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Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senate budget panel hears pushback on proposed Indiana Main Street program cuts
Indiana lawmakers heard multiple hours of budget testimony in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Casey Smith/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Groups that still want to be in the ever-tightening draft of the next state budget — and those hoping not to get booted out — made their cases Thursday before a powerful Senate budget panel. Trending during testimony were requests for millions of dollars to be retained for Indiana Main Street, a statewide program that helps fund revitalization projects for dozens of Hoosier downtown areas. Locals said it has helped bring critical economic boosts to their communities. The program already faces significant federal cuts — and advocates cautioned that spending reductions in the current draft of Indiana's budget could cause the initiative to fold altogether. Multiple others separately called on lawmakers to consider increases to Indiana's cigarette tax. Doing so, proponents said, would provide the state with additional revenue to fund additional line items in the budget and stopgap the decrease in dollars from the federal government. Absent from the testimony, however, was discussion on education funding matters; a separate Senate subcommittee focused exclusively on school spending earlier in the week. Senate Republicans have until April 10 to release their version of the next two-year spending plan. But with revenue growth projected to be moderate in the first year of the upcoming biennium — and slimmer in the second — the state is facing a very tight budget compared to years prior. 'If you're not in, and there's a cost to it, it's pretty unlikely you'll get in — because that means somebody else has to come out,' cautioned budget leader Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Mishawaka. Numerous requesters who offered testimony in the Appropriations Committee pointed to proposed cuts to Indiana's Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA), which houses Indiana Main Street. Marsh Davis, president of Indiana Landmarks, detailed Main Street programming that has been ongoing since the 1970s, 'when local commerce was threatened by big block stores, national chains and suburban malls.' Decades ago, the City of Madison was selected by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of three pilot programs in the Midwest 'to test strategies for preserving the historic character and the economic vitality of main streets across America.' 'The key purpose of the program remains constant: teaching communities to adapt and thrive in an ever changing economy,' Davis added. 'Indiana's Main Street program in the past, as well as in recent years, is a national model, but we stand to lose it under the current budget.' In Gov. Mike Braun's proposed spending plan — and the House-approved version — Republican budget writers reduced OCRA's previous $1.8 million annual appropriation down to just below $1.3 million per year. Davis said his conversations with the governor's office clarified that Braun 'did not intend to eliminate the Main Street program.' It will be up to lawmakers to remedy the line item, if so. 'The funding for the staff is really the crux of this,' Davis said. 'Without the staff, the program is really rendered totally ineffective.' Kelly Humrichouser, director of government relations for the national Main Street America program, explained to senators that the program provides technical assistance, training, networking opportunities and implementation grants to communities interested in downtown revitalization. Currently, more than 100 Indiana municipalities participate in the program, equal to 20% of all municipalities in the state. In 2024 alone, Indiana Main Street communities leveraged $27 million in investment to draw $38 million in private investment, creating 143 new businesses and over 300 new jobs, according to program data. 'This success is not possible without the statewide Indiana Main Street program,' Humrichouser said. 'When you cut the budget and cut that technical assistance, you immediately lose traction in those communities. Those downtown efforts do not sustain without that statewide assistance.' It was the Main Street program, for example, that helped the City of Franklin's budget grow by more than $100,000 in one year, said Danny Causey, executive director of Discover Downtown Franklin. In 2024, events in the city of roughly 25,000 residents drew more than 80,000 attendees. Our community is now a regional and statewide example of a thriving small city. This is what Main Street does. It empowers local private businesses and breathes life into rural communities. – Danny Causey, executive director of Discover Downtown Franklin 'That's 80,000 people supporting small, family-owned businesses — the backbone of both the Indiana and American economies,' Causey said. 'Not long ago, downtown Franklin was struggling. … But with the support of many hardworking community members, plus the addition of Indiana Main Street resources, our community has witnessed a major turnaround, including dozens of downtown events and over 50 new privately owned businesses. Our community is now a regional and statewide example of a thriving small city. This is what Main Street does. It empowers local private businesses and breathes life into rural communities.' Former Indiana Supreme Court Justice Randall Shepard said, too, that while the state's overall population is going up, 'there's still a lot of migration out of small communities — and Main Street helps them resuscitate themselves.' 