Indiana News Update

Daniels administration grilled on spending priorities
As they work toward crafting the state’s budget, a panel of House Democrats grilled officials from agencies within Gov. Mitch Daniels’ Republican administration on Wednesday about their spending priorities.  Several administration officials – including Indiana Department of Transportation Commissioner Karl Browning and Family and Social Services Agency Secretary Anne Murphy – explained and defended the funding they are asking the House Ways and Means Committee to write into the two-year budget.  The governor proposes a budget and both the full Indiana House and state Senate will pass a version. Lawmakers in the Ways and Means committee are tasked with writing the first draft. The haggling between the committee and the administration this year appears especially contentious, as the sides are debating what programs to cut and how much money to spend in the face of a sour economy that has curtailed Indiana’s tax revenues.

Teachers suggest sources of money
The Indiana State Teachers Association stepped into the funding debate over K-12 education Wednesday, suggesting the state tap its reserves and eliminate some testing to provide new dollars for schools in the next two-year budget.  “We understand additional money is going to be at a premium,” ISTA President Nate Schnellenberger said. “We are looking out for the children we teach. We agree schools should be a learning center. But a classroom of students without a teacher is not a learning center.”

2Bsafe: Put teen drivers on hold
Lawmakers are not likely to become teen idols if they pass Senate Bill 16. But they’ll be a hit with other fans — experts in health, traffic safety and insurance, as well as a great many parents.  Approved Tuesday by a 9-1 vote of the state Senate Homeland Security, Transportation and Veterans Affairs Committee, the measure would:   Ban cell phone use and text-messaging while driving by anyone under 18;  Add six months to the eligibility age for a learner’s permit (to 151/2), a driver’s license with driver’s education (to 161/2) and a license without driver’s ed (to 17);

Daniels, state officials log 4.2M steps in Capitol Steps Challenge

Gov. Mitch Daniels and 19 state officials logged more than 4.2 million steps over a two-week period in a contest with other governors and their colleagues tracking physical activity. “Being a healthier state is something we take seriously and we’re competitive here in Indiana so the idea of a challenge made sense,” said Daniels. “So many Hoosiers have already joined us in trying to be a little more active but there is still much more we can do.”

Sam Turpin – Indiana Lobbyist

Indiana News Update

IUSA works to help pass bill for tax-free school supplies
The IU Student Association is working with the Indiana Senate to pass a bill that would make Indiana the 19th state to enact a “tax-free holiday weekend,” giving all Indiana residents a cheaper way to make purchases for back-to-school necessities.  The Tax-Free Weekend and Back-to-School Purchases Proposal, Senate Bill No. 394, was introduced to the Senate in early January and is now in the tax and fiscal policy committee.

Indiana state Senate wants to take the phone out of teen driving
A bill that would ban drivers under 18 from using cell phones and impose other restrictions on teenage drivers passed a state Senate committee Tuesday after the panel heard emotional testimony about the dangers posed by young, inexperienced motorists.  The Senate Transportation Committee voted 9-1 to endorse the bill, which now heads to the full Senate for consideration after the committee removed some of its provisions.  Sen. Tom Wyss, the committee’s chairman, said the legislation would save lives by better preparing young drivers for the challenges of maneuvering crowded city streets and highways as well as long stretches of rural roads.

Property tax amendment takes step
State lawmakers began what promises to be a contentious debate Tuesday as they took the next step toward writing property tax limits into the Indiana Constitution.  Last year lawmakers capped property taxes at 1 percent for homeowners, 2 percent for rental properties and 3 percent for businesses by 2010.  This year, with the backing of Gov. Mitch Daniels, some lawmakers are seeking a constitutional amendment that would make those caps harder to undo.  After more than three hours of debate Tuesday, the Republican-controlled Senate Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee advanced the amendment on an 8-4 party line vote. Sen. Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville, called the amendment a crucial step to “keep faith with taxpayers.”

