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.