Representative Ed Clere
Indiana State House of Representatives

ARTICLES/LETTERS FROM
REPRESENTATIVE ED CLERE

CLERE: Bridges pose challenges now and later

> SOUTHERN INDIANA — The closure of the Sherman Minton Bridge and related stories are likely to dominate the news for weeks to come. Meanwhile, other important issues will be squeezed out. Topics that receive scant attention even on a slow news day will get none at all.

I’ve devoted all or part of several columns this summer to legislative study committees. They usually don’t receive much attention — especially this far from Indianapolis — but the topics they address are important nonetheless. In some cases, a committee’s work will lead to legislation in the upcoming session. In other cases, committees are considering long-term challenges and possible solutions.

A recent example involves bridges. The Joint Study Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Assessment and Solutions is working to define Indiana’s transportation and infrastructure funding shortfall. Bridges were part of the discussion at the committee’s first meeting Aug. 23.

The minutes of that meeting, which are available online, include a report from the Indiana Department of Transportation. The report details the status of Indiana’s aging bridges, many of which were built around the same time as the Sherman Minton Bridge, which opened in 1962. Of Indiana’s current state-operated bridges, 1,573 were built in the 1960s, compared with 540 in the 1950s and 623 in the 1970s. In fact, Indiana built more bridges in the 1960s than in all prior years combined, and the state hasn’t built even half as many bridges in any decade since.

Like the Sherman Minton, many of those bridges have deteriorated, and it will take more and more money to maintain them. As of today, about 13 percent of Indiana’s bridges are rated as being in less-than-satisfactory condition. According to INDOT projections, by 2035 that number is likely to increase significantly.

If the state spends $100 million annually on bridges, 58 percent of bridges are expected to be less than satisfactory by 2035, according to INDOT’s projections. An annual investment of $200 million would reduce that figure to 45 percent — still not a good number. Raising the amount to $300 million a year would improve the number only slightly more, suggesting we face a very expensive problem.

Because of Indiana’s Major Moves program — which has been using proceeds from the lease of the Northern Indiana Toll Road to fund road projects all around the state — Indiana has increased spending on road construction at a time when most other states have been cutting back. Most of the Major Moves money has been spent, however, and we will have to look for new ways to fund future projects.

In a few weeks, we’ll know the extent of the problems with the Sherman Minton. In the meantime, I will continue to stay in close contact with INDOT and local officials and work with them to do everything possible to minimize inconvenience to motorists and the negative affect on local businesses.

There are many other important topics under discussion. The following is a list of upcoming study committee meetings. For more information, go to www.in.gov/legislative and look under “Interim Study Committees” in the menu on the left side of the page. The meetings are open to the public, and most are broadcast on the Internet. If you do not have Internet access and would like to receive information, call my legislative assistant, Clinton Bohm, at 800-382-9841. Meetings are at the Statehouse unless otherwise noted:

• Commission on Autism, 1 p.m. today

• Health Finance Commission, 10 a.m. tomorrow

• Select Joint Commission on Medicaid Oversight, 2 p.m. tomorrow

• Commission on Courts, 1:30 p.m. Thursday

• Natural Resources Study Committee, 1 p.m. Monday and 9 a.m. Sept. 20, Brown County State Park, Nashville

• Joint Study Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Assessment and Solutions, 10 a.m. Sept. 20

• Regulatory Flexibility Committee, 10 a.m. Sept. 21 and 28

• Committee on Child Care, 10 a.m. Sept. 27 and Oct. 25

• Pension Management Oversight Commission, 1 p.m. Sept. 28

• Environmental Quality Service Council, 9 a.m. (local time), 6100 Southport Road, Portage, and 10 a.m. Oct. 7 and 1 p.m. Oct. 27

• Interim Study Committee on Insurance, 10 a.m. Sept. 29

• Child Custody and Support Advisory Committee, 1 p.m. Sept. 29

• Interim Study Committee on Education, 1 p.m. Sept. 29

• Commission on State Tax and Financing Policy, 10 a.m. Oct. 3 and 12 and 9 a.m. Oct. 20

• Commission on Mental Health and Addiction, 1 p.m. Oct. 4 and Oct. 25

• Unemployment Insurance Oversight Committee, 1:30 p.m. Oct. 4 and 17

• Commission on Developmental Disabilities, 1 p.m. Oct. 5

• Criminal Law and Sentencing Policy Study Committee, 1 p.m. Oct. 13 and 26

• Commission on Developmental Disabilities, 1 p.m. Oct. 26

• Code Revision Commission, 1:30 p.m. Nov. 15

Town halls

I’ve scheduled three town hall meetings for October. In addition to discussing the outcome of this year’s legislative session, including the status of various new laws, I’ll preview the upcoming session and solicit your opinions and ideas. If you have a position on an issue or a suggestion for a bill, now is the time to voice it. The meetings are scheduled at three different times of day to accommodate varying schedules. All three locations are handicap accessible:

• 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 13 at Purdue Technology Center of Southeast Indiana, 3000 Technology Ave., New Albany (on Charlestown Road at the Interstate 265 interchange, across from Kohl’s)

• 6:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 18 at LifeSpan Resources, 33 State St., Third Floor (there is an elevator), New Albany (YMCA building)

• 10 to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 22 at Strassweg Auditorium, New Albany-Floyd County Public Library, 180 W. Spring St., New Albany

House internship program

• The legislature has paid internships available for college students and recent graduates. I was excited this year to have an Indiana University Southeast student from New Albany intern for me, Aaron Minnich, and I would love to have another intern from our area. The House Republican intern program offers internships in member services, media, technology and policy. Interns work closely with representatives and experience the legislative process firsthand. The internships start in January and run through the end of the session in March. For more information, visit

CLERE: Stay updated and connected

> SOUTHERN INDIANA — In my last column, I mentioned the Aug. 13 stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair. Since then, two more victims have died, bringing the death toll to seven. In addition, dozens were injured, and several remain hospitalized.

Numerous investigations and lawsuits will go on for some time, and it’s all but certain the tragedy will lead to legislation. In the meantime, there’s a way you can help.

The Central Indiana Community Foundation has established a fund to help the victims of the collapse and their families. If you wish to contribute, you may donate online at www.cicf.org, or mail a check to: Central Indiana Community Foundation, Attn: Indiana State Fair Remembrance Fund, 615 N. Alabama St., Ste. 119, Indianapolis, IN, 46204. Checks should be made payable to the foundation, or “CICF” for short, and include “Indiana State Fair Remembrance Fund” in the memo line.

CICF is a parallel organization to our own Community Foundation of Southern Indiana, which was established 20 years ago and serves the needs of people in Clark and Floyd counties. Last year, CFSI managed assets of more than $21 million, disbursed more than $1 million in grants and received nearly $750,000 in gifts. Beyond charitable giving, CFSI is active in other community initiatives, including scholarships and its annual Gold Leaf Volunteer Luncheon. For more information, visit www.cfsouthernindiana.com or call 812-948-4662.

Sherman Minton Bridge traffic delays

I’ve heard from a number of constituents who have been frustrated by traffic delays on the Sherman Minton Bridge. I’ve been in contact with the Indiana Department of Transportation, and the project is not what it seems. Commuters have observed that there appears to be relatively little work going on and have questioned why it can’t be done at night.

INDOT has explained that much of the work is taking place under the bridge, where engineers are inspecting structural components, a process that requires natural light. INDOT has assured me the work will be completed by mid-October. I’m glad INDOT is working to ensure the future safety and reliability of the bridge, but it’s still a tremendous inconvenience for commuters — even for six more weeks — and I will continue to work with INDOT to make sure the project wraps up as soon as possible and takes advantage of any opportunity to shift work to off-peak hours.

Town hall topics

I’m finalizing details for a series of town hall meetings in October and November. There will be several general sessions and several devoted to specific issues. If you have a topic you would like to discuss, please contact my legislative assistant, Clinton Bohm, at 800-382-9841 or cbohm@iga.in.gov.

Summer study committees

I included detailed information about summer study committees in my last two columns. Additional meetings continue to be scheduled, and there is a full calendar all the way through October. Go to www.in.gov/legislative and look under “Interim Study Committees” in the menu on the left side of the page. The meetings are open to the public, and most are broadcast on the Internet. If you do not have Internet access and would like to receive information, call my legislative assistant. Many of the topics addressed by the study committees will be the subject of legislation, and now is an important time to make sure your voice is heard.

Statehouse visits and page program

The legislative session won’t begin until January, but it’s not too early to start planning a trip. By law, the session has to end by March 14, so it would be best to plan to visit sometime between mid-January and the end of February.

Good days to visit are generally Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Wednesday is committee day, so the legislature is not typically in session, and the legislature usually adjourns for the week on Thursday. If you would like to arrange a visit, contact my legislative assistant.

Students ages 13 to 18 may serve as a legislative page for a day. It’s a hands-on, behind-the-scenes chance to learn about state government, and every student should take advantage of it at least once. Unfortunately, not enough students from Southern Indiana do. Please share this column with students and their parents to help me encourage more young people from our area to participate.

It’s a full day, starting with an early-morning drive to Indianapolis. Pages receive a tour of the Statehouse, including the governor’s office, the lieutenant governor’s office, the Supreme Court and the House and Senate chambers. Pages get to sit on the House or Senate floor during session, and they may be asked to deliver messages to members or perform other helpful tasks. Mostly, however, they are there to observe and learn.

Pages receive an excused absence from school. They are responsible for their own transportation and lunch. Parents or chaperones also receive a tour, and I always try to make time to meet with both the students and the adults who are with them.

Some days of the week and times during the session are better than others for serving as a page. To start planning, contact my legislative assistant, Clinton Bohm. Make sure you communicate directly with him. There is a separate page office, but I prefer to be more personally involved with scheduling. The page office does a great job but can’t keep track of the details of every legislator’s schedule. I want every one of my pages to have the best possible experience when visiting the Statehouse and choosing a good day is important.

Another way to keep up

Thanks to the Internet, there are lots of ways to keep up with what’s happening in state politics and government.

One of them is “Indiana Week in Review.” The half-hour program, which airs weekly on Indianapolis public television and public radio, offers informed, civil discussion of hot issues and is available online at www.wfyi.org/indianaweekinreview.asp. On the website, you can also sign up to receive weekly e-mail or text alerts about upcoming show topics.

— Ed Clere represents District 72 in Indiana's House of Representatives.

CLERE: Planned Parenthood facts tell a different story

NEW ALBANY — The Fourth of July has passed, but the fireworks aren’t over. Fireworks can be entertaining, but they can also be harmful, and such is the case with some of the political fireworks that keep going off.

It’s especially dangerous to set off fireworks in an enclosed area, and that’s exactly what’s happening as the federal debt ceiling closes in. We’re on track to max out our national credit card in less than a month. We can’t keep borrowing, and it’s time for everyone in Washington to put politics aside and get serious about solving the problem.

Closer to home, Indiana’s budget is balanced, but the Hoosier political sky is still filled with bursts of light and noise.

There are several controversial legal cases pending. Just last Friday, a lawsuit was filed over the new school voucher program. The Indiana Supreme Court will soon decide whether to reconsider a much-criticized decision regarding unlawful entry by police. Meanwhile, a federal court issued an order to prevent portions of a new state immigration law from going into effect last week. The same federal court also ruled that Indiana could not enforce a measure that prevented Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funding. Medicaid, which is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, provides health care coverage for low-income people.

It turns out the Planned Parenthood explosion was like one of those rockets that makes a lot of noise but isn’t nearly as spectacular as the boom suggests.

House Enrolled Act 1210 started out as a bill aimed at decreasing the number of abortions performed in Indiana. I signed on as a co-author. When the bill went to the Senate after passing the House 72-23, it included provisions to prohibit abortion after 20 weeks (previous law simply prohibited abortion after viability, which has become earlier and earlier as medical technology has advanced); improve informed consent; require a doctor who performs abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital in the county where the abortion is performed or a bordering county, or to have an agreement with a doctor who does; and establish a new breast and cervical cancer screening program for women who are not covered by private insurance or Medicaid.

The provision to defund Planned Parenthood was added in the Senate, and the final version of the bill passed the Senate 35-13 and the House 66-32. I voted for the House version and the final version.

It was reported in the media last month that Planned Parenthood was targeting its New Albany clinic for closure because of the loss of Medicaid funding. The New Albany clinic is one of 28 Planned Parenthood clinics in Indiana. Four of the clinics offer abortions; the New Albany clinic is one of the other 24, which provide referrals for abortion but do not perform the procedure on site.

According to the Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning, which is a division of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, from July 1 of last year through April 30 of this year, the New Albany Planned Parenthood clinic received $6,732 in Medicaid reimbursement. OMPP estimates $789 of that total was state funding. The rest was federal matching funds. Based on the total figure, the clinic received a monthly average of $673 in Medicaid funding.

For most medical practices, the loss of $673 wouldn’t cause the doors to close. And despite a lot of hype to the contrary, it turns out the New Albany clinic is a relatively minor provider of Medicaid-funded care. According to one of the same media reports announcing the likely closure of the New Albany clinic, the clinic had 6,845 visits by 2,741 patients in 2010. During the 10 months included in the OMPP data, the clinic only saw 80 Medicaid patients. In other words, the New Albany clinic saw a lot of patients who had private insurance or paid out of pocket, but very few Medicaid recipients.

I asked OMPP to identify other providers of family planning services in Floyd County and to calculate the Medicaid reimbursement the providers received. The period they analyzed is a month longer than the period they looked at for the New Albany Planned Parenthood clinic (July 1 to May 31, as opposed to July 1 to April 30), and I have adjusted my calculations accordingly.

OMPP identified seven providers other than the New Albany Planned Parenthood clinic that billed for family planning services. During that period, the seven providers received $188,433 in Medicaid reimbursement. That’s an average of $17,130 a month in Medicaid-funded family planning services that were provided in Floyd County by providers other than Planned Parenthood — about 25 times the amount billed by Planned Parenthood.

The query actually understates the amount of Medicaid-funded family planning services provided in Floyd County because it looked only at billing codes for services that were identified as family planning services. If a woman on Medicaid saw her family physician for an office visit and received a prescription for birth control pills, for example, that wasn’t necessarily counted in the data query, as there’s no way to tell whether the office visit was for birth control or a sinus infection or something else. It’s safe to say that happens a lot.

Based on the data, it’s clear that Planned Parenthood provides only a small fraction of the Medicaid-funded family planning services provided in Floyd County. If a Planned Parenthood clinic is necessary in order for poor women to have access to health care, why is there no clinic between New Albany and Evansville? That’s a long stretch of road with a lot of poor women — and men — along it. Why is there no clinic in Jeffersonville or Clarksville?

Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller has appealed the Planned Parenthood ruling. Watch for more fireworks. In the meantime, we should stay focused on facts.

— Ed Clere represents District 72 in Indiana's House of Representatives.

Focus on jobs was part of getting the job done

During the 2011 session of the Indiana legislature, only one thing was certain — that the session would end by April 29. By law, that’s the deadline for adjournment in odd-numbered years.

Everything else was up in the air. The same could be said of every legislative session, but even many longtime observers acknowledged this one was different.

It’s difficult to know where to begin. I plan to hold a series of town hall meetings starting next month to discuss the session in general and various specific topics. I’m working on details and will announce a schedule later in the month.

There were two constitutional must-do items this year: pass a state budget and draw new boundaries for state legislative districts and Congressional districts. We did both.

The budget was the last bill we passed — just before 11:30 p.m. April 29. At nearly 300 pages, the budget bill contains thousands of provisions. It spends almost $28 billion over the next two years, including a modest funding increase for K-12 public education.

It’s a balanced budget that lives within our means, doesn’t raise taxes and, based on projections, will leave us with a prudent reserve at the end of the two-year budget cycle.

Our focus throughout the session was on jobs, and, in addition to a jobs-friendly budget, we passed several bills aimed specifically at promoting employment growth.

House Enrolled Act 1004 enhances the Venture Capital Investment Tax Credit to improve access to capital for fast-growing Hoosier companies. I authored HEA1005, which expands the Industrial Recovery Tax Credit — also known as the Dinosaur Building Tax Credit. It provides an incentive for companies to renovate empty factories to grow jobs. HEA1006 promotes entrepreneurial know-how, cuts red tape and promotes local and regional economic development. HEA1007 provides economic development tools for local governments.

In all, more than 200 bills passed this year. Following is a list of the House bills that made it. The titles don’t begin to explain the bills, but the list does provide a glimpse of the topics that received attention:

HEA 1001 — Budget bill

HEA 1002 — Charter schools

HEA 1003 — School scholarships

HEA 1004 — State and local administration

HEA 1005 — Industrial recovery tax credit

HEA 1006 — Entrepreneurial know-how

HEA 1007 — State and local administration

HEA 1015 — Insurance matters

HEA 1017 — Unused medication

HEA 1024 — Property insurance

HEA 1025 — Public official bonding and internal control systems of local units

HEA 1046 — Property tax deduction for new unsold residences

HEA 1047 — Audit and survey requirements of providers study

HEA 1048 — Public pension funds

HEA 1054 — Crimes outside Title 35

HEA 1055 — Probate matters

HEA 1058 — Homeowners associations

HEA 1071 — Anatomic pathology services

HEA 1074 — Selection of school board members

HEA 1075 — Do not resuscitate declarations

HEA 1082 — Off-road vehicle registration

HEA 1083 — Various criminal law matters

HEA 1097 — Lake management work group

HEA 1098 — Regional water, sewage, or solid waste districts

HEA 1102 — Synthetic cannabinoids and salvia

HEA 1107 — Preventative programs for at-risk children

HEA 1109 — Military service information on BMV documents

HEA 1112 — Land application of industrial waste products

HEA 1117 — Display of license plates

HEA 1121 — Unused medication

HEA 1124 — Railroad statutes

HEA 1128 — Renewable energy resources

HEA 1129 — Use of telecommunications device while driving

HEA 1131 — Video service franchise fees

HEA 1132 — Farm wineries and direct wine sellers

HEA 1133 — Agritourism liability

HEA 1137 — Extra heavy duty highways

HEA 1150 — General assembly license plate registration date

HEA 1153 — Problem solving courts

HEA 1171 — Medicaid verification and claims

HEA 1174 — Sale of real property by local government

HEA 1177 — Board of trustees for universities

HEA 1180 — Zero interest mortgages by nonprofit entities

HEA 1182 — Consumer protection assistance fund

HEA 1183 — Indiana business price preferences

HEA 1187 — Satellite manure storage structures

HEA 1190 — Ballots and voting systems

HEA 1192 — Microenterprise partnership program

HEA 1197 — Regional water, sewage, and solid waste districts

HEA 1200 — Immunity for certain surficial activities

HEA 1201 — Release of adoption information

HEA 1203 — Employee representation campaigns

HEA 1210 — Abortion matters

HEA 1211 — Arrest records

HEA 1215 — Closed circuit television testimony

HEA 1216 — Public works projects

HEA 1221 — Life insurance and Medicaid

HEA 1224 — Speed zones for all year schools

HEA 1233 — State boards, commissions, and professional licensing

HEA 1238 — Advocacy with public funds

HEA 1242 — Various election law matters

HEA 1251 — Young entrepreneur program

HEA 1252 — CEDIT for Perry County jail

HEA 1260 — School corporation health insurance

HEA 1265 — River Ridge Commerce Corridor

HEA 1266 — Various provisions concerning courts

HEA 1273 — Consumer protection and licensing matters

HEA 1275 — Local transfers between funds

HEA 1288 — Property taxes

HEA 1291 — Storm water management

HEA 1297 — Public depositories

HEA 1310 — Purdue University fire department

HEA 1311 — Numerous changes to planning and zoning law

HEA 1313 — Referendum taxes imposed in allocation area

HEA 1316 — Parental reimbursement for juvenile services

HEA 1318 — National fingerprint based criminal history checks

HEA 1321 — Secured transactions

HEA 1324 — Child molesting and child solicitation study

HEA 1325 — Criminal conversion of leased motor vehicles

HEA 1329 — Liability for county detainee health care services

HEA 1334 — Joint committee on transportation infrastructure study topics

HEA 1340 — Adult education

HEA 1341 — Special education grants

HEA 1343 — Lake and river enhancement fund

HEA 1348 — Soil and water conservation districts and conservancy districts

HEA 1365 — Volunteer fire department recovery of costs

HEA 1371 — Joint committee on transportation infrastructure

HEA 1385 — Discrimination in premium rates

HEA 1386 — Commercial feed certification

HEA 1387 — Commodity market development councils

HEA 1393 — Firefighter certification tests

HEA 1402 — Prohibiting resident tuition for illegal aliens

HEA 1405 — Tobacco matters

HEA 1406 — Jurisdiction of university and college police

HEA 1416 — Credit time

HEA 1422 — Notice to parent, guardian, or custodian

HEA 1427 — Claiming child as dependent for tax purposes

HEA 1429 — Textbooks and other curricular material

HEA 1432 — Disinterment of human remains

HEA 1450 — Unemployment insurance

HEA 1451 — Mint distilling operations

HEA 1467 — Athletic trainer reimbursement

HEA 1474 — Terminated pregnancy form

HEA 1486 — Insurance matters

HEA 1502 — Substance abuse study

HEA 1528 — Financial institutions and consumer credit

HEA 1538 — Minimum wage required by local unit

HEA 1539 — Marion County COIT

HEA 1541 — Transfer fee covenants

HEA 1543 — Regulation of residential leases

HEA 1548 — Recognition of foreign country money judgments

HEA 1558 — Unauthorized adoption facilitation

HEA 1601 — Legislative redistricting

HEA 1602 — Congressional redistricting

Complete information about all bills, including Senate bills, which are not listed here, is available at www.in.gov/legislative. If you don’t have Internet access, call my legislative assistant, Clinton Bohm, at 800-382-9841. He will be happy to provide information on a specific bill or topic.

News Is Good for State, Education

INDIANAPOLIS — Not every recent forecast has been stormy. On April 15, a bipartisan committee of state fiscal experts released an updated revenue forecast suggesting Indiana’s financial outlook for the next two years is improving.

Through the end of June 2013, Indiana is expected to take in $762 million more than the total predicted by the previous forecast, which came out in December. The new forecast comes at a critical time. The legislature must adjourn by Friday, and the budget is still being finalized. The proposed budget would spend about $28 billion over two years.

Just because we expect to have more money, however, doesn’t mean we will, and we must resist the temptation to spend the additional projected revenue. Things can change quickly. They’ve changed for the better since December, but it’s important we exercise restraint. That having been said, the good economic news will allow us to increase funding in at least one important area.

K-12 education has been a top priority all session. In the House-passed version of the budget, other than Medicaid and corrections, K-12 education was the only significant budget item that wasn’t cut. The new forecast will allow us to increase K-12 funding by more than $150 million.

