INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett signed the 2025 budget for the City of Indianapolis and Marion County on Tuesday. Per a press release, the budget is over $1.6 billion, which includes plans to invest in public safety, road infrastructure, reduced violence, improved safety for both roads and pedestrians, quality of life improvements and boosts to quality of place. More specifically, this includes: Continuing Hogsett's five-year $1 billion infrastructure plan. This will allow the Department of Public Works to create improvements to traffic, safety, and pavement on Indianapolis's roads. A 4% increase to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's budget (now at $338 million). The press release stated that this will increase mental health resources for officers and staff, prioritize investments in technologies such as body-worn cameras and boost efficiency and transparency within IMPD. While contracts with public sector unions such as IMPD and the Indianapolis Fire Department are set to expire on Dec. 31, all of them are undergoing negotiation processes. Indianapolis is also negotiating a contract with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which represents Public Defenders, the release wrote. Indianapolis Animal Care Services will become its own independent agency on Jan. 1. As it becomes independent from the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services after serving as one of their divisions for almost ten years, IACS will receive a budget increase of over $1 million. According to Hogsett's team, this budget will reduce the dependency on outside donors for animal care supplies, as well as invest in professional kennel cleaning services. Increased access to affordable housing and addressing of homelessness, both of which fall under the Department of Metropolitan Development's 2025 budget. In a release announcing the signing of the budget, the Hogsett administration highlighted what it believes are key fiscal achievements that have benefitted the city of Indianapolis over the past several years: No tax increases in Indianapolis, a nine-year trend Eight consecutive years of fully funded and fully balanced budgets (per the release, the Circle City had a "significant structural deficit in 2016") Support for city-county employees. Hogsett's team acknowledged that non-union employees have experienced increased costs of living lately, while union workers have seen salary increases. The team also added that negotiations, including collective bargaining agreements, are underway with local labor unions. Sustaining a favorable credit rating, which the release credits to strong management. This allows Indianapolis to fund crucial projects by borrowing money at lower rates. The release further mentioned that Indy's AAA General Obligation Bond Rating was recently reaffirmed as well. Even as funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) comes to an end in 2024, the press release stated that ARPA has created direct benefits for Indy residents in an already fiscally responsible city. Hogsett's team said this helps support citywide initiatives (including improvements to Indy Parks and support for the Gun Violence Reduction Strategy), street drainage improvements and grandfathering programs like the Indy Peace program into the city's operating budget. Hogsett commented on the budget plans, stating “The 2025 operating budget makes critical investments in areas that are top concerns of our residents: public safety, violence reduction, road infrastructure and traffic safety. “This budget also makes quality of place and quality of life investments for all our residents, especially the City and County employees who serve Indianapolis every day,” Hogsett said. Moreover, the press release wrote that if Indianapolis faces another unprecedented event like the COVID-19 pandemic, Hogsett and his team feel prepared to protect both the city's services and taxpayer dollars.