Ballard forces more budget cuts

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard is using his veto power to force more cuts to the 2013 budget for the city and county.

Ballard said he had tried compromise with the council, but the budget passed was financially irresponsible and so he was using his veto power to force councillors to reconsider.

“The budget passed by the council majority leaves a $35 million deficit by the end of next year and next to nothing in the city's savings account to pay for it," he said in a news release. "We tried on multiple occasions to reach a compromise with the council majority; however, they've decided to just spend money we don't have and not address the city's long-term financial needs. I will not support that."

But several county officials later Friday balked at the move in a news release of their own, calling it "reckless, irresponsible and in fact unlawful."

The release maintains that the state constitution prohibits the mayor from making such budget cuts and claiming the cuts would jeopardize public safety.

Those signing were: Billie Breaux, county auditor, Joseph O'Conner, county assessor, Claudia Fuentes, county treasurer, Julie Voorhies, county recorder, Debra Jenkins, county surveyor, Frank Lloyd, county coroner, Elizabeth White, county clerk, Terry Curry, county prosecutor, and John Layton, county sheriff.

Ballard is vetoing the allocation of about $31.7 million in County Option Income Tax to the county General Fund, saying that will prompt the state Department of Local Government Finance to reduce county General Fund spending to match available revenues. The non-allocated funds, he said, will be held by the Marion County treasurer until it is reallocated by the City-County Council with his approval.

He is also vetoing about $650,000 for outside vendor contracts, including $100,000 for a second round of redistricting

Lastly, he is vetoing the creation of a Police and Fire Recruiting Fund, because no funds were directed to it.

Check back with WISHTV.com for updates on this developing story.