The improvement in the revenue forecast is primarily attributable to the expectation of strong growth in the state’s two largest revenue sources — sales tax and individual income tax. Sales tax collections are expected to grow about 5 percent in the first year of the budget and another 4 percent in the second year.

Of course, Hoosiers are only able to start spending again because they’re working. The forecast predicts it will take three more years to return to peak employment in Indiana, but there are definite signs of improvement. Indiana’s preliminary seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate dropped 0.3 percentage points, to 8.5 percent, in March — putting us below the national average of 8.8 percent and below that of all neighboring states for the second month in a row. Indiana added 9,700 jobs in March.

The improvement in employment will translate into higher individual income tax receipts. Growth is expected to be almost 9 percent in the first year of the budget and nearly 6 percent more in the second year. Downward pressures on the revenue projections include slow corporate income tax growth and anticipated declines in gaming revenues due to new competition from casinos in neighboring states.

Under a proposal announced last week, the total increase in K-12 funding would be $153 million over the two-year budget cycle. Of that, $47 million would be dedicated to expanding full-day kindergarten. Another $78 million would be distributed to schools according to the state funding formula, and $15 million would fund performance awards for teachers.

Here’s how funding for full-day kindergarten works. Through the funding formula, schools receive half of their per-student funding amount for each kindergartner. A state grant program helps bridge the gap. The total available statewide has been $58.5 million for the last three school years, including this year. The pot of money is divided by the actual number of full-day kindergartners statewide. This year, 56,826 out of 76,786 total kindergartners statewide are enrolled in full-day kindergarten. The other 19,960 kindergartners are half-day students.

Based on the numbers, schools that chose to offer full-day kindergarten this school year received a grant of $1,029 for each full-day student. The additional grant money is enough to maintain that funding level if all schools and students were to participate. Kindergarten is not required, and participation in the state grant program is optional. Since participation isn’t likely to be 100 percent, the per-student grant is likely to increase, as the larger pot of money — $82 million a year under the proposal — would still be divided equally among students.

Improving early childhood education is critical for Indiana’s future, and it appears we are about to take a significant step in the right direction. More steps are needed.

Based on projections from the December revenue forecast, the House-passed version of the budget would have been structurally balanced (meaning revenue exceeds spending) by its second year and would have left $587 million, or about 4 percent of projected annual revenues, in reserve at the end of the budget cycle. Under the new forecast, the House-passed budget would be structurally balanced in the first year and would build the reserve to $1.35 billion, or about 10 percent of projected revenues, by the end of the two-year budget cycle. Most experts agree that a 5 percent reserve is the bare minimum and that state governments should strive for balances equal to at least 10 percent of annual revenue.

The Hoosier economy and our state tax revenues are expected to show significant improvement in the coming years, and Indiana has weathered the recession without enacting destructive and counterproductive tax increases or jeopardizing essential government services.

The latest revenue forecast should be a cause for optimism, but we must remain vigilant in maintaining the fiscal discipline that brought us through the recession. Indiana has lived under an austere budget for the last several years, and with the prospect of increased revenues, the temptation will be great to spend money on all of the programs and projects that have seen their funding reduced out of necessity. But projections are just that - projections. The current budget was based on revenue estimates from the May 2009 forecast. Those estimates turned out to be more than $1.4 too high, and Gov. Mitch Daniels had to make cuts to keep the state operating in the black.

The rain is ending, and the sun is coming out. Maintaining a responsible reserve is like carrying an umbrella. If it rains again, we’ll be prepared.

Drew wrote:

Rep. Clere, I know that a lot of this benefit to the schools is due to your vigilance. Thank you for keeping a close eye on all matters fiscal in Indiana, and for helping our kids along the way. My wife is always saying that you're such a breath of fresh air. She's absolutely right.

It's amazing. After so many years, we have a state representative with brains and a conscience. And my wife is always raving about Mrs. Clere. I have to agree, she's quite a nice bonus!

Thanks for your public service. I wish these articles appeared weekly.

Gilly wrote:

Do not be misguided, Ed has not helped propel public education forward. Vouchures for private schools, endorsement of charter schools, and the repeal of teachers' rights to negotiate working conditions will in no way, shape or form improve public education.

Rose B wrote:

Im glad to know we have money for the children for once, and that it seems to be free and clear. It's also good that some really ignorant adults are not braying about where extra money should go (to adult places).

Without a very good education base, i.e. godo, solid kindergarten teaching, the outlook for our lives as older adults and seniors is bleak. Get these future adult humans early with great teaching and teachers that are paid for results, too. Like many businesses, people slide by with minimal productivity. Usually these people get weeded out thru some process of coachings and written admonishments, and given raises thru evaluations. Why not the more important work of being examples to early learners? Why not evaluate those who are giving information to our future leaders? And THEN pay them for the type of effective or non-effective productivity givien to their jobs?

OK, I need to get off that soap box now. BTW, I don't always comment on your articles, but I do read them as often as possible. I wish that your articles would appear more often, because I usually learn from what you say. How can I convince the editors to bring you back? I wish more State Congress could do this in their districts. Thanks again for all you tell us.

Elizabeth Daily wrote:

Public Education has been cut six million dollars in the last two years, While every penny helps, this is hardly a cause for celebration. Mr. Clere has voted against public education every time there is a vote. Now he is voting to support vouchers for religious schools (a potential 58 million dollar cut next year), a 1000 dollar tax credit for home schooled children (another 3 million dollar cut) and expansion of charter schools at the expense of traditional public schools. He is not a friend of education for most children. These votes are hostile and offensive to those of us who send our children to public schools.

Kent wrote:

Wow. Elizabeth. You just won't give it up, will you? You think that because Ed voted for vouchers that he's 'not a friend of education for most children.' Wow.

You act as though the money, and that's what we're talking about, MONEY, is going to SCHOOLS. I think the point of vouchers is that the money is going to follow CHILDREN.

Now, there's a novel thought. The money following CHILDREN instead of following schools. You see, you're all hot and bothered about money following children instead of schools. This could lead me to say, 'ELIZABETH DAILY IS NOT A FRIEND OF EDUCATION. SHE IS HOSTILE AND OFFENSIVE TO THOSE OF US WHO CARE ABOUT CHILDREN.'

But I won't say that. Instead, I'll simply say that you appear to disagree with the idea of offering KIDS the chance at an education that might suit their individual needs better than a traditional public school.

I've noticed that teachers (the teachers union) all seem to want to be the same. They want the same benefits and pay scale and work environment. They want to be, well, sort of LEMMINGS.

I also notice that teachers (and I'm really talking about the union here) seem to think of the CHILDREN as being all the same too. Public school, if it's right for one, is right for all.

You see, I disagree with your way of thinking. So, offering something else, another opportunity, to kids (especially those who may never have the chance to get out of a bad school), is a GREAT idea!!

Oh, but you don't like it? Why not? I know, you don't want to lose students to religious schools, charter schools and home school (or, maybe I should say you don't want to lose the FUNDING).

Well, if your school (where YOU teach) is so great, then I doubt it'll be a problem. If all is right in Utopia School where Elizabeth Daily teaches, then there's not a single student who'll leave. I even think Mr. Clere has said our schools are not likely to have many (if any) students leave.

So, what's the beef, Elizabeth?

Now, we're getting to the real truth: You're just spouting off the angry rhetoric the union keeps telling you about.

You're a teacher, presumably a good one. Then stop worrying. And stop being a nag. I get sick of reading your crap, which, by the way, is the exact same stuff the ISTA sends out all the time, ad nauseum. My wife gets it and sometimes sends me the most egregious mailings.

So, you're a smart teacher in a good school, right? Then start thinking for yourself.

Ed Clere, you're exactly what Education needs: a smart, thorough, reasoning and CARING legislator. Can't say enough about how well you've been doing the job!

Michael wrote:

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Ed Clere close down 4 New Albany schools by slashing the budget ... and then voted to give OVER $100 MILLION to the Indy sports arena within the past 6 months or so. I don't think education is on the top of his list by any means !! Please people, if you value your childern;s education, then vote new representatives in as soon as we can !! UNITE !!

LOL wrote:

Well, Elizabeth, when a candidate takes over $40,000 in a campaign contribution from a right-wing group pushing vouchers and the leader of that group is quoted as admitting to demanding return on her investment, it's not surprising that the candidate will jump when that group tells him to.

'I have decided, however, to stop taking offense at the suggestion that we are buying influence. Now I simply concede the point. They are right. We do expect some things in return.' - Betsy DeVos'

DeVos is the founder of All Children Matter which gave Mr. Clere $40,000 in 2008 for his campaign.

Nan Brown wrote:

How you ungrateful people can rail against a legislator who works to present YOU with GOOD NEWS about education funding never ceases to astound me. You ought to be dancing and singing in the streets.

But it's never enough, is it?

Democratic Insider wrote:

Michael, I'm glad you started your statement the way you did because I'm going to correct you because you're wrong. Ed Clere did NOT 'close down 4 New Albany schools by slashing the budget.' It simply didn't happen. NAFCS Superintendent Bruce Hibbard closed down 4 New Albany schools. He did, and the NAFCS Board of Trustees did. It is ridiculous to accuse Ed Clere of doing this, just as it is ridiculous to accuse Rep. Clere of supporting the Indy sports arena.

I remember some outright lies back during the campaign season, lies that were pushed by the Indiana Democratic Party, under the leadership of Dan Parker and Pat Bauer, and agreed upon by New Albany's Democratic candidate, Shane Gibson. Gibson OK'd mailers that accused Ed Clere of chomping on cigars in his millionaire box at the arena. As far as I know, Ed Clere has STILL never set foot in the place. So much for our party's lies.

Now, Michael, you're trying to get people to UNITE to 'vote new representatives as soon as we can'? You sound like those ISTA e-mails I keep getting.

As for you, LOL, your opprobriousness, under all your different names, is getting to be like gum stuck to your shoe. You think that Ed Clere is tight with Betsy Devos and you think that Ed Clere doesn't vote independently of pressure you perceive from contributors or from his party (yes, I've heard you rail on how he drank the Republican Party kook-aid)? You are absolutely calling it wrong there. Clere is under the thumb of no one. Look at his votes and think again.

No, wait. You won't do that. You're still to angry that he won, fair and square, and without any help from you. You easily forget that he has, in the past, supported your business, asking nothing in return, only giving.

Shame on you, LOL. You need to stop laughing, and get with the program. Ed Clere is the best legislator you're likely to ever have down here.

Stephanie wrote:

Ed, you are so right to tell us this news and I'm so glad you're working hard to get it spent where it's needed most: very early childhood education. Full-day kindergarten is what is needed. Thanks for your attention to all the details! You're so very good at that: paying attention to the detail! Thanks!

Maggie wrote:

I've gotten just about sick and tired of getting all the messages from the teachers union about how Tony Bennett is gutting schools and about how the public schools we have today won't exist five years from now. Some of these comments, in like vein, are just the same crap the union sends out. Everyone says the same things. No matter where you go, no one seems to be thinking on his or her own. They just keep repeating the same catch phrases the union has told us is truth.

Unfortunately, it's a pack of lies. Frankly, our schools could use a work-over. They're not being gutted. They just need to be made to shape up a bit.

On top of that, here in NAFC, our schools are STILL better than average. So, why do we sit around babbling about how all our kids are going to the private schools? Do you REALLY have so little faith in our public schools? Really?

As for Representative Clere, watch what this guy is really up to. Just watch. I don't mean, 'Check in with the ISTA and let them tell you what he's doing.' I mean, check it out for yourself.

Also, when Ed Clere takes the time during an extremely busy Session to meet with teachers, stop the attack and just LISTEN to what he says. The way you people treated him at HHMS was ridiculous. Ed was prepared to have a serious meeting, from what it looked like to me. The teachers were ready to play attack dog. All the things I've heard about that meeting tell me that there's one side that's trying to work with the people (i.e. Ed Clere), and one side that's trying to continue using scare tactics.

News IS good wrote:

Ed, it is great news that there's some money we didn't expect to have. I like to stay upbeat, so I'll say that I hope it's spent wisely by local officials.

Elizabeth Daily wrote:

Mr. Clere voted for HB1003. That alone tells you he does not value public education. He believes in privatization of public schools. Now we will have it. Indiana will now fund a system of private schools as well as a system of traditional schools and charter schools. We will do this with funding at the level it was in 2006. All 56 votes were from Republicans. Please keep in mind that this bill allows private schools receiving vouchers do not have to comply with the Americans for Disabilites Act.These schools do not have to follow the same laws when it comes to teacher evaluation. This law gives a 1000.00 tax credit to parents sending their children to private schools or are home schooled . It does not forbid discrimination on the basis of religion. This bill could drain 58 million dollars alone out of public schools the first year. It does not give parents a choice. It allows private schools to pick and choose who they admit. This is a cost saving measure and it comes at the expense of our kids. This bill is a deal breaker for me. All of the representatives who voted for it should be voted out. They did not campaign on vouchers. Oh-and I am not a teacher, but I am an informed parent who believes public education is the foundation of democracy and now Indiana leads the way in destroying it. I am sure Mr. Clere could not refuse to vote for this bill. The governor;s PAC put in over one million dollars in last fall's election and I know that he was expected to follow the party line. It is just too bad that our children have to pay for it.

Connie wrote:

Elizabeth, you're not a very informed parent if you actually believe that private schools don't have to follow the rules. Obviously, you haven't read what they have to do in order to be able to receive vouchers.

Also, someone on here stated it well when they said that that you have little faith in your public schools if you think people are going to go in droves to private schools, thereby taking money away from public schools. YOU, not Representative Clere, are saying that you don't think our local schools can keep their students. I have heard Mr. Clere say that he doesn't students in Floyd County to suddenly turn to private or charter schools.

You're being dramatic. Why don't you give yourself the moniker 'The Sky Is Falling' next time you write in the Tribune?

Steve wrote:

I am constantly AMAZED at the utter ignorance of our so-called 'educators'. The U.S.,as a whole, spends 4 TIMES MORE on education than ANY other industrialized nation and has 'bupkis' to show for it. Instead of haranging state legislators, try haranging parent to be more active in their childrens' education. They, not state legislators,are your TRUE partners in education.

Now, you in the general public, NO ONE state legislator is responsible for closing schools. The cowards YOU elected to the NAFC school board are. Instead of addressing the fiscal issues in the district, they chose to close schools. Ask the superintendent exactly HOW MANY assistants he REALLY NEEDS!! When I graduated from Silver Creek (early 80's), we had ONE superintendent and ONE assistant superintendent. I believe you had the same number in the NAFC system. How MANY do you have today? The average elementary class size then was 25-30 students. Overall, we had BETTER test scores than kids today do. WHY?? It's called discipline!! Our parents made it perfectly clear that there would be 'hell to pay' if we DIDN'T obey our teachers. 'Nuff said!!!!

radical1a wrote:

Elizabeth what it all boils down to is that you want Liberal Union Government Employees teaching your kids ., well we are informed and we want something better for our kids , now we have it and you are not happy :(

CLERE: Education issues deserve calm debate

> SOUTHERN INDIANA — Public education isn’t failing. Several major education bills are working their way through the legislative process, and there is a lot of misinformation, including the notion that legislators think public education is failing. I do not believe public schools are failing, and I do not know any legislator who does.

There is a wide range of opinion over what should be done to improve education. The bills under consideration are intended to provide options for families and to improve public education by increasing competition and accountability.

It is understandable that teachers may feel as though they are under attack, and it's important to acknowledge that teachers are not the problem. Most teachers are good teachers. Some are not. Many are excellent. Proposed legislation would reward outstanding performers and make it easier to deal with underperformers.

In many places, traditional public schools are performing well. In other places, there is a lot of room for improvement.

A bill that would expand charter schools passed the House last week. There’s a lot of misunderstanding and misinformation about charter schools, and, as with other issues, the level of rhetoric isn't helping. On Tuesday, the day the bill passed, the Indiana State Teachers Association — the teachers union — held a rally at the Statehouse.

According to the ISTA, more than 1,000 teachers attended the rally. Based on the noise, I would have estimated the size of the crowd at several times that number. Educators are professionals and deserve to be treated as professionals. What I witnessed last week was not professional and did not reflect the high level of professionalism exhibited by most of the teachers I know. At times, it was difficult to hear over the shouting.

The charter bill passed 59-37. Moments later, a man shouted from the public gallery overlooking the House floor, “Liar!” His outburst was directed at House Speaker Brian Bosma. This is the environment in which many of us are trying to talk calmly and respectfully. Needless to say, it isn't easy.

I’m willing to give the man the benefit of the doubt. Tensions were high, and it had been a long day for the teachers, many of whom had traveled long distances. Maybe he misunderstood what the charter school legislation is all about. He wouldn't be the only one.

A posting on the ISTA’s website asserted that the charter legislation, House Bill 1002, “would remove funds from public schools to be given to private institutions that not everyone would be allowed to attend.”

That's simply untrue. Charter schools are tuition-free public schools open to all students.

The same posting went on to say that another initiative, House Bill 1003, “would reduce teacher pay in addition to remove any rights teachers have to negotiate their teaching contracts or have any voice at all in issues regarding education.” HB 1003 deals with scholarships — also called vouchers — for disadvantaged children to attend private school. It has nothing to do with the issues mentioned.

The posting continued with a doomsday prediction: “If these bills are passed, Hoosier public education will decay. The state will not be able to keep its good teachers for no one will want to continue to teach under such adverse conditions. Indiana will not be able to attract new teachers that would make a difference to future generations for it will be better to get a degree, then go practice in a state where educators are more appreciated and recompensed accordingly.”

The author may have valid concerns, but she wasn’t even talking about the right bills, and the alarmist predictions don’t help anything.

In Indiana, more than 22,000 students attend 60 tuition-free, public charter schools, according to the Indiana Public Charter School Association. “Public charter schools provide choice in education to parents. They are free to be creative and innovative in their approach, but are held to strict accountability standards for student achievement,” according to the association. For more information, visit the association’s website at www.incharters.org. The ISTA’s website is www.ista-in.org. If you do not have Internet access and would like more information from both sides of the debate, contact my office.

After the rally, I heard there was at least one teacher from Southern Indiana who said she had tried to schedule an appointment with me and that I refused to meet. Prior to the day of the rally, I did not receive any request for a meeting. Starting around 3 p.m., while we were in session, the House doorkeeper started bringing me notes from teachers who were in the hallway outside the chamber. We were voting every few minutes. I wanted to step out in the hall, but it was too chaotic and I didn't want to miss a vote.

Too few people from Southern Indiana visit the Statehouse, and I welcome visitors from home. I always try to find a way to meet with folks, even if they show up unannounced. Of course, notice is always helpful and appreciated.

We're not even at the halfway point of the legislative session, and education reform is a work in progress. I would welcome an opportunity to meet locally with anyone who wants to talk about education. During last year's legislative session, I held two open forums on education. The union ordered teachers to stay away. I have no interest in butting heads with the union. My only interest is what's good for children, and I will gladly listen to anyone who shares that interest.

Rep. Ed Clere represents District 72 in the Indiana House of Representatives. He may be reached by phone at 1-800-382-9841, by e-mail at h72@in.gov or by mail at the Statehouse, 200 W. Washington St., Room 401-7, Indianapolis, IN 46204.

Time to stop playing around with parks

By ED CLERE

FLOYD COUNTY — Seventeen years ago, New Albany and Floyd County combined their parks, forming the New Albany-Floyd County Department of Parks and Recreation. It was a progressive move and a great example of how efficiency and taxpayer savings can be achieved by consolidating government.

The concept was good, but the merged department hasn’t lived up to its original promise – or to its potential. Funding has been inconsistent. In late 2009, for example, the parks budget was slashed by approximately a third. The cut exceeded the entire remaining budget for the year. Thanks to strong leadership, the parks department found a way to make do.

There has been discussion of selling park property for commercial development to solve short-term city and county budget problems. In terms of land area, Floyd County is the second smallest of Indiana’s 92 counties. By population, it ranks 21st, according to a 2009 population estimate. We don’t have any parks to spare.

In addition, private donors are ready to provide major funding for new facilities, including a public swimming pool, but they are hesitant to start writing checks until they see a long-term commitment to parks. No one wants to write a $250,000 check only to see a cash-strapped council reduce its contribution to parks funding by an equivalent amount.

Last month, I introduced a bill that would convert the parks department into an independent park district. The legislation, House Bill 1507, is scheduled for a committee hearing Thursday.

In looking at the documents that established the joint parks department, I saw a lot of familiar names, and I was reminded of how most initiatives build on the work of others. This is no exception. Two of the original supporters of the combined parks department are in public office today – New Albany Mayor Doug England, who was in his first term as mayor, and Floyd County Commissioner Chuck Freiberger, who was on the county council. Their leadership — along with that of many others — is needed again. It’s time to realize fully the potential of the original initiative, and to make it permanent.

Outside of Indianapolis, which has merged city-county government, Floyd County’s city-county parks department is unique. The district would be Indiana’s first park district and could be a model for the future.

Under the bill, the park district would be overseen by a nine-member commission. The members of the commission would be appointed by city and county elected officials — three by the county commissioners, two by the county council, two by the mayor of New Albany and two by the New Albany City Council. It would be similar in makeup to the current parks board, which is composed of 10 members — five appointed by the mayor, two by the county council, two by the judge of the Floyd County Circuit Court and one by the commissioners.

Some have questioned whether there would be sufficient accountability from an appointed board – as opposed to an elected board. In fact, by separating the parks from other local government functions, we could see greater accountability. There would be no confusing park funds with other monies — or park priorities with other demands.

The issue of accountability deserves full discussion, but let’s be clear. The bill would not create a new government function. All it would do is separate an existing function and make it stand on its own. There would be no increase in property taxes. Annual increases would be limited by the same formula that applies to other units of local government. Under the bill, the district would start out with an annual operating budget of $1,000,000 — about $50,000 less than last year’s budget — and a $150,000 fund for capital improvements. The fund already exists; it would simply be moved to the park district.

The city’s and county’s tax levies would be reduced to offset the new district’s levy. Because the county has been paying less than its fair share, the county’s tax levy would have to be reduced by more than it has been contributing. That will be difficult, given the challenges the county faces, and it may need to be approached incrementally. The city, on the other hand, has been paying more than its fair share, so it might even see some funds freed up for other purposes — again, with no increase in property taxes.

The issue of appointed boards has been raised in this year’s legislative session, and it’s an important discussion. Senate Bill 550 would close a loophole that the city of Carmel used to issue $95 million of debt through its redevelopment commission, which, like others — including New Albany’s — is appointed. House Bill 1225 would require public library budgets to be approved by a municipal or county council, if a majority of the library board members are appointed rather than elected. I’m very open to placing reasonable restrictions on the new park district, as long as those restrictions don’t undermine the benefit of an independent district. One change I plan to propose Thursday is to require county council approval of any park district bond issue that would be supported by property taxes.