Treasurer warns against eliminating office
An Indiana House committee Tuesday gave its approval to a proposed constitutional amendment that would combine the offices of state treasurer and state auditor.  The House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee passed the proposal, House Joint Resolution 6, despite testimony from state Treasurer Richard Mourdock that the two offices are not related. “Many people are surprised to learn that as state treasurer, my name does not appear on a single check,” said Mourdock, an Evansville native and former Vanderburgh County commissioner who was elected to statewide office in 2006.

Where experience pays
Former state Sen. Robert Meeks could always be counted on to remind his colleagues that “there is no  money.” That’s why it’s disappointing to see the former State Budget Committee chairman join the legions of former lawmakers working as lobbyists, where the primary objective is often to secure a share of the money.  Given his blunt, no-holds-barred demeanor, it’s not hard to imagine the former state trooper telling his clients they are wasting their time trying to get money out of a state budget with none to spare. But lobbyists are sometimes employed to block worthwhile legislation because it might add to a company’s cost of doing business or affect the competitive edge they currently enjoy.

Experts: Jobless rate will hit double digits in 2010
Hit hard by factory and construction layoffs, Indiana’s jobless rate surged to 8.2 percent in December, the largest gain during the month among the states.  Indiana’s unemployment rate rose from 7.1 percent in November, set off in part by a slump in exports, and is now is at a level last seen in 1984 when jobs finally were coming back after the severe 1982 recession.  Federal labor researchers released the December jobs data Tuesday as Navistar International announced the permanent closing of its massive Indianapolis diesel complex.

Ballard unveils his plan to consolidate Marion County government
Mayor Greg Ballard kicked off a sweeping local government consolidation plan Tuesday that he and reform supporters touted as more efficient but others criticized as a power grab. The plan would eliminate township governments and give the mayor control of poor relief, tax collection and other county functions.   Ballard spoke about the broad overhaul, which he is calling UniGov 2.0, at the Rotary Club of Indianapolis. He proposed reducing the number of township and county elected officials, including the sheriff, by turning them into positions the mayor would appoint.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Lobbyist

Indiana News Update

Advocates fear cuts to home health care program
Advocates for Indiana’s seniors warned Monday that Gov. Mitch Daniels’ proposed spending cuts for a state program that provides in-home health care for the elderly and disabled would hurt people on the program’s long waiting list.  State officials contend that wouldn’t be the case if the General Assembly approves the cuts because a Medicaid waiver offers many of the same home health services as the state-funded CHOICE program.
 

Indiana working to reduce unemployment claims backlog

The state’s unemployment office is jammed with about 42,000 claims that won’t be paid to out-of-work Hoosiers until paperwork problems are resolved.  The Department of Workforce Development said Friday it will hire 100 new employees to help handle the red flags. But that’s little consolation to those who are out of jobs – and out of cash.  “A lot of creditors don’t really care if you’ve been laid off or not. They want their money,” said Fort Wayne resident Ron Miller, who applied for benefits after he and his wife both lost their jobs last year. Miller’s unemployment benefits came smoothly, but a snag with his wife’s unemployment claim meant the couple went weeks without her unemployment benefits.

Ban eyed on politics for public workers
The first of the Kernan-Shepard proposals to be heard by state lawmakers met with vocal resistance from public employee groups Monday, a hint of the opposition the rest of the government streamlining proposals potentially could generate.  At the Legislature, “Kernan-Shepard” is the shorthand term to describe a package of numerous bills that would restructure local governments at the municipal, county and township levels. The bills are based on ideas of the Kernan-Shepard Commission, a seven-member blue-ribbon panel that in 2007 proposed sweeping changes to Indiana’s local government system.  

