Indiana News Update

Middlebury school officials join lawsuit against state
Middlebury school officials are not happy with state government. Now lawyers are involved. At its Tuesday meeting, the Middlebury school board voted 5-0 to join Hamilton Southeastern School Corp. in a lawsuit to challenge the state formula for funding school corporations.  “We have talked this problem to death with no positive results,” school Superintendent Jim Conner said, later adding that it doesn’t appear the problem will be solved by the Legislature.   “So our only recourse available is to start cutting staff and activities or be aggressive and become involved in this lawsuit,” he told the school board.

Coalition wants to restore personal touch to welfare
With a state decision expected this week on whether to continue a $1.34 billion contract to modernize welfare, a coalition of advocates for people who use those services say it’s a costly failure that needs to be scrapped.  The Indiana Home Care Task Force said Tuesday it will seek legislation in the 2010 General Assembly to keep modern technology but restore the personal touch with a statewide network of caseworkers who meet with clients.

Governor Daniels appoints chairman of Indiana State Fair Commission
Governor Mitch Daniels announced his appointment of Andre Lacy as chairman of the Indiana State Fair Commission today.  Lacy’s term is effective immediately and the term expires Sept. 30, 2010, according to a press release.  He has previously served as chairman of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Indianapolis 500 Festival Association, according to the release. He is also a former president of the Indianapolis Public Schools.

Treasured bits of Indiana history at mercy of roof leak
Rainy days aren’t good news at the Indiana state archives.  The repository for some of the state’s most treasured documents is plagued by a leaky roof that has resulted in parts of the collection getting wet at least three times this year.  Officials say they’re worried about protecting the archives, which include the state constitution, John Dillinger’s prison records and the 1964 contract between the Indiana State Fair Board and the Beatles. But the state budget approved by lawmakers in an overtime session this year did not include money for repairs to the building.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Governmental Affairs

Indiana News Update

Statewide food drive collects 138 tons
Sen. Dick Lugar says a statewide food drive has collected nearly 138 tons of food for Indiana food banks.  Lugar said Monday that the food drive began after food banks across the state reported that the demand for food had increased more than 30 percent over last year.  The Indiana Republican contacted grocery retailers Marsh, Kroger and Wal-Mart and asked them to work together on a statewide food drive. Their stores set up Hoosiers Fighting Hunger displays with pre-bagged food items for purchase at $3, $5 and $10 levels.

FBI ID kits being sent to 162,000 Indiana children
Indiana officials are distributing more than 162,000 child identification kits to kindergartners and first graders across the state to help authorities locate the youngsters if they go missing.  Gov. Mitch Daniels and others announced Tuesday that the state is joining the National FBI Child ID program.  The ID kits have parents record the physical characteristics and fingerprints of their children on cards that are then kept at home. If ever needed, the kit will help investigators in their search.

Committee looks at summer timing, end for schools
Most people probably aren’t thinking about summer now that the cloudy, rainy days of free-falling leaves are upon Indiana.  But at least one group is taking a break from autumn to consider summer vacations: the state legislature.  The Interim Study Committee on Education has been soliciting input and ideas on school summer breaks. The committee, which met last week and meets once more at the end of October, is looking at the length of the school year, when summer break should end and who should set the dates — the state or the local district.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Governmental Affairs

Indiana News Update

Tougher smoking ban to be enforced at Indiana Statehouse
Put those cigarettes out or move on. That’s the message state officials are sending by stepping up enforcement of a smoking ban on the grounds of the Statehouse and Government Center complex in Indianapolis.  A memo sent to all agency heads and state employees says the smoking ban put in place by Gov. Mitch Daniels in 2006 has been violated continually. Many people have been smoked just outside the Statehouse and Government Center buildings since the ban took effect. The memo says that from now on, State Police who see people smoking on the grounds will ask them to extinguish their cigarettes or get off the campus property.

Indiana’s lottery profits drop 17.5 percent
Indiana’s lottery proceeds dropped by more than 17 percent in the past fiscal year, marking one of the sharpest decline in profits nationwide.  The state’s proceeds from the Hoosier Lottery fell by nearly $40 million, as profits dropped from $217 million in the 2008 fiscal year to $178 million in fiscal year that ended June 30.  It’s unclear whether new slot machines at the state’s two horse racing tracks have cut into lottery sales. Lottery officials told The Indianapolis Star that the decline is caused in part by the recession and a lack of big jackpots.  Frequent wins may be good for players, but they prevent huge jackpots that draw more ticket sales. The lack of big jackpots is why Rob Vondersaar, 53, bought cigarettes but no lottery tickets when he stopped at a downtown Indianapolis gas station.

