Local Government
Woe is Mayor
Posted by Sheila Kennedy in Local Government on September 5th, 2010
These are rough days to be a mayor. If you don’t believe me, look at just two of the issues bedeviling Mayor Ballard right now: police and parking. In both cases, the Mayor has correctly identified a problem. But in both cases, there are substantial questions about his chosen solutions. Managing the police is a [...]
Continue reading...Defining Our Terms
Posted by Sheila Kennedy in Local Government on May 29th, 2010
Anti-tax fervor has become a defining aspect of American politics—so much so, that here in Indiana we are getting ready to enshrine a so-called “property tax cap” in the state’s Constitution. (The existing law imposing such a cap is evidently considered inadequate.) Those of us who question the wisdom of such a measure are often [...]
Continue reading...Outsourcing The Taxing Power
Posted by Sheila Kennedy in Local Government, Uncategorized on February 7th, 2010
There is a lively debate currently raging over the apparent intent of the Ballard Administration to sell Indianapolis’ water and sewer utilities. Most of the criticism centers on allegations that the decision-making process has been less than transparent—that whatever the merits of an ultimate deal, the public has been largely shut out of the discussions. [...]
Continue reading...When Will They Ever Learn?
Posted by Sheila Kennedy in Local Government, Uncategorized on December 7th, 2009
One of the problems with highly ideological politics of the sort we have these days is that there is no Republican or Democratic way to pave streets and pick up garbage. At the local level, very few voters care whether the Mayor is pro-life or pro-choice; they are much more likely to rate their political leaders on such [...]
Continue reading...The Ethics of Private Police
Posted by Sheila Kennedy in Criminal Justice, Local Government on October 28th, 2009
In my historic neighborhood, we are having a vigorous debate about the wisdom/propriety of paying monthly “dues” to hire off-duty police officers to conduct extra patrols. The concern is that the Indianapolis police force is stretched thin, and despite Mayor Ballard’s emphasis on public safety, not much has changed, and certainly not for the better. I understand the [...]
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