Head files his first bill
State Sen. Randy Head, R-Logansport, was to file his first bill with the Indiana General Assembly today.  Its aim is closing a loophole that sometimes prevents county prosecutors from seeking a habitual offender charge, which results in a tougher sentence if a person is convicted.   Indiana’s Three Strikes Law allows judges to impose additional prison time once a person is convicted of three felonies.  Head’s piece of legislation, Senate Bill 276, passed out of committee last week. It would allow prosecutors to file the enhancement request any time before trial as long as the defense has time to investigate the charge.  Currently, that filing is required within 10 days after the court-set deadline for all paperwork pertaining to a criminal case to be completed and filed.  Head explained his legislation, and talked about other issues being considered by the Indiana General Assembly, at Saturday’s Rochester & Lake Manitou Chamber of Commerce legislative breakfast. It was the first of three. The remaining two are Feb. 28 and March 28, at 8 a.m. at Manitou Banquet Hall.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Lobbyist

Indiana News Update

Lawmakers renew effort against illegal immigrant workers
As unemployment in Indiana has climbed past 7 percent, state lawmakers have renewed last year’s failed efforts to crack down on businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants.  If a company is cited three times for employing illegal immigrants, it could lose its business license to operate in Indiana, under three similar bills introduced this year. Supporters of the legislation say those penalties would keep businesses from employing illegal immigrants at below-market wages, and would dry up opportunities for illegal immigrants.

House speaker cool to several hot issues
Most lawmakers say the biggest issue before the Indiana General Assembly this year is passing a balanced budget during tough economic times.  But there are a few hot topics that some legislators also want addressed this session. They include taking the next step toward amending caps on property tax bills into the state constitution, starting over on trying to put a ban on gay marriage in the constitution and cracking down on illegal immigration.

Feds to state: Not so fast
All those changes — and cuts — at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management have caught the attention of environmental activists — and others.  Mayors in several cities have complained to the legislature about the sweeping moves, which include suspending recycling and pollution prevention funding to localities, narrowing the definition of a violation, and closing IDEM’s Office of Enforcement as a separate entity.   Now the federal government has weighed in. A letter sent last week to IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly from Bharat Mathur, acting regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, says, in so many words: We’d better talk.

Bill would allocate money for road projects
State Rep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, reported this week that a bill he co-authored that would provide millions of dollars in immediate funding for state and local road projects cleared the House Roads and Transportation Committee and is on its way to the House Ways and Means Committee, which he chairs.  Pelath said the bill, House Bill 1656, would help put thousands of Hoosiers back to work. It would use undedicated Major Moves funds, state budget reserves and revenue generated by state fuel taxes to speed progress on large-scale road construction projects and give local units of government the ability to work on road and street repairs and renovations.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Lobbyist

Indiana News Update

Lincoln’s 200th birthday to be honored at statehouse
School children will join dignitaries at the Indiana Statehouse to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln on Feb. 12.  Gov. Mitch Daniels will present awards to 18 Indiana students who won contests by writing essays, developing PowerPoint presentations or designing stamps honoring Lincoln.

Ayes for pies: Senate votes for sugar cream
Lawmakers got a taste of Hoosier history Thursday when the Indiana Senate approved a non-binding resolution urging the adoption of sugar cream pie as the state’s official pie.  The resolution also honored Wick’s Pies in Winchester, a family-owned business that started 60 years ago and has grown to 75 employees.  Sen. Allen Paul, R-Richmond, told his colleagues that sugar cream pie – similar to a creamy custard pie but without the eggs – was invented in Indiana and Wick’s is the largest producer of sugar cream pies in the nation.

Everson to head state Department of Administration
Gov. Mitch Daniels on Thursday hired another new state agency head: Mark W. Everson, a former IRS commissioner who also briefly ran the American Red Cross before he was forced to resign after having an extramarital affair with an employee.  Everson, 54, will run the Department of Administration, which manages the state’s vehicle fleet, real estate purchases and state government center while providing support services to other agencies.  Everson has worked for the governor before, as deputy director in the Office of Management and Budget under President George W. Bush when Daniels served as OMB director. Everson said Thursday his past work with Daniels was a key factor in taking the administration department job.

