9/19/2005
Media Contact:
Steve Campbell, [317] 327-3622 |
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Mayor kicks off effort for Indy Works‘06, government reform this year
Mayor to work with Council to pass police consolidation, go back to state legislature for fire consolidation, other reforms
INDIANAPOLIS - Mayor Bart Peterson today kicked off Indianapolis Works ‘06, a revival of the plan to reform local government and save local taxpayers $35 million every year.
Indianapolis Works ‘06:
• Merges the Indianapolis Police Department (IPD) and the Marion County Sheriff’s Department (MCSD) into one new metropolitan department under the authority of the Sheriff;
• Merges nine separate fire departments in Marion County into the Indianapolis Fire Department;
• Eliminates nine elected township trustees and boards in Marion County, in favor of two trustees and boards for delivering poor relief; and
• Eliminates nine elected township tax assessors and moves those functions and resources under the existing County Assessor.
The plan to consolidate IPD and MCSD will be introduced before the City-County Council tonight. The Mayor will go to the Indiana General Assembly in January 2006 to push for fire consolidation and other reforms which died earlier this year in the state legislature.
"Indianapolis Works is commonsense good government," Mayor Peterson said. "If you believe in providing better, more cost-effective services, reforming government and saving taxpayer dollars, then Indianapolis Works is the right thing to do and is an idea whose time has come."
He also said that we would continue to enlist the help of business, labor, community and government leaders who have supported Indianapolis Works for the past year.
"The support for this plan has been broad, diverse and bi-partisan," Mayor Peterson added. "To finally see this plan passed, we’ll need the help of all ‘Friends of Indianapolis Works’ to make sure we have the ability to continue giving our residents the services they deserve at a price they can afford."
Peterson first proposed Indianapolis Works in August 2004. At the time, he warned that if nothing were done, the city and county would be forced to make up the $35 million by cutting programs and services that rely on property tax dollars. By law, Indianapolis Works had to be passed by the Indiana General Assembly, but the legislature did not pass the plan.
Since then, the city has been forced to cut services in 2005 and 2006 by $28 million and cut 189 positions through attrition.
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