History of Indianapolis
 In
1821, the Indiana General Assembly founded Indianapolis as the
state capital. Alexander Ralston was commissioned to design
the new capital. The original plan called for Indianapolis
to be only one square mile, and right in the center, he placed
the Governor's Circle where the Governor's mansion was to be
built. However, no governor ever lived in this mansion
due to its lack of privacy as the center of the city.
Therefore, the mansion was demolished and eventually the very
recognizable
Monument
Circle was built as a tribute to veterans of the American
Revolution. It is now the center of the city known as
the "Crossroads of America."
Population
of Indianapolis
As the 12th largest city in the United States,
Indianapolis' population is nearing 800,000. In addition, the
metropolitan area of Indianapolis has reached over 1.5 million,
making Indy the Midwest's third largest city. The growth
rate for Indy is above 5% - one of only three major Midwest
cities that can claim this.
Business & Economic
Environment in Indianapolis
Indianapolis is a business-oriented city with
companies ranging in both scope and size. Accomplishments
such as the Circle Centre Mall and
 Conseco
Fieldhouse were the product of partnerships between the
public and private sectors. In order to inspire growth
in the region, area businesses and community leaders have dedicated
substantial resources. Also, Indianapolis has a number
of incentives for businesses, such as training grants, EDGE
tax credits, and tax abatement. There are no sales and
use taxes on equipment and materials used in production, and
there is also no corporate franchise tax. The corporate
gross income taxes have been eradicated, the research tax credits
have been raised, and the inventory taxes are currently being
phased out.
The Indianapolis Region, also known as Greater
Indianapolis, is a nine-county area that surrounds the center
and capital. These counties are Marion, Boone, Hamilton,
Madison, Hancock, Shelby, Johnson, Morgan, and Hendricks.
Indianapolis lives up to its title, "Crossroads of America."
Indy is served by 13 interstate highways and 12 major airlines
and one can reach 65% of the nation's population in a day's
drive. This central location makes this region ideal for
development and growth and enables companies to promptly reach
their customers and suppliers.
Indy enjoys strengths in the service and retail
sectors, as well as the manufacturing and distribution sectors.
This economic diversity aids Indy in resisting the cyclical
ups and downs of the market that many cities experience.
In 2005, Site Selection ranked Indy sixth in the
nation for top business climate and Entrepreneur Magazine
ranked Indy the fifth best large city for entrepreneurs.
Also, there are four major companies that are headquartered
in Indy that Fortune has named among the 100 best companies
to work for. For those companies wishing to relocate
to Indy, there are two local organizations that can assist in
this process. The Indianapolis Regional Small Business
Development Center aids companies that have existed less than
10 years with their management and technical needs. Indy
Partnership is a group that will help with employee training,
expansion plans, and other needs.
The unemployment rate for Indianapolis is 4.8%
and $36,465 is the average pay. The ACCRA Cost of Living
Index shows a very attractive composite, with the cost of living
about 8% lower than other comparable cities. Indy offers
lower utility rates than comparable cities with some of the
lowest monthly water and sewer costs, an average of 58.44% lower
non-gas utility costs, and 19.27% lower gas utility costs.
Home prices for the median income earners are some of the best
values in the nation. Check out our
Indianapolis homes
for sale to see for yourself.
Political Climate
in Indianapolis
Indianapolis was considered one of the most conservative
metros in the nation until the 1990's. However, Democrat
Bart Peterson overcame the Republican Indiana Secretary of State
in 1999 for the title of mayor. He was re-elected by a
landslide in 2003, and is still currently the mayor. In
2003, the Republicans lost control of the City-Council by thirteen
votes. In 2004, Democrats were put into the Treasurer,
Surveyor, and Coroner spots. Republicans, however, still
hold several offices, including Prosecutor, Clerk, Auditor,
and Recorder.
Indy has adopted a consolidated city-county government
named Unigov. Therefore, many of the government services
of Indy have been merged with Marion County's services.
For example, Indianapolis' mayor is also the mayor of Marion
County. However, four communities remained outside of
the arrangement - Southport, Speedway, Lawrence, and Beech Grove.
These communities are still subject to Indianapolis laws, but
they can impose a separate property tax. Mayor Bart Peterson
introduced a new bill named Indianapolis Works that would further
consolidate the local government. The final version consolidated
budgetary functions. It also left room for the Marion
County Sheriff's Department and the Indianapolis Police Department
to be consolidated by a vote from the Indianapolis City-County
Council. This bill also allows the Indianapolis Fire Department
to consolidate with township fire departments by approval from
all affected parties. At the end of 2005, the City-County
Council passed a revised police consolidation that will begin
in 2007.
Culture
in Indianapolis
Indianapolis has a rich cultural heritage.
From Conner
Prairie to the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway to the
Indianapolis
Children's Museum, there is something enjoyable for everyone.
The Indianapolis government has tried to emphasize this diverse
culture by designating specific areas known as "Cultural Districts."
These districts are Broad
Ripple Village,
The Canal
& White River State Park,
Fountain
Square,
Indiana
Avenue,
Massachusetts
Avenue,
Monument
Circle, the
War
Memorial Plaza, and the
Wholesale
District.
Watch a video about the Indianapolis Cultural Districts.
Geography
& Climate
The elevation
of Indianapolis is 645 - 910 feet above sea level and an area
of 361 square miles. The terrain is fairly flat with a
few rolling hills. The climate is temperate because of
the even precipitation distribution throughout the year.
The winters are frigid due to the northern polar air with an
average of 26 degrees Fahrenheit in January. The summers
are warm with an average temperature of 75 degrees in July.
Annually, the average temperature is 52.1 degrees with the average
precipitation at 23 inches of snow and 40 inches of rain.
Indianapolis
City Information
Local Government Links
|