Transparency bills get no respect
It’s still early in the session, but several bills that would tighten Indiana’s extraordinarily loose oversight of state legislators’ interactions with lobbyists already appear to be in jeopardy.  State Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, said this week in a meeting with The Star’s Editorial Board that he’s pessimistic that three bills he authored on lobbying reform will make it out of committee.  As it stands, legislators aren’t required to report lobbyists’ gifts valued at less than $100. That means a lawmaker who accepts a lobbyist’s offer of a $90 meal at one of Downtown’s better restaurants doesn’t have to report it — even if the lobbyist picks up the tab night after night.

Governor Appoints Conexus CEO to Higher Ed Commission
The president and chief executive officer of Conexus Indiana has been named to the state Commission for Higher Education. The appointment of Carol D’Amico is one of a handful announced Wednesday by Governor Mitch Daniels. They also include the appointment of President and Chief Executive Officer of information technology consultant firm Bucher & Christian, Justin Christian to the state Gaming Commission.

Rep. Moseley still on mend
This isn’t how Chuck Moseley imagined he would start his first term representing Indiana’s 10th District in the state House of Representatives.  The Portage resident has been able to attend the first three weeks of the legislative session only sporadically because he’s still recovering from November heart valve replacement surgery.  But Moseley, who beat incumbent Greg Simms in the May 2008 Democratic primary, and then bested Republican Kenneth Kaminski in the general election, insisted he’s now ready to resume full-time duties.

IDEM comes under attack
City officials in Evansville share outrage from Hammond and Gary over changes in enforcement at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.  They call the changes “absurd” and criticize IDEM’s management for “emasculating” the agency. City officials are now taking their frustration to the Indiana General Assembly, where Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. has been asked to testify to a state House committee. Several bills also are in the works and the EPA has sent a letter with concerns to IDEM.  “We had very little expectation anything we said or did to communicate with (IDEM?Commissioner Thomas) Easterly or Gov. (Mitch) Daniels would matter,” said Dona Bergman, director of Evansville’s Environmental Protection Agency.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Lobbyist

Indiana News Update

 

Legislator pushes for job creation
State Rep. Dave Cheatham (D-North Vernon) criticized Gov. Mitch Daniels on several issues during the Jennings County Chamber of Commerce’s Third House public forum Friday.  Cheatham spoke and answered questions before those gathered at FPBH in North Vernon for the first of his semi-monthly town meeting-style sessions this year. He leveled his sharpest barb at the governor, a Republican, for not including a job creation program in the state budget Daniels has proposed. 

Hoosiers Revel At Inaugural Ball
It has been more than four decades since Indiana Democrats had a reason to party in Washington, D.C., like they did Monday night.  Spirits were high at the Indiana Inaugural Ball as the state’s Democrats reveled in victory and prepared for Tuesday’s inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, 6News’ Todd Wallace reported.

Earlham takes crossing concern to Legislature
For years, Earlham College officials have asked the state to install a stoplight on U.S. 40 at the college’s main entrance so students can safely cross the four-lane highway.  The Indiana Department of Transportation has refused the request, saying the area doesn’t meet criteria required for a signal.  This week the private college is taking its case directly to the Indiana General Assembly. A bill on Earlham’s traffic light submitted by State Sen. Allen Paul, R-Richmond, will get a hearing at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday before the Senate’s Commerce, Public Policy and Interstate Cooperation Committee.

Fight goes on against racism in community
The day before Barack Obama’s inauguration, programs at Goshen College celebrated the impact of Martin Luther King Jr. and the continuation of his work on the national and local levels.  This year’s activities emphasized the history and present-day issues of civil rights and racism in Elkhart County. Monica Tetzlaff of the Indiana University-South Bend Civil Rights Heritage Center offered historical background, while local families, including Adam and Maggie Williams’ family, shared stories of racism in Elkhart County.  Adam Williams grew up in Alabama, but “never experienced outrageous racism” until he moved to Elkhart, including a cross-burning in the family’s front yard.
Sam Turpin – Indiana Lobbyist

Indiana News Update

Daniels goes barefoot to spur shoe donations
Gov. Mitch Daniels worked barefoot Friday morning to raise awareness of a nonprofit group that collects and donates new shoes to needy people around the world.  Daniels held a press conference in his Statehouse office, answering questions about the state budget and other important issues while standing barefoot in front of a pile of shoes donated to Samaritan’s Feet.

Welfare bill filed in House
Although the governor of her own party did not want her to, state Rep. Suzanne Crouch has gone ahead with her plan to introduce a bill to halt temporarily the expansion of Indiana’s new welfare eligibility program.   Crouch, a Republican from Evansville, last week filed House Bill 1691 to pause the administration’s welfare modernization process from expanding to the 33 remaining counties it has not yet reached.

Lugar: Difficult Times Intensify Vulnerability of Children
Global Action for Children Friday presented U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar with its 2009 Children’s Champion Award “for outstanding leadership in the United States Senate to improve the lives of the world’s orphaned and most vulnerable children.”  Lugar made the following remarks in accepting the award: “It is a pleasure to be here with all of you today in this beautiful room in the Newseum overlooking the Capitol. I thank James Haven for his generous introduction. I am grateful to be recognized by the Global Action for Children as a Children’s Champion.

Indiana’s share of stimulus could be $3 billion
Indiana stands to receive as much as $3 billion if an economic stimulus package backed by Democrats in the U.S. House becomes law, and Gov. Mitch Daniels said it should be spent on Medicaid, education and highway projects.  Daniels said at least $1.5 billion, or about half of Indiana’s share of the proposed $825 billion rescue backed by President-Elect Barack Obama, should go to the state’s Medicaid program, which provides health care for disabled, needy, elderly and young Hoosiers.

Smart green policy for economic recovery
Just as you think Indiana is on the cusp of “going green,” reality hits: Steep cuts in state funding have been proposed for forests, recycling, pollution prevention and air quality protection. Some Hoosiers may be persuaded to believe that cutting back on our efforts to green the Hoosier economy is sound in the face of our severe economic storm. However, in this moment of crisis for our state’s economy, the Hoosier Environmental Council encourages all Hoosiers to advocate for smart environmental policies as part of a comprehensive economic recovery strategy.  Let’s pass a Green Jobs Bill in Indiana this year.

Ind. legislative session off to a partisan start
Partisan tensions are part of every legislative session in Indiana, but it usually takes a few weeks for them to flare up.  From day one this session, Gov. Mitch Daniels and his Republican colleagues in the General Assembly have been at odds with Democrats on what a new, two-year budget should entail, job creation efforts and whether the next step should be taken now toward amending caps on property tax bills into the state constitution.  But political rancor has already intensified, which could complicate negotiations on big issues early and make a long session seem even longer. At a time when lawmakers say the public expects them to put partisan wrangling aside, especially given the sagging economy, there are signs the parties are digging in for trench warfare.

Brown’s smoking bill facing difficult road
A Purdue University study on the air quality at Indiana’s 11 casinos painted a nasty picture about the impact of smoking.  The study, which was released by the Indiana Campaign for Smokefree Air, indicated the average level of indoor air pollution at the 11 casinos is five times higher than the limit considered healthy by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The air on average was dirtier than EPA limits even in the nonsmoking areas within casinos  The casinos and other facets of the state’s hospitality industry are fighting state Rep. Charlie Brown’s, D-Gary, legislation to ban smoking in all public places across the state.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Lobbyist

Indiana News Update

Daniels pushing for more dollars to classrooms
In some tiny school districts, Spanish is the only foreign language students can take. Other small districts offer no physics or advanced placement science classes. And districts across Indiana spend more than half of their state money on non-instructional expenses such as school construction and legal services.  Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels wants small school districts to consolidate operations to give students more learning opportunities. He says districts need to direct more cash to classroom expenses — especially since his lean budget proposal doesn’t include spending increases for K-12 education.

Courts step up efficiency
Indiana Chief Justice Randall Shepard said the fallout of the economic downturn shows in the state’s courts, and he described steps the state’s judicial branch is taking to do more with less. During his annual State of the Judiciary speech Wednesday, Shepard, who has been chief justice for 22 years, said the judiciary has approached the recession as an opportunity to streamline and cut costs while providing more efficient services. Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.  ”The courtroom was thought of as a place of relative detachment from the hubbub in the rest of life,” Shepard told a joint session of the Legislature. “In fact, the work courts do is intimately connected to all of society.”

Indiana higher education chief will resign
Indiana Higher Education Commissioner Stan Jones, a top architect of initiatives including a community college system and an advisory group that developed higher academic standards for public schools, is resigning in April.  Jones’ resignation, announced Thursday, will end more than three decades in state government positions. Jones was a state representative from West Lafayette from 1974 to 1990, a top aide to then-Gov. Evan Bayh from 1990 to 1995, and higher education commissioner since then.

Eliminating commissioners
Despite support from a powerful governor and a heavyweight, bipartisan commission, efforts to dramatically change county government for the better appear inevitably headed for a significant detour in the General Assembly.  That detour may be the most politically realistic alternative and would be a step in the right direction. But it would also create a patchwork of significantly different government structures and reflects an apparent lack of courage by the legislature to make necessary change.

Bill would have Indiana legislators control any stimulus funds
The state legislature — not Gov. Mitch Daniels — would have the authority to distribute federal stimulus dollars for road projects under legislation a House transportation panel is expected to discuss today. A leading Republican in the legislature said the governor should be included in such decisions.  House Bill 1656 would require the Indiana General Assembly to approve any infrastructure spending tied to the $850 billion stimulus package President-elect Barack Obama is developing.

Open government
Indiana state Sen. Beverly Gard, a Republican from Greenfield who has long championed the cause of open government, will try again this year to put teeth in the state’s public access law.  If every Indiana lawmaker felt as Gard does about the importance of making government records easily available to all citizens of the state, we would have far fewer government doors shut in the faces of Hoosiers.  It was Gard and, from this area, Rep. Russ Stilwell, D-Boonville, who led a successful campaign in 2007 to limit the ability of public officials to hold “serial meetings.” That was a shameful tactic used by some officials to legally prevent Indiana residents from attending some meetings of their government boards.

He’s out to make the case for lawyers
Indiana’s new attorney general, Greg Zoeller, is hoping for a miracle in 2009.  He wants to boost the reputation of lawyers.   Zoeller didn’t make it a campaign promise, but he’d like to revive the tradition of lawyers as true family counselors and trusted advisers. They once provided guidance not just on legal matters but on life’s challenges, such as teenagers or alcohol abuse.  Some lawyers still pursue that ideal, but the popular image has more to do with expensive hourly rates. “That giving back to the community raised the level of the position of a lawyer,” Zoeller noted of the pro bono tradition of attorneys serving those in need.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Lobbyist

Indiana News Update

Daniels calls for belt-tightening
With Indiana being pounded by a painful recession, Gov. Mitch Daniels told lawmakers Tuesday night that now is not the time to raise taxes or dip into reserve funds. In his fifth annual State of the State address, Daniels instead urged them to pass local government reform and reduce school overhead costs, even as they wrestle with painful cuts in the state budget.

Budget blueprint draws fireworks
The Democratic-controlled House Ways and Means Committee got its first look Tuesday at Gov. Mitch Daniels’ proposed two-year budget, and the verbal sparring wasn’t far behind.  State Budget Director Chris Ruhl and Ryan Kitchell, head of the Office of Management and Budget, presented the budget outline to the members.

Arnold lauded for support of gaming
State Sen. Jim Arnold (D-La Porte) has been named legislator of the year by the Indiana Licensed Beverage Association.  Arnold was commended for supporting legislation allowing bars and taverns to offer small-stakes gaming.   ”I feel very gratified that these small business operators recognized me and felt what I did merits such an honor,” he said. Brad Klopfenstein, executive director of the association, said Arnold understands the importance of Indiana small businesses in the industry and works to implement that into the legislature.  “Sen. Arnold was the strongest and most outspoken senator when it came to addressing issues related to the Indiana Licensed Beverage Association,” Klopfenstein said.

Homelessness Up in KY, Down in IN
It’s a tale of two states headed in opposite directions. A report released today says on the north side of the Ohio homelessness is down significantly in Indiana – but, south of the river, Kentucky has seen the biggest jump in America.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Lobbyist

Indiana News Update

Senate leaders oppose local government reform mandates
State Senate leaders say Gov. Mitch Daniels’ proposals on streamlining local government might have to be voluntary options for counties – not mandates – to clear Statehouse hurdles.  “It’s a realistic approach to getting things passed,” said Senate President Pro Tem David Long, R-Fort Wayne. “It’s better for people to decide for themselves how they want to the structure of their government to look.”  Senate Minority Leader Vi Simpson, D-Bloomington, predicted the measures proposed by Daniels would not pass unless they were voluntary.

Property tax caps
The property tax relief bill passed in 2008 by the Indiana Legislature included a provision that caps be placed on property taxes.  Starting this year, the law will limit property taxes to no more than 1.5 percent of the assessed value of residential property, to no more than 2.5 percent of assessed value for rental property and farmland, and to no more than 3 percent for businesses. The big issue in the 2009 legislative session is whether to put the 1 percent, 2 percent and 3 percent caps into the state constitution. It would require adoption by the Legislature this year or next, and then approval by a statewide referendum.

Lawmakers renew push to amend constitution

Several Indiana lawmakers once again will push to amend Indiana’s constitution to ban gay marriage, although their effort likely will fail in the House.  Reps. Eric Turner, R-Marion, and Dave Cheatham, D-North Vernon, announced Monday they are co-sponsoring a constitutional amendment defining marriage as being between a man and a woman. They face a major roadblock in the Democratic-controlled House, where Speaker Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, has not allowed a floor vote on similar bills in previous years. His spokesman, John Schorg, said Monday that Bauer’s position hasn’t changed.  Indiana law already prohibits same-sex marriage, so Bauer has said he considers a constitutional amendment unnecessary.

Recession ‘a brief chill’
Gov. Mitch Daniels delivered a short but flowery inauguration speech Monday, likening the economic recession to a harsh winter and encouraging Hoosiers to move forward into spring. “We must believe, and resolve to see, that these present troubles are but a frost in April, a brief chill before the full flowering of the greener Indiana to come,” he said.
  

Schools Prepare for New State Administration
Clinton Central Schools Superintendent Philip Boley says he’s eager to work with Indiana’s new head of schools, but that doesn’t mean he fully agrees with the leader’s plans.  Dr. Tony Bennett was inaugurated as Indiana’s Superintendent of Public Instruction at the Indiana Statehouse Monday. There, he also outlined his goals for the state’s Department of Education.  “Never in the history of our state have the stakes been higher for Indiana’s educational system. We must develop and execute a plan that puts our state in its rightful place at the top of the nation and on par with the rest of the world,” Bennett said in his inauguration address.

Commerce chief aims to ‘hit on all cylinders’
Gov. Mitch Daniels last month named Mitch Roob, formerly secretary of Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration, as his new secretary of commerce.  As the successor to Nathan Feltman, now an attorney at Baker and Daniels-Roob will oversee the Indiana Economic Development Corp., which attempts to attract company headquarters and spur business growth with the help of economic incentives.   Roob recently sat down with IBJ to discuss his goals. The following is an edited transcript of his remarks.

Labor panel leaders play nice

Two thorny issues face the leaders of the Indiana House and Senate labor committees — making the unemployment insurance compensation fund solvent again and figuring out the right classifications for independent contractors. In years past, this would be a showdown just beneath the budget in terms of contentiousness. That was when steel baron Sen. Joe Harrison, R-Attica, lorded over the Senate Pensions and Labor Committee and autoworker Rolland Webber, D-Anderson, was chief of the House Labor and Employment Committee.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Lobbyist