April 30, July 31 and October 31.

Fishers just announced recipients of the most recent round of grants.

• Allison Place ($2,600) to repair and replace entrance walls.
• Anchorage ($22,840) to install lighting due to lack of sidewalks and install native plant species.
• Ashwood ($6,252.40) to enhance the entrance landscaping.
• Belmont Place ($3,000) to repair and replace the entrance monument sign.
• Berkley Ridge ($25,000) to replace an entrance sign and add new lighting and landscaping.
• Bridgewater at Geist ($23,012) to install and enhance the entry way landscaping.
• Britton Falls ($20,061) to beautify the Thorpe Creek pathway, including lawns to natural areas, and the installation of trees.
• Britton Ridge ($25,000) to install erosion control along the north shore of the retention pond.
• Cherry Hills Farms ($17,218) to replace two pond aerators from 2004.
• Conner Creek ($23,430) to enhance amenities at the community pool area including fencing, lighting and landscaping.
• Courtyard Lakes ($9,000) to replace shadowbox fencing from 1997 along the western property line.
• Geist Overlook ($5,872) to install landscaping and lighting at the entrance.
• Hanover on the Green ($21,800) to remove groundcover and replace with sod.
• Harrison Lakes ($12,037) to remove and replace entrance landscaping and trees at the pond.
• High Point Ridge ($6,600) to replace the public safety gate with bollards.
• Lantern Ridge ($7,809.64) to install landscaping and lighting at the entrance.
• Muir Woods ($9,440) to remove and replace non-native species with native species, including pear trees.
• Overlook at Beaver Ridge ($18,380) to remove dead trees and make an entrance sign, add new landscaping and make sidewalk improvements.
• Princeton Woods ($25,000) to install native landscaping within the landscape islands.
• Sand Creek Woods ($25,000) to separate the irrigation system for the adjoining apartment complex, tuckpoint the entrance sign, and replace the path lights.
• Stevenson Mill ($6,650.60) to make landscape improvements at the neighborhood entrance along Allisonville Road.
• Tanglewood ($25,000) to install a new playground for 5 – 12-year-olds and replace playground border, mulch, benches and tables.
• The Haven ($25,000) to renovate landscaping and irrigation at the front entrance.
• Timberstone ($1,519.16) to enhance entrance and pond landscaping.
• Villages at Geist ($11,865.60) to repair and replace the entrance sign with limestone.
• Waterford Gardens ($5,505) to improve the entrance by removing a tree trunk and tree leaning on a wall, install a rock garden and reslope yards.
• Weaver Woods ($7,435) to repair and replace walking paths.
• Wintercove ($7,311) to install a fountain at the retention pond along Easy Street.

When word came down on an unfavorable Marion County Court decision about how Carmel and Fishers divide local tax money collected, the city said it would have no comment at that time.  Mayor Scott Fadness has apparently had a change of heart on that subject and provided plenty of comments to the Indianapolis Star in a story posted Thursday morning, written by Star Editor Kaitlin Lange.

Fadness tells the Star this court decision will cost the City of Fishers $10 million a year.  This is a long-running dispute with Carmel saying this is their money and Fishers making the case Fishers is short-changed by the current formula.

Marion County Judge John MT Chavis II ruled the formula from the state legislature, passed at the insistence of Fishers, is not consistent with the Indiana State Constitution.  Fadness tells the Star the tax distribution imbalance, per Fishers, is “going from bad to worse” and “almost becoming impossible to overcome.”

You can read the IndyStar story at this link. (Subscription my be required)

It has taken me a few days to think about how I want to write about this issue.  I have rarely, in more than 12 years writing this blog, taken a clear stand on an issue.  One reason I have written this blog as a volunteer is because I believe an informed public is an involved public.

House Enrolled Act 1338 will greatly weaken the office of Indiana’s Public Access Counselor.  That means less transparency in local government.  It means the Counselor will no longer have a 4-year term but can be fired at any time for any reason.  It means the ability of that office to provide interpretations of Indiana’s Open Meetings law and other issues of government transparency will be severely limited.

I want to thank the many people that contacted Governor Eric Holcomb’s office urging him to veto this measure.  In the end, the governor decided to sign the measure into law.

This will lower Indiana’s ranking in comparison to other states in providing transparent government.  Indiana is already at or near the bottom of the 50 states in election turnout.  This development will not help that ranking.

In 2018, U.S. News & World Report listed Indiana as 33rd among the 50 states in quality of life.  That is not a good place to be.  This law will not improve that ranking.

In 2022, the nonpartisan group, Coalition For Integrity, lists Indiana dead last in government transparency.  And that was before Governor Holcomb signed this new bill into law.  You see where I am going with this.

Why does Indiana have such a lackluster ranking for voter participation?  I would argue government transparency is a major factor.

I have lived in Indiana my entire life and appreciate the values instilled in me by living here with very good people.  Our governmental policies and laws do not always reflect those values.

I would hope that future legislators and governors would put government transparency as a high priority.  Today, in Indiana, it is not.  I find that sad.