According to an August 15th story aired on local CBS 4 news, the proposed Indy budget for 2017 is out. The story informs us that Mayor Hogsett has claimed the city’s current budgetary structure isn’t sustainable long-term. The mayor's aides explained that the city of Indianapolis has routinely operated with an average $50 million deficit since 2008, largely because of state-mandated property tax caps. What? Did we read that correctly? The budget defecit is being blamed on property tax caps rather than on reckless government spending for boondoggles! The story carries quotes from the usual cast of caricatures decrying the desperate condition of the City's finances including Council Minority Leader Michael McQuillen's lament, “It gets harder and harder every year, and this will be our hardest to date” and Council President Maggie Lewis's Winston Churchill-like oration, “I’m not going to say that the sky is falling, but things are bad." Of course, the CBS 4 story fails to mention the recent $2.8 million taxpayer handout the Pacers received to build "Theater" and "Loge" seats for our local aristocracy. In case you're curious, 4-seat Theater boxes will go for $70,000 per season and 4-seat Loge boxes will go for a $50,000 per season. Although the improvements were paid for by taxpayers, they will surely not be enjoyed by the average taxpayer. But we digress... The CBS 4 story also failed to mention the real elephant in the room. The $56 million per year tax hike that IndyGo is seeking on the November ballot to build the Red Line. Coincidentally, the "stadium-to-palladium" Red Line electric bus will also not be enjoyed by the average taxpayer. Just imagine... that $56 million per year taxpayer subsidy to build the Red Line would not only balance the City budget, it would leave a hefty surplus to improve schools, revitalize neighborhoods, and fix crumbling infrastructure [unless the City hands it to the Colts and the Pacers]. Click the below link to see the CBS 4 story.