Ballard Inaugural Address

Here is the text of the speech Mayor Greg Ballard delivered at his swearing-in ceremony at the Indiana War Memorial today:

GOOD AFTERNOON, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE ON THIS NEW YEAR’S DAY. I’M ESPECIALLY GLAD TO HAVE MY FAMILY HERE – MY WIFE WINNIE, OUR CHILDREN, MY MOM, MY BROTHERS AND SISTER AND OTHER RELATIVES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT.

IT IS A GREAT HONOR TO HAVE THE MARINE CORPS COLOR GUARD TAKE PART IN THIS CEREMONY, AND I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THEM.LET ME ALSO TAKE A MOMENT ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE IN INDIANAPOLIS TO OFFER SINCERE THANKS TO MAYOR BART PETERSON FOR HIS DEDICATED SERVICE TO OUR CITY OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS.

AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO HIS WIFE, AMY AND THEIR DAUGHTER, MEG, FOR THE MANY SACRIFICES THEY HAVE MADE.

THERE ARE MANY MEMBERS OF THE CITY-COUNTY COUNCIL HERE AS WELL. PRESIDENT BOB COCKRUM, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND THE OTHER COUNCILORS OF BOTH PARTIES TO CARRY OUT THE WILL OF THE CITIZENS OF OUR GREAT CITY. AND I THANK MY FELLOW CITIZENS OF INDIANAPOLIS FOR GIVING ME THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AS YOUR MAYOR.

I PLEDGE MY VERY BEST EFFORT TO LIVE UP TO THE TRUST YOU’VE PLACED IN ME.I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN INDIANAPOLIS, AND WHEN I COMPLETED MY SERVICE IN THE MARINE CORPS, I BROUGHT MY FAMILY BACK. NO MATTER WHERE I WAS STATIONED, I WAS ALWAYS PROUD TO CALL INDIANAPOLIS “HOME.” I CAN SENSE THAT MOST PEOPLE IN OUR CITY FEEL THAT SAME PRIDE.

INDIANAPOLIS IS A GREAT CITY. WE ARE A CITY THAT’S USED TO SUCCESS. BUT SKYROCKETING TAXES AND VIOLENT CRIME HAVE SHAKEN THE CONFIDENCE OF OUR CITIZENS AND HAVE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. WE FACE A LOT OF CHALLENGES AND THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE HARD WORK AND TOUGH DECISIONS.

MY GOVERNING PRIORITIES WILL BE THE SAME AS THOSE I TALKED ABOUT AT NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. WE NEED TO INTENSIFY OUR EFFORTS TO FIGHT CRIME, PUT OUR FISCAL HOUSE IN ORDER, REINVEST IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, BRING MORE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND HELP THOSE WHO ARE IMPROVING EDUCATION IN OUR COMMUNITY.

MY TOP PRIORITY AS MAYOR IS PUBLIC SAFETY. WE MUST REVERSE THE RISE IN CRIME AND PROVIDE SAFETY TO THE CITIZENS OF INDIANAPOLIS.THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY SHOULD REST WITH THE MAYOR – THAT’S WHAT CITIZENS EXPECT. TO THAT END, ALL PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES MUST BE UNDER THE MAYOR’S CHAIN OF COMMAND.

I WILL BE HONEST WITH THE CITIZENS OF OUR CITY ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE AND WHAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO GET CRIME UNDER CONTROL. THE INDIANAPOLIS METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT IS FULL OF EXTREMELY HARD-WORKING, COMPETENT, CIVIC-MINDED POLICEMEN AND WOMEN WHO DO AN EXCELLENT JOB. I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO SEE TO IT THAT THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES THEY NEED. IN PARTICULAR, WE MUST PUT POLICE BACK INTO THE COMMUNITIES, ALLOWING LAW ENFORCEMENT TO GET TO KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE PEOPLE IN THEM SO THAT THEY CAN HELP PREVENT CRIME, RATHER THAN MERELY REACT.

ADDITIONALLY, THIS CITY MUST ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF EX-OFFENDERS RETURNING TO SOCIETY. I WILL PUT IN PLACE PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE JOB SKILLS AND SOCIAL SUPPORT SO THAT EX-OFFENDERS HAVE A USEFUL SKILL THAT WILL BENEFIT SOCIETY AND THE STRENGTH TO STAY AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE AND SCENARIOS THAT GOT THEM IN TROUBLE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

ANOTHER TOP PRIORITY IS TO REDUCE CITY GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND RELIEVE THE GROWING BURDEN ON MARION COUNTY TAXPAYERS. WE WILL EXAMINE EVERY BUDGET ITEM AND FIND WAYS TO CUT COSTS.AS THE CHIEF ELECTED OFFICIAL IN MARION COUNTY, THE MAYOR OF INDIANAPOLIS SHOULD LEAD ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES IN CONTROLLING SPENDING. THE MAYOR DOES NOT HAVE DIRECT CONTROL OVER MANY PUBLIC ENTITIES THAT HAVE SEPARATE AUTHORITY TO TAX OR SPEND PUBLIC FUNDS, BUT I WILL USE MY LEADERSHIP POSITION TO MAKE SURE GOVERNMENT WORKS TOGETHER IN MARION COUNTY TO BENEFIT THE TAXPAYERS.

