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Luecke also will speak about challenges facing the city as it has weathered the nation’s worst <br />economic environment in a generation and the loss of $12.2 million in property tax revenue <br />as a result of Indiana’s property tax caps. <br /> <br />“Several years ago, as we anticipated the impact of property-tax caps, we did several things <br />to keep South Bend strong,” Luecke said. “We made strategic cuts that did not dilute <br />essential services; we held public hearings to better understand our residents’ priorities; and <br />we increased local income taxes to replace some of the revenue lost to the caps in order to be <br />able to fund our priorities: bringing police and fire departments back to full staffing, <br />investing in economic-development initiatives, and sustaining parks activities and facilities.” <br /> <br />In 2010, two national ratings agencies increased the city’s bond rating, citing prudent fiscal <br />management, sufficient cash reserves and spending reductions as well as diverse and stable <br />revenue resources. <br /> <br />Luecke will also share some good news. Reports of major crimes in South Bend fell 3 <br />percent in 2010 – reaching their lowest levels in 40 years. In five categories in 2010 – total <br />major crimes, murders, non-residential burglaries, larcenies and motor vehicle thefts – <br />reported incidents reached record lows for the past four decades. <br /> <br /> “Our commitment to public safety has never been stronger,” said Luecke, noting that 80 <br />percent of the City’s General Fund supports police and fire personnel. “South Bend is a safer <br />community today than when I took office and the safest it has been in a generation. But I <br />know there is still more to do, especially in preventing residential burglaries. Nonetheless, <br />our public’s safety is in better shape and improving.” <br /> <br />During an economic period when private-sector investment has lagged, South Bend has seen <br />an exceptional year in public construction projects. Nearly $24 million in road projects <br />created 260 private-sector construction jobs in the community (most with local contractors.). <br />In addition, $8 million in contracts administered in South Bend by the Indiana Department of <br />Transportation added another 87 jobs, about half funded by the federal stimulus. <br /> <br />“The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act accelerated our schedule for resurfacing city <br />streets by two years,” Luecke said. “We completed 30.3 miles of streets – more than double <br />our 2009 level.” <br /> <br />The City also has supported job creation through its Business Growth Initiative with the <br />Chamber of Commerce, in which 418 visits to local businesses resolved more than 100 issues <br />and helped facilitate nearly $6 million in new private investment. <br /> <br />“One of the roles of the public sector is to prepare development sites and make infrastructure <br />investments to attract private investors when the market rebounds,” Luecke said. <br /> <br /># # # <br /> <br /> <br />