Report: Tax savings to rise in 2010-11
Property owners in Indiana are expected to save more than $70 million more on their tax bills in the next two years than originally predicted because of caps on property taxes, according to a new analysis released Monday.  The Legislative Services Agency said estimates based on new data show the caps will save property owners $441 million next year, an increase from the $392 million, or 12.5 percent, predicted in March. The caps in 2011 are expected to cut bills by $470 million, up from the $443 million, or 6.1 percent, predicted earlier.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Governmental Affairs

Indiana News Update

Parents urge pushing back start date for school year
Beth Wyrick, one of several parents who urged lawmakers Wednesday to push back the beginning of the school year, said she’s never met a parent or child who likes school beginning in August.  But that same consensus might be lacking among lawmakers.  Sen. Dennis Kruse, the Auburn Republican who is chairman of the legislative Interim Study Committee on Education, said he doubts legislators will agree on recommending changes to the school calendar when they meet again Oct. 26.

Lawmaker Pushes For More Cell Phone Driving Rules
Amid a national push to curb distracted driving, an Indiana lawmaker is proposing stricter restrictions for Hoosiers using cell phones behind the wheel.  U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood hosted a summit Wednesday on dangerous driving practices, and said he would issue recommendations that could lead to restrictions on the use of some devices while driving.  State Rep. Vanessa Summers, D-Indianapolis, has tried to get legislation passed restricting the use of cell phones for the past eight years.

ISU official: IDOC ‘playing games’ on inmate education
Indiana State University on Wednesday made its pitch to continue providing post-secondary education — including associate degrees — to Indiana’s state prison inmates.  “I don’t feel very good about it,” ISU Provost Jack Maynard said after the 10-minute presentation before the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana (SSACI). “It seems to me the IDOC (Indiana Department of Corrections) has made its decision and we’re playing games here today.”  SSACI wants to reduce the amount it spends on post-secondary education of prison inmates — and Ivy Tech Community College has indicated it can get the job done less expensively.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Governmental Affairs

Indiana News Update

State casino taxes highest in Midwest
Indiana casinos on average pay the highest effective tax rate in the Midwest, according to a newspaper report.  The Times of Munster reported Sunday that a state study found Indiana casinos pay taxes averaging 38 percent of revenue. Casinos pay wagering taxes of between 15 and 40 percent on money bet on the floor and pay $3 to $4 per person in admissions taxes.

Bacon eyes statehouse seat
Ron Bacon, the Republican Warrick County coroner and former Warrick County councilman, will challenge 18-term State Rep. Dennis Avery when his District 75 seat in the Indiana House comes up for election in 2010. A formal announcement is planned for noon Wednesday at the Freedom Medical store in Evansville’s Washington Square Mall, and Bacon is waiting to name his priorities and reasons for running until then.  But he said Monday he’s focused on leaving the economy in better shape for family members who will inherit Freedom Medical, which he founded in 1977 and says is now the only independent durable medical equipment store remaining in Southwestern Indiana.

Drawing of districts to be topic of hearing
Lawmakers will hold a hearing today on whether Indiana should revamp the way it draws state legislative and congressional districts. Among those testifying before the Census Data Advisory Committee will be Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, who wants Indiana to switch to an independent commission to draw the maps.  Julia Vaughn, policy director for Common Cause/Indiana, which has long backed an independent commission to draw legislative maps, said she hopes the legislative committee hearings — which will be webcast at mediaserver.ihets.org/senate233 — will ignite a public debate on redistricting that will encourage the legislature to adopt changes when it goes into session in January.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Governmental Affairs

Indiana News Update

Where will 750 jobs from Republic Airways land?
Indianapolis could have built-in advantages in a high-stakes game to lure hundreds of airline-related jobs.  At stake are 750 jobs resulting from Indianapolis-based Republic Airways Holdings’ July acquisition of Milwaukee-based Midwest Airlines and the all-but-locked-up bid for Frontier Airlines out of Denver.  Whether Republic chooses to consolidate its operations in one location — meaning a boost in tax revenue and well-paying jobs for the winning city — or keep its interests separate is the million-dollar question leaving officials scrambling to put together incentive packages.

Access counselor’s job is all about openness
 To Andrew J. Kossack, the mission of the Office of the Indiana Public Access Counselor is clear because it’s right there within the name.  “It’s public access; it’s not government restriction counselor,” he says.  That’s how Kossack plans to approach his new job as the state’s access counselor.  That doesn’t mean he necessarily will side with the citizen who files a complaint after being denied a public record or being turned away from a public meeting.

