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State Budget Committee reviews capital projects, grants and presses IEDC on tax-credit transparency
Summary
Committee members heard presentations on multiple agency capital projects and grants, and pressed the Indiana Economic Development Corporation for greater transparency about tax-credit certifications and waivers.
The State Budget Committee reviewed a slate of agency capital projects and grant items across state government. Presentations included the Department of Administration’s Law Enforcement and Firefighters Memorial rehabilitation (Matt Kent), Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Larry Muennich’s readiness center modernization plans and economic‑impact update, DNR’s Turkey Run Inn pool rehabilitation, INDOT facility projects including the Fortville salt‑barn replacement, and Purdue University’s planned purchase of 501 Indiana Avenue and Canal Square Apartments.
Members asked technical and timing questions about construction and storage plans for the Fortville salt barn; INDOT Deputy staff said a different firm will perform construction than the one that did the engineering analysis and the salt would be temporarily moved to maintain winter operations. Purdue’s director of government relations, Kendra Leatherman, said the purchase price paid by the Purdue Research Foundation matched the university’s price.
The committee also reviewed several federal and state grant items, including an Education Innovation and Research Program award for Notre Dame (a $10 million grant over five years with a $1.6 million state match) and IDOH grant presentations for GusNIP and a children‑exposed‑to‑violence program that targets five counties (Delaware, Grant, Madison, Tipton and Wayne); IDOH said it would provide the baseline data used to select counties.
During the IEDC presentation, Executive VP Alison Grand reviewed 21st Century Research & Technology Fund policies and tax‑credit certification processes. Lawmakers including Representative Gregory Porter and Senator Chris Garten pressed IEDC for more transparency about tax‑credit recipients, waivers and the timing of deal disclosures; Grand said fully executed tax‑credit certifications are available in IEDC’s transparency portal unless restricted by nondisclosure agreements.
No formal committee actions to appropriate funds for these projects were recorded at the meeting.
