Where do we go from here? 2008 is a year of change. Major changes.
New city administrations take office. The possibilities for economic development, annexation and infrastructure improvement are endless.
This year will bring us a new president. New legislators. New governor. And closer to home, new school board members. Your vote can make a difference. Just look at the recent recount in Muncie. The recount overturned who was considered the mayor-elect.
n Hoosier Park will officially expand into the world of the racino, bringing in new visitors to our county. How will we market this? How can we make this new attraction a boon to Madison County?
n Schools will undergo makeovers. Full-day kindergarten will be mandated this fall. Anderson’s first charter school will open. Ivy Tech is beginning the earliest stages of planning to expand. Anderson University will undergo improvements. Two dormitories will undergo renovations, and the university will make Fifth Street a more pedestrian-friendly thoroughfare. How will we take advantage of these changes?
n Will the airport proposal die or bloom during 2008?
n The state is embarking on the reform of local government and system of taxation. Among the recommendations is the elimination of township governments, the elimination of elected sheriff positions and the consolidation of school districts. What will happen with property taxes?
n The proposed Mallard Lake landfill remains in litigation. A new ethanol plant is being built. The Simpler Times Village is still a possibility. The direction of the county is changing.
How we interpret these changes and how we utilize them is up to us. What do you want this year to be?