After ruling, make voter ID law better
If the Indiana Supreme Court acts quickly, as the state requests, to reverse a ruling last week by a three-judge appellate court striking down the state’s tough voter identification law, it could deny Hoosiers a needed opportunity to improve its law.  The Indiana Court of Appeals’ ruling was blasted by an angry Gov. Mitch Daniels, who called it “preposterous.”  But, was it? What the justices of the appellate court said was that to impose a mandatory photo identification requirement at the ballot box but not have that same stringent requirement at nursing homes or for absentee ballots establishes a dual standard on Indiana voters that the court held is not “uniform and impartial” as required by Indiana’s Constitution.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Governmental Affairs

Indiana News Update

Indiana to get $11 million for conservation projects
Indiana is getting more than $11 million to support energy efficiency and conservation projects in Bloomington, Fort Wayne and Indianapolis.  The Department of Energy grants will help communities create green jobs, become more energy efficient and reduce local pollution.  The grants will be used for a variety of projects in the three cities that Sen. Evan Bayh says will produce long-term benefits. The money comes from the federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program.

Bank on Evansville model going statewide
Bank on Evansville, a public-private partnership created to develop affordable and accessible banking solutions and financial education for low-to-moderate income residents, is going statewide.  The Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority Board has approved funding for Bank on Indiana, which will begin in October. The state estimates about 217,000 Indiana residents could benefit from the initiative. A news release from Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel’s office says Evansville is the only city in the state to implement the “Bank on Cities” model. It says the city was asked to provide assistance with the creation of “Bank on Indianapolis” and the launch of “Bank on Indiana.”

Casinos put cards on table
A plea for land-based gambling in Gary could also lead to a casino in northeast Indiana and more tax revenue for the state, a panel of legislators examining gaming issues heard Monday.  Don Barden, owner of the two Majestic Star casinos in Gary, said allowing him to build a land-based casino closer to existing highways in Gary and relocate his second license to northeast Indiana could mean $50 million in new tax revenue for the state.

Redistricting prompts rare GOP divide
Two of the state’s top Republicans found themselves in a rare position last week. They disagreed with one another.  Republican Senate President Pro Tem David Long criticized Secretary of State Todd Rokita for recommending changes in the way the maps designating the districts for state legislators and U.S. House members are drawn. Drawing the maps is the legislature’s job, Long said, and Rokita has no business developing his own proposed maps.  There was no similar criticism when Rokita pushed hard for a law requiring voters to produce IDs at the polls – also a decision only the legislature could make. The voter ID law hurts Democratic turnout. Rokita’s proposal to take politics out of the redistricting decisions could hurt Republicans as well as Democrats.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Governmental Affairs

Indiana News Update

Gov. Daniels chosen for Fatherhood Hall of Fame
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels is headed to the Fatherhood Hall of Fame.  Daniels will be inducted into the hall Tuesday during a banquet in Indianapolis. He’ll be introduced by two of his four daughters.  The Fatherhood Hall of Fame was created by Dads Inc. in 2007 to raise awareness about the importance of active and involved fathering.  Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Eugene White also will be inducted Tuesday into the hall, whose past inductees include former Indianapolis Colts Coach Tony Dungy and U.S. Senator Evan Bayh.

State to centralize accounting
State officials will go live with a new centralized accounting system Sept. 16 – 11 years after the project began.  The total cost for the system and training is $140 million.  Until now, state agencies have operated on several systems. Ryan Kitchell, head of the Indiana Office of Management and Budget, said the new system will allow him to balance the state’s checkbook every month instead of every year. And the system has built-in fraud and abuse protections.

Sunday sales

Most Hoosiers are evenly divided on the question of whether or not Indiana should allow Sunday sales of alcoholic beverages from retail outlets. That’s our view as well; we can take it or leave it.  But legislators, lobbyists and businesses keep talking about it, and now Indiana lawmakers plan to commence a legislative study of the issue.   The sore spot that is likely to keep this issue brewing from year to year is an inconsistency in current state law.  Now in Indiana, no retail sales of alcoholic beverages are permitted on Sundays at grocery stores, drug stores and liquor stores. Six days a week, you can buy beer, liquor, or wine at these retail outlets. But you can’t buy it on Sunday. Yet if the intent of that law is to discourage drinking on Sundays, it doesn’t work. That’s because you can buy it by the drink in restaurants and taverns on Sundays.

