NEW VIDEO: For Indiana, Change is Still Working

The 2011 legislative session will have an incredible long-term impact on Hoosiers.  Here is a quick video recap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1IEhGUrkuQ

Despite a five week Democrat walkout, Governor Daniels was still able to pass a vast legislative agenda.  Consider just the following:

  • The education package alone was a historic achievement.  Full funding for kindergarten, the nation’s most expansive voucher program, more charter schools, and rewarding and protecting our teachers based on effectiveness; these programs will have a dramatic and positive impact of generations of Hoosier children.
  • Add to that yet another gimmick free balanced budget without tax increases (and with reserves built back up), and Indiana remains a national leader in how to manage a budget during tough times.
  • Governor Daniels proposed and delivered an Automatic Taxpayer Refund once reserves get past 10%.  As the economy continues to improve, this will let taxpayers keep more of their hard-earned money, as well as, acting as a brake on the growth of government.
  • Even though Indiana continues to be ranked as a “Top State to do Business” and had another record breaking year in job announcements, the legislature was able to enact a job creating lowering of the corporate tax rate, which will make the state even more attractive to job creating companies in the private sector.

During the elections of 2010 and now the legislative session of 2011, Governor Daniels proved once again that showing courage and vision leads to results.

Posted in Automatic Taxpayer Refund, Education Agenda, Government Efficiency and Transparency, Government spending, Job Creation, Keeping Indiana Moving Forward, Uncategorized No Comments »
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Leadership Matters in Setting and Moving an Agenda

Governor Mitch Daniels’ education agenda has received the most attention during the 2011 Indiana General Assembly, but there are other issues critical to the future prosperity of the state of Indiana that are being debated as well. A small sampling:

– A balanced budget. It is fully anticipated that legislators will vote to ensure that Indiana maintains a solid economic standing by passing a balanced budget. House Bill 1001 is currently in the Senate Committee on Appropriations after passing the House. Included in the budget is the Automatic Taxpayer Refund (ATR), which will return to Hoosiers some of their hard-earned tax dollars through a refundable adjusted gross income tax credit when the state runs a surplus of a certain amount. This means that the state will collect only what it needs plus a set amount of reserves, forcing it to live within its means. Passing this balanced budget will ensure that Indiana remains one of the most fiscally sound states in the country.

– Township and local government reform. In an effort to modernize local government, legislators have sought to address issues like nepotism and conflict of interest that exist at this local level of governance. After the House passed a conflict of interest bill (House Bill 1022), it passed the Senate by a vote of 34-16 earlier this week. The bill now heads back to the House. This bill would prohibit an employee of a county, city, town, or township from assuming elected executive office in that same unit or becoming an elected member of the unit’s legislative or fiscal body. Senate Bill 0302 would address the issue of nepotism by prohibiting a relative of certain officials from being employed by the relevant local unit. After passing the Senate, this bill is in the House Committee on Government and Regulatory Reform. This bill would, among other things, address the fact that a report by the Indianapolis Star found that in a sample of 617 townships, two-thirds of trustees employed a relative.

– Creating a climate for job growth. At a time when creating jobs is of the utmost importance to Hoosiers, legislators are continuing to create an economic climate in Indiana that is second to none. Cutting the corporate income tax will mean that Indiana is more competitive than it already is, which will attract businesses to the state and create more jobs for Hoosiers. Senate Bill 0589, which would decrease the corporate income tax rate from 8.5% to 6.5% over four years, has passed the Senate and the House Ways and Means Committee and awaits a vote from the full House.

These items and more, coupled with the transformation of K-12 education, will make this one of if not the most productive and impactful legislative sessions in Indiana history. 

It proves that leadership really does matter.

Posted in Government Efficiency and Transparency, Government spending, Job Creation, Keeping Indiana Moving Forward, Uncategorized No Comments »
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Aiming Higher Welcomes House Dems Home; Insist That They Stay!

House Democrats ended their walkout and have returned to the jobs they were elected to do.  Taxpayers should be happy about that as they can now stop paying people for jobs they were not doing.

In honor of the House Democrats’ return, Aiming Higher has taken to the airwaves to remind the public about some of what is at stake for Hoosiers during the remainder of the session.  And like all taxpayers, we say to the Democrats: “NO MORE WALKOUTS!”

See our new ad here 
 

Now the Legislature can get on to the business of enacting one of the most sweeping legislative agendas the state has ever seen.  Because no matter what “victory” House Democrats claim, the reality is that when the session ends (hopefully on April 29), almost all of Governor Daniels’ agenda will pass.  As a reminder, here are some of the highlights:

  • A Charter school expansion that will help the 3500 families currently on the wait list, as well as thousands of other families, get an education that serves their children best. 
  • Thousands of low and middle income families will now have the same educational choices that many wealthier families have to either leave an underperforming school or just find one that works better for their children.   
  • Yet another balanced budget without a tax increase.
  • Improvements that will help local government be more efficient, cost less and better serve constiuents.
  • Perhaps even an automatic tax refund that will keep state government from collecting money from taxpayers that it does not need to provide services.

