INDIANAPOLIS — Potholes seem to be at the center of this year's Indianapolis mayoral race.
Republican candidate Jim Merritt is once again attacking Democratic Mayor Joe Hogsett's administration on the city's pothole problems.
In a Thursday press conference, Merritt criticized Hogsett over the 1,300 claims filed last year that were denied payment. Drivers were asking for financial help after damaging their cars when they drove over city potholes.
Merritt said there were just 16 approved claims in 2018. Those approved claims cost the city $3,000.
"In recent days, Mayor Hogsett has bragged about every pothole that gets filled,” Merritt said. “And while we're grateful for the hardworking men who are trying to resolve this crisis, the mayor totally misses the point. The work being done today is a temporary fix to a long-term problem."
Merritt wouldn't commit to making major changes to the claims program if he becomes mayor, instead saying his specific plans will be coming out later this year.
Hogsett's campaign responded to Merritt's latest claims Thursday.
A spokeswoman for the campaign said Hogsett has increased road funding without a local tax increase. She also said Merritt, an Indiana State Senator, filed 52 bills this year in the General Assembly, but none addressed road or street infrastructure.
Read the full statement below.
Road infrastructure and city budgets are serious issues. That's why over the last three years, Mayor Joe Hogsett has worked with bipartisan Council majorities to tackle chronically underfunded city services and produce the first back-to-back balanced budgets that our city has seen in more than a decade. At the same time, Mayor Joe dramatically increased road and infrastructure funding, including more than $400 million that will be spent over the next four years -- all without a local tax increase. It is disappointing that rather than use his candidacy to add productive ideas to this bipartisan dialogue, Senator Jim Merritt wants to inject DC-style partisan politics back into Indianapolis. Rather than use his time inside the Statehouse this session helping our city, Senator Merritt is more focused on spending time outside of the Statehouse pointing fingers at partisan press conferences. Senator Merritt's failure to lead when it comes to Marion County's infrastructure speaks volumes. The fact remains that of the 52 bills he filed in the legislature this year, not one addresses road or street infrastructure -- or the tort claim process Indianapolis must follow under state law. Mayor Joe understands that Indianapolis voters want common-sense bipartisanship and forward-thinking, not vague promises. We hope Senator Merritt will eventually join us in the civil, substantive debate that Indianapolis residents deserve.
