Update on Indy – August 17, 2025: Rising Fees, School Cuts, and Smarter Solutions
- Michael-Paul Hart
- Aug 17
- 3 min read
By Councilor Michael-Paul Hart
Working to Make Indianapolis the Smartest City in America
Full Council Meeting: Budget Season Begins
On Monday, the Mayor officially introduced his budget, marking the start of budget season at the City-County Council. You can watch his speech here.
Behind the headlines, there are a few key issues that haven’t received much attention:
Fee Hikes: The City is asking Council to raise zoning and permitting fees. [View]
School Funding: Proposed changes to county income tax distributions could unexpectedly impact local schools.[View]
Public Safety: Councilor Bain and I formally introduced our public safety package—building momentum toward safer streets. [View]
🔑 What’s Changing With City Fees: Rising Fees
(More Fees are changing that don't require a Council Vote, not listed here)
Add onto your home (≤2,000 sq ft): $217 → $750
Build a garage or shed: $193 → $300
Remodel a home: $159 → $200
Big home or business project: $697 → $1,000
Reviewing house plans: $85 → $175
Fast-track review (per hour): $316 → $2,000
Admin fee: $215 → $250
General permit: $170 → $175
💵 Hidden Change in Local Income Taxes: School Cuts
The Mayor’s new budget quietly changes how our County Option Income Tax (COIT) is divided.
What’s happening:
The “levy freeze” rate is being lowered from 0.1593% → 0.1412%.
Dollars are being shifted into “certified shares” and “public safety” instead.
The overall tax rate stays the same (2.02%), but how it’s divided up changes.
Why it matters:
Schools have been relying on certified shares from COIT to help fund their budgets.
This change was tucked into the agenda after schools had already approved their spending plans for the year.
For example, Warren Township Schools will lose about $300,000, which is equal to the salaries of six custodians or bus drivers (benefits included).
These are real people with real jobs that help our schools function safely every day.
The irony:
The Mayor says education is his top priority for a third term, yet this policy reduces funding for schools across Marion County.
👉 Observation: Instead of making Indianapolis the Smartest City in America, this move leaves our schools scrambling to do more with less. I am leading the fight to shine a light on these hidden shifts and protect funding for classrooms, staff, and students.
I will continue leading with tough questions and practical solutions. I am focused on accountability and building the smartest city in America.
SmartIndy Fundraiser Kickoff
On Tuesday night, we hosted our official SmartIndy kickoff event and the turnout was incredible. Thank you to everyone who joined us and shared in our vision.
We’ll be updating smartindy.org soon with photos, event highlights, and documents from the evening. These materials show where Indianapolis has stalled or fallen behind and how SmartIndy can drive progress.
SmartIndy is about making Indianapolis the Smartest City in America a place where technology, policy, and people come together to solve problems. I encourage you to visit our site, sign up, and get involved.
Committee Work: Asking the Right Questions
Budget committees are officially underway. This week, three key committees: Administration & Finance, Public Safety, and Public Works met to review proposals and begin budget discussions.
I encourage you to read last week's blog with more information on Committee Schedules: Link Below.
I serve on the Public Safety Committee, where I pressed agency leaders on one critical question: Would removing Marion County’s strict residency requirement help you meet staffing goals?
This is important because I have a pending proposal that eliminates residency requirements for all City employees.
The answers were clear: Yes. Leaders from the Coroner’s Office, Forensics, and Public Works all confirmed this change would improve recruitment. We are leading the conversation by asking hard questions and pushing practical reforms that will strengthen our city.
Leadership Indianapolis: Opportunity Indianapolis
This week I also joined a two-day program called Opportunity Indianapolis, hosted by Leadership Indianapolis. Alongside 30 community leaders, I explored how different parts of our city public art, housing, safety, sports, and more are deeply connected.
It was a great chance to meet new voices, deepen relationships, and hear fresh perspectives on how Indy can grow stronger. Building these bridges matters because a smarter city isn’t just about technology it’s about people working together to create a brighter future.
Thank you for reading and for supporting common‑sense leadership. Together, and with the community driving accountability, we are turning bold ideas into real‑world results.
Accountability, Transparency and Local Leadership
See you next week with more updates from the Neighborhood.