All this will likely happen, despite the circus that the House Democrats made out of the electoral and legislative process during their record-setting walkout.

So moving forward, there is great reason for optimism. The shenanigans pulled by House Democrats will soon be remembered only as a inconvenience and a somewhat silly temper tantrum thrown by grownups who couldn’t get their way. 

However, the legislation passed by this General Assembly and signed by this Governor will have a lasting impact on all Hoosiers.

Now that the Legislature is back in session, let’s all continue to Aim Higher and Keep Indiana Moving Forward!

Posted in Education Agenda, Government Efficiency and Transparency, Government spending, Keeping Indiana Moving Forward No Comments »
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RADIO AD: “Won’t You Come Home”

House Democrats have fled the state and abdicated their responsibilities as leaders. They have abandonded their constituents. Hoosiers who wish to Aim Higher implore them to return to the Statehouse to do the job voters elected them to do. 

If you are outraged by their behavior, call them at 1-800-382-9842 and tell them to get back to the Statehouse and do the job they were elected to do.

Hear our new ad here. Won’t You Come Home?

Posted in Automatic Taxpayer Refund, Education Agenda, Government Efficiency and Transparency, Government spending, Job Creation, Keeping Indiana Moving Forward No Comments »
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RADIO AD: Hoosiers Have Spoken!

Last Fall, Hoosiers spoke.  They wanted a balanced budget, no tax increases and an education system that put the needs of children ahead of the needs of adults.

House Democrats have fled the state and are hiding in an Illinois hotel instead of fulfilling their responsibilites to their constituents. They need to come back! 

If you are outraged at their behavior, call them at 1-800-382-9842 and tell them to come back to the Statehouse and do the job they were elected to to do. 

Hear our latest ad here Hoosiers Have Spoken

Posted in Automatic Taxpayer Refund, Education Agenda, Government Efficiency and Transparency, Government spending, Job Creation No Comments »
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Gov Daniels stands strong, House Dems flee their responsibilities

In what has turned out to be a very illuminating week at the legislature, House Democrats left their responsibilities and constituentsbehind and in favor of hiding out in Urbana, Illinois.

What allegedly started over “right to work” legislation is now clearly about something else.  Having been crushed at the ballot box last November, Democrats are now resorting to extreme measures to defy the will of voters.

Last Fall, Governor Daniels and House and Senate Republicans ran on an aggressive agenda of continuing the kind of reforms that Indiana has seen since Mitch Daniels first became Governor in 2005.  Those reforms have led to, to name a few:

  • Balanced budgets with no general tax increases that kept Indiana from experiencing the financial meltdowns of so many other states
  • The lowest property taxes in the nation
  • Jobs being created at twice the national average during 2010
  • An infrastructure spending boom.

The 2011 agenda being offered by Governor Daniels and Republican legislators includes:

  • A balanced budget with no tax increases
  • Making all levels of government for efficient and transparent
  • A transformation of K-12 education, including paying our best teachers more, empowering local education leaders with authority to improve student outcomes, and giving low and middle-income parents the same educational choices that wealthy families in Indiana already have.

By walking out on Hoosiers, one can only assume that House Democrats are voting “NO” on these agenda items.  They would presumably prefer: 

  • A budget that is out of balance and raises taxes
  • Local government that remains bloated, duplicative and out-of-step with the demands of 21st century life in Indiana,
  • An education system that treats all teachers the same regardless of results, empowers Unions and not educators in the classroom and discriminates against low and middle-income families by denying them the chance to access the education that suits their children’s needs.

The difference in these agendas could not be more stark.  One seeks to Aim Higherand asks the best of our citizens.  The other clings onto the past in fearful hope of maintaining the status quo.

What can you do now?  Call House (317) 232-9600 and Senate (317) 232-9400 Republicans and encourage them to remain strong.  You can find their contact info here http://www.aiminghigherindiana.com/find-your-legislator/.

Governor Daniels has said “We will not be bullied or blackmailed out of pursuing the agenda we laid in front of the people of Indiana.  That agenda is going to be voted on.”

Help Indiana continue to Aim Higher by contacting your legislators and telling them you want a balanced budget, local government reform, and an education system that puts kids’ interest first.

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Governor Daniels: “The most powerful special interests in America today are the government unions”

Governor Daniels, who began fighting public-sector unions on his first day in office in 2005, discussed the situation that is emerging in Wisconsin and Indiana.  It is really a battle between public sector unions and taxpayers.  Some of his thoughts from the Diane Rehm show are below.

Rehm: Help me to understand how taking away the rights of collective bargaining would fix or help to fix the budget shortfall.

Daniels: “The most powerful special interests in America today are the government unions. They’re the leading financial contributors. They have the biggest PACs (political action committees), they have muscle, a lot of times their contracts provide for time off to go politick and lobby, and over the last few decades, if there were ever injustices or shortfalls in how we took care of government employees, it’s been fixed and over-fixed.

