On Monday night, the City Council approved a new record budget for 2026. Here’s your quick guide to the major numbers and what they might mean for you.
What are the big numbers?
- Budget total: $1.7 billion
- New taxes: None *raises hands*
- Largest increase in funding: $257 million allocated to the Department of Public Works, which is triple what the department was allocated in 2016. Pothole repairs and snow removal, anyone?
- Largest total investment: ~$358 million allocated to IMPD, which is a 4% increase over last year
What’s IMPD doing with all that money?
- The budget will fully fund 1,743 police officers and three new recruit classes.
- It will also go towards new license plate readers and city cameras.
What other big updates + new programs should I know about?
- Permitting fees for building or adding onto homes and businesses will increase for the first time since 2010 — by more than 200%.
- $4.5 million will support grassroots gun violence prevention efforts, such as the Indy Peace Fellowship.
- Streets to Home Indy, a new initiative that seeks to end chronic homelessness, will receive $10.2 million in funding.
