Indianapolis City-County Council finishes up 2023 business

The Indianapolis City-County Council held its final meeting of 2023 Monday, and a number of significant measures saw final passage. 

A proposal to set up a new Economic Enhancement District, EED, that will impose a fee on downtown property owners in the Mile Square passed the council. The move will target investment around public safety, homeless outreach, cleanliness and beautification and generate $5.5 million a year towards those efforts. The fee will not start until 2025.

Another measure uses TIF, or tax-increment financing, money to purchase the Broad Ripple Park Family Center. This proposal saw pushback from the local community, who wanted the funds to be put to other uses. Councilor Keith Potts said a council committee discussion highlighted those plans.

“Some of the most urgent issues in our city – such as addressing the challenge of food deserts, and our need for more equitable accessible and affordable housing – and I know that the next class of councilors will continue the important work on those priorities,” Potts said.

The council also passed a proposal to set up a new TIF district that helps fund the transformation of the old City Hall into an art gallery with an attached 32-story building. That structure will include a new hotel with residential housing, a portion of which will be affordable. 

Another measure establishes a new sports district that will help pay for Eleven Park, which includes a new stadium for the Indy Eleven soccer team, riverfront development with housing, greenspace and retail spaces. The creation of the district will help fund the project by capturing state and local tax revenue. 

This was the last meeting for seven councilors. Zach Adamson, Ethan Evans, Monroe Gray, Jason Larrison, William “Duke” Oliver, Keith Potts and David Ray are all Democrats. A special resolution, read in part by Council Minority Leader Brian Mowery, acknowledged their service.

“Their experience, insight and dedication to the city of Indianapolis and its citizens in the City-County Council has impacted all those they have served alongside and will continue to do so in their next ventures,” Mowery said.

Another proposal passed by councilors changes the spelling of councilor from the British spelling with two ll’s to the American spelling with one l. A study of AI usage in city government was also passed.

In a statement Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett acknowledged the amount of work that was accomplished. 

“Together, we are funding more affordable housing, enhancing our greenways, improving the safety of school zones, securing amenities for our parks, and promoting development in our downtown core at record pace – and we will continue to build on this momentum of progress in the new year," Hogsett said. 

Contact WFYI city government and policy reporter Jill Sheridan at jsheridan@wfyi.org.