Indiana News Update

Daniels to announce streamlining
Gov. Mitch Daniels plans today to announce his proposals for revamping local government, an issue that could prompt contentious debate during the upcoming legislative session. The governor’s office said Wednesday that Daniels will be joined at a news conference by former Democratic Gov. Joe Kernan and state Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard, who co-chaired a commission that last year offered sweeping plans aimed at streamlining local government. Among its proposals were the elimination of the state’s 1,008 township governments, to be replaced by a single elected county chief executive who would appoint county officials now elected, such as the sheriff, assessor and auditor.

Schools face serious budget issues
Lawmakers often say education is top priority when it comes to creating the state’s budget. Those claims may soon be tested.  Legislators have a challenge on their hands in the legislative session beginning in January. They will attempt to come up with an education-friendly, balanced two-year budget despite the slumping economy.   “The big challenge,” says State Rep. Nancy Michael (D-Greencastle), “will be getting schools the money that was approved to them.”  School districts across Indiana are facing increased costs for salaries, health insurance and day-to-day operations. They are worried flat or declining state tax revenues could lead to consequences such as teacher layoffs and larger class sizes.

 

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development has unveiled its third installment of the Hoosier Hot 50 Jobs. A list of the most in demand positions has been sent to education, work force and economic development officials and posted in each of the department’s 26 WorkOne Centers and across the state. Computer software engineers, computer systems analysts and dental hygienists are among the top occupations projected to grow strongly.

 

 

 

Indiana state lawmaker to propose testing air at schools
The state Board of Education would be required to establish guidelines for indoor and outdoor air quality at new or expanding school sites under legislation expected to be proposed for debate in the Statehouse next year.  The lawmaker behind the proposal, state Rep. John Barnes, D-Indianapolis, said he was prompted to act after a recent Indianapolis Star report revealed potential air pollution problems near schools in Indiana and other states. The story noted no agency in Indiana tracks outdoor air quality at school sites.

Samuel R. Turpin – Indiana Public Policy

Indiana News Update

Bayh here to discuss auto help
U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., is expected in Fort Wayne today to meet with a select group and then the media to discuss his hopes for the auto industry.  Bayh wants to use some of the economic-stimulus money expected early in the Obama administration to develop new automotive technologies to make cars more fuel efficient and safer.  Bayh believes Indiana could be at the center of that development, said Eric Kleiman, a spokesman.  Bayh will meet privately with autoworkers, parts suppliers, technology firms and others. He will have a news conference at 1 p.m. at Casa Ristorante, 7545 W. Jefferson Blvd.

Fed aggression buoys markets, also boost Indiana stocks
A surprised Wall Street bolted higher Tuesday after the Federal Reserve’s historic decision to slash interest rates further and pledge broad support to revive the troubled economy.  The Dow Jones industrials surged 360 points, or 4.2 percent, and broader indexes jumped more than 5 percent after the central bank said it will use “all available tools” to jump-start the economy. It also set its target for the rate at which banks lend to each other to a range of zero to 0.25 percent, the lowest on record.  Indiana-related stocks joined the rally with 48 of 55 companies listed on the Bloomberg Indiana index rising. Bioanalytical Systems, the West Lafayette biotech research company, led all gainers, closing at $2.78, up 25.7 percent.

Charter schools get look
A state-funded study of Indiana’s charter schools has found that “no practical difference” exists between the alternative schools and traditional public schools.  The 180-page report is expected to stoke legislative debate in the upcoming session of the General Assembly, where one Democratic lawmaker plans to seek a moratorium on new charter schools and try to restrict their funding.  “They are not making the significant difference that they were envisioned to do,” said state Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, who serves on the House Education Committee. “The bottom line is that they’re not producing.” Legislators agreed to spend $100,000 on the charter school study last year after Smith led unsuccessful attempts to place a moratorium on new charter schools and restrict funding.

