Health costs leave Marion cash-poor

Indiana

Indiana officials withdrew state backing Friday for a fertilizer plant over concerns about whether its Pakistan-based owners are doing enough at its overseas operations to keep the potentially explosive material from being used against U.S.Saturday

Central Indiana town scorched

Fire badly damaged several buildings Friday near the courthouse square in Greencastle, with flames shooting through the roofs as firefighters from several communities were called in to the central Indiana city to help.Saturday

Indiana withdraws support for fertilizer plant

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence on Friday pulled his support of a plan by a Pakistani company to build a fertilizer plant after the Pentagon raised concerns that its products were being used to make bombs.Friday

MARION – Marion has started the new year with virtually no money on hand after its mayor said the community was buffeted by rising health-care costs.

Marion began 2012 with $2.3 million in cash reserves but ended it with just $44,000, leaving it unable to repay a $1 million short-term loan from Marion Municipal Utilities.

Controller Cindy Wright told the Chronicle-Tribune (http://bit.ly/V7tpXW) the city is working to repay that loan as soon as possible.

Mayor Wayne Seybold said the numbers show Marion’s fiscal “disaster” came mostly from health insurance, not administration overspending. Marion’s health insurance reserve fund that supports city workers’ coverage went from a $2 million deficit to a $5 million deficit last year.

Seybold said Marion is poised to rebuild its finances during 2013.