The ‘Foothold Project’

August 15, 2019

A goal of the Sept. 12 seminar in Terre Haute is to build an action plan, “Footholds,” that will guide members throughout the state on how to be effective as minority members of a city council. 

If you cannot attend, please consider making a tax-deductible gift in the interest of your city. Your help with podium fees and transportation costs is greatly needed. These donations (whatever amount) can be sent directly to the foundation by check addressed to: IPR, PO Box 5166, Fort Wayne, IN 46895; or via PayPal to director@inpolicy.org.

For even without a majority,  a councilman can change the historic trajectory of his city by asking well-researched and pointed questions, both to fellow councilmen and to the local media. Dr. Eric Schansberg and Ryan Cummins will lead a session on what doesn’t work, and Jason Arp and Craig Ladwig will lead a session on what works.

We chose Terre Haute as the seminar site for good reason. The city is near ruin after decades of mismanagement. It is a sandbox of bad public policy and fiscal decisions. There are lessons to be learned there.

We will leave with a checklist for reforms that address the fiscal threats to all Indiana cities — cronyism, corporatism and uncontrolled spending by an ever-larger, less accountable municipal government.

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