Samuel R. Turpin – Indiana Public Policy

Indiana News Update

Governors track steps for contest
Gov. Mitch Daniels and 21 state officials will count their daily steps as part of a competition against 10 other governors and their colleagues in a contest that will track physical activity. The state with the winning team will be awarded $50,000 to fight childhood obesity. “Indiana may not yet be the healthiest state, but you better believe we’re going to try to win this,” he said. Team members will participate in the Virgin HealthMiles Capitol Steps Challenge and will wear a pedometer that will track the number of steps they take each day. The participants will provide daily information to a Web page that will track the progress of each participating state. The state with the highest average number of steps per participant will be named the Most Active Governor’s Team.

Agency attorney succeeds Musgrave
The person who will succeed Cheryl Musgrave as the state’s property tax czar is a former Air Force JAG lawyer who helped draft Indiana’s new property tax relief law.  Gov. Mitch Daniels has named Tim Rushenberg as the new commissioner of the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, succeeding Musgrave, who resigned Friday. As department commissioner – a job unofficially called the property tax czar – Rushenberg will be the state’s final authority on local government school budgets, spending and property taxes. Rushenberg was the department’s general counsel while Musgrave was in charge. “Tim has been working in the (department) and is a pretty thoughtful, careful guy and will be a worthy successor to Cheryl,” Sen. Luke Kenley said. Kenley, R-Noblesville, was the legislative architect of the governor’s property tax relief package, House Bill 1001, that passed last March and capped residential property taxes at 1 percent of assessed value.

Stop throwing good education money after bad
On Dec. 4, the Indiana Department of Education released the latest ISTEP (Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress) results for Indiana students. They were stagnant. Despite higher academic standards and more spending by taxpayers, scores showed no improvement from the previous year. The next day, in an odd coincidence of timing, the Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA) was before the State Supreme Court demanding a trial on its lawsuit challenging the school funding formula. The suit alleges that inadequate funding deprives some Indiana children of the chance to meet proficiency standards.  A Marion Superior Court initially dismissed ISTA’s suit as a matter more appropriate for the legislative branch, which funds schools. The Indiana Court of Appeals disagreed and ordered the case to trial, which the state appealed. On Dec. 5, the high court heard arguments to determine if a trial should take place.
 

Pools without drain protection face closure
Unless new anti-drowning drain covers are installed, tens of thousands of public swimming pools and hot tubs could be forced to close Saturday under a sweeping law designed to prevent drain suction from trapping children under water.  The rules apply to pools and spas used by the public, including municipal pools and those at hotels, private clubs, apartment buildings and community centers.   The improved drain systems were outlined in legislation passed by Congress a year ago. Pool and spa operators had a year to comply; Friday is the deadline for installing the new equipment.

Samuel R. Turpin – Indiana Public Policy

Indiana News Update

Indiana lawyers to celebrate Lincoln 200th anniversary
The Indiana Supreme Court is partnering with the Indiana State Bar Association to celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s career as a lawyer on the 200th anniversary of his birth. Chief Justice Randall Shepard will visit schoolchildren Feb. 12 to talk about Lincoln’s importance to the rule of law. Shepard wants lawyers and judges across the state to do the same as part of a project titled, “Why Lincoln Was A Lawyer.”

Mayor hopes gambling can supplement revenue
Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry said the city will consider proposals to bring a casino or other gambling expansion to Fort Wayne to help the state’s second largest city weather uncertain economic times. The recession and a lackluster budget outlook prompted Henry to look into whether a casino or other gaming enterprise would be good for Fort Wayne, he said at a news conference Friday.  It “would be irresponsible not to talk to individuals interested in potential gaming because of the revenue it could create to help us. Running the city requires us to constantly seek new ideas and new ways of doing things,” Henry said.  Several private businesses have expressed interest, Henry said. He does not intend to invest city money in the project.

Indiana pressing for fair share of stimulus money
Indiana stands to reap hundreds of millions of dollars under the economic stimulus package Congress is expected to consider for states and could see its share go even higher if Gov. Mitch Daniels gets his way. The money, state officials say, would help Indiana offset investment losses in its Major Moves road-building fund and could accelerate the timetable of big projects such as the extension of I-69 from Indianapolis to Evansville. Although just how much any state might get is up in the air, Daniels and Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., hope to persuade Congress to rethink its traditional approach to parceling out federal transportation dollars.

