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One Civic Square Carmel, IN 46032
Contact: Nancy Heck
E-Mail: nheck@carmel.in.gov
Phone: (317) 571-2494
Nancy Heck
The
Department of Community Relations
Back to Carmel City - Carmel, Indiana - Media Releases
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City of Carmel
One Civic Square Carmel, IN 46032
News Release
Date:
February 9, 2009
Contact: Nancy
Heck (317) 571-2494
Release:
Immediate
Carmel Mayor Gains
National Attention for his
Views on Economic Stimulus Package
Carmel, IN – Carmel Mayor Jim
Brainard appeared on two national news programs within a
week, discussing the economic stimulus package that is
working its way through Congress. Mayor Brainard appeared on
CNN’s “State of the Union with John King,” which was
recorded last Thursday, February 5th and aired on Sunday,
February 8th. In addition, the national FOX News Network
called Sunday to set up a live interview session which
appeared this morning on the Fox & Friends morning news show
at about 8:40 a.m.
Subsequently, the mayor has received comments from across
the United States. Some have asked if the interviews were a
fair representation of the Mayor’s thoughts on the stimulus
package. The short amount of time that the Mayor had on
these television segments did not allow him to fully discuss
his thoughts on the stimulus package.
Mayor Brainard supports the parts of the stimulus package
that are based on historic Republican principles -- that
local infrastructure projects, such as water treatment
plants, roads, bridges, highways and parks, are basic
government functions and that government should be focused
on providing these necessary basic services. The mayor has
noted that the President’s proposal is very similar to
President Nixon’s and Ford’s federal revenue sharing
programs of the 1970’s in that the bulk of the money will be
provided to local and state government to be spent on local
infrastructure projects that are deemed important by a local
community, not Washington.
“We are a politically Republican city. However, this
economic turmoil isn’t partisan. We have always been a city
that focuses on local determination and local control. We
are a city with a strong fiscal plan, a serious approach to
our future and a very successful approach to building the
amenities that our cities want for their businesses and
their families,” said Mayor Brainard.
“Infrastructure improvements such as roads, sewers and water
lines are the types of projects basic government does best.
These are the types of projects that need to be funded
through this stimulus package; those that have both short
term and long term benefits. The short term benefits are
that workers will be employed and may therefore spend more
money in the local economy. The long term benefit is to the
community because infrastructure improvements will allow the
city to grow and attract businesses with good paying jobs,”
Mayor Brainard pointed out.
“The cost of these projects can be staggering. Rebuilding
one mile of county road to handle traffic volumes in the
newer western parts of Carmel costs about $5 million per
mile. Yet, it is vital that we have decent roads and
infrastructure to maintain a quality of life and continue to
attract quality housing and businesses,” Mayor Brainard
added.
There are still portions of the stimulus bill that Mayor
Brainard does not support and those are dollars that fund
federal agencies and do not provide jobs or economic
stimulus on main streets across the country.
Another part of the bill that supports long-held Republican
beliefs is letting local government decide what is best for
local communities. Mayor Brainard also believes that the
stimulus money should be directed to local cities, towns and
counties, instead of passing through the state bureaucracy,
so that the money can be put to use quickly.
“Let’s put money in the hands of the government that is
closest to the people – local government. Putting these
funds in the regular federal and state bureaucracies can end
up delaying getting shovels into the ground. The fact is, we
need the money infusion now to put people to work, not in a
year or two, which is the normal bureaucratic way of doing
business,” Mayor Brainard said.
As a result of Carmel’s good fiscal management and forward
planning, there are several projects included in the
stimulus package that can be started immediately. Carmel is
one of the fastest growing cities in the country and it
continues to have many needs for basic infrastructure.
Having infrastructure in place prepares us for growth and
has served us well in the past. It is because Carmel has
well planned infrastructure in place that economic
development has been able to thrive in this community and
many businesses have decided to locate here. As a result of
our strong corporate tax base, our residents have some of
the lowest taxes in the state. In addition, Carmel’s water
rates are half those of Indianapolis and other surrounding
communities.
Along with road and street improvements, Carmel’s list of
projects included in the Economic Stimulus package also
cover public safety equipment and facilities, park amenities
and facilities and water and sanitary sewer infrastructure.
Carmel has been successful in the past when it has requested
federal funding for local infrastructure projects. Two
recent projects that were paid for with federal funding
include the widening of 116th Street from Keystone to
College Avenue and the Old Meridian Street reconstruction.
Public safety equipment has also been federally funded in
the past.
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