Three interesting council items on the agenda tonight. First, the Council will decided on a proposal to release $1 million in arts funding. Although it is not clear from the Indianapolis Star article on the subject, I believe that it is not new funding, but rather a reallocation of money that has already been appropriated, the reallocation due to the loss of the arts grants from the CIB. The Star article further notes that the Arts Council of Indianapolis and other groups will be out at full force at the hearing. I have reported on how the Arts Council and other arts groups pay themselves lavish salaries while little of the public money actually makes it to the starving artist they claim to represent. The Arts Council is the worst group in that regard.
Playing the Starving Artist Role to Grab Our Tax Dollars; The Real Financial Story Behind the Arts Council of Indianapolis, Inc. (Wednesday, June 10, 2009)
The Star also reports that there will be a measure on pan-handling introduced as well as the long awaited proposal to increase the hotel tax as a first step in the CIB bailout will be introduced tonight. The "Had Enough" blog has posted the full proposal.
I am so impressed that the Star mentioned three measures before the council. Of course, I haven't seen a word in the Star of the Senate District 30 election taking place tomorrow.
5 comments:
McFeeley needs to learn more about the way the Council agenda operates. He appears not to understand what it means to introduce a proposal and made it sound like the Council will fully discuss and decide the CIB bailout plan tonight. That is decidedly incorrect. I hope folks don't travel down there to be heard on the matter.
Even the grants to the Arts are not a matter for public hearing as that was done in the Parks Committee.
Jabber, you are absolutely correct. There won't be any discussion of the CIB thing tonight. It will just be assigned to a committee.
Actually, I think they would have taken public testimony at the Parks Committee when they were voting on the Arts measure. I'm not sure anyone spoke however. Again, I think it's just a reallocation of money already appropriated.
Do you think we need to be at the council meeting tonight?
hoosiers -- there are only three public hearing items and I will cut and paste them below. Certainly, if you felt your silent presence on another matter, like the arts funding, was important to you, then by all means go. If you wanted to comment on the CIB bailout, it will not be heard until the Rules Committee next meets, which is currently scheduled for July 28 at 5:30 pm. That would be the appropriate time to appear, in force, on that matter.
PROPOSAL NO. 231, 2009 (Fiscal Ordinance)
INTRODUCED: 06/29/2009 BY: Councillors Day and Plowman
REFERRED TO: Administration and Finance Committee
DIGEST: approves an additional appropriation of $160,710 in the 2009 Budgets of the Marion
County Election Board and Voter's Registration (County General Fund) to fund referenda
elections on November 3, 2009, financed by reimbursement from Franklin Township Community
School Corporation and Beech Grove City Schools
COMMITTEE ACTION:
06/30/2009 Do Pass 7-0
PROPOSAL NO. 233, 2009 (Fiscal Ordinance)
INTRODUCED: 06/29/2009 BY: Councillors Day and Brown
REFERRED TO: Parks and Recreation Committee
DIGEST: approves an additional appropriation of $181,455 in the 2009 Budget of the
Department of Parks and Recreation (Federal Grants Fund) to fund increased costs of food
service contracts pertaining to the Summer Food Program
COMMITTEE ACTION:
07/02/2009 Do Pass 5-0
PROPOSAL NO. 236, 2009 (Fiscal Ordinance)
INTRODUCED: 06/29/2009 BY: Councillors Vaughn and Moriarty Adams
REFERRED TO: Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee
DIGEST: approves an appropriation of $4,768,903 in the 2009 Budget of the Department of
Public Safety, Fire Division (Fire General Fund) to fund operating expenses for the balance of
2009 associated with the consolidation of the Perry Township Fire Department into the
Indianapolis Fire Department, financed by Perry Township revenues
COMMITTEE ACTION:
07/01/2009 Do Pass 6-0
I agree, Jabber. We agree that we'll keep the powder dry until we can have some input.
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