Budget

The total spending plan is just under $180 million. That’s a drop of more than $10 million from the advertised proposal, after county officials trimmed the General, Highway, Health, and Election and Registration funds.

The budget adopted by the city council Thursday totals just under $119 million. The city says that’s a reduction of about $6.7 million from this year’s spending plan.

Republican County Council President Dan Schaetzle voted with Democrats to approve the budget, saying economic development director Bill Schalliol deserves more money for the big projects he's helped land.

"We’re going to have to find additional cuts, in order to fund cost of living increases and inflation costs,” Mayor James Mueller told common council members during Monday's budget hearing.

Indiana’s Medicaid program will cost about $1 billion more in the current state budget than previously expected.

The state Legislature capped weeks of negotiations Wednesday with the adoption of an $81.7 billion state budget. It now goes to Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Republicans hailed the 2023 legislative session as one that saw “generational investments” in education, health care and economic development. Democrats wonder how much more could and should have been done.

Indiana lawmakers will have about $1.5 billion more to work with in the new state budget than previously expected.

The state budget plan from Senate Republicans does not include any expansion of the state’s school voucher program – marking a major split from the House GOP.

House Republicans sent their proposed budget to the Senate Thursday, where disagreement likely looms over tax cuts and school voucher expansion.