The 2-year Indiana budget bill passed by state lawmakers Wednesday calls for a roughly 73% reduction in the amount of new money local health departments can expect, compared to the last biennial budget.  Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness told the Fishers Board of Health Thursday that the General Assembly had made what he described as a “historic move forward” in funding local health departments in the previous state spending plan, “now we are walking back significantly.”

The city was preparing for less state support of public health, but Fadness says a 73% cut was not anticipated.  But he believes it’s too early to “raise the alarm bell” as the mayor and his staff begin preparing a 2026 city budget.

“We’re a group that thinks our way through these issues, and I feel confident that we’ll come up with a good plan,” Fadness told the board.  He and his staff are looking closely at revenue options as well as the expense side of public health.

Since the state 2-year budget was just revealed Wednesday, he expects to have more concrete steps to place before the Fishers Board of Health by the next meeting, which is tentatively set for May 29th.

Fadness also referred to the property tax reform bill recently signed into law.  He says the city will feel significant funding loss for a 2-year period, then revenues should “build back up.”

Fishers Public Health Director Monica Heltz tells LarryInFishers the Fishers Health Department budget should not be impacted in 2025 unless state legislators put extra responsibilities on her department.  Any state cuts would be felt in 2026.

Director Heltz did remind the Board that the Fishers Health Department is 5 years old as of today (April 24).