South Bend is preparing for budget cuts tied to Indiana’s Senate Bill 1, starting with reductions in the city’s legal department.
Mayor James Mueller said the legislation shifted significantly as it moved through the General Assembly, leaving local governments uncertain about the full impact.
“It’s the changes to the income tax that are coming in three years and beyond that have more profound impacts on our services, and so we're working to prepare for those,” Mueller said.
For now, the city is trimming smaller line items, such as internships and training, to avoid reductions in staff.
“The legal department should be able to continue to provide the services necessary,” Mueller said. “So that's really the goal with all of the cuts that we're making is we're trying to find those areas in which the impact to the residents are the least.”
Mueller said the city will continue prioritizing public safety and neighborhood infrastructure while urging state lawmakers to revisit the income tax portion of the law.