There have also been questions about the transfer of property. Under the bill, all existing park property would be transferred to the new district. It’s important to remember that the people of Floyd County already own the parks, and that wouldn’t change. The legislation includes a provision to keep the district from selling property and reaping a windfall. Proceeds from any sale within the first 10 years of the district’s existence would revert to the original owner. In other words, if the district were to sell a park that was owned by the city, the city would get the money from the sale, and likewise for a county-owned park.

Thursday’s hearing will be broadcast live on the Internet starting at 8 a.m. Go to www.in.gov/legislative. Several folks from Floyd County are planning to make the trip to Indianapolis to testify. If you wish to comment on the bill prior to the hearing, e-mail me at h72@in.gov, or call my legislative assistant, Clinton Bohm, at 1-800-382-9841. Floyd County residents need to be heard on this issue, and I will weigh every comment.

It’s time to get politics out of the parks. As someone who coaches soccer at Sam Peden Community Park, I know the parks are already crowded enough.

A Clere view of the Statehouse: List was just the beginning

In last week’s column, I included a list of almost 100 House bills. I provided the list to give readers an idea of the wide range of subjects addressed by proposed legislation. In all, between the House and Senate, more than 1,100 bills were filed this session.

I received a number of comments from readers who appreciated the list. As always, I welcome feedback, and I was glad to hear from folks who found the list helpful. Some said they were going to keep it for reference. I want to emphasize that it was just a partial list. For a complete list of all bills, go to www.in.gov/legislative, click on “Bills & Resolutions” and then click on “Complete Information for All Bills.”

If you do not have Internet access, my legislative assistant, Clinton Bohm, will be happy to mail you a list. Just call him at 1-800-382-9841. He can also help if you are interested in a particular issue and would like to track legislation related to that issue.

The session started Jan. 5 and is likely to continue through April 29, which is the deadline for adjournment. Indiana operates on a two-year budget, and odd-numbered years are budget years, so this year’s session is a so-called long session. In even-numbered years, the legislature meets for a short session, which must end by March 14.

When the legislature is in session, both the House and Senate meet Monday through Thursday most weeks, with floor sessions – which is when each chamber meets as a body – on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Wednesdays are usually reserved for committee meetings. On rare occasion, such as the governor’s State of the State address, the two chambers meet together in joint session.

For every session day, each chamber publishes a calendar, which is a list of bills eligible for action. The calendar is also available online; click on “Floor Calendars.” It’s usually posted a day ahead of time, with Monday’s calendar posted by the previous Friday.

There were 37 bills on Monday’s House calendar, including the first Senate bill of the session to make it to the House floor. Senate Bill 32 passed the Senate two weeks ago and a House committee last week. The bill would establish the use of vote centers as an option for all counties. Vote centers allow voting in centralized locations during an extended period of time. The approach is intended to increase convenience for voters while also reducing election expense. The legislation follows a pilot program which was introduced in three counties and is on track to become law in time for counties statewide to be able to implement vote centers as soon as the May primary election.

When a bill is on second reading, any member of the House (or, in the case of the Senate, any member of the Senate) may propose an amendment. If an amendment receives the support of the majority of the members, the bill is altered accordingly. House Speaker Brian Bosma has emphasized the role of committees and has expressed a preference for committees to work out issues before a bill reaches the floor whenever possible. Sometimes there is still a need to clean up an issue by amendment, or there is a last-minute idea to make a bill better. Second-reading amendments also present the best opportunity for the minority party to force votes on political issues, and that happens a lot.

When a bill is on third reading, it is said that the bill is on its final passage. Bills can be amended on third reading, but it requires a two-thirds majority and is rarely done. If a House bill passes on third reading, it goes to the Senate for further consideration, and vice versa. Sixteen bills were on yesterday’s House calendar for third reading:

A bill’s author may pass on calling down a bill that is on the calendar, in which case the bill remains on the calendar for possible action on the next session day. Such was the case with HB 1018, which would enact a statewide smoking ban. When the bill was on second reading, there were three successful amendments that added exemptions to the bill. The bill was on third reading last week, but the author passed twice – apparently to give supporters time to line up votes.

Bills have until late February to pass their chamber of origin – Feb. 23 in the Senate and Feb. 25 in the House.

Session need not be an up-and-down time

The first full week of the legislative session was a smooth ride, but it wasn’t without talk of roller coasters.

I serve on both the House Education and House Ways and Means committees. In the Education Committee, we passed a bill that updates provisions for the selection and meetings of Indiana University trustees. Ball State University requested a similar change, and we added it to the bill. The committee includes several new members, and the noncontroversial legislation provided an opportunity to start with something simple. It will get tougher going forward. Tomorrow’s committee agenda includes a bill on charter schools that is certain to draw much more attention.

In Ways and Means, we devoted the week to higher education, including presentations from the seven state colleges and universities. We were scheduled to hear a presentation yesterday on Gov. Mitch Daniels’ proposed budget. State agencies will make their presentations this week and next.

Other committees also started hearing bills. A statewide smoking ban was first on the agenda for the House Public Health Committee. It will be back on the committee’s agenda tomorrow for amendment and a vote. It’s expected to pass out of committee with exemptions for casinos, private clubs and tobacco shops. It would then go to the full House, which has passed similar bans both of the last two years. Those bills ended up being blocked in the Senate, but this year may be different.

The deadline for filing bills in the House was Tuesday, and as of the end of the week, many bills were still being assigned to committee. We have much to do, and that’s why it was important to get to work right away. We have until April 29 – the deadline for adjournment – to balance the budget, draw new legislative boundaries, turn around the state’s bankrupt unemployment fund and address sweeping proposals to reform K-12 education. Hundreds of other issues will also receive attention. Along the way, our challenge will be to keep our primary focus on jobs.

Last week also included several official visits. The House and Senate met in joint session Tuesday for the governor’s State of the State address and Wednesday for the State of the Judiciary address from Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard, who discussed a sentencing reform proposal the legislature will consider this year and reported progress in three areas – the use of settlement conferences to prevent home foreclosure, the implementation of a statewide technology system for the courts and the development of jury instructions in plain English.

We also received visits from two members of Indiana’s congressional delegation, Sen. Dan Coats, a Republican, and Rep. Joe Donnelly, a Democrat. Returning to longstanding tradition, House Speaker Brian Bosma invited both men to address the body.

We ended the week with an address from state Rep. Vernon Smith, a Democrat from Gary, who, for the 21st consecutive year, reminded the chamber of the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Statehouse was closed yesterday in observance of the holiday.

Not everyone who spoke on the floor of the House last week was an elected official. In any given week, we typically hear from a number of Hoosiers from all walks of life. Before the state of the judiciary address, we heard from Pat Koch, whose family owns the Holiday World theme park. Her remarks are worth quoting:

“I usually don’t ask permission to speak, but that was very kind. I am the cleaning lady at Holiday World, and I’ve enjoyed all of my 50 years there. Our park will celebrate its 65th year this summer, and we will do it without our firstborn, who left us in June, but we will carry on the family tradition of 65 years that Louis Koch began when he came there in 1946, that my husband, Bill Koch, who’s been in this room many times, carried on and then our son Will and now our son Dan and Will’s family.”

Will Koch died last year at age 48, and his mother’s voice wavered when she mentioned his passing.

She continued: “We know that our mission is not to be an amusement park or a theme park, but our mission is to serve people – to bring joy to people, to be a Mecca of love and respect, cleanliness, friendliness – all those good values that we keep and that we hold, and we’re going to keep working at that year after year after year, and to train, mentor and to develop young people, who learn many, many skills. So we love what we do. We are very appreciative of all of you and the wonderful work you do. We are all servants, are we not? We are all here to serve. And if we do that well and make a difference, our world can be a better place. So thank you very, very much for this opportunity. Our family thanks you. Our Holiday World family thanks you. Come on down. I might give you a free pass.”

With that, the chamber erupted in laughter and applause, and Mrs. Koch’s son Dan, who was by her side, gestured to dismiss his mother’s offer, which she quickly amended: “I promise free soft drinks.” Of course, soft drinks are always free at Holiday World.

It was a light, funny conclusion to a poignant appearance by the matriarch of a great Hoosier family business.

Several representatives added their remarks. Among them was Rep. Bruce Borders, a Republican from Jasonville, a small city west of Bloomington. The House is full of colorful characters, and Rep. Borders is no exception. The insurance agent, former mayor and Elvis impersonator joked about his late friend’s lobbying efforts: “Whenever he would talk to me about legislation, we were usually like 15 stories high.”

I’m expecting some highflying debate this session, but after a good start, there’s no reason it has to become a roller coaster. Hoosiers deserve a smoother ride.

Delay is Taking a Toll

We’ve been here before.

“… [A] controversy erupted over whether the bridge should be funded entirely from tax levies and operated without tolls or financed with revenue bonds, which would be retired through toll collections. …”

Sound familiar? Although the quotation easily could have appeared in any recent newspaper, it didn’t. It’s from the Encyclopedia of Louisville and refers to debate over construction of the Clark Memorial Bridge.

The article continues: “After studying numerous financial, engineering, and site proposals for seven months, the committee issued a report calling for construction of a highway toll bridge to be financed through a $5 million bond issue and managed by a five-member bridge commission. The report set off an eighteen-month period of public debate between backers of a toll bridge and those who favored a free bridge. In the winter of 1926 the Kentucky General Assembly enacted and Gov. William J. Fields signed legislation authorizing construction of a toll bridge and creating a Louisville Bridge Commission. But free-bridge forces, spearheaded by some of Louisville’s most prominent business leaders, appeared to gain the upper hand when they persuaded the city’s general council to submit the issue to voters. However, [in] October 1926 the Kentucky attorney general announced that the Kentucky Highway Commission lacked authority to expend money to maintain a free bridge. On election day the voters decisively defeated the free bridge proposal.”

The bridge opened in October 1929, two days after the stock market crash and the start of the Great Depression. The toll was 35 cents. In today’s dollars, that would be $4.48, according to the inflation calculator on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics website. In 1937, the toll was reduced to 25 cents – equivalent to $3.20 today.

According to the encyclopedia article, “the bonds were paid off several years early because of heavy wartime traffic to the Indiana Ordinance Works near Charlestown.” The sentence suggests two important points. First, tolls went away when the bridge was paid off. Second, jobs in Southern Indiana were an important part of the equation.

Jobs in Southern Indiana are still an important part of the equation. The Indiana Ordinance Works – also known as the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant – is no more. Now it’s the River Ridge Commerce Center, and instead of making bombs, it’s creating jobs. New bridges would create many more.

Now we just have to figure out how to pay for them. If we do, construction on the East End bridge could start next year.

Like many others in our community, I was pleased last week when the governors of Indiana and Kentucky and the new mayor of Louisville announced cost-cutting plans for the Ohio River Bridges Project.

Several changes would reduce the project’s estimated $4 billion price tag by approximately $500 million:

• Rebuild Spaghetti Junction in the existing location instead of moving it south.
• Reduce the East End bridge, roadway and tunnel from six lanes to four, with the option of adding two lanes later as traffic demand warrants.
• Complete the Big Four Bridge pedestrian walkway and bike path as an alternative to including pedestrian and bike paths on the new downtown bridge.

The governors and the mayor also signaled their desire to keep the Sherman Minton and Clark Memorial bridges toll free.

In addition, the Louisville and Southern Indiana Bridges Authority will explore other cost-saving solutions for design, construction and financing by soliciting private-sector ideas at an industry innovation forum next month.

Business owners, commuters and other bridge users have played an important role in the recent debate over the bridges project. Even with last week's announcement, I know they still have many unanswered questions and concerns, and so do I.

Some of the biggest questions will be answered when a “time of day” model is completed around April 1. It will provide a comprehensive analysis of traffic and usage patterns and will be the basis for a funding proposal based on real numbers. Until then, everything is just a guess.

One thing, however, is for sure. The new bridges will be financed in a much different way than the last two bridges.

Ninety percent of the cost of the Kennedy and Sherman Minton Bridges was paid by the federal government as part of the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System, with Kentucky and Indiana picking up the remaining 10 percent of each bridge, respectively.

Those bridges opened almost 50 years ago, and much has changed. Needless to say, as we approach the federal debt ceiling, Uncle Sam will be lucky if he can afford to pay a toll to cross the new bridges, let alone finance their construction. Indiana has a portion of the funding available now, but it won't be there for long. If we delay, other areas of the state would probably be more than willing to find other uses for money that could help build bridges here.

Generations of community leaders have worked to build bridges – both literal and figurative – between Louisville and Southern Indiana. Now the responsibility is ours.

As I said, there remain many questions, and the coming months should provide answers. The sooner, the better. Last week’s announcement included the assertion that each month of delay adds $10 million to the project’s cost. That’s an unacceptable toll.

Take a Page from Here and Visit the Statehouse

In last week’s column, I suggested some ways to connect with state government. This week, as the 2011 legislative session gets under way, I want to focus on a special opportunity.

Students ages 13 to 18 may serve as a legislative page for a day. It’s a hands-on, behind-the-scenes chance to learn about state government, and every student should take advantage of it at least once. Not enough students from Southern Indiana do. Last year, I had fewer than two dozen pages all session. Most days, there are at least that many students present from the Indianapolis area alone. Please share this column with students and their parents and help me encourage more young people from our area to participate. Availability is limited, so requests should be made as soon as possible.

It’s a full day, starting with an early-morning drive to Indianapolis. Pages receive a tour of the Statehouse, including the governor’s office, the lieutenant governor’s office, the Supreme Court and the House and Senate chambers. Pages get to sit on the House or Senate floor during session, and they may be asked to deliver messages to members or perform other light tasks, such as stuffing envelopes. Mostly, however, they are there to observe and learn.

Pages receive an excused absence from school. They are responsible for their own transportation and lunch. Parents or chaperones also receive a tour, and I always try to make time for both the students and the adults who are with them.

Some days of the week and times during the session are better than others for serving as a page. To start planning, contact my legislative assistant, Clinton Bohm. Make sure you communicate directly with him. There is a separate page office, but I prefer to be more personally involved with scheduling. The page office does a great job but can’t keep track of the details of every legislator’s schedule. I want every one of my pages to have the best possible experience, and picking a good day is important. E-mail cbohm@iga.in.gov, or call 1-800-382-9841.

The page program is for students in middle school and high school, but the Statehouse is open to all. Just because you’re too old to be a page doesn’t mean you can’t have many of the same experiences. In fact, I encourage people of any age to visit the Statehouse. Please e-mail or call to arrange your visit as far ahead of time as possible, and I will try to make it meaningful and memorable.

Of course, not everyone is able to visit the Statehouse in person, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep up with what’s going on. Newspaper coverage is a good start, and there are many good sources for additional information. Last week, I mentioned several. In case you missed them, I’m going to list them again.

The Indiana General Assembly’s website is www.in.gov/legislative. It includes a wealth of information and resources, and floor sessions and committee meetings are broadcast live and archived on the website. This year, for the first time, all committee meetings will be broadcast. That means every hearing on every bill will be available for viewing.

Thanks to the Internet, you can also tune in to programming that isn’t broadcast on TV or radio in this part of the state.

“Indiana Week in Review” airs weekly on Indianapolis public television and public radio. It’s available online at www.wfyi.org/indianaweekinreview.asp. On the website, you can also sign up to receive weekly e-mail or text alerts of show topics.

While the legislature is in session, there is another weekly show, “Indiana Lawmakers,” a roundtable that features elected officials, journalists and other political observers. Information is at www.wfyi.org/indianalawmakers.asp.

Whether you visit in person, read the newspaper or keep up on the Internet, it’s an important time to be paying attention to state government. The legislature starts meeting this week and will probably be in session until the end of April. Over the next four months, the decisions that are made will affect every Hoosier.

Some issues will receive a lot of attention. The state budget, legislative redistricting, the unemployment trust fund and K-12 education reform will make headlines, as will many other hot topics. Many issues, however, will receive little, if any, media attention. That doesn’t mean they aren’t important. In fact, some of those issues may be very important to you, even if they don’t rate front-page coverage.

With that in mind, please contact my office if there are specific issues you would like to know about. Next week is the deadline for filing bills, and after the deadline passes, we will have an idea of the topics that will be considered during the session. There will be hundreds of bills. Most will not become law, but many will. Even if a bill isn’t filed on a particular subject, the issue may still come up as a proposed amendment to a bill. If you feel an issue isn’t receiving proper attention, please let me know.

In the meantime, if you know any students in middle school or high school, please share this column with them or their parents. Help me encourage them – along with folks of all ages – to visit the Statehouse.

Harmony will be needed for budget

The sounds of the season are everywhere, and some holiday songs make me think about Indiana’s financial situation.

Baby, it’s cold outside. A few years ago, the American economy was lean and lank, but lately, misfortune seemed its lot. It got into a drifted bank, and we, we got upsot. Consumers have been acting less like the singer of “Santa Baby” (seeking a sable, a convertible, decorations from Tiffany’s, etc.) and more like grandma – after she got run over by a reindeer.

Now we’re looking for some magic, but there is no old silk hat to be found. Instead, we’ll have to rely on discipline and difficult decisions. The groundwork for those decisions is being laid now, as the state Budget Committee holds public hearings with state agencies. At the hearings, which started the week before Thanksgiving and continue through the middle of December, agencies present their budget requests and answer questions from the committee, which is making a list and checking it twice. Gonna find out who’s naughty and nice. Do I smell chestnuts?

The Budget Committee is composed of four legislators – one Democrat and one Republican from both the House of Representatives and the Senate – and the State Budget Agency director, who is appointed by the governor. The Budget Committee meets when the legislature is out of session to provide legislative oversight of the budget process.

On Dec. 15, the Budget Committee will receive a revenue forecast. After that, the committee will propose a two-year budget. The legislature will meet starting Jan. 5. I took the following summary from the State Budget Agency website. The complete process is available at www.in.gov/sba.

The legislative budget process begins in the House, where the Ways and Means Committee considers the proposed budget and holds hearings. The hearings provide an opportunity for agency representatives and the public to be heard on various aspects of the proposed budget. The committee may amend the budget bill by majority vote. When deliberations are completed, the Ways and Means Committee reports the bill out for consideration by the entire House, usually in an amended form.

After the committee report is adopted, the bill is considered to be on second reading. The bill may be further amended at this point. Individual representatives may present second reading amendments for debate. When all the offered amendments to the bill are either adopted or fail, the bill moves to third reading for approval as amended. Once passed by a majority vote, the bill is sent to the Senate for consideration.

In the Senate, the Appropriations Committee has primary responsibility for budget bill deliberations. In a similar manner to the House Ways and Means Committee, the Senate Finance Committee conducts public hearings with selected agencies before issuing a committee report. Again, the bill may be amended in committee by a majority vote.

After the bill is passed out of the committee, it goes through the second and third reading process, just as in the House. Once passed, the budget bill goes to conference committee to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions, unless the Senate passes the exact House version of the budget bill (a rare occurrence).

The budget conference committee is composed of four legislators, called conferees. The bill must be approved unanimously by these legislative conferees before it can be reported back to either chamber. While the conferees generally represent both political parties in the House and Senate, the majority legislative parties ultimately have the authority to appoint conferees.

Conference committee negotiations represent the final stage of the budget deliberation, involving compromises by all parties prior to adoption and reporting of a revised recommended budget. When the conference committee reports out a revised recommended budget, each chamber adopts or rejects it. If rejected by either chamber, the conference committee must reconvene and renew negotiations.

The legislature has until April 30 to finish its work, which will include much more than just the budget bill. I have been appointed to serve on the Ways and Means Committee, so I will be deeply involved in the budget process. I am looking forward to the challenge.

We won’t have a good idea of how things look until after the budget hearings are completed and the revenue forecast is available, but even in a best-case scenario, crafting a budget will be extremely difficult. It will require a lot of cooperation and understanding – harmony, if not unison.

As we work on the budget, we must deal with the frigid fiscal climate, but we must also prepare our state for warmer weather. If we manage well, spring could be right around the corner.

We’re free to move forward

Now that the election is over, it’s time to put politics aside and get to work solving problems. It won’t be easy. We face tremendous challenges – and tremendous opportunities.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to continue serving as your voice in Indianapolis. I appreciate the support of everyone who voted for me, and I will work to earn the trust of those who didn’t. As I said, it’s time to put politics aside, and I look forward to representing everyone in my district – not just those who voted for me.

A week from today is Organization Day, the official kickoff of the legislative session. It’s largely ceremonial, with the swearing in of newly elected legislators, official election of the heads of the House and Senate and various housekeeping matters. The session will start in early January and must conclude by the end of April.

The biggest job will be crafting the state’s next two-year budget. The current $27.9 billion budget runs through June.

Numbers from the most recent quarter indicate that Indiana may be starting to climb out of the recession, but it is slow going. State revenues exceeded the same quarter from last year by 7.5 percent, but they were still well below previous years. In fact, after being adjusted for the 2008 increase in the sales tax, revenues for the current fiscal year are expected to finish below 2006 levels.

Revenues for the current two-year period are on pace to finish $1.7 billion short of what we expected when we passed the budget. Gov. Mitch Daniels has reduced state spending by almost $1 billion, but that still leaves us about $1 billion behind.

A revenue forecast for the next two years will be available next month and will provide critical information for writing the next budget.

The budget is not the only major task facing the Indiana General Assembly. In a process that takes place once every 10 years, the legislature will use data from this year’s census to redraw all 150 state legislative districts (100 House districts and 50 Senate districts) and all nine congressional districts. It’s a politically charged topic, and it will be our job to draw fair maps based on logical geographic and community boundaries.

Another critical issue that must be addressed is Indiana’s bankrupt unemployment trust fund. The fund went broke in late 2008, and the state has borrowed almost $2 billion from the federal government to fund unemployment benefits.

The problem was created over a period of years, and it will take years to fix the system completely. As with many other problems at both the state and federal levels, we need to work together on a solution instead of worrying about who created the problem. Solving the problem with the unemployment insurance trust fund will require bipartisan effort and cooperation from all stakeholders. We can’t keep borrowing.

Of course, the surest way to minimize the need for borrowing is to reduce unemployment by promoting job creation. We should be doing everything possible to create the most favorable environment possible for private employers to maintain and create jobs.

Most of what I’ve discussed so far is reactive; we should also find time to be proactive.

K-12 education reform is at the top of the list. I’ll be looking to teachers, parents and other stakeholders for input and advice on a number of proposals. If education reform is first on the list, then local government reform should be next. As with education reform, I’ll be looking to local government officials and others for insight and ideas.

The legislature will be dealing with many high-stakes issues. The state budget, legislative redistricting, the unemployment trust fund, education reform and local government reform were issues driving much of the interest in state legislative contests last week.

During the campaign season, the word “battle” was used frequently, and we’re sure to hear it and similar words as the legislative session approaches. Participants and observers frequently employ the terminology of war in describing political campaigns and legislative debates. It’s OK, as long as we keep it in perspective.