'If you're in Fort Wayne or Evansville, you create your own sort of economic strategy. You hire experts and consultants, and so on. You can't do that in Loogootee or Odon,' Shepard continued. 'The Main Street program sort of offers you the chance to access national experts that come in and hold your hand, provide you with the right sort of data, and make a good program that will lift up rural Indiana in ways that obviously, today, we need more than ever.' Despite repeated failed attempts in recent years, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and various health advocates continued arguments Thursday for a cigarette tax increase that could net the state millions in additional revenue. Indiana's current tax of 99.5 cents per pack has remained unchanged since 2007. Tiffany Nichols, co-chair of Tobacco Free Indiana and advocacy director for the Indiana chapter of the American Lung Association, said that has kept Hoosier cigarette taxes the lowest in the Midwest, and the 39th lowest in the nation. 'At the same time,' she emphasized, 'our smoking rate is the eighth highest in the country.' 'It has been proven time and time again that for every 10% increase in the price of cigarettes, it reduces consumption by 4% among adults and about 7% among youth,' Nichols continued. CONTACT US She said a $2 cigarette tax increase could generate more than $300 million in new revenue 'that can be used to fund our state's tobacco prevention and cessation commission, or fill other budgetary needs, such as Medicaid, which often covers health care costs associated with tackle tobacco use.' Indiana has consistently received 'F' grades in the American Lung Association's annual State of Tobacco Control Report for tobacco taxes and spending on tobacco prevention and cessation programs. But lawmakers, specifically on the Senate side, have long defied calls for increasing the cigarette tax — actually decreasing the tax on vaping products from 25% to 15% in 2022. The year before that, during the 2021 budget session, the House increased a 50-cent-per-pack tax in their budget proposal, which the Senate stripped out, leaving the tax as is. The House's proposal didn't include a cigarette tax in 2023, nor does it this year. Supporters said an increase of just $1 would not be 'an effective enough incentive for people to decide to finally quit.' Increasing by $2 per pack, however, is estimated to bring in $318 million in new annual revenue and price-out many current and future users — especially young ones. Allie Kast Gregg, with Indiana's chapter of the American Cancer Society's Action Network, noted that tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in Indiana, resulting in more than 11,000 deaths each year — costing the state's Medicaid program more than $630 million annually. Later Thursday, Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray kept the door open for a possible cigarette tax change. 'It seems our caucus is more open to that this year than it has been in years past. Perhaps that's partly because there are some (economic) challenges that we have,' Bray told reporters. 'It's going to be a challenging budget year — even in the best of circumstances, even assuming that the April forecast doesn't get worse. That's not guaranteed, because it looks like it could be problematic. That's a conversation that's kind of ongoing right now. I don't have the ability to say whether we're actually going to do that or not.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Southwestern IN towns to receive new Main Street designations
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – The Office of Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) announced 15 organizations have been recognized as Indiana Main Street programs or have moved into a new Indiana Main Street level. Some communities in southwestern Indiana were recognized. Officials explain the Indiana Main Street program annually accepts applications for three levels, which include: Indiana Accredited Main Street (IAMS) IAMS programs meet all Accreditation Standards set forth by Main Street America, but may lack a full-time paid staff person and do not have an identified transformation strategy. Aspiring Indiana Accredited Main Street (A-IAMS) A-IAMS programs are within one year of meeting all Accreditation Standards set forth by Main Street America and may lack a full-time paid staff person. OCRA's Downtown Affiliate Network (ODAN) ODAN communities may prefer to specialize in event-related activities only, lack the physical or historical capacity required to qualify as a Main Street organization or are working towards building capacity to meet the Main Street America Accreditation Standards. Crews begin with demo on historic building in Cannelton 'These organizations are doing amazing work to breathe new life into Indiana downtowns, which support our local businesses and unite our communities,' Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith said. 