Monday, June 08, 2015

Indianapolis City-County Council Blocks Criminal Justice Center Vote

A Republican-led effort to resurrect Mayor Greg Ballard's plan to build a new criminal justice center through a public-private agreement at tonight's meeting of the Indianapolis City-County Council failed on a 13-16 vote. Councilor Robert Lutz (R) offered a motion to add the ill-fated proposal to tonight's council agenda so a down-sized version of the project touted last week as a compromise could be acted upon it.

All Democrats and one Republican, Christine Scales, voted against Lutz' motion, while the rest of the Republican council members voted for it, although even some of them had voiced reservations about the plan. Taxpayers could still be out close to $15 million the Ballard administration blew on no-bid professional services agreements and participation fees to losing bidders to pursue the P3 agreement.

For a proposal that supposedly had been studies at length over the course of many years, the administration could not have stumbled more badly in presenting a coherent, sustainable proposal. The administration repeatedly made the laughable claim the nearly $1.75 billion project could be undertaken without the need to resort to tax increases. An independent study conducted on behalf of the council indicated the likelihood of a shortfall reaching into the tens of millions of dollars in the first seven years alone.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am one Marion County resident who thanks and congratulates the Honorable Councilor Christine Scales for her vote on this issue. Councilor Scales once again performs in the very best interests of her constituency and in the overall best interests of Marion County taxpayers.

Anonymous said...

The Criminal Justice Center stinks to high heaven of corruption from The Regional Operations Center....that DOJ has yet to investigate properly.

Anonymous said...

Christine Scales for Mayor! Honesty, Integrity, and Moral Courage!!!!

Anonymous said...

Christine, thank you.

Anonymous said...

Ballard is an asshole and his minions and grafters can all burn in hell. Where are the lame Federal Prosecutors. Blew $15 mill. That guy tarnishes the Marine Corps.