Feature
Nathan Feltman: Under Ballard, we're moving forward 8.29.11
INDIANAPOLIS STAR
Indianapolis is getting noticed. This month the Wall Street Journal recognized our success in the life sciences sector and called Indianapolis a hotspot for new companies. Forbes magazine recently labeled Indianapolis as the next big boom town and Newsweek declared Indianapolis a city best poised for the economic recovery.
Achieving national recognition is the result of taking aggressive action to create an environment conducive for business and job creation.
That's exactly what Mayor Greg Ballard has done since taking office in 2008.
Ballard pledged that Indianapolis would not follow other cities and states into a pattern of reckless overspending, tax hikes and borrowing money for our children to pay back.
Instead, he balanced our budget three consecutive years, achieved an AAA bond rating, lowered costs and invested money into rebuilding the city's neglected infrastructure.
His leadership resulted in record job and investment commitments in 2010 and his pro-business attitude tells the world that we are serious about positioning our city for growth.
Ballard recently unveiled several initiatives to provide even greater opportunities for job creation in Indianapolis.
His plan calls for a one-stop shop where small businesses can access various public and private resources to help them accelerate their growth. Services would range from training and recruiting employees, creating a business and finance plan, filing a permit application, finding a new office space or accessing information on minority-, woman- and veteran -owned business programs. The objective? Make it easier for small, locally based businesses to grow and create jobs.
This will be furthered by Ballard's plans to strengthen the partnership among the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, EmployIndy and Develop Indy. The objective? To help more companies grow and create jobs in Indianapolis and ensure we have the workforce to fill those jobs.
Ballard has proposed an international trade resource center to provide assistance to Indianapolis companies seeking to export products internationally and to help recruit international companies to locate and bring their jobs here. The objective? Make it easier for internationally focused businesses to grow and create new jobs in Indianapolis.
Another initiative will streamline the state and local building permitting process to assist companies working to complete building and expansion projects.
Ballard also proposed a proactive approach to attract more businesses to locate near the airport and to expand air service to and from Indianapolis International Airport. When this idea comes to fruition, businesses that rely on air travel and need to ship or receive goods by air will have a better opportunity to grow and create jobs in Indianapolis.
Ballard has demonstrated solid leadership in economic development, and his new proposals are further evidence that he will take a bold approach to moving Indianapolis forward. While businesses and job seekers are eager for a national economic recovery, we need to keep Mayor Ballard at the helm aggressively working to position Indianapolis for future economic growth and diversified job opportunities.
Feltman is president and co-owner of Home Health Depot Inc., an Indianapolis-based home medical equipment company.
I’m honored to serve as Mayor of our great city. Every day I work to represent all the citizens of Marion County . . .