INDIANAPOLIS — Recently, Mayor Joe Hogsett proposed the budget for fiscal year 2027 that totals about $1.89 billion, about 11% more than the 2026 adopted budget. The Department of Public Works would get a $335.3 million bump, up nearly $78 million from the 2026 budget. Improvements for the coming year include a new roundabout at 46th Street and Mitthoeffer Road, improvements to the Pleasant Run Greenway from the White River to Ellenberger Park, and converting one-way streets to two-way streets downtown. DPW will also spend $15 million for renovations to its largest operations garage on West Street.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department will also be given enough to fund 1,743 positions. The current force is short roughly 350 officers. IMPD will also have money for new fleet vehicles and $12.5 million for a new north district headquarters. The current north district facility is located on East 30th St.
The budget also includes about $72 million for housing initiatives next year, including the city’s Streets to Home and Eviction Diversion programs. Streets to Home is a rapid rehousing program to get unsheltered people into housing quickly. The Eviction Diversion Program provides resources to tenants facing eviction. The city will continue funding the Assessment & Intervention Center, which assesses people for mental health and substance use disorders and refers them to treatment.
There will also be raises for staff. including a 3% cost of living raise for non-union city staff, and 3%-4% raises for union staff. Mayor’s Action Center and Metropolitan Emergency Services Agency employees will receive 10% or more after those departments unionized
This year, the city expanded the clinician-lead community response program to cover the entire county. The city will continue to fund the county-wide program next year. In addition, the budget includes an increase of 20% to the Indy Parks facility maintenance budget.
Public hearings will be held on each department’s budget in the months ahead. The council will hold a public hearing on the full budget on Monday, Oct. 5, and will hold a vote on Monday, Oct. 19.