I think that what (Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker) is trying to do is in the public interest — interrupt this circuitous process in which taxpayer dollars pay for very solid salaries for government employees. (Then) some of the money is siphoned into political union dues and goes back into politics and elects people who will vote for more and more and more. Everybody knows this is going on, and it is really, I think, part of the problem, not the whole problem, but part of the problem that has gotten us into the debts we’re into and the bad corner we’re in fiscally.”

Rehm: How would you compare the government unions to, say, the oil lobby?

Daniels: Well, in many ways, they’re vastly more effective. Year in year out, they’re the number one donor of money into our political process. Plus, in many cases, they can deliver muscle that the other interests that you might ask me about cannot — people and so forth. Often it’s in the terms of their contract that they get time off to politick.

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Great Reaction to Governor Daniels’ CPAC Speech

Pete Seat at the Indiana Republican Party compiled a list of reactions to Governor Daniels’ CPAC speech.  Take a look. 

What They’re Saying:

Governor Daniels’ 2011 CPAC Speech

  • Mitch Daniels gave an extraordinary speech at CPAC last night. As anyone who has ever done any public speaking at all knows, the hardest thing to do is to tell people things they don’t necessarily want to hear. For Daniels not to strike one pandering note, and even to challenge the audience at times, speaks to just how grounded he is. - Rich Lowry, National Review
  • “The most important Republican speech of recent years…” – Mike Gerson, Washington Post
  • “Carefully crafted, artfully delivered…The Adult.” – Mark Halperin, Time Magazine
  • “Serious message. Serious candidate.” – Mark McKinnon, The Daily Beast
  • “Most interesting and freshest message of the potential GOP contenders…a natural.” – Garance Franke-Ruta, The Atlantic
  • “Serious, focused, important.  A cut above anything heard at CPAC yet.” – Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review
  • “[S]harp contrast to the red-meat heavy addresses of his potential rivals for the 2012 nomination.” – Chris Cillizza, The Washington Post
  • “[C]ourageously offered zero red meat to the crowd, just a grown-up exposition of what it would actually take to cut the deficit…substantive.” – Joe Klein, Time Magazine
  • “Success: The speech ended and a few cries of “Run, Mitch, Run!” went up.” – Dave Weigel, Slate
  • “Measured and eloquent.” – Stephen Woodward, The Examiner
  • “[M]ost serious and thoughtful speech [of the conference].” – Philip Klein, American Spectator
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Guest Post: Lawmakers Should Make the Right Call and Pass Critical Conflict of Interest Legislation – Matthew C. Greller

Below is a guest post by Matthew C. Greller, Executive Director of the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns .

Imagine you are a college basketball coach and on the verge of winning the school’s first conference championship in 10 years. It’s the final quarter, and you believe the best decision for your team is to bench player “A” and substitute in player “B.” You hesitate. Not because you don’t believe in your decision, but because player A is also a key member of the university’s board of trustees and approves your contract. Going back to the infamous Kernan-Shepard years, the leaders of cities and towns across Indiana have overwhelmingly agreed that the challenges presented by employees of a particular city or town serving on that community’s governing body far outweigh any potential benefits. At the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (IACT) we have been aggressive in our lobbying efforts, and until this year we have not found the confluence of necessary support to effect change. This session, however, there are several bills addressing this issue, and the governor and several lawmakers have made addressing these conflicts a top priority. Those opposing this kind conflict-of-interest legislation often cite the expertise that comes with having an employee on the council. A police officer’s advice on public safety issues surely complements the work of a governing body. But, when that advice can be easily sought out or offered during public hearings, does this positive outweigh the very serious negatives that can occur? Our members say, “no.” I’m sure that most employees who serve on councils only have good intentions. But, when an employee votes on or proposes an ordinance that directly impacts their job or pocketbook, the appearance of impropriety only serves to perpetuate the skepticism people have regarding public servants. And, beyond the perception problems, there are the management realities that can’t be overlooked. It’s hard, if not impossible, to treat an employee the same as you would treat all other subordinates when said employee reports to you by day and by night has authority over your budget and implementing your policies. I’m sure there are communities where this practice occurs, and it works just fine for those involved. However, the majority of our membership continues to advocate for an immediate end to the practice. Let’s pass meaningful legislation this session that proves we take this matter seriously. Hesitating could cost us the big game.

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Nepotism Leads to Real and Perception Problems

As lawmakers work to address local government issues, the issue of nepotism helps highlight why local government reform and the elimination of nepotism is necessary.  A 2009 study by the Indianapolis Star found that 2 out of 3 township trustees were related to a someone else working for the township.

Nepotism renders a township less effective and less responsive to the needs of citizens and can indicate an abuse of taxpayers’ dollars, as demonstrated in this case study http://bit.ly/dMDy7l. Read this article from the Indianapolis Star to learn more about nepotism’s role in township government http://bit.ly/hPEjl5. Also check out Gary Varvel’s editorial cartoon about nepotism in township government http://bit.ly/hptJgB.

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