The Indiana Supreme Court will deliberate on an annexation dispute involving the State of Indiana and the City of Bloomington.
Lawyers argued before the justices Thursday morning that the state legislature overstepped its bounds in 2017 when it inserted language into a budget bill barring the city of Bloomington from annexing any part of Monroe County for five years.
Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton says the city had no choice but to sue Governor Eric Holcomb, even though the governor has no line item veto authority.
“We’re trying to follow the law, when the State Assembly says you can’t receive the annexation, I didn’t really feel comfortable saying I’m going to do it anyway," Hamilton says.
Last spring, a lower court ruled the legislature violated the “single subject clause” by singling out Bloomington in the legislation.
Indiana Solicitor General Thomas Fisher says under the constitution Governor Holcomb can’t enforce the annexation law, so he shouldn’t be subjected to the lawsuit.
