City-County Council Approves TIF Area, Proposes Increased Council Pay

The Indianapolis City-County Council approved a tax-increment financing district Monday night for the Twin Aire neighborhood on the city's southeast side.

An amendment to the proposal was offered before the final vote. It creates a community advisory board and was approved.

District 16 councilor Jefferson Shreve says the amendment gives residents a voice in area development.

“Residents, stakeholders in the Twin Aire neighborhood will be able to have some input as to how the TIF funds are spent within the district,” Shreve says.

TIF funds are property tax dollars collected and spent in an allocated area. Prospective development projects for the neighborhood include a community center and residential buildings.

The council also introduced a proposal hours before the meeting that would double council members' pay, currently at just more than $11,000 per year. Some members say this is necessary because it is a full time job.

In a press statement released after Monday night’s meeting, District 8 councilor Monroe Gray says it is important that council members are appropriately compensated for their work. 

“It’s been 17 years since our City-County Councillors have had a pay increase, and our city lags far behind what other communities pay their city Councillors, both locally and nationally,” Gray says in the press release.

Mayor Joe Hogsett objects to the timing, ahead of the recently elected council members taking their seats in January.

The salary increase could be voted on next month.