As we commemorate Veterans Day on Thursday, we should pause to remember that our veterans fought real wars and real battles on real battlegrounds. They withstood real bullets and real bombs and suffered real casualties. They did it so we could have free and peaceful elections and open policy debates.

This year’s election season was particularly ugly, but there were no tanks in the streets or violence at the polls. We owe that to our veterans. Thanks to them, we have the freedom to disagree.

Just because we have the freedom to disagree, however, doesn’t mean we should try to disagree. To the contrary, we should be looking for areas of agreement. That is how we will move forward together.

If you have an idea for legislation or wish to learn more about or comment on possible legislation, please call my legislative assistant, Clinton Bohm, at 1-800-382-9841, or e-mail h72@in.gov.

As summer fades, issues remain hot

Following are the results of my online summer survey. Thank you to everyone who responded. It wasn't a scientific survey, but it's useful nonetheless, and I appreciate the input.

The biggest challenge of the next legislative session, which starts in January, will be writing a responsible, balanced two-year budget. It will be a very difficult task, but it can be done – and it can be done without raising taxes. Government has less money because Hoosiers have less money. Individuals and families have found ways to live within their means, and government must learn to do the same. Eighty-three percent of survey respondents appear to agree.

One of the hottest issues of the summer has been universal carding. As of July 1, anyone purchasing alcohol for carryout is required to show ID, regardless of how old they look. It doesn't make sense to require ID from folks who are obviously over 21. The question, of course, is where the cutoff should be.

In my survey, I suggested the possibility of not requiring ID from anyone who looks older than 50. Forty-three percent of survey respondents like that approach. This issue will require more discussion, but we need a common-sense solution. When elderly veterans can't buy beer because they don't have an ID, something is wrong. One bill that is being proposed would require ID from anyone who looks younger than 40. Forty may be the new 30, but I'm not sure some people would like not getting carded, if they know the reason is the store clerk thinks they look over 40.

As you will see in the survey results, there are many other hot issues. We will make the most progress, however, if we work together and, in our debate, apply the cool of fall instead of the heat of summer.

1. Currently, Indiana's monthly income is about $55 million less than Indiana's monthly spending obligations. Do you favor the state

Maintaining enough savings to cover our monthly expenses: 83.8%
Increasing taxes to cover the shortfall: 16.2%

2. Do you think the recently passed federal healthcare law will

Increase your healthcare costs: 73.9%
Decrease your healthcare costs: 12.4%
Have no effect on your healthcare costs: 13.7%

3. Would you favor the Indiana General Assembly passing legislation to exempt our state from participating in the federal healthcare plan?

Yes: 52.3%
No: 22.7%
Depends, would need more information to know how it would affect the state and my own pocketbook: 25%

4. Would you support the Indiana General Assembly passing legislation similar to what Arizona passed regarding illegal immigration?

Yes, since the federal government will not handle the issue: 65.6%
No, it is the job of the federal government to address the issue: 31.8%
No opinion: 2.6%

5. Recently, Indiana moved to a universal identification system to purchase alcohol for carryout purchases in order to combat underage drinking.

I favor this approach to reduce underage drinking: 43.2%
I oppose universal carding: 13.6%
I support the requirement but feel that any individual who appears to be over 50 years of age should not have to show identification: 43.2%

6. Do you think all drivers should be prohibited from texting while driving?

Yes: 82.8%
No: 6.8%
Undecided: 10.4%

7. Where should Indiana direct a majority of its job creation incentives?

Existing Businesses: 7.8%
Attracting New Businesses: 7.8%
Combination of A & B: 84.4%

8. Do you think increasing and/or extending unemployment benefits:

Encourages unemployed Hoosiers to go back to work: 18.2%
Discourages unemployed Hoosiers to go back to work: 58.1%
Has no effect: 23.7%

CLERE: Prepare now to avoid identity crisis later

NEW ALBANY — Later this month, my 12-year-old son John will attend the 2010 National Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill, Va. More than 40,000 Boy Scouts and adult leaders will spend 10 days camping, participating in countless activities and celebrating the 100th anniversary of scouting.

The first jamboree was held in 1937 in Washington, D.C. Because of World War II, the next jamboree was not until 1950. Since then, it has been held every three to five years.

How times have changed. The first jamboree was scheduled for 1935, but it was postponed because of a polio epidemic. That, of course, was during the Great Depression. Most scouts arrived at the jamboree by train. Among them was my late father-in-law, Eugene McCord, who was hoping to visit this year’s jamboree.

He and John spent a lot of time talking about jamboree. Eugene died suddenly in May, so he will be at the jamboree in spirit only. An Army veteran of World War II, he was buried with military honors.

In addition, the burial service honored his scouting experience. John wore his own scout uniform with Eugene’s scout hat and his neckerchief from the 1937 jamboree. It was a tribute to a beloved grandfather and a nod to a bygone era.

How times have changed. The Great Depression and the heyday of passenger train travel are fading from living memory. And we no longer worry about polio, but we have plenty of other things to guard against, including terrorism. Fort A.P. Hill is an active military installation, and a government-issued photo ID is required for entry.

Last week, my wife, Amy, took John to the license branch in New Albany to get an identification card. How times have changed. Since John did not already have an ID, he was subject to Indiana’s new SecureID measures, which require applicants for a new driver’s license or ID card to prove their identity. Most of us will encounter the new requirements when we go to renew our driver’s license.

SecureID is Indiana’s implementation of requirements in the 2005 federal REAL ID Act, which was a response to the findings of the 9/11 Commission. The commission noted, “All but one of the 9/11 hijackers acquired some form of U.S. identification document, some by fraud. Acquisition of these forms of identification would have assisted them in boarding commercial flights, renting cars and other necessary activities.”

A recommendation in the report states, “Secure identification should begin in the United States. The federal government should set standards for the issuance of birth certificates and sources of identification such as driver’s licenses. At many entry points to vulnerable facilities, including gates for boarding aircraft, sources of identification are the last opportunity to ensure that people are who they say they are and to check whether they are terrorists.”

SecureID started in January and will be implemented over the next several years as driver’s licenses and ID cards are renewed. When you apply for a new driver’s license, permit or identification card, you must present original versions or certified copies of the following documents:

• One document proving your identity. The most common documents are a United States birth certificate, a United States passport or a foreign passport with a VISA and I-94 form.

• One document proving your Social Security number. This could be your Social Security card, a W-2 form or a pay stub with your name and Social Security number on it.

• One document proving your lawful status in the United States. In most cases, the document you present to prove your identity will also prove your lawful status.

• Two documents proving your Indiana residency. The most common document you can use to prove your residency is a computer-generated bill showing your name and address of residence from a utility company, credit card, doctor or hospital. The bill may be no older than 60 days.

The documents will be scanned at the license branch, and you will leave with your originals — but not with your new license or ID card. After a verification process, your card will be mailed to you within 10 business days.

Amy wasn’t prepared for SecureID. After running around to gather documents and making three trips to the license branch, she was plenty frustrated, but she understood the need for the new requirements.

Obtaining certified copies of documents could take weeks — or longer — so plan in advance and allow plenty of time. Also, be prepared to document any name change. For example, a certified copy of a marriage license may be required to link a married name to a birth certificate. Additional information is available on the Bureau of Motor Vehicles website, www.in.gov/bmv, or by calling 888-692-6841.

If you’re renewing an existing license or ID card and can’t locate the necessary documents, you will have the option of getting a non-SecureID, which will be good for driving and voting, but not for any federal purpose, such as boarding an airplane.

Even if your plans don’t include air travel, a visit to a military base, federal building or other federal property, you will still need government-issued identification to vote and to buy alcohol in Indiana.

Last week, the Indiana Supreme Court upheld the state’s voter ID law. The issue will be prominent in this fall’s election for Indiana Secretary of State, the position that oversees elections. In addition, July 1 was the start of “universal carding” in Indiana. Anyone attempting to purchase alcohol for carryout must show ID, regardless of how old they look. The law provides an automatic defense for clerks who reasonably believed a person was older than 50.

It’s a new era, and it will take time to get used to the changes. The goal is greater safety and fairness, and we all can identify with that.

How, in the great scheme of things, does asking a 60-year-old man for his ID make this country safer?

Why in Hades would a liquor store clerk need to see my name and address before I can pay for a bottle of wine?

Proving our identification to the state for a secure ID? Just more government intrusion into our daily lives, adding work and costs to citizens and state employees alike. Well let me tell you - it don't work. How so? Let me tell you what I did last month, as a form of protest...

I went to a local license branch office to change my address on my registrations and driver license. I was told I needed to 'prove' that I moved, and that a copy of a utility bill would suffice as proof. That's BS. Back home I went.

Rather than provide the nice lady with a copy of my original electric bill, I borrowed a copy of my brother's electric bill and his water bill, scanned them into my computer, used MSPaint to alter the originals, and printed them out on my nice Lexmark printer. Same thing with the water bill.

The clerk at the license branch didn't bat an eye. She made a copy of my bogus utility bills, took my money, gave me my new registrations, and mailed my driver license to me. (Took only four days to get the license, btw. Good show there.)

Anyway - I moved, my registrations and license have the correct info on them, and the State of Indiana has bogus utility bills in the system to 'prove' I live where I live. Never underestimate the stupidity of government.

All around the world, for many, many years, people have been making and selling, buying and using, false credentials such as passports, driver licenses, and Social Security cards. If it's so easy for some old fart to scam the State of Indiana, just how much good is your intrusive system?

How good? Useless, except to make you and other politicians feel superior.

Do you really think that a terrorist with an agenda and $10,000.00 is going to be unable to buy some false identification to 'prove' he is who he says he is? You're a fool if you believe that. But you're a secure fool.

As Benjamin Franklin wrote so many years ago: Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

'In short, we find strong and statistical differences with respect to access to valid photo identification that significantly reduces the opportunity to vote for minority, low-income, less-educated and young and old residents of Indiana.'

The above quote from the study:

THE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT OF INDIANA VOTER ID REQUIREMENTS ON THE ELECTORATE

http://depts.washington.edu/uwiser/documents/Indiana_voter.pdf

Sounds like Mr. Gillenwater has put his finger on the real impetus behind the SecureID laws. We definitely are moving into a new era...

CLERE: School funding varies widely

> SOUTHERN INDIANA — This is the second in a series of three columns on K-12 education. Last week, I wrote about the history and status of school funding. Some readers may have been surprised to learn that public schools still receive the lion’s share of local property tax revenue; in Floyd County, it’s 57 percent.

K-12 schools also receive almost half of the state budget. How that funding is distributed is the subject of today’s column. Every school corporation and charter school receives a different amount, depending on various factors, and the amounts vary widely.

There are 293 school corporations and 56 charter schools (including one virtual charter school) in Indiana. Traditional public schools and charter schools (a different type of public school) receive funding based on the same formula, with a few exceptions that favor traditional public schools.

The median amount of state funding this year is $6,194 per student, but funding varies widely, from a high of $13,878 (Prairie Township Schools, a 37-student corporation in LaPorte that doesn’t actually operate any schools or employ any teachers, instead contracting with another corporation) to a low of $4,666 (International School of Columbus, a charter).

The New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. is receiving $5,991 per student; its rank out of all 349 corporations and charters is 225. The Clarksville Community School Corporation is receiving $6,901 per student ($910 more than New Albany-Floyd); its rank is 72. Its funding is the highest among school corporations and charters in Floyd and Clark counties.

Greater Clark County Schools, which includes Jeffersonville, Charlestown and New Washington schools, is receiving $6,195; its rank is 174. West Clark Community Schools, which includes Silver Creek, Borden and Henryville schools, is receiving $5,592 per student; its rank is 312. Community Montessori School — a charter in Floyd County — is receiving the least funding of any public school in the two counties: $5,505. At 327, it ranks near the bottom. (Another charter, Rock Creek Community Academy in Clark County, will start operating this fall but will not receive any state funding until next year.)

The differences in funding among schools in Floyd and Clark counties are relatively minor. New Albany-Floyd and Greater Clark are among the largest school corporations in the state (15th and 19th, respectively, based on 2008-2009 enrollment). New Albany-Floyd is receiving $204 less per student than Greater Clark, but it is receiving $3,479 less per child than the Gary Community School Corporation, which, as the 13th largest school corporation in the state, is comparable in size. Looked at another way, New Albany-Floyd is required to educate almost 1.6 children for the same amount of money it takes Gary to educate one child.

Why the differences? Indiana allocates state funding for schools based on a complex formula. It takes a 10-page flow chart to illustrate how the formula works. I’ll try to simplify it.

The legislature establishes a minimum per-student funding level ($4,550 this year). Additional funding is provided based on the percentage of students who were eligible the previous year for free or reduced-price lunches — the higher the percentage, the greater the funding.

Funding is further increased by a number of grants. For example, schools are receiving an additional $900 this year for every academic honors diploma they awarded last year. They also receive more money based on special education and vocational enrollment. Another grant program is aimed at reducing class sizes in primary grades. Other grants favor some schools over others based on past funding or size, or both.

Last year, a legislative study committee started a two-year study of the funding formula. The Interim Study Committee on School Funding Formula will continue its work this summer; let me know if you would like to be informed of the committee's activities.

School funding can be a scary topic; there's even talk of ghosts — ghost students, that is. The funding formula provides for schools to continue to receive funding for students who are no longer enrolled — a so-called “deghoster.” Until this year, the formula phased out funding over five years; now it’s three.

In the first year after a student leaves, a school corporation receives two-thirds of the funding for the former student and then one-third the next year. It’s referred to as a three-year deghoster, but I always find it more useful to think of it as a two-year phase-out, because there is no funding in the third year after the student leaves. The old formula included a five-year deghoster, which left school corporations receiving 80 percent of funding in the first year after a student left, 60 percent the second year and so forth, until the funding was eliminated in the fifth year.

Looked at a different way, the five-year deghoster provided two years of complete funding for every ghost student, and the new three-year deghoster provides one year of complete funding. I arrived at this by adding the percentages under each formula: 80 + 60 + 40 + 20 = 200 (old formula); 67 + 33 = 100 (new formula).

The new deghoster represents a reasonable balance. Schools have many fixed costs that take time to reduce or eliminate. The enrollment numbers used to calculate funding are fixed for the year based on a count on a certain date in September. Unlike private and charter schools, traditional public schools are required to educate every child who shows up during a school year, and they don’t receive any additional funding when more kids enroll.

When discussing school funding, it’s not enough to consider only percentage increases or decreases. An honest conversation about school funding must include a discussion of the sources, distribution and uses of funding. Next week, I’ll conclude with a look at current issues and ideas for improving education.

CLERE: A history lesson to start the summer

School is out for the summer, but that doesn't mean there should be a break in the conversation about education. In fact, now - far away from the pressure and politics of a legislative session - is a good time to continue talking about challenges and opportunities in K-12 education.

This is the first of three columns on education. In today's column, I'll provide some facts and figures on the history and status of K-12 education funding in Indiana. Next week, I'll explain the funding formula that determines how state education dollars are distributed. I'll conclude with a discussion of current issues and ideas for improving education.

We have to get away from the false premise that money is the solution for every problem in education. If it were, we'd be in great shape.

Since 1978 — the first year for which I have data — state funding for K-12 education has increased every single year. Most years, the increase has far exceeded the rate of inflation.

According to the inflation calculator on the U.S. Department of Labor Web site, $1 in 1978 had the same buying power as $3.30 in 2008. During the same period, state spending on K-12 education increased 514 percent; in other words, for every dollar the state spent on education in 1978, it spent $5.14 in 2008.

Today, Indiana is spending $9.25 for every dollar it spent in 1978. Why the sudden jump?

In 2008, as part of an effort to provide property tax relief, the state assumed total responsibility for funding school operations, which includes items such as teacher salaries, utilities and insurance. In the past, schools received both state and local funding for operations. The local funding came from property taxes.

Schools still receive the lion's share of property tax revenue. This will come as a surprise to folks who have been led to believe that schools no longer receive property tax support. I'll return to this point in a moment.

In 2008, prior to the restructuring, the New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corporation received 66 percent of all property tax revenue in Floyd County - $56.5 million of $85.6 million.

The 2008 restructuring reduced Floyd County property owners' total property tax burden from $85.6 million in 2008 to $51.6 million last year - a savings of $34 million. The majority of the savings came from shifting the local share of school operations funding to the state. Schools didn't receive less; they just received part of their funding from a different source — the state — instead of from property taxes.

Prior to the 2008 restructuring, schools already received most of their operating funds from the state. In fact, local school operations consumed about one-third of the state budget. Now it's almost half. The additional state money came from an increase in the sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent. It's a common misconception that school operations were funded entirely - or even primarily - by property taxes. For decades, the state took on an increasingly larger share of paying for school operations, until eventually it made sense to assume responsibility for the relatively small remaining share that was coming from property taxes.

That doesn't mean schools stopped receiving revenue from property taxes; they simply stopped receiving the portion that was going to operations. Last year, when Floyd County collected $51.6 million in property taxes, local public schools still received 57 percent - $29.4 million - of that total. The money funds school construction and maintenance, debt payments, transportation, school bus replacement and other items - just not operations.

In comparison, the only other recipients of more than $1 million were the city of New Albany, which received $10.6 million, Floyd County government ($6.6 million) and the New Albany-Floyd County Public Library ($1.4 million). To add additional perspective, the town of Georgetown received $248,394 in property tax revenue, and the town of Greenville got $12,450.

It should be noted that Community Montessori School and Rock Creek Community Academy - the only charter schools in Floyd and Clark counties, respectively - receive no property tax revenue. As public schools, they receive state funding for operations just like traditional public schools, but they don't get a penny from property taxes. No charter school in Indiana receives any property tax revenue. Their state support is calculated using the same formula that determines state funding for all public schools - the formula that will be the subject of next week's column. Charters survive on state support and fundraising - with no property tax support for buildings, buses or anything else.

The last day of school is a sad day at five area schools - four in Floyd County and one in Clarksville - that are closing for good. The closings were blamed on a recent cut in K-12 funding by Gov. Mitch Daniels, who has the unenviable task of balancing the state's books during a deep recession. The governor's cut may have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back, but much of what happens in education — and in government in general — is the result of many decisions over many years, and the five school closings were no exception.

That's why it's so important for all of us to understand how government works - in this case, how education funding works. In no way am I suggesting that K-12 education is receiving too much funding. In fact, some reforms and initiatives may require additional funding. Others won't. In any case, the conversation continues.

CLERE: Names to Remember

The United States is at war. It’s too easy to forget. We’re able to go about our daily lives thanks to men and women who volunteer to defend our freedom. On my way to a meeting in Indianapolis last week, I walked by the Indiana OEF-OIF Memorial Wall in the Indiana Government Center South, next to the Statehouse.

OEF stands for Operation Enduring Freedom, which is the war in Afghanistan, and OIF stands for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Since 9/11, 163 American troops with ties to Indiana have died in the war on terror. Most were Hoosiers; some lived elsewhere but were originally from Indiana or had family here. They ranged in age from 19 to 49. The first death was in 2002, the most recent three weeks ago.

After my meeting, I went back and spent some time looking at the wall, which is a series of six boards. Information about each hero, including a photo, is printed on a separate piece of paper. The simple, yet powerful, memorial is outside the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs.

I stepped inside and spoke with Director Tom Applegate, who maintains a website featuring each hero’s photo and story. The address is http://oefoifhonorroll.homestead.com.

Thank you for reading my column. I don’t expect you to read every word every week, but I do ask that you read every word of today’s column. Following are the names and ages of Indiana’s 163 fallen brave. If they were from – or had ties to — a community in our area, it is in parentheses.

2002: Marine Sgt. Jeannette Winters, 25; Army Spc. Curtis A. Carter, 25; Army Cpl. Matthew A. Commons, 21; Air Force Senior Airman John Patrick Morton Jr., 23.

2003: Army National Guard Spc. Brian M. Clemens, 19; Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Jason Profitt, 23 (Charlestown); Marine Lance Cpl. David Fribley, 26; Army Spc. Gregory P. Sanders, 19; Army National Guard Spc. William A. Jeffries, 39; Marine Sgt. Duane R. Rios, 25; Army Pfc. Jason M. Meyer, 23; Army Spc. Roy R. Buckley, 24; Marine Reserve Lance Cpl. Matthew R. Smith, 20; Army Pvt. Jesse M. Halling, 19; Army Pvt. Shawn D. Pahnke, 25; Army Sgt. Chad L. Keith, 21; Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Craig A. Boling, 38; Army Pvt. Robert L. McKinley, 23; Army National Guard Staff Sgt. David L. Loyd, 44; Army Spc. Ronald D. Allen Jr., 22; Army Staff Sgt. Mark A. Lawton, 41; Army Spc. Ryan G. Carlock, 25; Army Staff Sgt. Frederick L. Miller, 27; Army Spc. Kyle G. Thomas, 23; Army Spc. Brian H. Penisten, 28; Army National Guard Cpl. Darrell L. Smith, 28; Army Sgt. Jarrod W. Black, 26.

2004: Army Spc. Luke P. Frist, 20; Army Chief Warrant Officer Brian D. Hazelgrove, 29; Army Pfc. Christopher E. Hudson, 21; Army Pfc. John D. Amos II, 22; Marine Pfc. Deryk L. Hallal, 24; Marine Lance Cpl. Torry L. Gray, 19; Army Spc. Michael J. Wiesemann, 20; Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Stephen G. Martin, 39; Army Sgt. Robert E. Colvill Jr., 31; Army National Guard Spc. Donald R. McCune, 20; Army Sgt. David M. Heath, 30; Army Reserve Pfc. Luis A. Perez, 19; Army Sgt. James D. Faulkner, 23 (Clarksville); Marine Cpl. Christopher S. Ebert, 21; Army Pfc. Nathan E. Stahl, 20; Army Pfc. Stephen P. Downing II, 30; Army Command Sgt. Maj. Steven W. Faulkenburg, 45; Army Spc. Raymond L. White, 22; Marine Sgt. Morgan W. Strader, 23; Marine Cpl. Lance M. Thompson, 21; Marine Lance Cpl. James E. Swain, 20; Marine Cpl. Bryan S. Wilson, 22; Army Staff Sgt. Marvin L. Trost III, 28; Army Reserve Pfc. Joshua A. Ramsey, 19; Marine Lance Cpl. Eric Hillenburg, 21.