State sues company over no-fax law
Indiana has filed a lawsuit against the largest alleged violator in the two-year history of the state’s no-fax law, Attorney General Steve Carter announced Sunday.  The lawsuit, filed Friday in Hamilton Circuit Court, accuses Texas-based Envarion Corp. of sending thousands of junk faxes across the state and thus violating a state law that prohibits unsolicited faxes.  Carter said his office has received 1,842 complaints against Envarion from Hoosiers in 57 of the state’s 92 counties. “This company would send out blasts of faxes throughout Indiana,” Carter said. “People don’t want these faxes. They are a violation of our law, and we brought this legal action to force their compliance.”

11 Hoosiers will cast state’s votes for Obama
Indiana’s 11 members of the Electoral College will meet today to formally vote for President-elect Barack Obama, as their counterparts across the nation have their own largely ceremonial gatherings. Obama’s narrow Indiana win in November over Republican John McCain meant that for the first time since President Lyndon Johnson won the state in 1964, Indiana’s electors would be appointed by the Democratic Party. Michelle Boxell, a 46-year-old Warsaw resident who’s one of those 11 electors, said she’s looking forward to casting her vote for Obama. “Even though it’s ceremonial, because it’s a done deal, it’s an honor to be part of that process,” Boxell told The Journal Gazette of Fort Wayne. “It’s my family that’s really excited about it, though.”

Indiana’s crime rate fell in 2007

 

Indiana’s overall crime rate fell between 2006 and 2007, even as violent crimes rose slightly, according to the state’s annual Uniform Crime Report. The latest report shows that indexed crimes fell 1.7 percent last year to 236,691, down from 240,993 the year before in Indiana.  Both years’ numbers average out to seven crimes per day per county in Indiana.  Although the numbers for 2008 haven’t been tallied yet, law enforcement officials in western Indiana agree some crimes have continued to fall this year.  “I think, knock on wood, that we’ve been very fortunate again to not have had any extremely violent crimes in the county,” said Vigo County Sheriff Jon Marvel.  Statewide, crimes of violence rose to 21,165 in 2007, up from 19,876 in 2006

Samuel R. Turpin – Indiana Public Policy

Indiana News Update

Indiana investments sink under sour economy
Indiana’s investments from the $3.8 billion Indiana Toll Road lease are coming up more than $200 million short of projections because of the struggling economy. State Transportation Commissioner Karl Browning told lawmakers this week that investment income from the money the state received under the lease is about $220 million less than what officials had anticipated two years ago. Indiana began investing $2.6 billion in lease proceeds in October 2006. The state expected to generate 6.25 percent interest through the June 30 end of the current fiscal year. Instead, the rate is more likely to be 4.5 percent because of the tanking economy. The state is also seeing less cash from gas taxes. Browning said that income is expected to fall $196 million short of estimates.

Indiana changing air quality monitoring
Indiana’s environmental agency is taking over all air quality monitoring, compliance and permitting duties, leaving environmentalists worried that it could lead to less attention to local air-quality issues. The change, which takes place next year, will end all contracts with local pollution control agencies in Indianapolis and five other parts of the state. State officials said the goal is to streamline government. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management announced the decision earlier this month with little input from the agencies or other stakeholders, upsetting environmentalists.

Slump takes bite out of road fund
Indiana could lose as much as $418 million for state road projects because investment income from the $3.8 billion lease of the Indiana Toll Road has been lower than expected and a decline in the state’s gas tax revenues is likely to continue. Both sources pay for Major Moves road construction projects, though state officials Wednesday downplayed the notion that the slump in revenue would mean an immediate delay for any of the projects in the 10-year, $11.89 billion plan.

