Indiana Lawmakers To Decide On More Funding For Regional Cities Initiative

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Economic Development Corporation will soon decide which regions are awarded money through the Regional Cities Initiative. Lawmakers could decide this coming session whether more money will be given out.

The legislature earmarked $84 million, generated through the 2015 tax amnesty program, for the Regional Cities Initiative. The money was intended to be divided between two regions.  But members of the committee reviewing the proposals have debated the idea of splitting the funding between three regions. Legislative leaders such as House Ways and Means Chair Tim Brown say they’re o.k. with that direction.

“You know, I won’t micromanage what they do," Brown said. "We’ll let them do what they decide and we’ll have a discussion about where that goes from here.”

Review committee members also discussed the idea of putting more money into Regional Cities if the tax amnesty program brings in more money than expected.  Senate Appropriations Chair Luke Kenley says that move would require legislative approval.

“We’d have to discuss the whole financial situation," Kenley said. "I’m not ready to give away my money until I know where we stand otherwise, and how they would want to spend that.”

The review committee will meet in December to decide which regions it will recommend.