Some Indianapolis City-County Council Democrats are floating the idea of charging a fee to the Capital Improvement Board to help offset costs in the underfunded 2013 city budget.
The city has been exploring ways to close a $65 million gap in the $595 million general fund, which covers day-to-day operating expenses in the overall budget.
Monroe Gray said he and some fellow Democrats are proposing something called payments in lieu of taxes on the CIB. It’s a fee that the council can collect on properties that no longer pay property taxes — like those of the CIB.
The CIB is a municipal corporation that operates the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Victory Field, Virginia Avenue Parking Garage and Capitol Commons in Downtown Indianapolis.
Gray said discussions with the CIB are just beginning and a meeting is scheduled Thursday at the City-County Council Building. It’s unclear on which buildings the council might propose a fee, he said, or how much might be collected. As much as $20 million is available under that fee structure, he said.
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