Franklin Township, Marion County, Indiana

Franklin Township
Marion County
Township
Coordinates: 39°40′49″N 86°1′39″W / 39.68028°N 86.02750°W / 39.68028; -86.02750Coordinates: 39°40′49″N 86°1′39″W / 39.68028°N 86.02750°W / 39.68028; -86.02750
Country United States
State Indiana
County Marion
Named for Benjamin Franklin
Government
 • Type Indiana township
Area
 • Total 42.1 sq mi (109.1 km2)
 • Land 42.1 sq mi (109.1 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation 837 ft (255 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 54,594
 • Density 1,300/sq mi (500/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes 46107, 46203, 46237, 46239, 46259
Area code(s) 317
FIPS code 18-25504[1]
GNIS feature ID 0453308[2]

Franklin Township is one of the nine townships of Marion County, Indiana, United States. Located in the southeast corner of the county, it has been subsumed into the city of Indianapolis along with most of the rest of the county. It contains the communities of Acton, Wanamaker, and the eastern portion of the excluded city of Beech Grove.

Franklin Township was organized in the 1820s.[3] Franklin Township is one of the last areas in Marion County to see heavy suburban land development from the outward expansion of Indianapolis. This is primarily because of a history of family farms in the area, but is also due to various civic efforts to maintain a rural atmosphere in the area over time.

The population of the township as of the 2010 census was 54,594,[4] up from 32,080 in 2000.[5]

The township has a median income of $70,000.[6]

Education

Franklin Township Community School Corporation is the public school district that serves all of Franklin Township. The area high school is Franklin Central High School.

In recent years, Franklin Township has seen a population explosion leading to a heavy reliance on residential property taxes in particular for funding of the Franklin Township Community Schools. Also, as the Indiana Property Tax caps have been phased in from 2008 to 2011, revenue for the schools in the township has dropped more than 19.8%.[7] After two referenda failed to close the $13 million gap in school funding, the school board proposed cuts to close the gap, including cutting teachers and halting most student busing.[8] The shortfall is larger in Franklin Township because of the demographics being extensively residential, while the tax burden with the aforementioned property tax caps has shifted more to farms and businesses which now have a capped rate of 2% and 3% respectively.

In 2012, the Franklin Township School Corporation was able to again offer student bussing without additional fees by restructuring its debt.

Local media

Newspapers

  • Informer, a publication of the Franklin Township Civic League
  • Pilot Flashes, newspaper of Franklin Central High School

Radio

  • 91.5 WRFT "Flash FM", radio station of Franklin Central High School

State legislators

The following legislators represent the districts which contain parts of Franklin Township.

Indiana House

Representative Party District
Cindy Kirchhofer Republican 89
Michael Speedy Republican 90

Indiana Senate

Senator Party District
Aaron Freeman Republican 32

References

  1. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  2. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  3. ↑ Bodenhamer, David J.; Barrows, Robert G. (22 November 1994). The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indiana University Press. p. 598. ISBN 0-253-11249-4.
  4. ↑ "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Franklin township, Marion County, Indiana". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2000 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Franklin township, Marion County, Indiana". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Median income".
  7. ↑ "Franklin Township Community School Corporation Cash Flow Analysis Summary" (PDF). Franklin Township Community School Corporation. Retrieved 2011-04-22.
  8. ↑ "Franklin Township school district faces $13M shortfall". WTHR. Retrieved 2011-04-22.
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