Shaffer: when will localities get their debt under control?

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Dear Editor:

As national attention focuses on the $37 trillion national debt, no one seems to care about the exploding debt among Hamilton County suburbs.

Since 2020, these cities have reported total outstanding debt increases:

• Carmel – 27.5 percent: $1.3 billion to $1.6 billion
• Westfield – 86 percent: $180 million to $335 million
• Fishers – 121 percent: $550 million to $1.2 billion
• Noblesville – 253 percent: $286 million to $752 million

The township, school and library debt similarly exploded over just five years.

The federal government can print money; local governments cannot.

And yet, no public outcry.

And, of course, no mention of it in public meetings held by the debtor authorities.

Bill Shaffer
Carmel