Democrats on the Indianapolis City-County Council voted to approve the Hogsett administration’s $1.7 billion budget for 2026 despite concerns about certain unfunded priorities and the impact of property tax cuts implemented by state leaders.
After a lengthy discussion, the full council voted 17-8 in favor of the budget’s passage Monday evening. All six Republicans and two Democrats, Crista Carlino and Jesse Brown, voted against it.
The result of what the city’s controller called a “prohibitively tight” budget-crafting process was a package that designated another record amount to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, at nearly $359 million, covered the increased cost of pay and benefits from recently renegotiated union contracts, and budgeted for anticipated declines in property tax revenue and a required state road-funding match.
Still, the Republican caucus wrote in a statement that the budget, “grossly underfunds core responsibilities like public safety and infrastructure.” And Brown said it would result in housing prices going up and streets getting more potholes.
Although those against the budget were in the minority, even councilors in favor recognized faults.
Councilor Jared Evans, a Democrat who represents portions of the west side, summed up the budget discussion: “Nobody’s happy,” Evans said. “Nobody’s going to an after-party when we vote yes or no on this.”
He pointed to constraints created at the state level. This year, Indiana lawmakers passed property tax cuts that left the city’s revenue expectations $10.5 million short of initial expectations. Additionally, the Republican-led state legislature approved road-funding legislation this year that requires a city match.
Evans blamed those constraints when acknowledging council frustrations that some priorities, such as urban forest acquisition and police vehicles, are not funded in 2026. However, some funding for homelessness, street safety and eviction court assistance in Indianapolis was amended into an additional $20 million spending package last week.
Councilor Andy Nielsen, the author of that amendment, acknowledged that the budget has potential for “imperfect outcomes,” but highlighted the $10.25 million it puts toward the city’s Streets to Home initiative, investments in infrastructure and $1 million for pedestrian safety.
“I fully recognize that our constituents expect more,” Nielsen said.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett applauded the budget passage in a written statement.
“It’s natural for difficult decisions to generate disagreement, but leadership sometimes means making hard calls,” and the budget package “reflects decisions grounded in collaboration and responsibility to the people we serve,” he said.
The council also approved an increase in the city’s building fees and violation penalties on Monday evening. Those changes are expected to bring in an additional $5 million in revenue.
The budget fulfills the funding request of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, which has recently come under fire for a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that has sent hundreds of immigrant detainees to the city’s facility.
Two councilors, Carlos Perkins and Rena Allen—both Democrats—said their vote in favor of the budget that included funding for the sheriff’s office was not indicative of support for the sitting sheriff’s decisions.
Hogsett and several councilors noted an increased level of collaboration between the administration and the legislative body when compared with previous years. A group of Democrats, including Nielsen, Dan Boots and John Barth, worked over the last several months to create the budget along with leaders of the Hogsett administration.