While state lawmakers wait for Mayor Greg Ballard to come up with a plan for solving the deficit at the Capital Improvement Board, Democrats in the Indiana Senate have two suggestions.

Sen. Vi Simpson (D-Bloomington) filed an amendment that would allow the city of Indianapolis to use money from a public safety local option income tax (LOIT) for other purposes, including the C.I.B.   The city already has the ability to increase the tax if necessary.

Sen. Lindel Hume (D-Princeton) proposes expanding the Professional Sports Development Area (PSDA) in downtown Indianapolis to include the Circle Centre Mall.   Sales taxes collected in the PSDA would then be routed to the C.I.B.  

Neither proposal is likely to gain much traction, but they might help the Mayor focus.