Hoosier welfare winners and losers
When the State Budget Committee meets this month to review performance of the $1.34 billion welfare privatization contract, it will look mostly at numbers – how quickly food stamp and Medicaid applications are processed and error rates. By necessity, the contract review must be driven by numbers, but the urgency for addressing the problem-plagued deal comes from the Hoosiers suffering under its terms.  State Rep. Gail Riecken, D-Evansville, cites as an example a father battling early-stage Alzheimer’s disease who forgot to send in required paperwork for his son, who has Down syndrome. The younger man’s benefits were cut, leaving the family struggling to have them reinstated.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Governmental Affairs

Indiana News Update

Hershman chairs commission on state tax & financing policy
Indiana Senate President Pro-Tem David Long recently appointed Sen. Brandt Hershman to serve on six key interim study committees and commissions.  Long tapped Hershman to chair the Commission on State Tax and Financing Policy and to serve as a member on the Budget Committee, Illiana Expressway Proposal Review Committee, Rail Corridor Safety Committee, School Property Tax Control Board and Unemployment Insurance Oversight Committee.   During summer and fall months when the legislature is not in session fulltime, lawmakers utilize bipartisan interim study committees and commissions to conduct in-depth research into complicated, complex issues facing Hoosiers. Often their work results in solutions and legislation that might otherwise go unaccomplished during the fast pace of the winter and springtime legislative session.

Lawson to chair two commissions
Indiana Senate President Pro Tem David Long (R-Fort Wayne) Monday appointed State Sen. Connie Lawson (R-Danville) as chair of both the Commission on Developmental Disabilities and the Commission on Mental Health.  Long also tapped Lawson to serve as a member of the Census Data Advisory Committee, Committee on Child Care, the Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities Interagency Coordinating Council and the Medicaid Work Incentives Council. During summer and fall months when the legislature is not in session full-time, lawmakers utilize bipartisan interim study committees and commissions to conduct in-depth research into complicated, complex issues facing Hoosiers. Often their work results in solutions and legislation that might otherwise go unaccomplished during the fast pace of the winter- and springtime legislative session, Long said.

Fort Wayne mayor still seeking casino referendum
Fort Wayne’s mayor said he still thinks residents should be able to vote on whether they want the city to have a casino despite the opposition of other local leaders.  Mayor Tom Henry said the public should be allowed to speak on the issue. He plans to appear before a state legislative panel studying gambling issues in September or October.  Opponents of a Fort Wayne casino on Monday gave that committee a letter against the proposal that was signed by all three Allen County commissioners and several business leaders.  The state Legislature would need to approve holding a casino referendum.  Henry has proposed only a Fort Wayne referendum, which would leave out as many as 100,000 Allen County residents. An aide says the county commissioners could seek a countywide referendum.

Seized fighting dogs face hard rehabilitation
More than 100 dogs that Indiana officials seized after they were allegedly bred for fighting face an uphill road to rehabilitation before any can be released to new owners.  The 109 dogs, mostly pit bulls, have been taken to kennels and foster homes since they were seized in Orange County Aug. 11 during raids by the Indiana Gaming Commission and other agencies.  Chris Schindler, manager of animal fighting law enforcement for the Humane Society of the United States, said the animals are now being evaluated to determine if any can be placed in new homes after their owners didn’t post bond money for their care. The Humane Society is helping state officials pay for the dogs’ care and rehabilitation.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Governmental Affairs

Indiana News Update

Despite financial constraints, students are flocking to schools in Indiana
Despite tuition increases and a tighter cap on state-sponsored financial aid, Indiana college students are arriving on campus in droves, possibly even in record numbers.  In Indianapolis over the weekend, they lugged their books and laptops, PlayStations and tiny refrigerators into dorm rooms on the campuses of IUPUI and Butler University, where classes start Wednesday. Similar moves took place in West Lafayette, where Purdue University students start classes today. Indiana University’s 7,000 freshmen will get their first taste of dorm life in Bloomington on Wednesday, with classes starting Aug. 31.

Some Indiana school districts cut back on buses
Parents in some Indiana school districts say they are frustrated with changes in school bus routes that districts say are designed to save money.  School officials say the changes, which include fewer bus routes and require more children to walk to school, are needed because many districts are facing steep budget cuts as a result of changes in the state’s property tax system.  “It’s an awful thing to do, and the only reason we’re doing it is the state has taken action to reduce our revenue to support our programming,” said Doug Hasler, director of support services for Elkhart Community Schools. “We really have no other choice.” Elementary students in Elkhart who live within a mile of their school have to walk or be dropped off under the new policy. Intermediate and high school students within two miles of school can no longer ride the bus.

IN Senate gaming committee to meet Mon
Changes at Indiana horse tracks with casinos will be among the topics discussed by the state Senate Committee on Gaming when it meets Monday at the Statehouse. Republican Sen. Luke Kenley of Noblesville says the group will discuss horse-racing issues in the morning and tend to more general gaming topics in the afternoon. Kenley is co-chairman of the panel.

Sam Turpin – Indiana Governmental Affairs