2005: Army Sgt. Jeremy R. Wright, 31; Army Pvt. Cory R. Depew, 21; Army National Guard Sgt. Armand “Luke” Frickey, 20; Army Sgt. Kyle W. Childress, 29; Army Sgt. Paul M. Heltzel, 39; Army National Guard Capt. Michael “Todd” Fiscus, 36; Army National Guard Spc. Brett M. Hershey, 23; Army National Guard Spc. Norman “Kyle” Snyder, 21; Army National Guard Master Sgt. Michael T. Hiester, 33; Army Pfc. Steven F. Sirko, 20; Marine Sgt. Jimmy Shawn Lee, 26; Army Cpl. Sascha Struble, 20; Army Pfc. Robert W. Murray, 21; Army Pfc. Darren A. Deblanc, 20; Army Spc. Nicholas R. Idalski, 23; Army Sgt. 1st Class Marcus V. Muralles, 33; Army Staff Sgt. Michael Wayne Schafer, 25; Army Spc. Adam J. Harting, 21; Army Staff Sgt. Jeremy Doyle, 24; Army Sgt. Matthew L. Deckard, 29 (Greenville); Army Staff Sgt. Matthew A. Kimmell, 30; Army Spc. Jeffrey W. Corban, 30; Army Reserve Sgt. Christopher T. Monroe, 19; Marine Lance Cpl. Scott A. Zubowski, 20; Army Cpl. Jonathan F. Blair, 21; Army Pvt. Jonathan R. Pfender, 22.

2006: Army Spc. Matthew G. Frantz, 23; Army Pfc. Brian J. Schoff, 22; Army Sgt. Rickey Jones, 21; Army Reserve Spc. Joshua Lee Hill, 24; Army Spc. Antoine J. McKinzie, 25; Army National Guard Sgt. Brock A. Beery, 30; Marine Staff Sgt. Eric A. McIntosh, 29; Marine Cpl. Eric Lueken, 23; Army National Guard Sgt. Joseph E. Proctor, 38; Marine Lance Cpl. David J. Grames Sanchez, 22; Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Richard A. Blakley, 34; Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 3 William T. Flanigan, 37; Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Paul S. Pabla, 23; Army National Guard Sgt. Major Jeffrey A. McLochlin, 45; Army Cpl. Nathaniel S. Baughman, 23; Army Pfc. Anthony P. Seig, 19; Marine Cpl. Aaron Seal, 23; Army Staff Sgt. Jonathan Rojas, 27; Marine Reserve Sgt. Brock Babb, 40; Army Pfc. Nathan J. Frigo, 23; Army Sgt. Kraig Foyteck, 26; Marine Lance Cpl. James E. Brown, 20; Marine Lance Cpl. James R. Davenport, 20; Army Spc. Joseph A.L. Strong, 21.

2007: Army Pvt. Kelly D. Youngblood, 19; Army Pfc. Jason D. Johns, 19; Army Sgt. William “B.J.” Beardsley, 25; Army 1st Lt. Neale M. Shank, 25; Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Bradley D. King, 28; Army Pfc. David Neil Simmons, 20; Army Spc. Cody A. Putman, 22; Army Spc. Jason J. Beadles, 22; Marine 1st Lt. Shaun M. Blue, 25; Army Pfc. Richard P. Langenbrunner, 19; Army Pvt. David A. Kirkpatrick, 20; Army Spc. Andrew Robert Weiss, 28; Army Sgt. Anthony J. Schober, 23; Army Spc. Nicholas S. Hartge, 20; Army Sgt. Robert J. Montgomery, 29 (Scottsburg); Army Spc. Clinton C. Blodgett, 19 (Pekin); Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ryan A. Balmer, 33; Army Staff Sgt. Michael A. Bechert, 24; Army Staff Sgt. Roy P. Lewsader Jr., 36; Army Spc. David A. Wilkey Jr., 22; Army Spc. Carter “C.J.” Gamble Jr., 24; Army Staff Sgt. William R. Fritsche, 23; Army Reserve Spc. Zachariah J. Gonzalez, 23; Army Pfc. Shawn D. Hensel, 20; Army Cpl. William Powell (Kerchief), 21; Army Cpl. Ryan A. Woodward, 22; Army Sgt. Nicholas “Nick” Patterson, 24; Army National Guard Sgt. Gerald J. Cassidy, 32; Navy Seaman Apprentice Shayna A. Schnell, 19; Army Capt. Timothy I. McGovern, 28; Army Sgt. Kenneth R. Booker, 25; Army Spc. Johnathan A. Lahmann, 21.

2008: Army Sgt. Jon M. Schoolcraft III, 26 (Madison); Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Collin J. Bowen, 38; Army Staff Sgt. Michael D. Elledge, 41; Army National Guard Spc. Joseph A. Ford, 23 (New Albany); Army Staff Sgt. James P. Snyder, 48; Marine Lance Cpl. Layton B. Crass, 22; Marine Lance Cpl. Andrew Francis Whitacre, 21; Army Staff Sgt. Travis K. Hunsberger, 24; Army Sgt. Ryan P. Baumann, 24 (Jeffersonville); Army National Guard Sgt. Brian K. Miller, 37; Army National Guard Sgt. Gary Henry, 34; Army National Guard Spc. Jonathan Menke, 22 (Madison); Army Staff Sgt. Kristopher D. Rodgers, 29; Army Spc. William J. McClellan, 22; Army National Guard Spc. James M. Clay, 25.

2009: Army Spc. Joseph M. Hernandez, 24; Army Sgt. Ezra Dawson, 31; Army Pfc. Zachary R. Nordmeyer, 21; Marine Cpl. Donte J. Whitworth, 21; Air Force Senior Airman Ashton L.M. Goodman, 21; Army Reserve Spc. Chancellor A. Keesling, 25; Army Reserve Spc. Paul E. Andersen, 49; Army Sgt. Dale R. Griffin, 29; Army Pfc. Jaiciae L. Pauley, 29.

2010: Army Spc. Brian R. Bowman, 24; Marine Sgt. Jeremy McQueary, 27; Marine Cpl. Gregory Scott Stultz, 22; Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Birchfield, 24; Marine Capt. Brandon A. Barrett, 27.

Session’s over, but work goes on

School’s almost out, but the legislature is just now getting ready to start its next round of studies. In the meantime, the weeks have been flying by – filled with nonstop activity. Last week was as good as Mom and apple pie – literally.

The week started with Mother’s Day and ended with apple pie at a church chicken dinner. What more could I want?

The Indiana General Assembly meets every year starting in January and adjourns by March or April, depending on the year. After that, unless the governor calls a special session, the legislature doesn’t meet again until Organization Day in November.

Even though the legislature is out of session, there’s plenty going on. Right now, we’re forming summer study committees.

There are four legislative caucuses: House Democrats, House Republicans, Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans. The four caucus leaders are scheduled to meet tomorrow to plan the committees.

Later this month or early next, the Legislative Council, which includes leaders from each caucus, will meet to finalize the committees. Then, after members are assigned, the committees will start meeting – probably in July.

If you want to see what was studied in past years, go to www.in.gov/legislative. Under “Archives,” click on “Interim.” You can view committee minutes and reports, which include findings and recommendations, and a wealth of other information.

For example, the Gaming Study Committee met four times last year. In addition to its report to the legislature, there are several other documents that will be of interest to anyone who wants to know more about gaming policy and revenue. There’s a study that analyzes the potential impact of gaming competition from Kentucky and Ohio and the relocation of existing casino licenses within Indiana.

The study estimates gaming at Kentucky horse tracks, including Churchill Downs – if it were to be authorized – could reduce admissions at the Horseshoe Casino in Harrison County by 31 percent to 39 percent annually. That would translate into a loss of up to $44 million in annual tax revenue.

The study was conducted by the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency, which drafts legislation and provides fiscal and policy analysis for the General Assembly.

Another interesting document in the online archives from last year’s Gaming Study Committee is a presentation on gaming tax revenue, including its 20-year history, where it comes from and where it goes.

As always, if you do not have Internet access, feel free to call my office at 1-800-382-9841 to request a copy of any document.

You will have an opportunity to hear from a policy rock star this week. Dr. Larry DeBoer is a professor of agricultural economics at Purdue University, a part-time consultant to LSA and a highly regarded expert on state and local government issues.

His presentation, titled “Life after Recession: Local Government Finance Update,” is 2-4:30 p.m. Thursday. Watch it live on the Internet at https://gomeet.itap.purdue.edu/r20107228/, or watch a broadcast at the Floyd County Purdue Extension Office, which is in the Purdue Technology Center on Charlestown Road in New Albany.

The free presentation will offer a snapshot of state and local government finances, including an update on the state budget and information about the effects of property tax caps. To register to attend the broadcast at the extension office, call 948-5470, or e-mail tsprings@purdue.edu. No registration is necessary if you choose to view it on your own computer, but I would suggest visiting the site in advance to make sure you have the right address and necessary software and connection speed.

I will be viewing the presentation online from my desk at the Statehouse. I wish I could watch it at the extension office, but I have a CHOICE Board meeting. CHOICE stands for Community and Home Options to Institutionalized Care for the Elderly and Disabled. CHOICE is an innovative state program that helps keep seniors and people with disabilities at home. Like every other area of state government, it’s facing additional budget cuts, and I need to be at the meeting.

It will be my first trip to Indianapolis this month. I’ve enjoyed being at home, although I haven’t spent much time at my house. Last week was packed – and typical.

I had a Habitat for Humanity board meeting on Monday night. Tuesday started with a Girl Scout fundraising breakfast, and in the afternoon I attended a meeting of the Floyd County Community Corrections Advisory Board. Every day I find time for my work as a real estate broker, which is still my primary income. Wednesday included a lunch meeting at the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana and a stop at a Salvation Army carnival – thanks to an invitation from a player on a youth soccer team I coach.

I attended several other meetings and events during the week, including a visit with the new executive vice president of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. Two highlights of the week came Thursday. I attended my 8-year-old daughter’s Girl Scout bridging ceremony and then went to Northside Christian Church for the annual Retired Senior Volunteer Program Volunteer Recognition Dinner.

I had fun visiting with hundreds of seniors and listening to former WHAS-TV meteorologist Ken Schulz, who was master of ceremonies. I miss seeing him on television, and it was good to see him in person.

Something else I miss is the Jacob’s Chapel United Methodist Church chicken dinner booth at the Harvest Homecoming Festival. Now Jacob’s Chapel serves its famous dinner twice a year at the church. That’s how I came to end the week with apple pie – a satisfying end to a great chicken dinner and a great week.

By ED CLERE newsroom@newsandtribune.com

>>SOUTHERN INDIANA — This is a tale of two cities. But first, a little introduction. As usual, controversial topics dominated news coverage of this year's legislative session. Controversy sells. Sound bites don't come from accord.

House Enrolled Act 1086 is a good example of the sort of important legislation that doesn't get much attention. It's a shame.

HEA 1086 started out addressing several property tax issues. In the end, it became a lifeboat for measures from at least a dozen other bills that ran into trouble on their own; that's a story by itself.

The final version was nearly 200 pages of language on which nearly everyone agreed; it passed the House 89-7 and the Senate 50-0. It was long and complex and lacked controversy. As a result, it received very little media attention, yet its dozens of provisions will affect every Hoosier.

I'm going to highlight what I consider to be one of its most important provisions, which brings us to the cities of Saver and Spendthrift, two similar communities with very different approaches to paying for government. Before HEA 1086, Spendthrift's approach was encouraged; now Saver will be rewarded for its ways.

Until HEA 1086, there was a strong disincentive for local governments to control spending. State law punished local governments that chose to spend down cash balances instead of raising property taxes.

Each year, local units of government (cities, towns, counties, etc.) are allowed to increase their property tax levy — the total amount they collect in property taxes — by no more than the six-year rolling average of the growth in Indiana nonfarm personal income. In recent years, that average has been around 4 percent. (With incomes down, the figure is certain to decrease in coming years, but I'll use it for this illustration.)

Before HEA 1086, the amount a local government could collect in property taxes — its levy — was calculated based on how much it actually levied the previous year. There was always an incentive to levy the maximum, because the following year's maximum would be equal to the previous year's levy plus the 4 percent increase explained in the previous paragraph. If a local government didn't take every cent of its maximum allowable levy — regardless of whether it actually needed it — it could never get it back.

The experience of Saver and Spendthrift illustrates the situation under the old law.

In Year 1, both cities had a budget of $10 million and a maximum allowable levy of $10 million. All was in balance. It seemed like the best of times. But for taxpayers, it was the worst of times.

Because it had $1 million in cash reserves, Saver decided not to levy the maximum. Instead, it chose to levy $9.5 million and fund the remainder of its budget with half of its cash reserves, thereby reducing property taxes.

Saver lived within its means and ended the year with its remaining $500,000 cash reserve intact. It wasn't able to accumulate any more, but neither did it overspend its budget. Utility costs and other expenses were going up, however, so Saver needed to increase its budget for Year 2. The city determined a 3 percent increase was needed. That would mean a budget of $10.3 million - an increase of $300,000 from Year 1.

Unfortunately, officials from the state informed Saver it was limited to an increase of 4 percent over its Year 1 levy of $9.5 million. That would give it a levy of $9.88 million, leaving it short $420,000. With only $500,000 in the bank, Saver was forced to choose between maintaining a prudent reserve and cutting services.

Meanwhile, officials over in Spendthrift were snickering.

Even though they didn't need it, they took their maximum $10 million levy in Year 1. And even though it was hard, they managed to find a way to spend it! For Year 2, they were entitled to the same 4 percent increase (remember, it's a statewide number) as Saver. Saver's increase, however, was 4 percent of $9.5 million; Spendthrift's was 4 percent of $10 million. Spendthrift officials were excited to learn they could levy $10.4 million in Year 2, and, without hesitation, they rushed to do it. After all, they understood how the game was played. They knew they had to use it or lose it.

In Year 2, Spendthrift ended up ahead of Saver by $520,000, all because Spendthrift chose to tax and spend while Saver chose to conserve. Under the old law, Spendthrift was rewarded and Saver was punished. That was wrong.

HEA 1086 gets it right. Now the levy calculation will be based on the previous year's levy plus the amount of cash reserves a unit of local government used to fund the difference between what it actually took and what it could have taken. That puts Saver on equal footing with Spendthrift. Now Saver can keep taxes low when it doesn't need its maximum allowable levy, without having to worry about being at a disadvantage when it needs to raise more revenue.

If taxpayers demand accountability, it could be the best of times.

---

CLERE: Signs of things to come

>>SOUTHERN INDIANA — “A little madness in the Spring

After falling short of monthly targets for 17 consecutive months, Indiana’s March revenue collections exceeded the forecast. One month does not make a trend. It is, at best, an Experiment of Green. Regardless, green is a most welcome color after so many months of red.

It is fitting that a tender shot of good economic news should arrive with spring. Now we must do what we can to protect it from a late frost.

Indiana operates on a two-year budget. The current budget period started on July 1 of last year and continues through June 30 of next year. The budget was based on a revenue forecast from last May. Through March, we collected $867 million less than what we had expected based on the forecast. The forecast was revised in December, and March exceeded the revised forecast by $48 million. We even beat the original forecast by $2 million. Still, we have a long way to go to catch up.

Perhaps the best news is that March revenues exceeded March 2009 revenues by $7 million. It's the first time in the current budget period that revenues have exceeded same-month revenues from the previous year.

There are six major categories of revenue; three were up and three were down. Sales tax was the biggest. It yielded $460 million in March, still missing the target by $16 million. Individual income tax was next. It brought in $285 million, exceeding the forecast by $54 million.

There is anecdotal evidence to suggest some of the gain in individual income tax can be attributed to early filing of tax returns. Taxpayers who expect to receive a federal refund — and many, such as those who qualified for the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit, will be getting a big one — may have filed earlier than usual.

That could, of course, also be a sign of continued economic stress, if some of those early filers were rushing to file so they would have their refund to pay their mortgage or household expenses. Given the high level of unemployment, that is likely the case for some.

Then, of course, what will those who don’t need their refund for living expenses do with the extra cash? Will they use it to pay down debt or save it, or will they go out and buy grills, patio furniture and landscaping materials? Spending would generate sales tax, which would boost state revenue. It depends on consumer confidence, which depends on employment, and unemployment remains high.

After individual income tax was the riverboat wagering tax, which came in at $63 million, missing the target by 9 percent.

Next was “other” — a catch-all category that includes taxes on cigarettes, alcohol, inheritance and riverboat admissions, among other things, along with interest and lots of other revenue sources - which brought in $49 million, a 6 percent miss.

Of the six major categories, corporate income tax was the best performer on a percentage basis. The $37 million collected was almost twice the forecasted amount.

Ahead of the forecast by several lengths was the racino wagering tax. Indiana has two horseracing tracks with slot machines — racinos — and March revenue from taxes on racino wagering was $13 million, exceeding the forecast by 12 percent.

For the first nine months of the budget period, the racino wagering tax is 7 percent ahead — the only major revenue category that is significantly above the forecast. Thanks to March, individual income is ahead for the year by less than 1 percent. The other four categories are all in negative territory.

March was the ninth month of the state’s fiscal year and of the two-year budget. If the budget were a horserace, we’d be on the backstretch. It’s when the horses are on the backstretch that it's most difficult for the crowd in the stands to see how they're running. And that's where our revenue horses are — on the backstretch.

By the time the legislature next convenes — in January — the horses will be in the homestretch, and we'll have a better idea of where we stand going into the next budget. No matter what, it will be a lean budget; how lean is the only question.

I hope to be able to continue to report good news, but it would be unrealistic to expect only good news. Going forward, at least for the next year or two, we'll be lucky if we have more up months than down months. After 17 months down, I’m ready for an Experiment in Green. Still, my impulse to joy is curbed and made wary by a skeptical mind.

•••

Signs of economic improvement won’t be the only signs you’ll see popping up this year. It’s an election year, and political signs are appearing almost everywhere, except in the many subdivisions that restrict them. That won’t change for the primary election, but it will for the fall election.

The legislature passed a law this year that will prohibit homeowners associations from restricting political signs around election time. Regardless of subdivision restrictions, political signs will be allowed from 30 days before an election until five days afterward.

---

Jobs and education are the key

Despite early predictions of a shorter-than-usual session, the Indiana legislature almost ran out the clock.

Sunday was the legal deadline for adjournment, and there’s nothing like a hard deadline to drive compromise on difficult issues. Disagreement over a bill to delay an increase in unemployment insurance premiums was the sticking point. As soon as compromise on that issue was reached late Friday, everything else quickly fell into place. Final adjournment came moments before 1 a.m. Saturday.

In the end, the 116th Indiana General Assembly finished its work on a bipartisan note. It was a welcome end to what had been a highly partisan session. The hang-up over unemployment – UI for short – threatened not only prospects of a compromise on that issue, but also the fate of a bill to provide funding flexibility for public schools.

We could have accomplished much more, but I’m glad we at least ended up with a positive result on two of the most important issues – jobs and education.

Barring an emergency that necessitates a special session, the 116th Indiana General Assembly will not meet again. State representatives serve for two years, and state senators serve for four. All 100 House of Representatives seats and 25 of the 50 Senate seats are up for election in November.

When the newly elected 117th Indiana General Assembly convenes for organization day in November, it will include at least a dozen or so new faces.

The final days of the session included lots of goodbyes. Three long-serving members – two Democrats and a Republican – are retiring from the House. A first-term Democrat is retiring for health reasons. Three House members – a Democrat and two Republicans – are leaving the Indiana legislature to run for Congress. Sen. Connie Sipes, D-New Albany, is retiring, as is a Republican senator. A Democrat is leaving the Senate to run for a seat in the Indiana House. Two Republicans Senators who are not up for re-election this year are running for Congress – so they may or may not return to the Statehouse this fall.

In odd-numbered years, the Indiana legislature meets for a so-called long session, which starts in January and must adjourn by April 30. In even-numbered years, the session must end by March 14 and is referred to as the short session. It was expected to end even sooner this year, but that turned out to be wishful thinking or political posturing – or some of both.

The primary purpose of the long session is the crafting of the state’s two-year budget. Last year’s long session – my first session – was proof that a hard deadline doesn’t always force agreement. The session ended without a budget, and Gov. Mitch Daniels called us back in June for a special session. We finally passed a budget June 30, the day before the start of the state’s fiscal year.

Besides the budget, UI was the most contentious issue of last year’s regular session. After much debate, the legislature passed a bill that would have increased UI premiums this year. I voted against it. Most of those who voted for the increase last year agreed this year that a delay was appropriate. Senate Bill 23 delays the increase for a year. It passed 50-0 in the Senate and 85-12 in the House.

Without SB 23, more than 80,000 Hoosier employers would have seen a $300 million tax increase next month. The increase would have caused additional job losses, and that’s something we simply can’t afford.

Indiana ran out of money to pay UI benefits in late 2008. Ever since then, we’ve been borrowing from the federal government to pay claims. Dozens of other states are in the same situation. That doesn’t make it any better, but it does mean Indiana is in good company. Until the federal government decides how it is going to deal with UI borrowing, Indiana doesn’t need to take the lead. Better to keep Hoosiers employed now and worry about settling up with the feds later. Still, the UI issue continues to loom, and we will have to address it.

In addition to delaying the UI premium increase, SB 23 also includes several provisions to promote job creation. A job retention tax credit that previously was available only to employers with at least 35 workers will now be available to all employers, which will benefit small businesses. SB 23 also includes a new tax credit for employers who create jobs.

A bill to provide funding flexibility for public schools was held hostage by the UI bill. The flexibility bill makes it easier for schools to access restricted funds and allows them to dig deeper into those funds. The benefit will vary depending on how much restricted cash local schools have on hand, but it will be a help everywhere. The bill, House Bill 1367, passed 97-0 in the House and 50-0 in the Senate.

I will devote future columns to further discussion of UI and education issues. In the meantime, I’m glad we walked away having accomplished something meaningful on both issues.

The session reflected the times – times are tough, and so was the session. Next year’s budget will be even leaner than last year’s; revenues are down even more, and there won’t be any federal stimulus money. Still, if we continue to live within our means as a state and focus on jobs and education, we will emerge stronger. Better times might not arrive as soon as we would like, but they will arrive.

---

Let’s point forward instead of fingers

Attempts to politicize a recommendation to close four Floyd County elementary schools conveniently ignore facts – and history. Politics don’t belong in education; that’s why school board elections are nonpartisan. Only bipartisan cooperation and respectful, constructive dialogue will lead to solutions.

The move toward closing neighborhood schools started long before last week’s announcement by the New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp.

My grandmother attended Cora Martin School in the 1920s. It was a neighborhood elementary school at Vincennes and Shelby streets.

When Fairmont Elementary School opened in 1943, Cora Martin became an annex of neighboring New Albany High School. At the time, Fairmont was at the very edge of town, where a highway sign gave the distance to Seymour and Indianapolis. Cora Martin was demolished in 1979 to make room for the high school’s swimming pool; a few stones at the corner are all that’s left of what was once a vital – and beautiful – neighborhood school. In an ironic twist, under the schools’ current proposal to save money, the swimming pool that replaced Cora Martin would remain open while three of four others would be closed.

