Another busy week has flown by. Here we are, starting week four at the Statehouse.
Last week, after being in recess on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, it was back to work on Tuesday to hear Governor Daniels deliver his sixth State of the State.
Many of you may have seen it on television or watched it on the internet, and in some cases readers of The Times had the opportunity to read it in last Wednesday's paper.
The State of the State is a chance for the Governor to reflect on the events of the past twelve months and share his hopes for the future of Indiana. His role is to provide leadership while providing the most realistic report of where we are as a state.
Governor Daniels delivered that message by reminding us there are many Hoosiers still hurting, but Indiana is poised to emerge from this recession ahead of our fellow states. And the reason is simple: we've made the tough fiscal decisions necessary to live within our means.
In some cases, state agencies have slashed budgets by as much as 20 percent. We have sold state cars, foregone pay raises and thought of creative ways to save money, all in an effort to keep education dollars in the classroom and not raise taxes.
Meantime, we continue to make Indiana as inviting as possible for worried business owners through our business-friendly tax structure and other incentives.
And even though it is going to be a slow recovery, little by little, Hoosiers are getting back on their feet. And although the state is pinched, jobs have-and will continue to be-our first priority.
These tough times certainly give us all an opportunity to review our own situation and stretch a dollar wherever possible, whether that be at home or with regards to your tax dollars. The governor and the legislature are doing this at the state level, just as our mayors, commissioners and councils are doing on the local level.
On Wednesday, we heard a report from Chief Justice Shepard on the State of the Indiana Judiciary. He, too, spoke of ways that Indiana can provide the judicial process in a fiscally responsible way.
In the midst of all the ceremonial presentations, nine bills moved from the House to the Senate for their review.
Bills that dealt with issues involving Merchant Marines' benefits, golf carts on county roads, public access and emergency management all passed out of the house.
If any of these topics are of interest to you please call my office at 1-800-382-9841, or view the complete language of a bill at http://www.in.gov/legislative/house_republicans/.
As I write this, all of us who are big sport fans are excited about the Colts game on Sunday. Once again I hope when you are reading this on Monday that we are celebrating a Colts win and another trip to the Super Bowl.
Go Colts!
-30-
« Back to News Release List
Link to this event: