Justice Center Proposal Appears Dead

Mayor Greg Ballard’s $1.7 billion proposal to build a new justice center appears dead after Republicans on the City-County Council decided not to revive it at a meeting of the board last night.

The project would consolidate all of the county’s jails, sheriff’s offices and courts on the site of the old GM Stamping plant near downtown. The proposal has been on the ropes since April, when a committee of the Democrat-controlled board voted 6 to 2 not to send it before the full council.

Pending a last-minute deal, the agreement with WMB Heartland Partners to design, build and run the justice center for 35 years expires at the end of the month.

A report commissioned by council Democrats projected shortfalls of about $37 million in the first few years, but Ballard says his plan would have paid for itself with efficiencies and new revenue. It was, he says, the county’s best chance in 30 years to overhaul Marion County’s outdated, overcrowded jails and courts.

"They’re going to have to fix these things eventually, and now it’s going to be way more expensive, and probably way more unsafe to do it," Ballard said. "It’s 'pay me now or pay me later,' where you’re going to pay a lot more later, to fix this piecemeal, when we had a holistic solution in front of us.

Business and labor groups favored the plan, citing job creation. But IndyCAN – the Indianapolis Congregation Network – said it wants a ‘comprehensive’ plan that also includes more funding for alternatives to incarceration.