I’m not against swimming pools or other amenities, but they weren’t always a given. That, of course, brings up another bit of useful historical fact. New Albany High School’s original gym at its current location wasn’t built at taxpayer expense. “Residents and alumni together organized the New Albany Gymnasium Corporation and raised $75,000 for the construction of the gym,” according to New Albany in Vintage Postcards by David C. Barksdale and Robyn Davis Sekula.

Now we’re faced with the closing of another neighborhood school. Will history repeat itself? Will we be left with a few stones at the corner of Silver Street and Ekin Avenue? Let’s hope not, but let’s do more than hope; let’s work together to look for solutions – not just to save and support the few remaining neighborhood schools, but also to address the many other challenges in public education.

As a homeowner in the Silver Street school district and a historic preservationist, I’m very concerned about the proposed closing. I also recognize that difficult and unpopular decisions must be made. These are local decisions, and I hope school officials will engage parents, educators and other community members who feel left out of the decision-making process regarding all four proposed school closings and the dozens of other cost-saving measures.

In the case of Silver Street, if the decision is to close the school, I hope school officials will commit to maintaining the school’s appearance and actively seeking an adaptive reuse that will benefit the neighborhood. It’s even possible Silver Street could reopen as a charter school. Why not?

Since the proposed school closings were announced last week, many have blamed Gov. Mitch Daniels and other Republicans who supported a major change in the way schools are funded. In 2008, as part of a sweeping property tax reform package, the legislature shifted funding for public school operations from property taxes to the state budget. It was a bipartisan move.

In fact, I’m the only local legislator who didn’t vote to shift school funding from property taxes to the state. Those votes took place almost exactly two years ago – before I was elected. In fact, my predecessor, former Rep. Bill Cochran, a Democrat, was on the conference committee that crafted the final legislation. Democrats were in the majority in the House of Representatives then, as they are now, and could have blocked the change. Instead, every legislator representing Floyd and Clark counties – all Democrats – voted for the shift from property taxes to state revenue.

They also all voted – in a separate measure – to amend the constitution to include property tax caps. Three of them are current or former public school educators: Sen. Connie Sipes (New Albany), a retired principal, Rep. Paul Robertson (Depauw), a retired teacher, and Rep. Terry Goodin (Austin), superintendent of the Crothersville Community Schools.

Fast forward to the present. It’s convenient for some to blame Republicans. Others want to blame Democrats. I’m not interested in pointing fingers at anyone. I’m looking for solutions. That’s why I worked to make Senate Bill 309 a bipartisan bill. I was one of two Republicans on the House Education Committee who joined seven Democrats in passing it out of committee 9-3, and I was part of a bipartisan 83-16 majority that supported it on the floor.

SB 309 is one of two bills that would give schools flexibility to use normally restricted funds to replace funds that were cut by the governor in December. The other is House Bill 1367. House Speaker Pat Bauer, D-South Bend, had announced that the House would complete its business last Thursday – 10 days before the March 14 deadline for adjournment. At the 11th hour – literally – Bauer unexpectedly adjourned the House until tomorrow, leaving education funding up in the air.

The state has accepted responsibility for funding schools, and we must fulfill that commitment. We cannot, however, deny economic reality. We’re in the deepest recession since the Great Depression. The last time we experienced such economic challenges there was a striking Richardsonian Romanesque elementary school at the corner of Vincennes and Shelby streets.

Things will get worse before they get better. Revenue collections for February missed forecast for the 17th consecutive month. Additional cuts will be necessary.

Property taxes are considered to be stable compared to sales, income and gaming taxes and other sources of state revenue, which fluctuate with the economy. Many other vital programs are funded by the state, and I haven’t heard critics of the 2008 property tax legislation call for them to be funded by property taxes, even though stability would be desirable. Higher education, Medicaid and state police are a few examples. Another big one is teacher pensions, which the legislature has a bad habit of tapping whenever there’s a budget crisis. As a result, teacher pensions are underfunded by more than $11 billion – that’s right, billion.

Finger-pointing won’t solve any of these problems, but if we work together, we can solve them.

---

Facts can be educating

Education continues to be a hot topic, and it will get even hotter Thursday if, as expected, the New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. announces school closings.

Facts are likely to be overwhelmed by misinformation, emotion and politics, so I’m going to try to set the record straight in advance.

New Albany-Floyd County schools are facing a $6.6 million budget shortfall. Suffice it to say, it didn’t develop all at once. Less than half of the shortfall is attributable to a recent cut in state funding. And, it’s important to note, property tax caps have almost nothing to do with it.

In December, in response to continuing sharp declines in revenue, Gov. Mitch Daniels announced a 4.5 percent reduction in state funding for K-12 education. The reduction accounts for less than half of New Albany-Floyd’s $6.6 million deficit. The schools already were facing more than $3 million in cuts before the state reduced its support.

Legislation I supported last week would allow the schools to replace up to 100 percent of the amount the governor cut. The replacement cash would come from funds that normally are restricted. More on that in a moment.

The schools’ financial problems aren’t the result of property tax caps. Some politicians – and others – have taken to blaming tax caps for all that ails local government. It simply isn’t reality.

Last year, the actual cost of the tax caps to all units of local government (city, county, schools, library, etc.) in Floyd County was $11,489, which wasn’t even one-tenth of 1 percent of their combined budgets. That’s according to the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency.

LSA projects local government in Floyd County will lose $679,120 to the caps (0.8 percent of their combined budgets) this year, and $906,497 (1 percent) next year.

That’s not the case everywhere. In areas with higher property taxes, the loss to local government has been greater.

Details are available at www.in.gov/legislative. Under the heading “Publications and Documents,” click on “Property Tax Studies.” If you don’t have Internet access and would like a copy of the report, call my office at 1-800-382-9841.

Before the reduction in state funding, Floyd County schools were budgeted to receive $6,276 per student; now they’re getting $5,991, a loss of $285 per student. Because of the formula the state uses to determine how money is allocated among schools, many school districts receive more than Floyd County – and many receive less. For example, the Gary Community School Corp. receives $9,470 per child ($3,479 more), and the Indianapolis Public Schools get $8,222 ($2,231 more). The funding formula is a topic for another day.

Right now, we must stay focused on preventing teacher layoffs and the larger class sizes that would result from layoffs.

Senate Bill 309 passed the House 83-16 last week. I voted for it, even though I was disappointed it didn’t go far enough to protect teacher jobs and thereby prevent larger class sizes.

SB 309 leaves open the possibility of teacher layoffs. In exchange for limited-time access to funds that normally are restricted, schools would have to agree to use the funds “solely to avoid school employee layoffs and to protect instructional programs,” unless “the school corporation determines that there are not sufficient funds available to both avoid termination of the school employee and protect instructional programs.”

The language leaves too much room for schools to put other spending ahead of teacher jobs. I offered an amendment that would have prohibited teacher layoffs, but it was defeated after a heated floor debate. I will keep trying this week.

SB 309 is one of two bills concerning education funding. The other is House Bill 1367, which is the one that’s likely to become law. A conference committee will work this week to reconcile differences between the version of HB 1367 that passed the House and the version that passed the Senate. It won’t be easy. Parts of SB 309 will be combined with HB 1367. I’m hoping I will be able to support the final product. We made a lot of progress last week toward a bipartisan solution.

There are no easy answers in education. Local school officials have a tough few days ahead, and so does the legislature.

Over the last several weeks, I have appreciated hearing from many individual educators. I’ve learned a lot about many issues and concerns, and I look forward to continuing the dialogue. I will be happy to meet with individuals or groups to discuss any issue.

Even hot topics can be discussed in a cool and calm way.

---

Saving teachers would protect students

The topics of conversation were as diverse as the crowd at a second informal forum on education.

It’s an important and timely subject. With the legislature likely to adjourn by the end of next week, we have precious little time left to take action to prevent teacher layoffs and larger class sizes.

Education is one of several difficult subjects before the legislature in the waning days of the session. As with other tough issues, doing nothing may be easier, but we owe it to Hoosiers to do something.

We have the ability to prevent teacher layoffs and larger class sizes, but only if we work together. Education is too important to be controlled by any single special-interest group. It’s time to come together to protect children. What we do – or fail to do – will have an impact on their future and Indiana’s future.

More than two dozen people attended the forum last Saturday at Destinations Booksellers in New Albany. A forum the previous Saturday drew six. I was pleased with the turnout and even more pleased that so many different perspectives were represented.

The group included a public school principal, active and retired teachers from both public and private schools, parents and others concerned about education. Most Floyd County teachers stayed away because of pressure from the local teachers union, whose president was there but silent the whole time. He recorded the two-hour discussion; I hope he will play it for his members so they can hear what they missed.

One of the public school teachers was from Community Montessori School in New Albany, Floyd County’s only charter school. One of the parents was an advocate for virtual charter schools.

The conversation was calm, respectful and informed. We talked about math and science education, teacher accountability, administration, reading standards, testing, attracting and retaining teachers, nontraditional pathways to teaching and other topics.

Not everyone wants to talk calmly. Some people are more interested in demagoguery than dialogue.

One local middle school teacher recently e-mailed me to ask, “Who’s the Fascist bastard who came up with SB 309?” That one sentence was his entire message. Senate Bill 309 is one of the education bills under consideration. I responded by inviting him to attend the forum at the bookstore.

He replied to my invitation with a threat: “Destinations has been boycotted and believe me we will have dialogue. I am preparing a public protest. As soon as things are in order you will be the first to know!”

How does that serve the interests of children?

Thankfully, his angry rhetoric is not representative of most teachers. In contrast to his terse, inflammatory e-mails, I have received a number of thoughtful messages from teachers who want to discuss the issues. We don’t necessarily agree on everything, but at least we’re talking.

Let’s hope the legislature will do the same thing before it’s too late.

As of the end of last week, there were two live bills that seek to address a $300 million reduction in K-12 education funding. SB 309 is one. The other is House Bill 1367, which is in the Senate. SB 309 is in the House. It was scheduled for further action Monday in the House Education Committee, of which I am a member. We met on it twice last week.

SB 309 would allow schools to transfer money among funds that are normally restricted. It passed the Senate with bipartisan support. As written when it came to the House, SB 309 would have required schools to agree to freeze all employee pay for one year in exchange for the funding flexibility. The other Republican members of the House Education Committee and I offered an amendment that would have removed the pay freeze requirement. Instead, we proposed requiring schools that opt for the funding flexibility to agree not to lay off any teachers.

Having a highly qualified teacher in the classroom is the single most important factor in student success. Teacher layoffs would lead to larger class sizes, which would hurt students. Cuts are necessary, but teacher cuts should be a last resort, and our amendment put that position in black and white.

As soon as we called for a vote on the amendment, the committee chairman abruptly recessed the meeting so he and other Democrats could confer with lobbyists from the state teachers union. When the meeting reconvened, our amendment failed 5-5 along party lines.

There are seven Democrats and five Republicans on the House Education Committee. One of the Democrats, Rep. Dennie Oxley, has been absent all session due to an undisclosed illness. The seventh Democrat disappeared during the vote but returned to vote for alternate language – drafted on the fly, ostensibly at the behest of the union lobbyists – that watered down the prohibition against teacher layoffs. The new language said transferred money must be used “to avoid school employee layoffs and to protect instructional programs.”

The alternate language was adopted 6-5 along party lines. It was too vague, and I couldn’t support it. I couldn’t support language that would have made it possible for schools to prioritize other spending ahead of retaining teachers. I’m still surprised the teachers union opposed language prohibiting teacher layoffs. I’m not sure what their agenda is, but we’ll find out this week as the process continues.

The conversation on education is complex. Thanks to the folks who shared their morning with me the last two Saturdays, I’ve learned a lot, and I’ve developed a list of topics and questions for later.

In the meantime, the legislature is almost out of time.

---

CLERE: Feel free to speak up

By ED CLERE

The conversation on education went on last Saturday, but important stakeholders were told to stay away.

Six people attended the first of two informal forums on education. Three were teachers, each from a different Christian school. One was my wife, another was a friend and the third I was pleased to meet for the first time.

Two retired educators from the New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corporation were there. I had one of them as a teacher, and the other was an administrator when I was in school. I continued to learn from them on Saturday, and I very much appreciated their attendance.

The sixth person was the president of the New Albany-Floyd County Education Association the local teachers union and he was the reason many others weren't there. He acknowledged that he had instructed Floyd County public school teachers not to attend.

So he spoke for them. He said teachers dont have time to read bills or otherwise concern themselves with whats happening in Indianapolis. Apparently, he doesnt either. He conceded that he hadnt actually read the education bills he was supporting or opposing, only summaries.

The forum was scheduled to last two hours. We ended up talking for three, and we still just scratched the surface of many issues. It was a good conversation. We didnt agree on everything, but I certainly learned a lot.

There are two competing proposals for making up a $300 million reduction in statewide K-12 education funding.

House Bill 1367 was put forth by the union. It would give schools a limited ability to use their capital projects fund to pay operating costs, including salaries. The bill also would require schools to reduce overhead something theyre already doing on their own.

HB 1367 would suspend two very modest reform initiatives the union opposes a virtual charter school pilot program and a school scholarship tax credit designed to give poor kids a chance to attend private school. Together the two programs could cost the state an amount equal to about 1 percent of the reduction in school funding. In addition, HB 1367 would suspend important student testing programs, including PSAT testing and ACT/SAT preparation.

Senate Bill 309 offers an alternative that would give schools more flexibility in funding and access to more money without suspending the reform initiatives or testing programs. It passed the Senate with bipartisan support and was scheduled for a hearing yesterday in the House Education Committee, of which I am a member.

In return for a year of flexibility in moving money among funds, schools would have to agree not to increase pay for a year. At the forum, the local union president made it clear teachers would not accept the tradeoff, even though it would prevent layoffs and the larger class sizes that would result from layoffs.

Having listened to teachers prior to the forum, I already was working on language to protect teachers who complete a masters degree or 30 hours of graduate study beyond a master's, in both cases qualifying to move to a higher pay scale. Having invested their own money to further their education, they still should move to the higher scale, even if a general pay freeze is in effect. That language will be introduced as early as today.

Im also working on several other improvements, some of which came out of the forum.

Support for public education and for education reform is bipartisan, as a Feb. 1 U.S. Department of Education press release illustrates.

President Obamas 2011 education budget signals a bold new direction for federal K-12 education policy with more competitive funding, more flexibility and a focus on the reforms likely to have the greatest impact on student success, said Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

This budget sends a very clear signal to the country that this president is serious about education, Duncan said. There are some very innovative proposals in this budget that come from across America. We want to advance reform on a bipartisan basis.

Some of those innovative proposals are coming from Indiana Republicans and have the support of the nations top Democrat. As Duncan put it, competition and incentives drive reform. Amen.

In a statement the day after Obamas state of the union address, Duncan underscored the urgency of education reform:

We cant wait to make these reforms. Right now, 25 percent of our students fail to graduate high school, and as many as 60 percent of college freshmen need remedial education. Millions of jobs are unfilled for lack of qualified applicants. The President and I know that we need to educate our way to a better economy. I am honored to be working with you to make it happen.

Education reform will not happen without a highly qualified teacher in every classroom. And we cannot expect to attract and retain such top talent unless we are willing to pay for it. As the economy recovers, I will continue to fight for excellent pay for excellent teachers.

In the meantime, we are experiencing unprecedented economic challenges, and teacher pay is not immune. Our conversation about education must be about much more than pay alone. Everything is on the table.

The conversation will continue from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Destinations Booksellers, 604 E. Spring St., New Albany. I hope the teachers union will allow its members to think and speak for themselves.

Anyone who feels intimidated to attend may e-mail me in confidence. My e-mail is h72@in.gov. I will not reveal your identity, but I will listen.

---

Lets talk about education

Whats best for kids?

Thats the first and most important question we should be asking as we debate education issues. Some, however, want to start with whats best for adults, trying to convince us that benefits for children will follow.

Of all the weighty issues before the Indiana General Assembly, education should be the furthest removed from politics. Instead, its among the most political.

Thats certainly the case with House Bill 1367, which passed the House of Representatives last week along party lines. HB 1367 is a political bill, introduced outside the usual process and rammed through before a key deadline.

The Senate is likely to rewrite HB 1367. But since it passed the House, its now a bargaining chip. According to House rules, regardless of what happens to it in the Senate, the bills original language or any part of it can be inserted into another bill later in the process.

As we debated HB 1367, the hall outside the chamber was filled with union members, who clapped and shouted their support for the bill.

The teachers union goes by several names. The New Albany-Floyd County Education Association is part of the Indiana State Teachers Association, which in turn is part of the National Education Association. They have different names, but a common agenda.

Retiring NEA General Counsel Bob Chanin summed up that agenda last year in a speech to the unions national assembly:

And that brings me to my final and most important point, which is why, at least in my opinion, NEA and its affiliates are such effective advocates. Despite what some among us would like to believe, it is not because of our creative ideas. It is not because of the merit of our positions. It is not because we care about children. And it is not because we have a vision of a great public school for every child.

NEA and its affiliates are effective advocates because we have power, and we have power because there are more than 3.2 million people who are willing to pay us hundreds of millions of dollars in dues each year because they believe that we are the unions that can most effectively represent them the unions that can protect their rights and advance their interests as education employees.

This is not to say that the concern of NEA and its affiliates with closing achievement gaps, reducing dropout rates, improving teacher quality and the like are unimportant or inappropriate. To the contrary, these are the goals that guide the work we do. But they need not and must not be achieved at the expense of due process, employee rights and collective bargaining. That simply is too high a price to pay.

When all is said and done, NEA and its affiliates must never lose sight of the fact that they are unions, and what unions do first and foremost is represent their members. If we do that and if we do it well, the rest will fall into place. NEA and its affiliates will remain powerful, and that power will in turn enable us to achieve our vision of a great public school for every child.

Chanins speech is available on YouTube.

After the vote on HB 1367, I went across the street to an ISTA luncheon, where I encountered union representatives from Floyd and other Southern Indiana counties. Talking points in hand, their first question was, Did you vote for 1367? When I said no, they immediately labeled me as anti-teacher.

After cutting everything else first, Gov. Mitch Daniels recently announced reductions to K-12 education. I support a plan that would restore funding. But the union opposes that plan, and it wasnt given a chance in the House.

How does the unions influence play out in Indiana?

In the 2008 election cycle, the union contributed more than $1 million to Democrats running for the Indiana House. During the same period, the union contributed $48,300 to Republicans. These figures are based on the secretary of states campaign finance database, which is available online.

Two sentences from the Jan. 13, 2009, minutes of the New Albany-Floyd County Education Association speak volumes about the cynical, polarizing way in which the union approaches the political process:

If you are of the same political affiliation as Ed Clere, we NEED you! Many of the representatives will CHECK to see if a person is registered as their party before they will seriously listen to the person.

I dont check. Never have. Never will. I represent Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians and people of other political affiliations or no political affiliation.

I was elected in November 2008. At the time of the union meeting, I had been in office only two months and had just completed the first week of my first legislative session. I hadnt voted on anything.

Before the session is out while legislation is still under consideration I want to talk directly with teachers and other educators.

I will be at Destinations Booksellers from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday and the same time the following Saturday, Feb. 20. I want to talk directly with teachers, administrators, other school employees and anyone else in our community who is concerned about education. Destinations is at 604 E. Spring St. in New Albany. The bookstores caf sells breakfast.

I wont have any talking points. Ill be there to listen and learn. Thats what Ive always done when teachers are in the room.

---

CLERE: The wheels are coming off

House Speaker Pat Bauer has cast a long shadow over the Indiana General Assembly. Last week, the darkness continued, as the session's promising start gave way to politics as usual.

First elected in 1970, Bauer, a Democrat from South Bend, has been in the legislature for 40 consecutive years, and for six of the last eight he has held the powerful position of speaker.

The week started and ended with vehicle bills.

Contrary to what you might think and what I thought the first time I heard the term a vehicle bill has nothing to do with automobiles.

A vehicle bill is a placeholder. Vehicle bills have no subject. They are filed so legislation that is not introduced at the beginning of the session can be amended into them later. It is a way of circumventing the usual committee process and thereby limiting public scrutiny and open debate on politically charged issues.

The first vehicle bill in the House was House Bill 1367, which concerns education. The House Education Committee, of which I am a member, heard the bill on Monday morning, having seen it for the first time the previous Friday.

The bill would delay implementation of two reform initiatives the legislature passed last year the School Scholarship Tax Credit and the Virtual Charter School Pilot Program. It would suspend PSAT testing and take money away from ACT/SAT preparation. The short-term savings would net schools an estimated $4.61 per student - that's right, less than $5 per student - while delaying two programs designed to help disadvantaged and at-risk children and curtailing college preparation. In addition, the bill effectively would prevent the creation of new charter schools and could jeopardize Indiana's ability to qualify for federal Race to the Top education funding.

It also would allow unrestricted spending from various funds to make up school budget shortfalls. According to an analysis, about 85 percent of the proposed spending already is allowed under current law. The bill is political, and it passed out of committee along party lines. It was scheduled for action by the full House yesterday.

The other Republican members of the Education Committee and I offered an alternate plan that would give schools greater financial flexibility by allowing them to transfer money among funds, which is prohibited by current law. In exchange for this new flexibility, schools would have to agree not to increase salaries next school year. Our plan would prevent the layoff of thousands of teachers statewide which would keep class sizes from growing and would do it in a fiscally responsible way.

The second vehicle bill popped up Wednesday morning. Members of the House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee received a 31-page amendment to House Bill 1369 - a vehicle bill - four hours before the committee was scheduled to meet.

The amendment had nothing to do with government and regulatory reform. It would have made numerous changes to the law governing public-private agreements concerning toll roads. It also could have jeopardized the Ohio River Bridges Project. The Roads and Transportation Committee would have been the appropriate committee to hear the bill, but Bauer assigned it to Government and Regulatory Reform, ostensibly because of political wrangling and unrest within his own caucus.

After about an hour of testimony and committee discussion, the amendment was adopted and the bill advanced to the full House, where, on Thursday, it failed when the House did not adopt the committee report, which is almost always an uneventful voice vote. A roll-call vote was requested, and the vote was 49-49. The House is controlled 52-48 by Democrats. In this case, the speaker pro tempore the Democrat who takes over as speaker in Bauer's absence voted with all 48 Republicans to keep a terrible bill from moving forward. Two Democrats were absent. After the vote, Statehouse veterans were having trouble remembering the last time something similar had happened.

Bauer adjourned shortly after the vote was tallied, killing six other bills that fell victim to his political games.

In his second inaugural address, Gov. Mitch Daniels used springtime as a metaphor for Indiana's coming prosperity:

Not even the cold realities of a wintry world economy can obscure the signs of spring in our state. Out of economic erosion and indistinction, Indiana now excels in every assessment of appeal to new plantings of future jobs and prosperity. A blossoming culture of enterprise foretells the coming vigor of a youthful economy that regenerates new sprouts faster than its trusted old branches decay and fall away.

