Indianapolis City-County Council President Bob Bosley told the Marion County Alliance of Neighborhood Associations on Sept. 20 that the council is in the midst of budget season and is working to finalize a roughly $1.7 billion budget that prioritizes public safety and housing.

"We are in the middle of our budget season. This year, we are at... it's our largest budget, to date, 1.7 billion dollars," Bosley said at the meeting hosted by the Marion County Alliance of Neighborhood Associations (MECANA) at North United Methodist Church.

Bosley said most agencies were asked to hold to flat or modest increases while police, fire and the sheriff's office were treated differently because of public-safety priorities. He described a multi-month collaboration between the council and the administration to craft a budget responsive to resident input.

"For the first time in maybe ever, the council and the administration worked for the last probably 6, 7 months together to try and craft a budget that encompassed the priorities that council members get addressed or have to address based on meetings like this," Bosley said.

Why it matters: the budget dictates staffing, maintenance and capital projects across Marion County agencies. Bosley told neighborhood leaders that the council expects pressures on revenue tied to state and federal actions but intends to balance the budget.

Bosley identified two specific funding pressures: anticipated decreases tied to a state measure he referenced as "Senate Enrolled Act No. 1," and the need to respond to long-term deferred maintenance across city systems. He said the council is combining city funds with philanthropic and federal one-time dollars where available.

On parks, Bosley acknowledged long-standing underinvestment and pointed to new leadership in the parks department. He said Indianapolis operates 218 parks and that per-capita investment has lagged peers, but added the city has supplemented park work with grants, Lilly Endowment contributions and ARPA funds when available.

"We have not invested as much as other cities per capita," Bosley said. "Our goal is to be a world-class park system." He named Britney Crone as the city's new parks director and noted Phyllis Boyd's past leadership.

Bosley also reiterated that some state action — he referenced House Bill 1461 — will provide targeted road funding that Marion County expects to match. He described the budget process as balancing near-term operating needs with larger investments to tackle deferred maintenance.

Meeting context and next steps: Bosley committed to providing MECANA follow-up materials and a one-page breakdown of federal funding impacts on housing and related programs. He asked neighborhood leaders for specific questions and said council committees are still reviewing line items.

"Ultimately, we will balance this budget," Bosley said, adding the council and administration are working to align spending with community priorities.