Regional Cities Initiative does not fund East Central region

The state’s Regional Cities Initiative has announced the economic development and improvement projects of three Indiana regions will be funded. But that does not include the East Central region, which makes up a large portion of the IPR listening area.

Seven state regions submitted proposals to the Regional Cities Initiative selection committee earlier this year. It’s a state-funded program to enhance quality of place in the state in order to attract new people and new businesses.

On Tuesday, that committee recommended the funding of three regions – North Central (counties surrounding South Bend), Northeast (surrounding Fort Wayne), and Southwest (surrounding Evansville).

No funding was announced for the East Central region, which includes Delaware, Blackford, Jay, Randolph, and Henry counties, and a portion of Madison County.

Originally, only two regions were guaranteed funding with money set aside by the General Assembly.  But state officials will ask the legislature to fund a third region with money from the state’s tax amnesty program.

Jay Julian with the East Central region says it’s always looking for alternative revenue streams for good projects – and other partnerships could replace state funding for certain aspects of the plan.

And that’s what a recommendation from the selection committee intends to help do for the four regions that weren’t funded.  The report suggests the Indiana Economic Development Corporation help regions look for partnerships.