Samuel R. Turpin – Indiana Public Policy

Indiana News Update

Recession mildly effects Indiana
Times are tough in Indiana, but Michael Lunsford, president and CEO of Coldwell Banker, said the state has seen worse. “[Indiana isn't] going to get a lot of change until the first six months of this coming year,” Lunsford said. “There could be things that could change that positively or negatively.” The 13th annual Economic Outlook Luncheon was held in the Horizon Convention Center in Muncie on Tuesday. The luncheon discusses the economic forecast of the country and state as well as possible solutions or alternatives for the economy. This year’s luncheon featured a panel of speakers, each presenting facts and statistics that put Indiana’s economic situation into perspective.

IDEM refuses to release information on meetings
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is refusing a newspaper’s request that it release calendar items showing when meetings were held to discuss the BP Whiting oil refinery’s air permit. IDEM at first denied a request from the Post-Tribune of Merrillville for copies of calendars that show when IDEM employees met internally or with Gov. Mitch Daniels’ office, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and BP regarding the permit, saying the calendars were exempt from public access because they were attorney-client or “deliberative” communications.

Experts say Ind. jobless rate may reach 8 percent
A top Indiana economist is predicting the state’s unemployment rate could jump to 7.5 percent or even 8 percent before the recession bottoms out, meaning more than 25,000 more Hoosiers could lose their jobs by the middle of next year. With more people jobless and others reining in spending amid layoff fears, state government also is seeing its tax revenues dwindle. Ryan C. Kitchell, director of the state Office of Management and Budget, said the gap between the state’s revenues and its expenses could be between $300 million and $500 million when numbers are crunched later this week. That could mean deep cuts in the next state budget.

Equifax To Pay Indiana Thousands To Resolve Credit Freeze Cases
Equifax, one of the nation’s three largest consumer credit reporting agencies, has agreed to pay Indiana $65,000 to resolve allegations that the company didn’t comply with the state’s credit freeze law, the Indiana Attorney General’s Office said Tuesday. The company had been accused of failing to place security freezes, confirmation of those freezes and personal identification numbers to consumers in a timely fashion, as prescribed by state law.

Deadlines near for seniors’ tax credit
The deadline is nearing for Indiana’s seniors to sign up for a new property tax credit included in the tax overhaul state lawmakers approved last spring. The exemption covering homeowners ages 65 and older limits how much their tax bills can increase from one year to the next, said Allen County Auditor Lisa Blosser. Eligible homeowners must be at least 65 on or before Dec. 31 – the filing deadline – and have a gross adjusted income of less than $40,000 for a joint filing or $30,000 for a single filing. The gross assessed value on the homestead cannot exceed $160,000.

 
Samuel R. Turpin – Indiana Public Policy

Indiana News Update

Recount dropped in Indiana House seat race
A recount in Indiana House District 26 ended when the attorney for the Democratic challenger withdrew the petition. John Polles’ attorney, Lawrence Reuben, says he decided to withdraw Sunday when it became apparent Polles couldn’t overcome Republican Randy Truitt’s margin of victory. The Indiana Recount Commission had denied Reuben’s appeal to overturn 11 absentee ballots in Warren County, which he said were crucial. Polles sought the recount after Truitt defeated him by 26 votes last month. Officials recounted more than 28,000 ballots this week in Tippecanoe and Warren counties. The outcome of the recount won’t change control of the Indiana House, where Democrats have a 52-48 majority even with a Truitt victory.

Anti-lobbying bill faces uphill fight in Indiana Legislature
A bill that would require legislators who leave office to wait at least one year before they could become lobbyists got a chilly reception in a Senate committee last session and went no further. That isn’t stopping Republican state Sen. Patricia Miller of Indianapolis, some of her colleagues and some citizen groups from trying to revive the issue in the session that starts in January. They say a “cooling off” period before former lawmakers can lobby the General Assembly would establish a more trusting relationship with Indiana residents. Nearly 30 states prohibit former legislators from becoming lobbyists for a time ranging from six months to two years after they resign or retire, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. But Miller and other supporters of the concept know they’ll likely have a tough time getting Indiana to join those states.

