Terre Haute mayor touts housing, parks, transportation
During his second State of the City address, Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun told a sold-out crowd at the Convention Center that 2024, his first year in office, was 'a year marked by progress.'
The theme of this year's address was 'Building Better Neighborhoods.' Sakbun praised Thrive West Central's Homes for the Future program, which produced 379 new residential units in Vigo County in 2024. He also praised more aggressive blight elimination — the city demolished 90 eyesore buildings last year, almost double most previous years.
Sakbun extolled the Community Crossing grant increase to $1.5 million last year, which will allow the city to pave 'more streets this year than we have in the past 10,' as well as add new sidewalks.
And money from Indiana's Department of Natural Resources is helping to pay for park improvements at Rea Park, Herz-Rose Park and, soon, Fairbanks Park.
'Wherever you live, regardless of the zip code or the street, you deserve a quality park (nearby),' he said.
Sakbun noted that in January, Terre Haute Transit system saw ridership increase by 52.5% over the same period in 2024, due to implementing fare-free bus services. Casino money replaces the revenue that fares would have taken in, about $174,000 annually.
Gaming revenue also allowed the city to pay down $1 million in previously incurred debt, and will help support improvements to the Deming Park Pool and the YMCA.
Sakbun touted the city's implementation of the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) ordinance, which will allow restaurant and bar patrons to enjoy their adult beverages in an area outside the venues. It was passed by the Terre Haute City Council in December, and the city will submit its application to the state by the end of the month.
Sakbun crowed about the record innkeeper's tax revenue in 2024, a 6.83% increase over 2023.
Despite the city's accomplishments, state and federal funding may soon be altered. The state is considering lowering property taxes, which would force cities to raise its taxes — and in some cases dry up completely, a point Sakbun was more blunt about in an interview after his address.
'We'll do more with less' will be a recurring theme in his administration, he said. 'We'll utilize outside funding sources instead of just property tax. We'll find other ways to fund these transformational projects. … Let's find ways to bring in outside dollars to grow our city.'
During his speech, the mayor pointed out that the city received $9 million from seven grants out of the 14 it had applied for.
Sakbun said, 'Are there challenges around the property tax conversation? Absolutely. But this community is resilient. We'll find a way to work with the state and we'll find a way to get the state to believe that a brighter Terre Haute is better for the entire Hoosier state.'
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