The governor delivered the speech more than a year ago, and it is even more relevant today.

Spring's first flowers are always at risk. The frosts of fear can nip the most promising and beautiful of buds. If Hoosiers emerge from our winter's sleep only to see the shadows of our doubts and retreat from them, then winter will return, all the more frigid for the fragile hopes it cuts short. But, unlike the groundhog of fable, we have the outcome in our power. If we choose to face forward, into the sun, casting our shadows behind us, we can summon the springtime, and command it to come.

The legislature must adjourn by March 14, which is less than six weeks away. Tomorrow is the deadline for House and Senate bills to pass out of their respective chamber. The House will spend the rest of this month considering Senate bills, and vice versa.

Today is Groundhog Day. Will Bauer see his shadow and subject Hoosiers to six more weeks of political winter, or will he allow the first shoots of spring to flourish?

---

CLERE: These bills could make a difference

As of today, the Indiana General Assembly has been in session for two weeks. It's a short session, and things are moving quickly. More than 800 bills were filed, and the deadline for initial action is only two weeks away.

Each member of the House of Representatives is allowed to introduce up to five bills in the short session. Here's a summary of the five I introduced:

House Bill 1150 State spending cap. Imposes general expenditure controls on the state beginning with the budget adopted for the state fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011.

Right now, we're reducing spending, so a spending cap may seem unnecessary to some. But the economy will improve, and when it does, this bill would keep state government spending in line with Hoosier incomes.

HB 1204 Public notice of local units' borrowing costs. Requires the fiscal officer of a taxing unit to publish notice of the costs of borrowing by the taxing unit if the borrowing results from late billing of property taxes in the county.

When property tax bills are late, units of local government - cities, counties, schools, libraries and others - have to borrow money to keep operating. This bill would require them to let the public know the interest cost of that borrowing. The responsibility for getting tax bills out on time is shared between local and state government. This bill doesn't seek to blame anyone for late bills. It simply known to the taxpayer the cost of those late bills.

HB 1349 Military Family Relief Fund. Makes changes to the definition of a qualified service member for purposes of determining eligibility for assistance from the Military Family Relief Fund.

This bill, which has the support of all of the major veterans' organizations, would help make assistance more readily available to the families of our men and women in uniform.

HB 1359 Property tax deduction for qualified improvements. Establishes a property tax deduction for a qualified improvement, which is real property that has been renovated or rehabilitated at a specified cost of which at least 50 percent is dedicated to renovation or rehabilitation of exterior components.

This bill would provide a valuable new property tax deduction and an incentive for revitalization. It would be available for homes and businesses.

HB 1364 Indiana Legislative Youth Advisory Council. Changes the age of eligibility to be a council member from 14 to 18 years of age to 16 to 20 years of age. Staggers the terms of the council members.

The council was established in 2008. This bill would make several changes designed to improve it. Council members are appointed by legislative leaders and the governor and come from all over the state. The council advises the legislature on a variety of matters affecting Indiana youth and adults.

I'm also a co-author on seven other bills and one joint resolution:

HB 1013 Redistricting commission. Establishes a redistricting commission to create, hold hearings on, take public comment about, and recommend plans to redraw general assembly districts and congressional districts.

This bill would remove much of the politics from the redistricting process, which takes place next year.

HB 1097 Halloween enticement. Makes it a Class D felony for an offender against children to knowingly or intentionally participate in Halloween by offering or appearing to offer candy or another item to trick or treaters.

This bill would protect children. Enough said.

HB 1215 Impaired driving. Adds certain motor vehicle offenses committed while under the influence of a controlled substance to the list of offenses whose commission may cause a person to be a habitual traffic violator. Provides that operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of certain controlled substances resulting in serious bodily injury or death constitutes criminal recklessness.

This bill would make our roads safer and increase punishment for people who use drugs and drive.

HB 1286 Minimum employment requirement for EDGE credit. Eliminates, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2009, the requirement that a taxpayer applying for the Economic Development for a Growing Economy tax credit to retain existing jobs in Indiana must employ at least 35 employees in Indiana.

By making the credit available to smaller businesses, this bill would create jobs.

HB 1310 Certain sex offenders and school property. Provides that, as a condition of probation, a sex offender who is a sexually violent predator or an offender against children is prohibited from being on the property of a primary or secondary school.

Another bill to protect children.

HB 1345 Spray tanning. Requires that a minor must have a signed written statement by a parent or guardian before spray tanning may be applied to the minor. Requires that when a minor is having the spray tanning applied while fully or partially nude that: (1) a parent or guardian must be on site; and (2) the spray tanning operator must be the same gender as the minor.

One of my colleagues filed this bill in response to an incident in his district.

HB 1346 - Legislative ethics. Restates the statute describing the legislative statements of economic interests, and makes changes to that statute.

There has been a lot of talk recently about legislative ethics and this bill would accomplish important reforms.

Housed Joint Resolution 2 - Circuit breakers and other property tax matters.

This is the language that would cap property taxes. The House adopted the language last week, and the Senate is expected to adopt it as early as today. Assuming that happens, it will be on the ballot in November, and Hoosier voters will have the final say.

Follow these bills and all of the other bills at www.in.gov/legislative. If you don't have Internet access, just call my office at 1-800-382-9841 to request information on any bill or topic.

Rep. Ed Clere represents District 72 in the Indiana House of Representatives. He may be reached by phone at 1-800-382-9841, by e-mail at h72@in.gov or by mail at the Statehouse, 200 W. Washington St., Room 401-7, Indianapolis, IN 46204.

---

Tune in now to keep up

As the Indiana legislature meets for its annual session which started a week ago yesterday the weather outside is as bleak as the economy. Spring will come, and, in time, the economy will improve. Until then, protection from the elements is the order of the day.

It is now all but certain that Hoosier property owners will soon gain another layer of insulation from high property taxes. After a year of delay, the House of Representatives took immediate action on constitutional property tax caps. A final vote scheduled for Monday was expected to be a formality after the caps survived several attacks last week.

Caps will not keep property taxes from rising. They will, however, keep them in check as a percentage of a propertys assessed value. Taxes on most owner-occupied homes will be limited to 1 percent of the propertys assessed value. Taxes on rental property and farmland will be capped at 2 percent, and taxes on other business property will be limited to 3 percent.

That leaves assessment as the next major property tax issue. Tax caps will provide the greatest protection when coupled with limits on increases in assessment. Now that the tax cap debate is finally behind us, we can turn our attention to assessment.

In addition to the tax caps, we acted on several other pieces of legislation last week, and committees started meeting right away. Compared to last year my first this year got off to a brisk start. Thats a good thing, as the session must end by March 14. Regardless of the political motivations behind the House majoritys newfound sense of urgency, Im thankful we accomplished something during our first week in session, and Im hoping the rest of the session will be just as productive for Hoosier taxpayers and families.

A lot will be happening in the coming weeks. As always, if you have questions or concerns about anything, please contact me at 1-800-382-9841 or h72@in.gov. If you want to keep up with whats happening, visit the Indiana General Assemblys Web site: www.in.gov/legislative.

There you will find calendars, legislation, committee schedules and a wealth of other information. You can watch live video of the House and Senate and some committee meetings and view archived video.

Under the Whats New section of the Web site, you will see several reports about the effects of the property tax caps. The reports were compiled by the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency. In 2008, the tax caps were enacted into law and phased in. The resolution that was expected to be adopted yesterday is the next-to-last step in making the caps constitutional.

Right now, they are law, which can be changed on a whim. Once theyre in the state constitution, they could still be changed, but it would take more time and effort than if they were only in law. The last step in amending the constitution will come in November, when the caps will be on the ballot for Hoosier voters to make the final decision.

There has been a lot of rhetoric about the effects of the caps on local government revenue, and some politicians have taken to blaming the caps every time theyre short on cash. The reports provide an objective look at the caps true effect.

The reality is far different from the rhetoric. The caps cost all units of local government in Floyd County $11,489 last year. Some units didnt lose a penny. Rounded to the nearest tenth, thats not even one-tenth of 1 percent of the units combined budgets. In Clark County, the loss amounted to about two-tenths of combined local government budgets. This year, the loss is projected to be about eight-tenths of 1 percent in Floyd County and 1.2 percent in Clark County.

The sky isnt falling, at least around here.

Counties with higher property taxes are losing more. For example, while Floyd County lost $11,489 to the caps last year, Lake County near Chicago lost $71 million.

Theres a lot to keep track of besides the tax caps.

Yesterday was the deadline for filing bills. As of Friday, more than 500 bills and resolutions had been introduced. Detailed information about every bill including the complete text, any amendments and current status is on the Web site. If you do not have Web access and would like to receive information about any bill or topic, just contact my office.

Two weekly television programs on Indianapolis public television also provide good information and analysis about whats happening in the legislature. They can be viewed at www.wfyi.org.

According to the Web site, Indiana Week in Review offers news and no-holds-barred debate and discussion. A look at issues facing Indiana from differing viewpoints makes for an entertaining, lively and informative half-hour.

Indiana Lawmakers is the other show. The Web site says it provides a weekly in-depth examination of the issues and agendas before the state legislature.

I enjoy both programs.

Something else I enjoy is writing this column. This column is No. 52; Ive been writing it every week for a year now. Thanks to the Tribune for giving me the opportunity to communicate with you, and thank you for reading it.

Try to stay warm.

---

Lets not waste any time

Indianas 2010 legislative session starts today. Its impossible to know what will happen in the coming weeks, but one thing is certain: Whatever happens, it wont be as easy as pie.

The General Assembly meets every year starting in early January.

In odd-numbered years, the session can and usually does last until the end of April and is referred to as the long session, which is devoted to the crafting of the states two-year budget. Last year, we failed to pass a budget during the regular session and had to go back in June to get the job done.

In even-numbered years, the legislature is required to adjourn by the middle of March, so time is much more precious. Its called the short session, and its what were starting today.

Last year was my first session, and I was taken aback by the slow start. A well intended but ill-timed resolution to designate a state pie ended up being one of the legislatures most prominent items of business during our first few weeks in session.

The resolution was adopted by the Senate but died in the House after it became symbolic of the time that was being wasted. Indiana remains without an official state pie.

Maybe someday when times are much better we will have the luxury of taking up such matters. In the meantime, we should forget about dessert and do everything we can to help make sure Hoosier families can put basic food on their tables.

It wont be easy.

Last month, we received an updated revenue forecast. The previous forecast came out in May, and it was the basis for the two-year, $27.7 billion budget we passed in June. We designed the budget to leave us with a $1 billion reserve at the end of the two years, and its a good thing some of us insisted on that.

Based on the new forecast and in the absence of any further action, by the end of the two-year budget cycle, we would have spent the entire reserve and it still wouldnt be enough to fund the budget we passed. Thats why just last week Gov. Mitch Daniels took the step we all had been hoping to avoid and ordered reductions to K-12 education spending. He already had slashed everything else.

In announcing the education cut, the governor explained that K-12 education is half of the entire budget and that there was nowhere else left to trim. He already had ordered 20 percent spending cuts at state agencies and more recently a 6 percent reduction in higher education spending.

The K-12 reduction will be applied evenly to all school corporations using the current funding formula. For this calendar year, funding will be reduced 4.5 percent from what we had budgeted. Statewide, its a 3.5 percent reduction from last year. Compared to last year, however, the percentage reduction varies from school corporation to school corporation because we changed the funding formula.

Clearly, were facing a serious reality, and we need to approach our work in an equally serious fashion.

We started slowly last year and ended up in a special session. Its possible we would have ended up in special session regardless of how hard we might have worked in January. This year, theres no excuse for not getting right to work

The deadline for introducing bills is next week. After that, well have a better idea of the specific issues that will define the session.

No matter what is introduced or what ultimately happens in the session, we must stay focused on three objectives. First, we must avoid any new taxes or tax increases. Now is not the time to take more from Hoosiers who are already struggling to make ends meet. Second, we must avoid any new spending. Its always tempting to spend, and we must resist the temptation.

Finally, the time is now to move forward on constitutional property tax caps. If we adopt the same language the legislature adopted two years ago, then the issue will go on the ballot in November and Hoosier voters will have the final say. If we dont adopt the language the required second time during this session, then the caps will die and the whole process would have to start over.

We can accomplish much more than that, but whatever we do, we must make those three objectives our guide. Im looking forward to the upcoming discussion and debate. Just because we dont have money to spend doesnt mean we cant accomplish a lot. In fact, we will have opportunities to work on many issues that wouldnt cost the state anything and could, in many cases, lead to savings.

This year, with only 10 weeks of potential meeting time, we need to focus on the main course and leave dessert for later.

---

Legislation can start with you

I recently spoke at a forum for college students interested in internships with the General Assembly. One of the students asked what course of study would be useful for someone who aspires to run for public office.

It is difficult to recommend any particular major. Indiana is fortunate to have citizen legislators who come from a wide variety of backgrounds, including among those legislators who are college educated many different majors. Regardless of background, though, it does help to study the alphabet.

DLGF, FSSA, ICHDA, IFA, INDOT, LSA, OCRA. These are a few of the acronyms that have become very familiar to me. They stand for various state agencies, and there are many more.

LSA, for example, is the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency that drafts legislation and analyzes its potential cost, among other duties. In a few weeks, when many offices start slowing down for the holidays, LSA will be getting busier. Dozens of attorneys and fiscal analysts will be working on legislation for the upcoming session, which starts Jan. 5.

Ideas for legislation come from many sources. Most legislators have their own ideas. The governor has a legislative agenda. So do other top officials, including the superintendent of public instruction and the attorney general. State agencies suggest legislation. Interest groups represented by lobbyists always have a wish list. Ideas can and should also come from you.

There are two ways legislation can be introduced. The first is a bill, which can be about any subject. The deadline for introducing bills will be early in January, a few days after the start of the session. The second is an amendment to a bill. Amendments can be introduced throughout the session and must be related to the subject of the bill the legislator seeks to amend.

In odd-numbered years, the General Assembly meets for a so-called long session, which can last nearly four months and includes the crafting of the states two-year budget. In even-numbered years, the legislature convenes for a short session, which is limited to about two months. In long sessions, each legislator may introduce up to 15 bills. In the short session which is whats coming up we are limited to five bills.

Every bill is subject to amendment, and thats where things can get interesting. Amendments arent always glamorous, but they often get the job done. To be introduced as an amendment, the subject of the amendment must be related to germane to the subject of the bill.

We spend a lot of time on the issue of germaneness, which is often in the eye of the beholder. In the House of Representatives, the beholder is the speaker of the House. Amendments with questionable relevance to a bill are sometimes allowed, and amendments directly related to the subject matter of a bill are routinely rejected.

Some amendments are intended to accomplish something by making a bill do more or less. Others are introduced to make a political statement. Many attempt to do both.

I introduced a lot of amendments during the regular session this year. Ill cite one as an example of how the process can work.

In 2008, the General Assembly changed the law to make property tax deductions available on a calendar-year basis. The change did not make allowance for real estate closings that occur at the end of the year. Depending on the timing of the closing, paperwork might not be filed at the courthouse until the beginning of January, causing the homebuyer to miss out on deductions for the year in which the home was purchased and leading to a much higher tax bill. An example of this was brought to my attention by a constituent.

Everyone understands it usually takes a few days for paperwork to get to the courthouse. But, homebuyers who happen to close at the end of the year shouldnt be penalized.

I introduced an amendment to fix the problem. I figured it would be adopted with little difficulty. I was wrong. After attempting to attach it to several different bills and encountering some unexpected opposition along the way I finally succeeded in marrying it to a piece of legislation that appeared sure to pass, only to see it die on the last day of the session when the bill did not receive a vote.

Because we failed to pass a budget during the regular session, a special session was called, and I raised the issue again and worked to get the language included in the budget bill. This time I succeeded. The budget we passed included a provision that extended to Jan. 5 the time for filing for deductions, which will save most affected homeowners up to $1,000 or more per year.

Not every issue that needs a legislative solution is exciting or controversial, but each deserves attention and consideration. I have been meeting with groups and individuals to discuss potential legislation, and I will be doing a lot more of it in the coming weeks. Many of these meetings send me into the alphabet soup of state government.

I am eager to hear your ideas for legislation. Just remember that the session is approaching quickly. Please contact me ASAP.

---

Rep. Clere secures $3.5 million stimulus grant for Georgetown wastewater treatment plant

Construction will free capacity for New Albany growth

Rep. Ed Clere (R-New Albany) announced Wednesday that he has secured a $3.5 million grant for construction of a Georgetown wastewater treatment plant, and that the legal dispute over a previously proposed plant has been resolved.

Rep. Clere said he began pursuing federal stimulus funding for the project more than six months ago.

Early on, I identified this project as a good way to leverage stimulus money for Southern Indiana, Rep. Clere said. It will benefit not only Georgetown, but also the entire Floyd County and Southern Indiana communities. Georgetown will no longer have to depend on New Albany, and New Albany will be free to pursue economic development, which has been severely limited by a lack of available treatment capacity.

Georgetown does not have its own wastewater treatment plant. It contracts with New Albany for treatment, an arrangement that has become increasingly problematic in recent years. Georgetown has 1,200 sewage customers and, under its contract with New Albany, can pump up to 226,000 gallons per day to New Albany.

With Georgetown off its system, New Albany will have the opportunity to generate millions of dollars in new revenue from tap-in fees, and every tap-in represents economic development, which will benefit New Albany and the rest of Southern Indiana, Rep. Clere said.

Georgetown Town Council President Billy Stewart joined Rep. Clere for the announcement.

Before we even applied for the grant, we had so many people telling us not to because the general attitude in Southern Indiana is that we dont get stimulus money, Stewart said. Rep. Clere was able to step in, bring everyone to the table and find a common ground that will help our entire community. We appreciate everything he was able to do for us.

It is refreshing to see a legislator, let alone a freshman legislator, put aside all the politics and help us get something done, Stewart, a Democrat, continued. We have had the third highest sewer treatment rates in the state; some families are paying more than $100 a month.

As a result of the grant, Georgetowns sewer rates will decrease slightly, even after the cost of the new plant is taken into consideration. According to an analysis, the average households monthly bill, based on 4,000 gallons, will decrease from $64.93 to $64.30. If the town had instead issued bonds to finance the new plant, the average bill would have increased to $81.85 to cover the cost of the debt service. The analysis was prepared by H.J. Umbaugh & Associates, and Indianapolis accounting firm.

The grant will save Georgetown residents from the financial burden of infrastructure improvements, and it helps prepare Georgetown for future economic growth, Rep. Clere said.

The announcement was made at the New Albany office of Georgetowns attorney, D.A. Andrews.

Rep. Clere worked behind the scenes to push the project forward, in hopes that some stimulus funds would be available, Andrews said. He assisted with resolution of some of the underlying local issuesacting in equal measure as statesman and honest broker.

We are grateful for his relentless support for this project, which benefits Georgetown and New Albany and Floyd County. It is a win, win, win.

One issue that was resolved was a legal dispute with Capitol Engineering, Inc., a subsidiary of Jeffersonville-based Hughes Group, Inc. with which Georgetown had contracted in 2006 to construct a plant. Because the town was unable to obtain the required zoning for the original site, construction was delayed indefinitely. Capitol had already completed design work and purchased equipment for the plant.

John Hughes, an owner of the Hughes Group, credited Rep. Clere for bringing together the town and his company to settle their dispute.

If it wasnt for Rep. Clere, none of us would be here, Hughes said. He worked with all of us and made this work for everyone. With his help, we were able to keep the town out of spending tons of unnecessary money and saved us all a lot of trouble.

Capitol will build the new plant on a site at the western edge of town.

By continuing with the existing contractor, we were able to streamline the process and position this project to be shovel ready, which made it eligible for stimulus funding, Rep. Clere said.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will distribute approximately $125 million to the Indiana State Revolving Fund, a program managed by the Indiana Finance Authority. The finance authority makes money available to communities for wastewater and drinking water projects.

---

Its a Good Thing We Held Our Ground

STATEHOUSE (Oct. 8, 2009) Indianas fiscal situation would be much worse if House Republicans had not stood firm during budget negotiations.

Gov. Mitch Daniels, in the September revenue report, announced this morning Indiana missed projected revenues by $165.8 million. In the first three months of fiscal year 2009, Indiana has missed projections by $254.1 million.

My House Republican colleagues and I, from before Day One of the regular session in January, said we expected a frugal state budget, and those expectations held firm through the end of the special session in June. Its a good thing for Hoosier taxpayers we held our ground, because a one-year budget such as the one proposed would have absolutely drained the states resources.

Fortunately, Gov. Daniels and the House and Senate Republicans held firm, and Indiana still is in a stronger position than most other states.

During budget negotiations in the special session, House Republicans remained true to the principles they announced in January, at the beginning of the regular session no general tax increases, a healthy state reserve and no cuts for education or public safety.

Indiana started the current fiscal year with more than $1.4 billion in reserves the states savings account, something that would not have happened under the Democrat-sponsored budget plan.

In the 2010 session, House Republicans have no intention of backing away from our principles of responsible spending and more efficient state government.

---

CLERE: Class will come to order

By ED CLERE

Teachers deserve the best we can give them.

The best pay. The best working conditions. The best resources.

We have a long way to go in all of those areas. In one important area, however, we can now provide teachers with the best.

No longer will teachers have to worry about getting sued for taking reasonable actions to maintain discipline. If they do get sued, Indiana's top legal team will be there to defend them.

House Enrolled Act 1462 requires the attorney general and the state superintendent of public instruction to publicize annually to teachers that the attorney general may defend suits against teachers and that teachers have qualified immunity for reasonable acts of discipline, according to a digest of the legislation, which passed in April, was signed by the governor and went into effect last month.

Qualified immunity means teachers will be immune from civil liability as long as they are acting in good faith and following their school corporation's discipline policy.

Attorney General Greg Zoeller came to New Albany recently to discuss the new law and make it clear he will stand up for teachers.

Zoeller and Gov. Mitch Daniels pushed for the legislation, which received unanimous support from the legislature. State Sen. Connie Sipes, D-New Albany, and I joined Zoeller at his news conference.

Who can argue with the need for discipline in the classroom? Without it, teachers can't teach as effectively, and students can't learn as well.

Too often, classrooms have been out of control, with disruptive children making it difficult for others to learn.

Zoeller called the new law the first step toward ending frivolous litigation brought against teachers for acts intended to preserve a learning classroom free of behavior issues.

He said the legislation was in response to incidents around the state where school teachers said they were reluctant to discipline students who were disruptive in class, for fear of being sued.

In a letter Zoeller sent to all public schools teachers, he said, The fear of litigation should not limit your ability as a teacher to maintain order in the classroom.

Teachers have enough to worry about without having to worry about getting sued for maintaining order. If they are sued, they certainly deserve the best legal defense Indiana has to offer.

Just as discipline is essential to the classroom, parents are essential to discipline.