Lost auto sales have cost local governments $60M
Hoosiers are doing a lot of looking but not much buying of new cars these days. And that has left government bean counters searching for ways to make up more than $60 million in lost revenue.  Tax revenue from motor vehicle sales fell 6 percent last fiscal year and has plunged 16 percent in the first quarter of this fiscal year, state budget officials reported this week. The fiscal year runs July 1 through June 30. And the car slump packs a second wallop for cities and counties: fewer dollars from fewer BMV registration fees — a typically healthy stream of millions of dollars spent primarily on paving roads, patching bridges and filling potholes.

Cities plead for public works funds
America’s mayors are urging Congress to provide billions for public works projects they say will not only help rebuild cities but put money into the pockets of struggling Americans. Carmel and Fort Wayne were among nine Indiana cities included in the U.S. Conference of Mayors report released Monday. Indianapolis, however, was not among the 427 cities that listed 11,931 projects in the report. Jennifer Pittman, a spokeswoman for Mayor Greg Ballard, said the administration misunderstood the original survey request, thinking it was for major capital improvement projects scheduled for completion in 2009.

Sagamore to discuss economic uncertainties
Indianapolis-based The Sagamore Institute for Policy Research is sponsoring a panel discussion this week to examine opportunities available for Indiana as it struggles with current economic uncertainties. Friday’s event is part of the organization’s regular “Ideas in Indiana” series, which highlights public policy leaders in addressing key issues of the day. The panelists will examine the current economic situation, how the state is approaching economic development and how Hoosier companies are responding.

Samuel R. Turpin – Indiana Public Policy

Indiana News Update

Democrats question conduct of Tippecanoe Co. vote
The Indiana Democratic Party chairman says a recount of a close legislative race has shown that many state election laws were not followed by officials at Tippecanoe County’s voting centers. A spokesman for Secretary of State Todd Rokita, however, called those allegations partisan and said they would not interfere with the recount for the Indiana House District 26 seat. Democratic Chairman Dan Parker called for Rokita to explain voter irregularities in Tippecanoe County voting that had been discovered during the recount.

Counties immune from lawsuits over 911 calls

A law that makes counties immune from lawsuits resulting from 911 service frustrates the father of a woman who called 911 and pleaded futilely for a police escort an hour before her enraged husband shot her and her mother dead. “There’s nothing I can do. My hands are tied,” Al Goble told the South Bend Tribune. Goble’s daughter Tonya Goble, 24, and her mother, Vicki Dewey, 52, were shot dead April 28, 2006, at the Dewey home in Chikaming Township, Mich., about 15 miles north of LaPorte. Goble had been living with her mother and stepfather to escape a violent relationship with her husband, Gary Studer, 31, of LaPorte, who was later sentenced to four life sentences in the deaths.

Local lawmakers have expanded roles.
State Rep. Dennis Avery, D-Evansville, seems as if he always has been House District 75’s man in Indianapolis. Indeed, Avery has served in the Indiana Legislature for a remarkable 34 years, and he was elected to his 18th term in November. With that level of seniority, Avery should have a power position at the Legislature, the kind that serves not only issues important to him and his constituents, but that serves the district itself. Avery has had a modicum of influence by serving on the budget-writing House Ways and Means Committee. And for several years, he has been vice chairman of the House Budget Subcommittee, an arm of Ways and Means.

Samuel R. Turpin – Indiana Public Policy

Indiana News Update

Indiana higher education is below average
Is it really any surprise that Indiana received an “F” for college affordability from a nonprofit advocate for higher education? It takes about 30 percent of an average Hoosier family’s income to pay for four years at a state-funded college or university — 31st in the nation in a recent study by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. (Dare we mention it’s up to 69 percent at a private college?) The national average is about 28 percent. While we’re not too far off average, it’s still a significant burden that most families can’t afford. In 2000, it cost about 22 percent of an average Indiana family’s income.

