Protecting Carmel taxpayers

Letters to the Editor do not reflect the opinions of The Reporter, its publisher or its staff. You can submit your own Letter to the Editor by email to News@ReadTheReporter.com. Please include your phone number and city of residence. The Reporter will publish one letter per person per week.

Dear Editor:

Last week, I testified at the Statehouse to advocate for a responsible, balanced approach to tax reform – one that delivers meaningful relief for Carmel residents while protecting the very services that make our city a national success story.

As often happens, reckless speculation and deliberate misinformation about my testimony followed, including claims that I would drastically cut public safety funding. Not only is this false, but it also fundamentally misunderstands what makes our city strong. Public safety isn’t just another line item in our budget; it’s the bedrock of everything we do – and that will never change.

Carmel didn’t become one of America’s most livable cities by happenstance. It has been built by residents and city leaders on bold leadership, smart planning and a relentless pursuit of excellence. We grow because families choose to build their futures here and businesses invest here. That’s why our community continues to thrive.

Protecting these investments means making tough calls, even when they’re unpopular in certain circles. That’s not just leadership. That’s accountability.

As this process continues, I remain committed to working with Governor Braun and legislative leaders on reforms that balance tax relief with maintaining Carmel’s exceptional quality of life that attracts and retains Indiana talent. Because our job isn’t to make headlines – it’s to make a difference for generations to come.

And that’s exactly what we’re going to keep doing.

Sue Finkam
Mayor of Carmel