The different neighborhoods of District 21 have different needs that need to be addressed. They all have different strengths as well.
If we stick together as a team, we can improve every part of our community.
This is a critical time in District 21's existence. Our future is being threatened by a proposed road that will divide our community. This road will separate neighborhoods, invite unwanted development, increase truck traffic -- all while costing over $180 million dollars. I think its about time that our corner of Indianapolis stops getting the short end of the stick.
Certain elected officials are pushing for the extension of Ameriplex Parkway from Kentucky Avenue to the new I-69 / Southport Road interchange. This road is being designed to get semis from I-70 to I69 quickly. It would be a 4 lane divided parkway with a 45 mph speed limit that runs between the Roberts Creek, Crossfield, Oak Trace, and Pheasant Run neighborhoods. The City expects to take some part of homeowners' yards - the yards where children now play. It will be a high speed wall that divides our townships north and south.
They are also promoting an extremely intensive land use plan for the 750 - 800 acres of undeveloped farm land along this route. As it stands today, the plan calls for 25 units/acre of apartments, 16 units/acre of other multi-family residences, 5 units/acre of single family homes and 200 acres of industrial uses. There are more multi-family units proposed than single family.
These elected officials anticipate creating a Tax Increment Finance (TIF) District in this area, pulling property taxes out of Decatur Township and moving it downtown. This would cause the rest of us to pay higher property taxes because the area would still need fire protection and the children would still need to be educated.
If this road is not stopped, it will dramatically change our District's future for the worse. As your Councillor, I will work tirelessly to stop this road.
A vote for me on November 7 is a vote against the extension of Ameriplex Parkway.
There is a great need for improving the quality of life of the District 21 neighborhoods north of I-465. The infrastructure is inadequate. The City services are inadequate. The area has been neglected and ignored. Instead of spending $180 million on a road we don't need or want, why not invest in sidewalks and crosswalks and bus shelters and improving the entire Kentucky Avenue Corridor? Why not invest in sewers, city water lines and internet access. The City invests in areas in and around downtown. Why not here? The efforts put toward Mass Avenue could be replicated here to bring a renewed vitality to our northern neighborhoods. As your representative, I will bring everyone together to plan out and begin implementing solutions to the challenges faced in this area. This will add a new spirit to a historically neglected area.
A vote for me on November 7 is a vote to improve the quality of life of the folks living in Mars Hill, Maywood Manor, Southwest Hills, Seerley Creek, Windsong, Troy Manor, Marwood, Mayflower Village, Westcreek, Deerfield Acres, Superior Gardens, Hi-Acre Manor, Olender Heights, Meadowbrook Farms, Hanna Heights, Sunset Acres, Rolling Knolls, Manchester Village, Cloverleaf Village, Horizon, and Mayflower Park.
While our District is far more safe than others in Indianapolis, we still need more patrols and better response from IMPD. At present there are about 2 officers patrolling our streets at any given time. This is not enough. I propose that IMPD do two things : open a substation in District 21 AND pay off-duty officers who live in our District to patrol and respond to 911 calls as a way to increase officer visibility and reduce response times. We need rapid response to violent crimes for sure. But, we also need the routine calls to log police reports and to investigate the non-violent crimes as well. As the District 21 Councillor, I will work with the City and IMPD administrations to get more coverage in the District. I will fight for more police patrols that lead to a feeling of peace and security for our people.
I would like to see us work on curing the causes of crime. As your Councillor I would work with school leaders to give kids in our community more things to occupy their time in a positive way. I would encourage them to open the schools at night for more adult education classes that may lead to greater job opportunities. I would work to have the City provide both mental and physical health clinics that are near to people's homes. We will never solve the crime problem without solving the homeless and drug addiction problems that are present in our community.
All I know is, more police is not the only solution to the crime problem. Police are not there when the crimes are committed -- they come later to investigate it. Collectively we must work on the reasons why people commit crime. It will not be easy, but we must concentrate our efforts on programs that will work instead of the same old slogans and cliches.
A vote for me on November 7 is a vote to improve Public Safety in the District.
We pay high property taxes, and we should be getting much better government services in return.
Southwestway Park is a disgrace. Trash overflows the bins. The playground is in disrepair and needs to be mowed. The very sign needs to be refurbished and hung straight. The neighbors of Carson Park watch public urination out their back windows. Nothing has ever been done with Seerley Creek Park or Griffin Park. The Lilly Foundation gave $80 million to the Parks Department to improve the County Parks. Southwestway, the second largest regional park, got a paltry $1.27 million for a rest station. No other park in the District got a penny. Yet we continue to pay our property taxes.
Roads in the district are pockmarked with potholes, need resurfacing and some need to be widened. We lack sidewalks, crosswalks, and street lights. The traffic jams get worse and the City does little. Yet we continue to pay our property taxes.
We have one bus that runs in the District. For those near a stop, there are no shelters from the wind, rain, and snow. The benches that are available are illegally erected as advertisements. We are simply being ignored. Yet we continue to pay our property taxes.
As your elected representative on the City-County Council I will
address the unequal distribution of City services to our area. I will
lobby the State Legislature to create a road funding formula that does not
penalize Marion County, but gives us our fair share so more roads can be
resurfaced and widened each year. I will fight for better roads, better parks, and better public transportation.
A vote for me on November 7 is a vote to bring more City services and City attention to our District in return for all the tax dollars we pay.
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