Autoworkers speak up
More than 170 autoworkers, retirees, suppliers, dealers and others braved a cold wind Wednesday to show their support for General Motors Corp. and the two other major American automakers as they seek emergency financing from Congress. For an hour, they marched in a circle in front of the Federal Building in Fort Wayne, where U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh and U.S. Rep. Mark Souder have offices.

Instead of tax rebate, put it toward mass transit fund
In its Dec. 2 editorial, The Star Editorial Board encourages devising ideas for a funding mechanism for mass transit in the metropolitian area. Why don’t we start with taking the $12 local income tax break the mayor has proposed and deposit it in a fund for mass transit development. Yes, the legislature would have to act to allow this type of expenditure, but there is a lot of precedent for the General Assembly passing legislation for local use only, such as the food and beverage tax. The $12 that residents will receive would be better used if it were to assist in the first steps of a good, affordable mass transit system for Indianapolis.

Sen. Leising to serve on four Senate committees
State Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) has been tapped by President Pro Tem David C. Long to serve on the Senate Agriculture and Small Business Committee. Long (R-Fort Wayne) also appointed Leising to serve on three other key Senate committees: Education and Career Development, Health and Provider Services along with Utilities and Technology. Lawmakers last week formerly organized for the 2009 legislative session, which will reconvene Jan. 7.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Public Policy

Indiana News Update

Justice talks reform
When recommending ways local government in Indiana could be reformed, Indiana Chief Justice Randall Shephard kept in mind that most citizens like having public services. “Almost everything that government does is something we want it to do,” Shephard, an Evansville native, told members of the Rotary Club of Evansville on Tuesday. “We want them to do it well, and we want them to do it as inexpensively as feasible. But we want them to do it.” In 2007, Shephard joined former Indiana Gov. Joe Kernan in recommending ways to restructure local government. The fruit of their work, dubbed the Kernan-Shephard Report, proposed 27 changes. Only a few of those have been acted on, but Shephard hopes the next few years will see lawmakers taking up more.

Daniels torn on Obama’s aid plan
Gov. Mitch Daniels expressed tepid support Tuesday after meeting with President-elect Barack Obama regarding parts of an economic stimulus package aimed at helping the states weather the recession. For instance, Daniels endorsed a proposal for the federal government to send $136 billion to states for infrastructure projects such as road construction and bridge repair, something proponents said would put people back to work quickly and strengthen the nation’s economy.

Report: Indiana flunks in college affordability
Skyrocketing tuition and sagging family incomes threaten to price too many Hoosiers out of college even as Indiana has more than doubled its investment in college scholarships for the needy. And for that, a nonprofit advocate for higher education gives Indiana an “F” for college affordability. The state ranks 31st in the nation in a key statistic: It takes 30 percent of a family’s income to afford a four-year college education. For folks living in Tennessee, the most affordable state, it takes 13 percent. The U.S. average is 28 percent.

Statewide smoking ban could snub out destruction wrought by tobacco
About 10,000 Hoosiers will die from tobacco-related illnesses this year. Secondhand smoke causes cancer, cardiovascular disease and other illnesses that result in the premature deaths of non-smokers. As an oncologist, I witness the misery tobacco needlessly causes in people’s lives. A statewide ban on smoking in the workplace would significantly reduce the suffering and death caused by tobacco. The time has come for the Indiana General Assembly to pass this critical piece of legislation and for Gov. Mitch Daniels to sign it into law.
 

Chamber to Host Legislative Preview Event
The Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana will host the 2009 Legislative Preview Luncheon on December 3rd at 11:30 a.m. at the Events Gallery in downtown Evansville. The Indiana Chamber of Commerce will provide an overview of the upcoming regular session of the General Assembly. The event will also feature highlights of the 2009 Public Policy Agenda for The Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana. The Chamber hosts an annual Pre-Legislative Session event each year in an effort to educate its members on issues impacting their businesses. The Chamber believes the timeliness of the event, shortly after the Organizational Day of the General Assembly, will provide great insight into the upcoming session in Indianapolis.

Samuel R. Turpin – Indiana Public Policy