General Assembly, governor bypass green reforms
Indiana environmental advocates had lots of disappointments this year regarding government reform efforts.
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Panel handicaps market recovery chances
A panel of five veterans of real estate and construction provided industry insights at IBJ‘s Power Breakfast May
1 at the Westin Indianapolis.
Consider progressive taxes
Put some progressivity into Indiana tax rates when passing the Indiana state budget.
Manufacturers to help pay for TV, computer recycling
The Indiana Recycling Coalition scored big in the just-concluded session of the Indiana General Assembly with the passage
of House Bill 1589, which requires that electronics manufacturers help pay for recycling of their old televisions and computer
monitors.
General Assembly heeds public mayhem, not public policy
Which group should make the spending decisions? Consumers or elected officials?
Interior designers win right to receive certification
Interior designers in Indiana, who have been pushing for the chance to become certified, finally got their wish.
Fiscal crisis calls for drastic measure
Ind. Gov. Mitch Daniels will call the Legislature into special session to pass an acceptable budget, but some legislators think a budget that would satisfy the governor cannot be crafted by the contentious partisans in this developing fiasco.
Prepare for Indiana’s low-carbon economy
No doubt the transition to a low-carbon economy will bring great challenges for Hoosier businesses, given how carbon-intensive
our society is. However, if we take proactive steps, Indiana can emerge as a standout success story.
Visible progress in the city hides other troubles
Indianapolis still looks like a city with momentum, despite the dismal economy. But appearances can be deceiving.
Tough times require determined leader
Someone once told me it’s easy to run an organization when times are good.
It’s when times are tough that things get difficult. Well, we’re definitely there.
Legislators, governor disagree about special session
Assigning responsibility for what stuck us with a special session is a political post-session must, but playing the blame
game usually isn’t a productive exercise.
Critics: Tax hike ‘defies logic’
Critics say the Legislature’s plan to shore up the insolvent Indiana Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund places the bulk of the financial
burden on already ailing businesses with the least ability to pay.
System meltdown at the Statehouse
Lawmakers sometimes do their best work right after an election, when they have a fresh victory in hand and can think beyond
their political self-interest. Not this time.
Deal-making efforts unraveled in session’s last days
You wouldn’t have expected it going into the final week of the Indiana General Assembly, but we’re headed for a special legislative
session.
Lawmakers think ‘gloomy’ in spite of rosy forecast
Sometimes the news is just so good you can’t believe it, and that is just what happened with the state revenue forecast this
month.
Competing interests to collide in final days of session
The two principal matters that all agree must be resolved are the biennial budget and a plan to return the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund to solvency.
General Assembly is shame of Indiana
When we read that all the Democrats in the House voted against all the Republicans in the House on a given issue, we know independence has been cruelly killed by the leadership of each party. The same applies to the Senate.
CIB’s deficit is a state problem, not a local one
Casting the CIB’s deficit as an Indianapolis problem is simplistic and inaccurate because it overlooks the millions of dollars in state tax revenue generated by those venues and an endless list of vendors that do business with them.
Daniels strangely quiet as fiscal issues fester
The Indiana General Assembly session will end with a focus on what has dominated discussion since Organization Day back in November: fiscal issues.
Detroit reminds us not to squander what we have
My prevailing thoughts upon returning from Detroit were how fortunate Indianapolis is when it comes to hosting these kinds of events, and how a thriving downtown is essential to (A) success of the region and (B) national perception.