That's why I worked to make sure parents were included in another piece of legislation dealing with discipline in schools. House Enrolled Act 1419 called on school corporations to develop a plan for improving discipline and also requires the state Department of Education to develop a master plan for student behavior and discipline that school corporations may use for guidance.

The House voted to concur with Senate changes in the bill. The Senate added, as an amendment, language about parental involvement. I had offered the language as an amendment in the House, but it was not added to the bill. The Senate picked up the language and included it.

I'm pleased the language of my amendment made it into the final bill. As a result, the legislation acknowledges that parental involvement and responsibility are fundamental to any approach to student discipline.

With school back in session, I want to mention several other school-related pieces of legislation that passed this year.

House Enrolled Act 1021 - Protecting school bus passengers: Our children will be safer as they go to and from school. HEA 1021 toughens penalties for drivers who ignore a stopped school bus, with its Stop arm extended, and injure someone.

HEA 1343 - School Dropout Prevention: This was mentioned in a previous column, but I included it again because I'm talking about education. This legislation creates the Dropout Prevention Fund to provide money for school corporation programs to identify students at risk of dropping out of school and to provide appropriate interventions for them.

Senate Enrolled Act 228 - Bus Driver End-of-Route Inspection: As another precaution to make sure our students have safe trips to and from school, school bus and special-purpose drivers are required to inspect the passenger section at the end of each trip. Any incidents of passengers left behind must be reported to the Department of Education.

When it comes to education, we have to do everything we can to make sure no one is left behind. Reasonable people sometimes disagree over how to accomplish that.

Between now and the time session starts in January, I look forward to listening to what teachers and administrators have to say about various education issues.

That's part of my homework for this fall.

Rep. Ed Clere represents District 72 in the Indiana House of Representatives. He may be reached by phone at 1-800-382-9841, by e-mail at h72@in.gov or by mail at the Statehouse, 200 W. Washington St., Room 401-7, Indianapolis, IN 46204.

---

CLERE: Get a head start on session

By ED CLERE

Indianas next legislative session doesnt start until January, but theres a lot going on in the meantime.

There will be many opportunities to observe and participate in the months leading up to the session. Your first chance is Wednesday.

Summer study committees were delayed by the special session, which pushed everything back two months. The committees are charged with studying various topics that may become the subject of legislation.

The legislative process is frequently compared to sausage-making, and it is sometimes an apt analogy.

At this point in the process, however, a baking comparison may be useful. If you want to have a say in what kind of cake comes out of the oven next March the scheduled end of the session its important to be there when the ingredients are purchased and measured. By the time January rolls around, well be pouring the batter into the pan.

Some study committees and commissions are created by statute. Others are created by the Legislative Council, which is composed of members of House and Senate leadership. As of last Friday, when I was writing this column, appointments and other details were still being finalized, but four meetings already had been scheduled:

Health Finance Commission 10 a.m. Wednesday

Gaming Study Committee 10 a.m. Sunday and 10 a.m. Sept. 14

Environmental Quality Service Council 10 a.m. Sept. 2

The Health Finance Commission had three items on its tentative agenda:

Whether Indiana should require an endangered adult to wear an electronic device to assist with locating the person if he is lost or missing.

The need for appropriate and uniform training of state Department of Health employees whose job duties include inspecting health facilities.

Whether the state Department of Health should establish a third-party dispute-resolution process for a health facility to use when it appeals a department finding in the health facilitys survey report.

All committee meetings are open to the public, and public testimony is always allowed. Most meetings also are broadcast on the Internet.

To learn more about the committees, visit www.in.gov/legislative. To see the schedule, click on Interim Information, then Calendar. On the calendar, click on the name of a committee or commission to go to its Web page, where you will find a list of members and meeting notices, agendas and minutes. In addition, there are preliminary drafts of potential legislation.

If you do not have Internet access and wish to receive a paper copy of the meeting notices, agendas and minutes, call my Statehouse office at 1-800-382-9841. My assistant will mail you a list of committees and commissions and you can pick which ones you wish to be kept informed of.

As of Friday, the Gaming Study Committees agenda had not been posted. The list of topics it has been charged with studying is a long one. I include it here to illustrate the importance of paying attention to whats going on.

Gaming also known as gambling threatened to derail the budget process this year. Many issues that various interest groups had hoped to see addressed in the budget were instead referred to the study committee. I expect to see many of these issues surface in proposed legislation.

The committees charge:

Prepare a market analysis of gaming in Indiana to determine viability and profitability in light of gaming in Michigan and Illinois and the potential of gaming in Ohio and Kentucky.

Conduct a comprehensive study of the following issues related to gaming in Indiana:

Admission taxes for riverboats.

Competition from out-of-state gaming entities.

Waivers for gaming tournaments.

Land-based gaming.

Nonsmoking accommodations.

Restrictions on alcohol prizes.

Authority to regulate Type II gaming pull-tabs and low-stakes drawings, for example at for-profit ventures.

A referendum concerning gaming in the city of Fort Wayne.

Competition from tribal-operated casinos.

Issues related to the riverboat in French Lick, including modification of trust payments, subsidies paid by other gaming facilities and land-based gaming.

The movement of riverboats in the city of Gary to new locations.

The need to retain U.S. Coast Guard-compliant marine navigation systems.

Whether horse tracks with slot machines so-called racinos are properly promoting and supporting the horse-racing activities.

Issues related to racinos, including table games, double taxation, amounts paid to horsemens associations, bonds, slot machines and satellite locations.

Gaming license fees and suppliers license fees.

Parity of confidentiality rules for riverboat gaming licenses and racino licenses.

Campaign contribution ban for riverboat gaming license.

It can be argued that Indiana like many other states has already had one too many pieces of gaming cake and is starting to suffer the unpleasant after-effects. Lets watch what we put in the next cake.

Flood meeting update: Approximately 50 people attended the meeting I held Thursday at the New Albany-Floyd County Public Library. That was in addition to state Sen. Connie Sipes, D-New Albany, and a half dozen city and county officials who joined me to answer questions about damage from the Aug. 4 storm and flooding.

Today is the deadline for reporting damage. Visit www.in.gov/dhs or call 866-210-1925.

I urge everyone who sustained damage to report it. A damage report is not an application for assistance. That may come later, but only if enough damage is reported to qualify our area for federal disaster assistance. Even if you have no intention of seeking assistance for yourself, your report could help make it possible for local government and individuals to receive aid.

Rep. Ed Clere represents District 72 in the Indiana House of Representatives. He may be reached by phone at 1-800-382-9841, by e-mail at h72@in.gov or by mail at the Statehouse, 200 W. Washington St., Room 401-7, Indianapolis, IN 46204.

---

Believe it or not, we agree a lot

STATEHOUSE Passing a state budget wasnt easy. There was a lot of disagreement along the way.

Those may be the understatements of the year.

Disagreement is part of the legislative process. Most of the time, its a good thing.

In the end, after months of disagreement, there was bipartisan agreement on the budget, which passed the House of Representatives 62-37 and the Senate 34-16.

We agree much more than we disagree. Sometimes we agree and disagree at the same time. We agree on an objective, but we disagree on how to get there.

Sometimes we simply agree. In fact, many pieces of legislation passed unanimously or, if not unanimously, with overwhelming bipartisan support.

Here are some examples (The House votes are in parentheses):

Senate Enrolled Act 16 Learners Permits and Graduated Licenses (79-17): This legislation raises the minimum age for a learners permit and drivers license. Teenagers who take drivers education are eligible to receive a license at 16, an increase of five months. Teens who dont take drivers education must wait an additional three months.

It also prohibits drivers under 18 from talking or texting on a cell phone while driving and from carrying passengers under 25 for the first 180 days after being licensed.

New drivers have enough to concentrate on without being distracted by phone conversations or friends in the car. Theres an argument for further restrictions and restrictions on cell phone use by adult drivers but this steers us in the right direction.

SEA 438 Self-Directed Care (97-0): This allows consumers under the Medicaid waiver and CHOICE home care programs the option of self-directed care. It will assist certain individuals in moving from a nursing facility to a residential setting.

Additionally, the Family and Social Services Administration has secured $21 million from a federal Money Follows the Person Demonstration Grant for the self-directed care program through Sept. 30, 2011. These options are important to many Hoosiers who do not need around-the-clock care, but still need care on a limited basis.

SEA 554 Breast Cancer Screening and Medicaid Eligibility (96-0): This law expands Medicaid coverage for cervical and breast cancer screening for low-income and uninsured women. Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States.

House Enrolled Act 1343 School Dropout Prevention (98-1): This legislation creates the Dropout Prevention Fund to provide money for school corporation programs that identify students who are at risk of dropping out of school and provide appropriate interventions for those students.

In 2007, more than 9,000 Indiana students dropped out of high school. Of every 100 Indiana high school freshman, only 72 graduate from high school, and only 44 go on to college. A student who drops out faces a much greater chance of ending up in jail or on welfare.

HEA 1455 Autism Training (91-0): This legislation requires various firefighter and law enforcement personnel to be trained in interacting with individuals with autism and requires the State Department of Education to distribute a document to noncertified school employees explaining characteristics of early warning signs of autism.

Autism is a developmental disorder that affects a persons ability to interact with others, and Indianas autism birth rate is increasing. Additional training will help first-responders better handle situations involving people with autism.

SEA 365 Department of Child Services Matters (93-0): This law protects children by prohibiting released sex offenders from living in a home where a child is present, and it allows DCS to evaluate the well-being of a child living in the same home as someone who is required to register as a sex offender. It also allows DCS to investigate other situations where it believes a child may be in imminent danger.

HEA 1121 Identity Deception (94-0): Consumers receive enhanced protection from the attorney generals Identity Theft Unit, which will investigate complaints and assist victims of identity theft.

SEA 307 Silver Alert for Missing Endangered Adults (98-0): Indiana now has a Silver Alert system similar to the Amber Alert system for children. When an endangered adult, such as an Alzheimers patient, is missing, law enforcement agencies will be able to trigger a public alert to the media.

HEA 1311 Hearing Aid Assistance (90-1): This law establishes the Hearing Aid Assistance Fund, the Hearing Aid Assistance Program and the Hearing Aid Refurbishing Program to help low-income have hearing aids. Now more children can enjoy the sounds of their lives and have a greater chance of succeeding in school.

HEA 1686 Jury Exemption (98-0): Citizens 75 or older who feel they may not be to able adequately perform the duties of a juror may now be excused at their request. Of course, if they wish to serve as jurors when called, they may. The new law should relieve some of the stress they may feel about overcoming the procedural obstacles of being excused from jury duty.

I was pleased to support these new laws. I think theyll be good for Hoosiers. I hope you agree.

---

STATEHOUSE (July 1, 2009) I am pleased we avoided a needless government shutdown that would have been devastating for tens of thousands of Hoosiers, and I am very pleased we did it by passing a responsible budget.

All 48 House Republicans were included in the 62 Yes votes for the budget; 37 Democrats voted against the budget. The vote was 34-16 in the Senate.

Not only is it a solid budget for the entire state especially in terms of education and responsible spending it is good for House District 72 and Southern Indiana.

The budget creates the Ohio River Bridges Project Commission, an important step in completing this long-awaited joint effort between Indiana and Kentucky.

This budget is built on solid Republican core principles, and I am proud to have contributed to it.

New Education and Technology Building for Indiana University Southeast

I fought hard to include bonding authority for a new $22 million education and technology building at Indiana University Southeast. The 90,500-square-foot building will include expanded space for current and future programs of the School of Education and the Purdue College of Technology.

IUS is one of our regions greatest assets, and the new Education and Technology Building will provide much-needed classroom and laboratory space. The building continues and enhances the longstanding partnership between IUS and Purdue. Its a great partnership that benefits everyone.

I fought for this building since before the regular session started. I wasnt sure whether it would happen, given the tough economic times. I kept bringing it up at every opportunity. When the list of university capital projects was under discussion over the weekend, I seized the opportunity.

This building makes sense. Its the right building for right now. IUS is at capacity and needs this space. Construction of the building will create jobs, and the new classrooms and labs will prepare people for jobs.

School of Education facilities will include:

- Eight general-purpose classrooms with seating for about 300 students. Each classroom will have up-to-date media technology installed.

- Five practice/observation rooms.

- A specialized elementary/secondary science lab and prep room equipped to train science teachers.

- Two classrooms and four project rooms serving the Advanced Institute and Childrens Reading/Writing Programs.

- A digital media-computer lab.

- A special-education resources library.

The Purdue College of Technology area is slated to include:

- Four general-purpose classrooms with seating capacity for 115 students.

- Four teaching labs each for electrical/computer engineering technology.

- Four teaching labs for mechanical engineering technology.

- Three teaching labs for computer graphics technology.

Both the education and technology sections would have office space for faculty and administration.

The facility will prepare the College of Education and the Purdue College of Technology for their anticipated enrollment growth because of program expansion. The project is listed among Indiana Universitys top projects for 2009 through 2011.

Tax Savings for Homebuyers

Hoosier homebuyers will receive additional time to file for property tax deductions, thanks to my efforts to include in the budget a provision that extends to Jan. 5 the time for filing for deductions. This will save most homeowners up to $1,000 or more per year.

This change will make a big difference for homebuyers who were left out by the old system.

In 2008, the General Assembly changed the law to make property tax deductions available on a calendar-year basis. The change did not make allowance for real estate closings that occur at the end of the year. Depending on the timing of the closing, paperwork might not be filed at the courthouse until the beginning of January, causing the homebuyer to miss out on deductions for the year in which the home was purchased, leading to a much higher tax bill.

Everyone understands it usually takes a few days for paperwork to get to the courthouse. Homebuyers who happen to close at the end of the year shouldnt be penalized.

I pushed for the measure throughout the regular session, only to see it die on the last day when House Bill 1447, which included the provision, did not receive a vote. I raised the issue again in the special session and worked to get the language included in the budget.

Most homeowners are eligible to receive homestead and mortgage deductions, and some qualify for additional deductions. Depending on the assessed value of the property and the tax rate, the savings can be substantial, ranging from hundreds of dollars to $1,000 or more in areas with higher tax rates.

For many homebuyers, this change will mean a savings of $100 or more per month. At a time when many homeowners are struggling to keep their homes, we need to be doing everything we can to make home ownership as affordable as possible.

In its original form, Rep. Cleres measure would have extended the deadline to Jan. 31. That was later changed to Jan. 5 to reduce the additional burden on local officials.

This grace period ensures that homebuyers who close at the end of the year will have a chance to receive deductions. I am pleased we were able to protect taxpayers and do it in a way that doesnt create an additional burden for local officials.

---

STATEHOUSE -- In last weeks column, I noted that there were 22 days left for a vote on constitutional property tax caps. Now, a week later, were down to 15.

Since that last column, while some Hoosiers continued to live in fear of losing their homes because of high property taxes, we debated bicycle law.

No longer will Hoosier cyclists have to fear a citation for taking a hand off the handlebars to wipe their brow, take a drink or scratch.

Thats right. Instead of debating tax caps, we spent time quite a bit of time on a law that would make it legal to scratch while riding a bike.

The whole thing made me itch.

The only way the House of Representatives will get to vote on caps is if Speaker B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, allows it. Hes not listening to his fellow Democrats who want to keep faith with taxpayers by continuing to honor the promise they made last year to cut now, cap forever, and hes certainly not listening to me or any other Republican.

He really needs to hear from you.

Last week, I asked you to contact me if you support tax caps. Many of you did.

I didnt hear from anyone opposed to the caps, which are contained in Senate Joint Resolution 1. The resolution was adopted by the House and Senate last year, and the Senate already has adopted it again this year.

A second adoption by the House is the last necessary step for sending it to the ballot, where Hoosier voters would have the final say on whether caps will become a part of our state constitution.

If you support caps, call Bauer toll-free at 1-800-382-9842. Ask at least 10 other people to call, and ask each of them to recruit 10 more people. We need to flood the switchboard. When you call, say you are calling to voice your support for SJR 1 and that you want the speaker to put it to a vote now.

If 50 readers were to do this, the speaker would receive more than 5,000 calls. Keeping in mind that April 15 is the deadline for a vote feel free to call every weekday between now and then.

Its fitting that the deadline for a vote falls on tax day. Bauer and only Bauer has the power to make that day less painful for Hoosiers for generations to come.

The tax caps are already in law. They were passed last year and signed into law by the governor. The Legislature told taxpayers that putting the caps in law would provide temporary relief and protection during the process necessary for amending the constitution to include permanent caps.

Cut now, cap forever.

In a surprise move last week, House Democrats underscored the need for constitutional protection.

The caps already in law are being phased in. This year, taxes are capped at 1.5 percent on homesteads, 2.5 percent on rental and agricultural property and 3.5 percent on commercial property. Next year, the caps drop to 1 percent, 2 percent and 3 percent.

House Democrats introduced an amendment that would accelerate full implementation of the caps by making the lower rates effective this year.

It passed overwhelmingly, but its very unlikely to survive in the Senate.

Rep. Jeff Espich, R-Uniondale, saw the irony in the Democrats sudden move.

Its a phony gesture if its an excuse not to act on a constitutional amendment that will save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars for probably decades, Espich said. How easy it is to change the law.

One reader who responded to last weeks column got right to the point with a similar observation:

Just a note to let you and the other legislators know that I fully support SJR 1. The cap for property tax needs to be implemented now. Those who dont vote in favor are telling me they want to raise this tax in the future.

I wish I could share every comment.

Another reader wrote: It was unbelievable how much property tax I was paying before the reduction. I was going to put my place up for sale and move. But now I will stay. Lets get this vote.

Indeed. Lets get this vote.

Call the speaker today, tomorrow and every day until we get to vote or until April 15, whichever comes first.

As we approach the final, critical weeks of the legislative session, I want to make sure your voice is heard in Indianapolis.

I will be holding town hall meetings from 9:30 to 11: 30 a.m. April 11, and from 6:30 to 8 p.m. April 17. Were still working on locations.

I will have a post-session town hall meeting from 9 to 11 a.m. May 2.

Please mark your calendars, and tell your friends. But first, call the speaker.

Rep. Ed Clere represents District 72 in the Indiana House of Representatives. He may be reached by phone at 800-382-9841, by e-mail at h72@in.gov or by mail at the Statehouse, 200 W. Washington St., Room 401-7, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
You can also email Representative Bauer at h6@in.gov.
          

---

Comments from Lt Col Ben Gipe

Mr. Speaker Bauer,

PLEASE put this bill to a vote. WE MUST HAVE TAX RELIEF! Please do everything you can to make SJR 1 law.

Additionally: As a retired Marine Corps Officer I am gravely concerned that our Federal government is heading in the wrong direction. Please do not make the same mistakes concerning unlimited government spending, increased taxes and threats to our Bill of Rights at the state level. Indiana needs to be an example of tried and true American values for the rest of America. You can make it happen.

God bless you and yours,

Benjamin D. Gipe
LtCol USMC (Ret)
3803 Quarry Road
New Albany, IN 47150

---

CLERE: Work it out, don't walk out

By ED CLERE
Local Columnist

Two Democrats deserve a shout-out. I expect they won't be the only two.

After the Indiana General Assembly's regular session ended without a state budget making a special session necessary Democrats and Republicans agreed to a process for developing a budget.

A special committee was formed, composed of two members and one advisory member from each of the four legislative caucuses equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans.

It was co-chaired by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Crawford, a Democrat, and Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Luke Kenley, a Republican.

The committee was scheduled to meet four times, starting last Tuesday. At the first meeting, as planned, Gov. Mitch Daniels presented his recommended budget. Three subsequent meetings were scheduled for public testimony and committee discussion. It was hoped that the committee would come to agreement on a budget, with the governor's proposal as a good starting point.

With such agreement, in theory, the special session would be short and harmonious.

The governor has called the special session. It starts Thursday, but it may not be short and harmonious.

The special committee's second meeting, on Thursday, started with a walkout by Democrats. All three House Democrats - including Rep. Crawford, co-chair of the special committee and one Senate Democrat walked out.

They accused Daniels of playing politics and deceiving the public.

It appears they were upset because the governor gasp! invited the public to be part of the process. Crawford and the other Democrats who walked out Reps. Terry Goodin and Scott Pelath and Sen. John Broden should have joined the governor in inviting the public.

Instead, they prefer to make deals behind closed doors, putting special interests ahead of taxpayers.

We can be thankful the Crawford Complainers are not representative of most Democrats in Indianapolis. Most are serious, thoughtful and responsible. I have enjoyed getting to know my fellow legislators in both parties, and I have come to appreciate and respect a number of Democrats.

Not all of the Democrats walked out of the special budget committee meeting.

Two Democrats Sens. Lindel Hume and Karen Tallian stayed for the all-day hearing along with the Republicans. Their rejection of partisan theatrics is the sort of behavior that will make the special session a success.

Staying in the room doesn't mean you agree with everyone. It just means you're willing to work with them.

Sometimes, walking out is the best option. If a meeting becomes intolerable because of unfair treatment or offensive conduct, walking out can be an appropriate way to make a statement. In this case, however, the Democrat walkout was completely unprovoked.

No one likes to make budget cuts, but we were elected to make tough decisions, not to act like children who decide to take their toys and go home because they don't get to win every time.

As I said in last week's column, Hoosiers should be the winners. With the start of the fiscal year only three weeks away, it's too late in the game to play games.

The governor didn't ask for the job of actually writing a budget. I'm sure he would have preferred that Crawford do his job as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, which is where the budget starts.

But Crawford failed to lead, so the governor agreed to be the bad guy and develop a balanced budget that makes lots of cuts that all of us would prefer not to have to make.

After the Democrat walkout on Thursday, I was feeling pretty down about the prospects for the special session.

Then, on Friday, I attended the Gold Leaf Volunteer Recognition Luncheon. The Community Foundation of Southern Indiana puts on the annual event to give nonprofits a chance to recognize volunteers and raise awareness of their organizations.

I am a past recipient of a Gold Leaf Volunteer Award, and I wear my pin proudly.

At Friday's luncheon, I was honored to be a guest of the Pilot Club of New Albany.

The club was honoring Jane Gleitz, a charter member of the Pilot Club. Sitting with her and her fellow Pilots and watching as she and dozens of other volunteers were recognized made me feel more hopeful.

A booklet provided a one-paragraph summary of each volunteer's contributions. Gleitz's was typical:

Jane was one of the initial organizers of the Pilot Club and Safety Town USA, which has benefitted many children in the surrounding area for 50 years. She produced the decorations for the opening day of the Senior Games Luncheon, which is an event organized by Lifespan. She has also volunteered with The Salvation Army and Interfaith.

Those few words say a lot.

The volunteers who were recognized Friday work for the greater good. I'm optimistic we will see Democrats and Republicans alike step forward in the same spirit and help make the special session a success for all Hoosiers.

Two Democrats have already shown us how it's done.