Legislative Update

Governor’s Recommendations for the State’s Budget

As most of you know, the governor proposed his recommendations for the 2010-2011 state budget this week. If you missed the televised broadcast, below are some brief highlights that were included in his proposal.

■ NO TAX INCREASES. Indiana is one of only eight states that plans to avoid an increase in taxes.

■ Protects against future economic decline by maintaining a prudent level of reserves.

■ Reduces spending, compared to the current 2008-2009 budget.

■ The ONLY increase in the budget is for public K-12 education and public safety.

– School corporations will receive an average increase of 2 percent.

– Creates an “Education Trigger,” an automatic additional funding mechanism for K-12 education if actual revenues exceed forecast. For every two dollars actual revenues exceed forecast, one dollar will automatically go to education.

The following information compares Indiana’s state of education to other states:

■ At least 35 states have proposed cutting funding for education or have already cut funding for K-12 education.

■ Alabama cut K-12 education funding by 13 percent, the biggest cut to education for the state in 48 years.

■ New York has proposed cuts in education funding by 13 percent to all school districts.

■ California cut K-12 education funding by more than 16 percent.

■ State education grants to school districts have also been cut in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Ohio, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Virginia.

■ Indiana is one of only five states to accomplish having no state tax increases AND no education cuts. All of the surrounding states have done both, cut education and increase  taxes.

State legislators will be entering special session on June 11, 2009 at 1 p.m. to deliberate their version of the budget. It is my hope that legislators will use the governor’s proposed budget as a roadmap to establish a balanced budget that will keep Indiana moving forward.

I encourage all my constituents to stay tuned. If you want to see the action as it occurs, you can log onto www.in.gov/legislative/session/video.html and watch delegations on the House or Senate Floor and in the Ways and Means committee meetings. You can also view the governor’s budget proposal telecast online when you log onto www.in.gov.

Community News: State Fair Hosting Job Fair

The Indiana State Fair is hoping to draw a crowd to fill more than 800 positions during it’s first-ever job fair. Most of the jobs are temporary positions that cover the duration of the fair, August 7-23, but some will begin in July.

The job fair will be located in the Pioneer Our Land Pavilion at the State Fairgrounds on June 4 from 4-7 p.m. and June 6 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

More than 800 positions will be available, including: ticket sellers, ticket takers, gate supervisors, parking attendants, parking supervisors, grounds maintenance, barn cleaners, security personnel, receptionists, visitor information booth attendants, cashiers and shuttle bus drivers.

“I encourage anyone interested to take advantage of the opportunity, especially students that are home for the summer or someone looking for something exciting to do this summer,” said Rep. Woody Burton (R-Greenwood). “The Indiana State Fair offers a great opportunity for Hoosier families to see a wide variety of entertainment through exhibits, events and performers while showcasing agriculture and Indiana’s heritage. Anytime you can visit or, in this case, work at the fair, I encourage you to do so.”

Interviews will be conducted on site and resumes are welcome. Informal dress is fine. For more information, contact the Indiana State Fairgrounds at (317) 927-7614 or employment@indianastatefair.com.

Stay in touch:

If you have any questions or comments concerning these issues, please contact me. I enjoy hearing from constituents to find better ways to serve you. Contact me by phone at 1-800-382-9841 or e-mail at h58@iga.in.gov.

Highlights:

• No tax increases
• Protects against future economic decline by maintaining a prudent level of reserves
• Reduces spending  by 2.4% compared to current budget
• Only increase in the budget is for public education:
  • K-12 Education
    • School corporations will receive an average increase of 2%
    • Every school corporation will receive more funding per student compared to the current budget
    • At least 35 states have proposed or actually cut funding for K-12 education
  • Creates “Education Trigger,” an automatic additional funding mechanism for K-12 education if actual revenues exceed forecast.  For every two dollars actual revenues exceed forecast, one will automatically go to education
  • Student Financial Aid  (State Student Assistance Commission)
    • 3% increase in  state funding for student aid
    • Uses  more than $25M of federal stimulus money to bring overall increase to 5% for student aid

Other Facts about the Governor’s Recommended FY10-11 Budget:

• Most executive branch agency budgets reduced by 10% or more
  • 2% reductions in addition to 8% reductions made in the Governor’s January budget proposal
• No pay raises for state employees in CY2009
• Medicaid
  • Maintain services for all eligible recipients
  • Fully fund the April Medicaid forecast
• Job creation and Economic Development :
  • Separate from the budget, Major Moves provides over $1B in road funding over the biennium which will provide jobs for 1000s of hardworking Hoosiers
  • More than $450M for higher education capital projects
    • 1000s of construction jobs created across the state
    • Examples:  Ivy Tech Warsaw, Anderson, Bloomington and Elkhart ($54M), Labs at IU, Purdue, IUPUI, and Indiana State University ($50M), and central campus renovations at Ball State University ($33M)
    • Includes more than $200M for repair and rehabilitation projects
    • Universities required to obligate funds for projects within 120 days; putting people to work quickly
    • Funds projects with cash rather than borrowing
  • Other 1-time projects include: Little Calumet  flood control($14M), Notre Dame-Purdue Nanotech Program ($10M), National Guard Youth Challenge Academy ($2M), Indiana Veterans Home renovations ($3M) and Muscatatuck Infrastructure($2M)
• Public Safety
  • Maintains State Police trooper staffing levels and corrections capacity
• Protecting Children
  • Maintains level of caseworkers and services for abused and neglected children
  • Establishes Ombudsman for the Department of Child Services

K-12 Education

Highlights

• School corporations will receive an average increase of 2%
• Every school corporation will receive more per student as compared to current budget
• Creates “Education Trigger,” an automatic additional funding mechanism for K-12 education if actual revenues exceed forecast.  For every two dollars actual revenues exceed forecast, one will automatically go to education
• Maintains the existing level and authority of school corporations to utilize capital project fund to assist with utility and insurance costs
• Utilizes current funding formula approved by the General Assembly and modified to address changes in student population and ensure fairness in the distribution of funding for school districts
• Provides for tuition scholarship tax credit
• Provides for the expansion of quality charter schools
• Requires school corporations, active and retired employees, to select the state’s health plan for their health insurance, savings schools over $100M
• Speeds the transition of as many as 30 schools to New Tech facilities.
• Trains 300 new math and science teachers through the expansion of the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Program

The State of Education Across the Nation

• At least 35 states have proposed or actually cut funding for K-12 education
• Alabama cut K-12 funding by 13%, the biggest cut to education in 48 years
• California cut K-12 education by more than 16%
• New York has proposed cuts of 13% to all school districts
• Utah’s cuts are expected to reduce per pupil funding by 12% by 2010
• Virginia’s Governor proposed cuts of more than 9% for public education

• Arizona has enacted mid-year cuts in core K-12 funding of $96 per pupil.
• Florida has cut aid to local school districts for the current year by $140 per pupil.
• South Carolina has cut per-pupil funding by $95 in the current year.
• State education grants to school districts have also been cut in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky , Maine, Mississippi, Ohio, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Virginia.

Facts regarding Indiana K-12 education

• In FY06, Indiana ranked 6^th for state and local revenue for public schools per dollar of personal income
• Since 1995, the expense per K-12 pupil has increased by more than 4% annually
• Indiana has the 7^th highest teacher salaries in the nation when adjusted for cost of living

Rep. Woody Burton (R-Greenwood) honored John and Jane Barnes with Panther Racing for all they have done for the National Guard and the Indianapolis racing industry.

“John Barnes was bitten by the racing bug when the best man in his father’s wedding, a National Guard soldier, brought him along as he visited nearby racing tracks,” said Rep. Burton. “Over the last 40 years, John has held almost every position in racing—mechanic, engineer, car builder, team manager, CEO and owner.”

Panther Racing, a championship-winning motorsports franchise in the Indy Racing League, was formed in 1997. The team earned its first victory at Phoenix International Raceway in 1999 with driver Scott Goodyear and won back-to-back IndyCar Series Championships with Sam Hornish, Jr. in 2001 and 2002.

They began participating in Indy Lights in 2003 and won its first championship with Mark Taylor that same year. Panther Racing has collected a total of 28 racing victories and three championships during its 11 seasons of competition.

“John was an outstanding athlete in high school. In fact, he turned down several college football scholarships in order to pursue his dream of winning the Indianapolis 500.”

In fulfillment of his dream, John Barnes was awarded the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Louis Meyer Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honor given during the Indianapolis 500 Hall of Fame banquet.

As a special project director, Jane Barnes is an integral part of Panther Racing. Jane has served in many capacities during her time in motorsports, including logistics and travel coordinator, manager of human relations and served as public relations manager on the 2003 Panther’s Firestone Indy Lights Championship team.

When Jane is not involved in racing, she is very active in the world of education. She serves as a board member of the Decatur Discovery Academy Charter School and a charter board member and advisory board member of Best Buddies Indiana.

“Panther Racing and the Barnes family have made many economic contributions to the city of Indianapolis and our state, but its greatest accomplishment is the enjoyment brought to racing fans throughout the state and the nation.”

The picture above features Rep. Burton presenting the resolution to John and Jane Barnes in the House of Representatives.

Rep. Woody Burton (R-Greenwood) and the House of Representatives honored Donald D. Peek Jr. in a resolution thanking him for his many contributions to the veterans of Indiana.

“Donald has done so much for the veterans of Indiana by doing whatever is necessary to help them in any way he can,” said Rep. Burton. “He has a true passion for what he does.”

Peek served in the Army and graduated from the Nike Hercules missile 24U20 Air Defense Training School at Fort Bliss, Texas.

After returning from military service, Peek went to work at Detroit Diesel Allison Division of General Motors, now known as Allison Transmission, Inc., where he is an instructor for health and safety classes.

In 1983, Peek began his work in helping Hoosier veterans and their families.  In 1987, he was first elected commander of John H. Weiss Chapter 52 of the Disabled American Veterans in Indianapolis.

Several years later, Peek began transporting veteran patients to the medical center in Indianapolis, and was commended for his leadership in taking the intuitive to find ways to help veterans.

Since then, Peek has remained involved and has held leadership positions in more than 15 different veteran organizations across the state.

“Donald has served in numerous capacities, committees and has received many accolades for his work with the Disabled American Veterans. During his tenure, ground was broken on the Madison Veterans Cemetery, the Korean and Vietnam War Memorials in Indianapolis was dedicated and many House and Senate resolutions and laws were drafted with his help.”

“He is a truly remarkable man and I am honored to present a resolution on his behalf.”

Peek continues to spend his time traveling through Indiana and Kentucky listening to and seeing first-hand the problems facing veterans and their families.

The picture above shows Rep. Burton, Donald Peek and Donald’s two daughters. The daughter standing next to Donald is Heide D. Inman. She is married to Sam Inman, who is severing in Iraq with the Indiana National Guard.  To the left of Heide is Emily D. Peek.  Emily works for the Indiana State Excise Police.