Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett doesn’t step up to the City-County Council chamber microphone often. But on Monday, Aug. 11 in front of a packed room, he did, rolling out his 2026 budget. It's a massive taxpayer-funded blueprint for everything from public safety to road repairs. The grand total comes to $1.7 billion, a $56 million increase from last year's budget. It comes at a time when city leaders call the spending plan "especially difficult" citing "financial pressures" in the next year stemming from a state property tax overhaul bill signed in April. Those changes are expected to slow revenue growth in the years ahead. https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/2026-indianapolis-budget-one-point-seven-billion-dollars-dpw-roads-public-safety/531-5dab1c67-fe98-4798-9cd1-8bb48c459b63