Fund to fuel ethanol use out of gas
A state fund supporting an 18-cent-a-gallon tax credit for gas stations selling E85 ethanol was exhausted in the first three
months of the state’s new fiscal year.
State Government
Articles
Recession, budget shortfalls will have major impact on everything legislators debate
Now expecting $935 million less in annual revenue than they did a year ago, legislators will spend the next four months arguing
over budget cuts.
Tax-cap bill, jobless fund among top business issues during legislative session
Several major issues with business implications are expected to receive ample attention when legislators convene next month,
particularly the continuing saga of property-tax relief and the state’s ability to pay jobless benefits.
Charter school study likely to stoke legislative debate
A state-funded study of Indiana’s charter schools has found that “no practical difference” exists between the alternative
schools and traditional public schools.
Other states duplicate Indiana’s tax-amnesty program
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels has no plans to repeat Indiana’s tax-amnesty program that recovered about $245 million from delinquent
payers in 2005.
Feltman to pursue law, business in Indianapolis
Outgoing state Commerce Secretary Nate Feltman said that he likely will return to practicing law and become involved in business
after leaving the post at the end of the month.
Daniels approves of Obama plan
Gov. Mitch Daniels said he generally supports a federal stimulus package that would include some money for Indiana and other
states, particularly for infrastructure projects such as highways and bridges.
Billions lost in state pension-fund fallout
Indiana’s public pensions lost $5 billion in the 12 months ending Sept. 30.
Kenley to lead GOP budget negotiations
In the wake of the 2008 election, State Sen. Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville, has been promoted. to chairman of the powerful Senate
Appropriations Committee, which oversees the state budget.
$40M prison work program helps inmates, businesses
If you’ve ever cooked a hamburger over a grill at Shakamak State Park, sat in a hospital waiting room chair, or sipped from a water fountain, you may have used products made by Indiana convicts. Although offender work programs have been around since the 1920s, most Hoosiers know little about the Indiana Department of Correction’s prison-based industries, which generate $40 million a year in revenue.
Change begins with everyone, not just Obama
Sen. Barack Obama’s election and call for change and hope, as well as Ind. Gov. Mitch Daniels’ re-election after
dramatic changes, shows that Americans can become successful again.
Where was Horning in candidate story?
Libertarian candidate Andy Horning should have been covered in more detail in IBJ article about the governor’s race.
Vote only if you’ve studied the issues carefully
If you haven’t learned about the crucial issues that our country and state face, don’t vote.
Key races will decide who controls Indiana House of Representatives
Most of Indiana’s 100 House districts are strongly Democratic or strongly Republican. That means control of the House of
Representatives will come down to a handful of battleground districts–probably fewer than a dozen, political experts say.
Developers fear stricter IDEM cleanup rules
State environmental regulators are catching an earful for what some businesses complain is a rush to aggressive new rules
for remediating land contamination. Developers worry the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s proposals, which
could require comprehensive site cleanup, will discourage brownfield redevelopment, especially the reuse of tainted-but-valuable
land in urban areas.
I-465 widening may require buyout of several buildings
Several landmark commercial properties fronting Interstate 465 on the northeast side could be in the path of bulldozers
when the state begins adding lanes as early as 2012. Memos prepared by a consulting firm to the Indiana
Department of Transportation go as far as estimating acquisition prices for buildings, including that of
country station WFMS-FM 95.5 and other Cumulus Media stations at 6810 N. Shadeland Ave.
Prized state tourism account ‘big deal’ for Williams Randall
Williams Randall Marketing Communications pulled a surprise victory by snatching the $2.5 million Indiana Office of Tourism
Development advertising account away from incumbent Hirons & Co. and eight other bidders, most of which were larger than Williams
Randall. The two-year contract starts July 1.
IEDC to launch Web site to match startups with suppliers, vendors
For Indiana’s life sciences companies to flourish, they need to get better at romance. Helping companies meet, greet, date
and deal is the idea behind a new Web portal being built by the Indiana Economic Development Corp. to match startups with
in-state vendors, suppliers, investors or people who can help them.
Colts, God license plates slice into sales of charity tags
Sales of specialty license plates benefiting colleges, not-for-profits and other Indiana organizations fell by nearly a third
last year after the state unveiled “In God We Trust” tags as a free alternative to the lime-green pastoral fields plates reviled
by many motorists.
Property-tax reform may force cutbacks in urban school districts
Many Indiana school districts say they have no choice but to brace for cutbacks in areas like school repairs, computers and
transportation thanks to the property tax reform measure approved by the General Assembly and signed by Gov.Mitch Daniels.