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Government of Indianapolis

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Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County
Flag of Indianapolis
Formation1832; 192 years ago (1832)[1]
Indianapolis City Charter1832, 1838, 1847, 1853, 1891, 1970[2]
Websitewww.indy.gov
Legislative branch
LegislatureIndianapolis City-County Council
Meeting placeCity-County Building
Executive branch
MayorMayor of Indianapolis
Appointed byElection
HeadquartersCity-County Building

The Government of Indianapolis—officially the Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County—is a strong-mayor form of mayor-council government system.[2] Local government is headquartered downtown at the City-County Building.[3]

Since 1970, Indianapolis and Marion County have operated as a consolidated city-county government called Unigov.[4] The executive branch is headed by the mayor who serves as the chief executive and administrative officer for both the city and county.[5] The Indianapolis City-County Council is a unicameral legislative body consisting of 25 members, each elected from a geographic district.[6] The mayor and council members are elected to unlimited four-year terms.[5][6] The judicial branch consists of the Marion Circuit and Superior Courts. The municipal budget for 2024 is nearly $1.6 billion.[7] The city-county government employs about 8,000 full-time employees.[8]

Marion County contains nine civil townships that function independently from the city-county government under Indiana Code. Each township consists of an elected township trustee, a three-member board, an assessor, and a constable and small claims court judge, all of whom serve four-year terms.[9]

History

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Citizens Energy Group is responsible for city water, wastewater, and stormwater systems. These were previously operated by the City's Department of Waterworks through a contract with Veolia. However, the transfer of the water and wastewater systems to Citizens Energy Group was approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission on July 13, 2011. The transfer of the systems to Citizens Energy Group was completed on August 26, 2011. Citizens is a public charitable trust that is operated for the benefit of its customers; it was acquired by the city of Indianapolis in 1933.[10]

Executive branch

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City administration

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Despite the nature of a unified city-county government, several bureaucratic functions remain separate. For example, Marion County's nine civil townships retained autonomy under Unigov. This resulted in maintaining separate public services, such as independent school districts or fire departments, that would have otherwise been consolidated into single entities.[4]

Office of the Mayor

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See also: List of mayors of Indianapolis
Joe Hogsett, 49th mayor of Indianapolis

The Mayor of Indianapolis is the chief executive and administrative officer of both the city and county.[5] The mayor's chief duties include ensuring city-county ordinances are executed and enforced in accordance with applicable state and local law; appointing department heads and one or more deputy mayors, subject to City-County Council approval; and supervising the work of the city-county's departments, special taxing districts, and special service districts.[citation needed] The mayor is directly elected by popular vote for four-year, unlimited terms.[5]

Departments

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Offices

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  • Office of Audit and Performance
  • Office of Corporation Counsel
  • Office of Education Innovation
  • Office of Finance and Management (City Controller)
  • Office of Minority and Women Business Development
  • Office of Public Health and Safety

County administration

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Heads of county offices are elected by the citizens of both Indianapolis and Marion County.

Offices

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  • Marion County Assessor's Office
  • Marion County Auditor's Office
  • Marion County Clerk's Office
  • Marion County Coroner's Office
  • Marion County Prosecutor's Office
  • Marion County Recorder's Office
  • Marion County Sheriff's Office
  • Marion County Surveyor's Office
  • Marion County Treasurer's Office

Boards and agencies

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  • Marion County Board of Commissioners
  • Marion County Board of Voters Registration
  • Marion County Election Board
  • Marion County Public Defender Agency
  • State of Indiana Division of Family Resources
  • Indianapolis–Marion County Forensic Services Agency
  • Information Services Agency

Municipal corporations

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The city-county contains seven independent municipal corporations established by Indiana Code.[11]

Legislative branch

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Main article: Indianapolis City-County Council
Beurt R. SerVaas Public Assembly Room in the City-County Building

Indianapolis City-County Council serves as the legislative body for both Indianapolis and Marion County. The council is composed of 25 members elected to four-year renewable terms, each representing an electoral district. The council is responsible for reviewing and adopting budgets and appropriations. It can also enact, repeal, or amend ordinances, and make appointments to certain boards and commissions, among other duties.[18]

Prior to the 2015 Indianapolis City-County Council election, the council included four at-large seats, for a total of 29 seats.[18] In 2013, the Indiana General Assembly passed Senate Enrolled Act 621 which, among other changes to city-county government, eliminated the council's four at-large seats. The controversial bill was signed into law by Governor Mike Pence.[19]

Judicial branch

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  • Marion Circuit Court
  • Marion Superior Court

Township government

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Main article: Indiana township trustee

State government

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Main article: Government of Indiana
Indiana Statehouse in downtown Indianapolis

Federal government

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See also: Indiana's 6th congressional district and Indiana's 7th congressional district

References

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  1. ^ City of Indianapolis, Indiana Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (PDF) (Report). Consolidated City of Indianapolis-Marion County Office of Finance and Management. July 21, 2021. p. 24. Retrieved March 26, 2022. The City of Indianapolis (City) was originally incorporated in 1832.
  2. ^ a b Vogel, Gregory M. (2021) [1994]. "City Charters". Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  3. ^ Zeigler, Connie (2021) [1994]. "City-County Buildings". Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Blomquist, William A.; Vanderstel, David G. (2021) [1994]. "Creation of Unigov". Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d Whitham, John; White, Elizabeth L. (2021) [1994]. "Office of the Mayor". Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Blomquist, William A.; White, Elizabeth L. (2021) [1994]. "City-County Council". Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  7. ^ Wooten, Taylor (October 16, 2023). "Hogsett's $1.6B budget receives unanimous approval". Indianapolis Business Journal. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  8. ^ "Largest Indiana Employers". Indianapolis Business Journal. June 25, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  9. ^ Hale, Michelle D. (2021) [1994]. "Townships". Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  10. ^ "Citizens Gas & Coke Utility Records, 1873-1994" (PDF). Indiana Historical Society. July 25, 1996. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
  11. ^ "Unigov Handbook: A Book of Factual Information about Indianapolis, Indiana" (PDF). League of Women Voters of Indianapolis. 2021. p. 9. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  12. ^ Neufer, Laurry; White, Elizabeth L. (2021) [1994]. "Capital Improvement Board". Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  13. ^ Hale, Michelle D.; Van Allen, Elizabeth J. (2021) [1994]. "Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County". Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  14. ^ Hale, Michelle D. (2021) [1994]. "Indianapolis Airport Authority". Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  15. ^ Neufer, Laurry (2021) [1994]. "Indianapolis–Marion County Building Authority". Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  16. ^ Downey, Lawrence J.; Williams, Mike (2021) [1994]. "Indianapolis Public Library". Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  17. ^ Sheff, Jeff (2021). "IndyGo". Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  18. ^ a b Blomquist, William A.; White, Elizabeth L. (2021) [1994]. "Indianapolis City-County Council". Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  19. ^ "Pence signs measure overhauling Marion County government". Indianapolis Business Journal. IBJ Media. May 12, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
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