I ALSO INTEND TO WORK WITH GOVERNOR DANIELS AND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AS THEY WRESTLE WITH OUR ANTIQUATED PROPERTY TAX SYSTEM. NEXT, WE NEED TO PUT A PRIORITY ON STRONG NEIGHBORHOODS.

WE’RE ALL PROUD OF OUR CITY, BUT WHAT MATTERS MOST IN OUR DAILY LIFE IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. DO I FEEL SAFE FROM CRIME? IS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM PROVIDING FOR MY CHILDREN? ARE MY STREETS CLEAN? DOES THE CITY CARE ABOUT MY NEIGHBORHOOD? A GREAT CITY IS A COLLECTION OF GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS. WE NEED STRONG NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT THE CITY WITH GOOD SCHOOLS AND REDUCED CRIME. WE NEED THE MAYOR’S OFFICE CONNECTED TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS. ONLY THEN WILL PEOPLE BE PROUD OF THEIR CITY AND THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.

I WILL RESTORE THE FRONT PORCH ALLIANCE TO REESTABLISH NECESSARY TIES BETWEEN THE MAYOR AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF INDIANAPOLIS.

I WILL APPLY THE “BROKEN WINDOWS” THEORY, WHICH HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY USED IN OTHER CITIES TO PROMOTE SAFETY BY CLEANING UP BLIGHTED NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS INCLUDES SHORTENING THE TIME FRAME WITH WHICH TO DEAL WITH ABANDONED HOMES. OTHER CITIES HAVE FOUND TAKING SUCH STEPS CAN REDUCE CRIME, IMPROVE PROPERTY VALUES, AND MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFER.

A FOURTH PRIORITY, TO WHICH I’M FIRMLY COMMITTED, IS TO ESTABLISH PRINCIPLES OF TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. CITIZENS HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THEIR CITY GOVERNMENT.OUR CITIZENS DESERVE AN ELECTED LEADERSHIP THAT IS RESPONSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR TAX DOLLARS. TAXPAYERS DESERVE TO SEE HOW THEIR MONEY IS BEING SPENT. FORMER MAYOR STEVE GOLDSMITH TOLD ME THAT THE MAYOR OF INDIANAPOLIS MUST REPRESENT THOSE NOT SEATED AT THE TABLE. I WILL DO JUST THAT.

IN MY ROLE AS MAYOR, I WILL ENSURE THAT ALL THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS KNOW THEY SERVE THE CITIZENS AND ARE NOT BEHOLDEN TO ANY ORGANIZATION OR POWER STRUCTURE. WE MUST REMEMBER THAT WE ARE EMPLOYED BY THE PEOPLE. THIS CITY DOES NOT BELONG TO THE GOVERNMENT. IT’S BEEN BUILT BY ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO PAY THEIR TAXES, KEEP UP THEIR PROPERTY, RAISE THEIR KIDS, LOOK OUT FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS – WHO DO THE BEST WITH WHAT THEY HAVE AND HELP THOSE WHO HAVE LESS. AND THEY HAVE
THE RIGHT TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE FOR HOW WE SERVE THEM.

THE LAST AREA WE MUST ADDRESS IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. IT WILL REDUCE CRIME, LOWER HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL SERVICE COSTS, AND EXPAND OUR ECONOMIC BASE BY BRINGING IN TOP-FLIGHT JOBS —THAT IS EDUCATION. THE MAYOR MAY CONTROL FEW OF THE LEVERS OF EDUCATION IN THIS COUNTY, BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE, EDUCATION WILL BE A TOP PRIORITY IN MY ADMINISTRATION. WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE EDUCATION IN THIS COUNTY. OUR KIDS DESERVE IT AND OUR CITY DEMANDS IT.

THIS IS MY VISION: MAKING OUR CITY SAFER, IMPROVING ITS FISCAL CONDITION, REINVIGORATING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, ESTABLISHING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND IMPROVING EDUCATION.AS YOUR FELLOW CITIZEN, I AM HONORED TO SERVE AS MAYOR OF INDIANAPOLIS, AND I WILL WORK HARD TO BUILD ON THE SUCCESS OF OUR PAST CITY LEADERS. OVER THE PAST YEAR, I’VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING MANY CITIZENS WHO ARE WILLING TO TAKE ACTION TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF OUR CITY.

RONALD REAGAN SAID, “ALL GREAT CHANGE IN AMERICA BEGINS AT THE DINNER TABLE.” I BELIEVE THAT – NOW MORE THAN EVER. BUT WE NEED EVERYONE TO STAY INVOLVED IN FIGHTING CRIME, STRENGTHENING NEIGHBORHOODS, MENTORING YOUNG PEOPLE, AND PRESSING FOR BETTER GOVERNMENT.WE WILL MEET THE CHALLENGES WE FACE TOGETHER, WE WILL CARRY ON OUR CITY’S TRADITION OF SUCCESS, AND WE WILL LEAVE TO THE NEXT GENERATION A CITY OF WHICH THEY CAN BE PROUD.

THANK YOU.