Becky Skillman
Lieutenant Governor

Comments and Articles from the Lieutenant Governor

This legislative session was one of the most challenging in recent memory, but today Hoosiers can breathe a sigh of relief that we passed a fiscally responsible state budget. The two year budget, crafted after compromises were made, does meet the fundamental requirements that we set in January. It limits spending enough to preserve our surplus without gimmicks, as well as protect taxpayers against tax increases. It maintains $1 billion in state reserves and cuts proportionately for each dollar spent above the Governor's recommended amount.

Hoosier taxpayers should be relieved with the passing of this budget. It does not bankrupt the state or call for an increase in taxes. More than twenty states raised taxes to fill their budget gaps. And only four states - who all happen to be sitting on oil and gas reserves - have increased funding for education as much as Indiana did.

In virtually every other state, they are not only raising taxes, they are slashing funding to education. The budget gives public schools a 1.1 percent increase in state funding in 2010 and a 0.3 percent increase in 2011, before the addition of federal stimulus dollars.

Many statewide infrastructure projects will move forward, including university construction projects. Special education will also receive stimulus funds for facility improvements, technology and equipment. The education reforms contained in the budget also make us eligible for additional education grants from the US Department of Education. Hoosiers should also know that there is an education trigger in the budget. If revenues come in over projections, one out of every two dollars will automatically go to education, K-12.

Another honestly balanced budget is now in the books. We will be back next year to continue the fight for permanent property tax relief, local government reform, and more.

We are grateful to all those who lent their voices to support to our agenda. Thank you to legislators who worked hard to create opportunities for Hoosiers. We are already looking toward next year when the Governor and I will work with the legislature again to further strengthen Indiana.

May came and went all too fast this year. From my perspective, it was a month marked more starkly by the things that didn't happen than the things that did.

General Assembly's Special Session

As you know, the General Assembly will convene again on June 11th for a special session to adopt the budget. The Governor and I have been clear from the very beginning that we want a budget with no gimmicks or tricks, just an honestly balanced, taxpayer friendly budget. It's a good thing the budget was voted down during the regular session, because Governor Daniels would have vetoed it immediately. It actually increased spending at a time when we most need to be tightening our belt.

The budget proposal we've spent a month crafting and revising is on the table, and whatever compromises are reached must be tempered with a strong dose of reality. Our efforts to keep the state solvent must be consistent and firm. Legislators failed to pass a budget in April, but I expect a solid budget by the end of June that puts Hoosiers first.

Thankfully, I didn't spend all my time in the state house last month. The month of May saw me on the road again, and I had plenty of chances to see the great things Hoosiers can accomplish when freedom, ingenuity and opportunity collide.

Success is up to each us. Indiana is part of a national economy that has very real problems, but it is up to individual Hoosiers, who are willing to step up to the plate and take on the challenges of a small business or some other venture. Indiana will move forward, if individual Hoosiers will choose to see opportunity where others see dead ends.

April began like usual: full of activity. I traveled the state for jobs announcements and groundbreakings. I also announced a new program to make it easier for Hoosiers to realize the dream of homeownership. I was with Hoosiers as they built their communities stronger, and with them to celebrate the memory of loved ones. The month ended with a frustrating outcome for all, as legislators failed to pass a budget. For the first time during our administration, Governor Daniels will be forced to call a special session.

In this Issue:
Legislative work continues with a special session
Indiana: Powering through with new jobs announcements
Hoosiers realize the American dream with a fresh start in a foreclosed home
Small town builds their community stronger thanks to local Hoosier
Hoosiers are warned to slow down on roadways as workers are remembered

Legislative work continues with a special session

I was expecting the 2009 legislative session would finally come to a close after four months of presiding over the Indiana Senate. However, with legislators failing to pass a budget, Governor Mitch has no choice but to call a special session. We were hopeful that a special session would not happen during our eight years in office.

But a worse disaster for the state would have been the adoption of a budget that spends far beyond our means and ultimately leads to a tax increase down the road. The parameters have always been to protect the reserves we worked so hard to build and no new tax increases as well as not using federal stimulus dollars in the base of the budget to prevent us from falling off a cliff two years from now when those dollars go away. The budget proposal did not meet that test. The Governor and I look forward to a second chance for legislators. We hope they come back, ready to write a budget that Hoosier taxpayers can afford.

Indiana: Powering through with new jobs announcements

Indiana is blowing past competitors and quickly becoming a national energy leader. The groundbreaking of another Benton County wind farm is clear evidence of our hard work to create clean, renewable, homegrown energy. It's possible, that by the end of 2009, Indiana could move past such traditional wind producing states as South Dakota and Wyoming.

Wind energy is doing more than powering our homes; it's powering our businesses and our communities With the newest Benton County wind farm, the Hoosier Wind Project, more than 200 people will have jobs thanks to the construction projects it will create, in addition to a dozen permanent jobs.

Job creation during this uncertain economic period is reason to celebrate. I'm proud of the jobs the Benton County Wind Farm is creating as well as companies like MainGate in Indianapolis. This month I joined MainGate to announce the creation of 75 new jobs. MainGate provides apparel merchandising services for their clients, most of whom are motorsports and professional sports groups.

In a world of uncertainty, Indiana is STILL the best place to start or grow a business. I am very grateful to these companies for the confidence they have in Indiana and our workforce. We expect several more announcements like this one in the next few months, and I'll keep you posted as they come.

Hoosiers realize the American dream with a fresh start in a foreclosed home

A new program is not only addressing the problem of vacant foreclosed homes, but also helping Hoosiers attain home ownership. The Market Stabilization Program will make the dream of home ownership a reality for many Hoosier families across the state. Under this new program, low to moderate income Hoosiers who buy foreclosed homes and use them as their primary residence may be eligible to claim up to $25,000 for a down payment or rehabilitation.

The benefits of motivating buyers to purchase foreclosed homes are multiple, from removing blight to spurring economic development to providing families with a sound investment. Last year, the state's Housing and Community Development Authority assisted nearly 3,000 families achieve the American Dream through their existing programs, but with this new program we believe we have an opportunity that exceeds all previous efforts. It is my hope that this new program opens several new windows of opportunity for many Hoosier families.

Small town builds their community stronger thanks to local Hoosier

I couldn't agree more with Margaret Mead when she said "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." This quote sums up what I experienced when Cayuga broke ground for their new Fire Station and Community Center.

Getting to the point of groundbreaking wasn't easy, and it took the dedication of DoWayne Osborne, a retired firefighter to make it happen.

DoWayne spent two and half years soliciting donations from everyone in town, held numerous fundraisers, and then learned how to apply for a grant. Through his efforts, he raised $143,000 and then received a $500,000 grant from the state's Office of Community and Rural Affairs.

The DoWayne Osbornes across our state are making Indiana a better place to live and work. Thanks to DoWayne's leadership and the hard work by the community, Cayuga citizens will have a wonderful new place to gather and celebrate. And they will have an important new resource to help protect their friends and neighbors.

Hoosiers are warned to slow down on roadways as workers are remembered

The reduced speed limits, the flashing lights and the orange cones aren't there just to irritate drivers. They are there to protect Hoosiers, especially those working on our roads and highways. Last month Governor Daniels proclaimed Indiana Highway Work Zone Safety Awareness Week. In a ceremony I honored those who lost their lives doing their work.

The men and women we see operating machines and working along our interstates are doing more than just getting a job done, they are paving the way to a brighter future for us. They are not just workers. They are mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, daughters and sons. The Governor and I take seriously our responsibility to protect them as they do their work.

That's why we have imposed strict penalties for motorists who risk the lives of workers when they speed and drive recklessly.