Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Funding for new Indiana State Archives in jeopardy

Storage pallets in the Indiana State Archives in 2015 (photo courtesy Indianapolis Star)
Planning for the new Indiana State Archives building in Indianapolis (which the Indiana General Assembly approved $25 million for in spring 2015) has been at a standstill for the last few months. Recently a deal fell through to pay for it by selling the state's cell-phone towers. Your help is now needed to ensure that it gets fully funded.

More delays could be catastrophic to what is housed in the current building on East 30th Street. According to the Friends of the Indiana State Archives (FISA), since January 1st there have been 5 leaks in the building - including one in the vault that holds the state's most important treasures (such as the 1816 constitution). Another of the recent leaks was caused by a bullet hole.

The environmental conditions in the building continue to deteriorate - a new building is not simply a way to help celebrate the state's bicentennial, it is a vital piece of infrastructure that will have long-term benefits.

The Indiana General Assembly is currently drafting the state's budget, and they need to hear from those who are impacted by the Indiana State Archives.

Representative Tim Brown of Tippecanoe County is chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, which is in charge of drafting the budget. You can contact him:

Rep. Timothy Brown
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone (800) 382-9841
E-mail: contact form

Senator Luke Kenley of Hamilton County is chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which will help draft the budget. You can contact him:

Sen. Luke Kenley
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone (800) 382-9467
E-mail: s20@iga.in.gov

If you live in Indiana, you can also contact your specific legislators. You can find contact information for your specific legislators here: https://iga.in.gov/legislative/find-legislators/.

FOR FURTHER READING:

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