Council approves up to $35M in bonds for Justice Campus parking garages amid public concern

Chairman Muscari presented a bond authorization package for the Marion County Justice Campus that would allow revenue bonds, notes and related instruments with an aggregated principal amount not to exceed $35,000,000.

During floor discussion, Councilor Wells said she had questions that she had not received committee follow-up on; a member of the public, Larry Vaughn, told the council the city was over-reliant on bonds and warned that revenue bonds put the general fund at risk. "When they collect on these bonds... the money actually goes into the general fund," Vaughn said during public comment, adding that he feared the city issues bonds it cannot back. Councilor Brown responded that the garages are already built and in operation: "The garages are both already fully constructed and have been in operation since 2023." The council approved the proposal 24–0.

The ordinance language and committee report were cited during committee review; councilors asked for and received clarifications from city staff and the chief financial staff prior to the final vote.