Steven David Named Next Supreme Court Judge

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels has announced who he’s chosen as the state’s next Supreme Court judge:  53 year old Boone County Circuit Court Judge Steven David, who will fill the vacancy left by Justice Theodore Boehm, who steps down September 30^th.  David used the announcement as a time to credit the process by which he was selected.

“It’s been a rigorous, busy and public transparent process and I want to express my gratitude for the efforts, the hard work, the commitment that the judicial qualifications commission, each one of those members, put forward.”

David was one of three finalists for the job.  There were speculations Governor Daniels would select a woman, since none currently sit on the state’s highest court.  Daniels said that may have been a consideration in a tie breaker, but he felt Judge David was clearly the best nominee.  Daniels pointed particularly to his military service and time spend working in the business sector, as an attorney for Mayflower Transit Corporation, as traits that distinguished David as his final selection.

Constitutional Property Tax Cap Supporters Begin Final Push for Passage

Governor Mitch Daniels with about 50 supporters of constitutional property tax caps, in Beech Grove, IN

About 50 supporters rallying for a yes vote on the property tax cap referendum that will appear on the November election ballot were on the south side of Indianapolis today making their case for why those caps should be placed in the state constitution. 

Question one on the November ballot will ask voters whether they want to put current property tax caps in the state constitution. 

Those caps don’t completely set in stone the dollar amount a property owner pays on his or her taxes, since property assessments used to calculate the tax bills can rise and fall.  Also, lawmakers allowed for referendums that let local governments and schools go above the caps. 

But Governor Mitch Daniels says the key is that they’ll need voters approval.

“When local spending units want to raise more money, they have to get the people’s permission to do it.  It’s no longer the case that they can simply raise it at their own discretion and that’s the way it should be.”

The property tax caps became law in 2008, despite opposition from groups that said it would limit funding flexibility for government programs.  Now opponents, most notably the Indiana Farm Bureau and state Chamber of Commerce say they won’t actively campaign against the measure. 

Fiscal Report Shows Tough Decisions for Next General Assembly

-Marianne Holland, Statehouse Bureau Chief

A report released today by the non-partisan Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute shows major challenges for the next budget session of the Indiana General Assembly. 

After examining the state’s year end financial closeout, there’s at least one thing Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute director John Ketzenburger says is clear: tough choices lie ahead for the General Assembly as they put together the next biennial budget. 

Indiana’s tax revenue fell six point nine percent over the last two fiscal years, putting the state’s revenue collections at about the same level as they were in 2005. 

 The institute report shows the state at a structural deficit going into the 2012-2013 budget, but credits Governor Mitch Daniel’s spending cuts for mitigating the problem for this year. 

It also shows Indiana’s recent property tax changes have meant less funding flexibility during the recession and calls federal stimulus money a bridge across the worst of the revenue losses.

State Party Chairman Reacts to Daniels ‘Truce’

Last week, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels told a reporter at the Weekly Standard that he thinks the Republican Party should call a truce on social issues like abortion and gay marriage and focus instead on fiscal and national security issues.  The comments drew sharp criticism from members of his own party.  Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland spoke with Indiana Republican Party Chairman Murray Clark about the issue, and what it means to a possible Daniels’ presidential bid.  Hear the Story

IN and IL Governors Move Forward on Illiana Expressway

The Illiana Expressway in northwest Indiana is moving forward now that both Indiana and Illinois have passed laws allowing it to be built with private funds.  Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland reports.Hear the Story

End of Session Negotiations Continue on Key Bills

Legislative leaders met today with Governor Mitch Daniels to sort out negotiations over jobs bills in the General Assembly.  The governor met with House Speaker Pat Bauer, a democrat from South Bend, then later, Senate President Pro Tem David Long, a republican from Fort Wayne.  to discuss concerns over a jobs bill, school funding issues, and what to do with the state’s bankrupt unemployment insurance system.  Bauer, who requested the meeting with Governor Daniels, says he wanted to discuss his concerns about trouble working out deals on a jobs bill, school funding, a solution to unemployment insurance funding woes, and worker protections.

“That bill ought to go forward period and we should continue to try to work on the unemployment bill.  If we can get a compromise that would be good.  If we can’t then at least we solved two or three problems and not leave 2 or 3 on the table because someone’s upset about one not being solved, the unemployment bill.”

Senator Long says those different bills are all interconnected and all aim to protect jobs.  Lawmakers have until Sunday to finalize agreements on each of those pieces of legislation.

–Marianne Holland

Indiana Revenues Down…Again

Indiana’s latest revenue report shows the state is now an additional eighty six million dollars in the red. Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland reports.

Hear the Story

State Revenues Continue Falling Short

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels says January collections show the state’s revenue continues to fall short of projections. Numbers released today reveal state tax dollars were nearly seventy five million dollars below what was forecasted in December. Governor Daniels says continued declines in state revenue means constantly reassessing state spending and cuts.

“We’re just going to have to keep taking this month by month and we can’t say for certain that the revenue will begin to match the forecast.”

Daniels has implemented a variety of cuts, including hiring and pay freezes and public and higher education cuts. Total revenue for the fiscal year is seven percent below the previous year.

-Marianne Holland

One on One with Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels

Every January, Indiana’s governor addresses a joint session of the General Assembly and a statewide television and radio audience. He provides an overview of the preceding year and spells out his goal for that legislative session and the year ahead. On Tuesday, Governor Mitch Daniels delivered his sixth State of the State address. He said Indiana should be pleased that we’re in much better shape than most other states. As the week came to a close, he talked to Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland about the ideas he wanted to convey, and what’s happened to one of his proposals since it was revealed Tuesday night. Hear the Interview

Governor Daniels State of the State Address

In his sixth state of the state address, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels advised Hoosiers that spending vigilance and government reform during the current recession was necessary to position the state for growth in the future. Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland was at the statehouse for the governor’s address and has this report.012010stateofthestatefeature