'Main Street has a way of bringing everyone together. It's where you really get to know your neighbors and come together for local events. It's the heartbeat of the community. Congratulations to all 15 of these Hoosier communities – your hard work is paying off, and I can't wait to see what you accomplish next!' The organizations earning new Indiana Main Street designations that are within the Eyewitness News coverage area include: Aspiring Indiana Accredited Main Street Association For A Better Rockport OCRA Downtown Affiliate Network Jacobsville Neighborhood (Evansville) Framing Ferdinand United Way speaks out on Dolly Parton Imagination Library state budget cuts Officials say a main street organization's performance is evaluated by Indiana Main Street, which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify organizations that meet rigorous performance standards. 'As we celebrate 40 years of Indiana Main Street, we are excited to welcome eight new communities into the program and see seven organizations level up,' said OCRA Executive Director Fred Glynn. 'The Indiana Main Street program continues to grow and help communities prioritize downtown revitalization, transform their main street corridors and fuel local engagement. Congratulations to our 15 newly designated main streets organizations!' According to OCRA, the organizations will receive a formal certificate, access to Main Street America and Indiana Main Street training, networking opportunities with other regional and statewide programs, a resource toolbox unique to their needs and more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Shoals library ready for groundbreaking
Jan. 27—SHOALS — The Shoals Public Library will soon begin a $1.9 million expansion project. The groundbreaking is set for Friday at noon at the library on High Street. "I think we are going to go ahead with it rain or shine, because we have waited so long and worked so hard to get this going," said Shoals library director Sylvia Albaugh. "We are working with Taber-Owens Construction from Washington. We anticipating the construction work to begin soon, as soon as we can get this ground thawed out a little bit." The project is two stories with 800 square feet of new space on each floor. Most importantly it will have an elevator with ground-level access. A new children's area will be on the second level. "We are an old Carnegie library. The building was constructed in 1914. It is an historic building that we have all come to love," said Albaugh. "Unfortunately, there is no access for people with mobility issues. There are a lot of stairs to get into the door and once inside there are even more stairs." Albaugh says the project began several years ago with an estimated cost of $1 million, but COVID delayed the project, then construction and material prices began to sky rocket. "We received an OCRA grant for $500,000 but with the economy and the way things are, the bids came in much higher than anticipated. We scrambled a lot. We received a modification to that grant and now it is $750,000," said Albaugh. "Within our community we raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. We have had an overwhelming amount of community support. We received $200,000 from the Martin County Community Foundation and we are borrowing money from the USDA Rural Development." The additional money became necessary after library officials opened bids in the fall and realized the small expansion project was going to be far more costly than expected. "When we opened bids, we were really heartbroken. We thought our project was going to fail," said Albaugh. "Our community stepped up and gave us overwhelming support and we couldn't give up. So, between the community support and the extra funding from OCRA we were able to get this done." Albaugh says the support of the community and the way they have worked for the project has been inspiring. "It's wonderful to be part of this community, and part of this project," she said. "We had been working at this for five or six years. The pandemic slowed us down, and the way things have been since then, the supply shortages and all of those things. Our library sits in a National Historic District, and that required extra work and increased the cost." Albaugh says the community's backing was spontaneous and officials took that support as a reason not to give up on the project. "Everyday we would go to the mailbox and there would be another hundred dollars, and you would add it into the pot and each one didn't make much of a dent, but all of them added up over time," she said. "The community support was just overwhelming." That support has continued as the project moves toward construction. The library building is temporarily shut down during the construction, but operations are continuing in a small office space on Main Street in Shoals. "When we were moving, we would carry stuff down the stairs and put in on the curb, and people who were driving by would stop and pick it up and move it for us into our temporary library. They would just be going about their day and they would stop and help," said Albaugh. "Now, a lot of our materials are in storage. We have some set up in the building on Main Street. We can still provide a lot of the services there. Summer reading will be a challenge. The target completion date is mid-December, so that would be a nice Christmas present." Albaugh said she is hoping to get several additional fixes done while the construction is underway and the library is still fundraising. Donations can be made directly to Shoals Public Library, PO Box 909, Shoals, IN 47581. Donation may also be made online at patronicity program at
