Recent editorials published in Indiana newspapers

The (Munster) Times. February 2, 2017

Foundation should support county needs

Porter County officials spent years talking about how to handle the proceeds from the sale of Porter Hospital. This year, what they’re saying makes a lot of sense.

That $148 million windfall, realized in 2007, is starting to generate respectable gains in the new county foundation - 4.4 percent in the first two quarters. That foundation is the first of its kind in Indiana.

The foundation is set up so the first 5 percent in interest is spent by the county, with the balance reinvested.

Nonprofits have been salivating at the prospect of an additional funding source.

Some of the money has been used for operational costs, a practice that should not be expanded.

Before increasing spending in either of those categories, Porter County government capital needs must come first. The county has delayed maintenance and improvements on a number of buildings, and the south county park remains undeveloped.

It’s the county’s money. Spend it on county needs before sharing the wealth with nonprofits.

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The (Fort Wayne) Journal Gazette. January 30, 2017

Taxes to finance infrastructure right call

Whenever discussion turns to Indiana education costs, you can count on someone asking why schools need money: “Don’t they have all that lottery revenue?

Indiana schools never had lottery money. After Hoosiers voted 28 years ago to amend the state constitution to allow it, the General Assembly instead decided to invest most lottery revenue in a new Build Indiana Fund, for one-time projects around the state.

Today, Indiana’s transportation funding program has its own Hoosier Lottery in the toll road lease. Talk about the need for infrastructure spending, and someone inevitably will ask why Major Moves money can’t be used. There is no Major Moves money available - it was never intended to pay for the state’s infrastructure needs in perpetuity. Which is why legislative leaders’ work on a long-term transportation funding plan is so important.

Fortunately, House Bill 1002 is gaining speed. The bill, which proposes a 10-cent increase in the state gas tax, highway tolling and a new $15 registration fee on all vehicles, passed the House Roads and Transportation Committee on an 8-5 vote. Among northeast Indiana lawmakers, Rep. Ben Smaltz, R-Auburn, voted yes; Rep. Bob Morris, R-Fort Wayne, voted no.

Supporting the legislation takes courage. Some already are threatening to inform constituents “as to how lawmakers in state capitals vote on important fiscal and economic matters.” Anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist sent that message to Indiana legislators last week, warning “any and all tax hikes will be scored as violations of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.”

But the bill’s author, Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, is right when he says someone must pay for infrastructure. House and Senate members have spent months studying the issue, and the legislation now on the table is an honestly balanced attempt - no gimmicks - to ensure Indiana has the $1 billion to $1.2 billion a year it needs over the next 20 years to maintain state and local roads, bridges and highways.

“I think the average Hoosier will tell you that our roads are not in good shape,” House Speaker Brian Bosma admitted last week.

All Hoosiers should understand there is no Major Moves slush fund to tap for infrastructure improvements, and that today’s more energy-efficient vehicles result in a shortfall even when sales-tax revenue from gasoline is entirely shifted to transportation budgets.

The gas tax was last raised more than 12 years ago. Whatever increases motorists might face under the General Assembly’s plan should be weighed against higher costs they might face from unsafe or failing roads and highways.

Stay strong, legislators.

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South Bend Tribune. February 2, 2017

Selling schools one success at a time

Given the competitive environment surrounding schools today and the struggle to attract and retain students, it’s no surprise that school corporations are turning to marketing plans to get the job done.

The South Bend Community School Corp. recently formed a volunteer committee to promote South Bend schools and School City of Mishawaka recently gave its go-ahead to a new communications and marketing plan that includes hiring additional staff.

Marketing a public school system may have been unheard of a few years ago, but vouchers and charter schools are giving families more options regarding how and where to educate their children, and promoting schools has become commonplace. Districts are even reaching outside their boundaries into other districts to try to attract new students.

South Bend is creating a committee of volunteers to explore solutions to declining enrollment. It will include parents, teachers, business people, real estate professionals and clergy - a broad spectrum of the community.

Mishawaka has taken its marketing plan a step further. School City’s plan includes paying as much as $70,000 for one full-time position and another $30,000 for a part-time position to market its schools and “tell the story of School City of Mishawaka more effectively,” as Mishawaka Superintendent Dean Speicher says.

It’s important urban school districts such as South Bend and Mishawaka tell the success stories that happen every day in their schools, and push back against the negative views that often are more perception than reality.

The marketing measures are just the first step. The public has a critical role to play by making sure its tax dollars are being used to support public education in the most effective way possible.

Whether it’s through hiring new staff or a dedicated group of volunteers, local public school districts should use every option available to try to stop declining enrollment.

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Kokomo Tribune. February 2, 2017

Time to end Sunday ban

THE ISSUE

State Sen. Phillip Boots looks to end state’s ban on selling carryout cold beer on Sundays.

OUR VIEW

There is no rational defense for keeping these so-called “Blue Laws.”

Let’s try this one more time.

It was about a year ago that the dream of ending the ridiculous ban on Sunday liquor sales in the state of Indiana once again died an unceremonious death.

Yet, the reasons for keeping the ban in place seemed to have nothing to do with safety or religiosity: It was all about the cold, hard cash.

“The House Public Policy Committee voted 8-5 to turn down the measure,” reported Aric Chokey of The Associated Press on Jan. 27, 2016. “Opponents cited concerns of giving an unfair advantage to grocery stores over smaller liquor stores. Big-box grocery chains and liquor stores have fought for years over legalizing Sunday sales as similar proposals were made in the Legislature.”

We continue to find ourselves in the position of being one of the only states in the nation with these so-called “Blue Laws.” Here is the entire list: Alabama, Indiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia. And, on top of that, we are the only state in the country that bans beer, wine and liquor sales on Sundays.

Jan. 3, Indianapolis Republican State Sen. Phillip Boots introduced Senate Bill 81, which would allow “a grocery store or drug store to sell cold beer for carryout. (This bill) repeals a criminal penalty for unauthorized cold beer sales.”

No doubt the same arguments will be rehashed once again. “Buy it on Saturday, instead,” critics will inevitably retort. Why not make it just available to buy one day a week then? Why stop at curbing it at only Sunday?

It’s embarrassing for our state to be so behind the rest of the country on this matter. There’s no defense for keeping the ban. Boots’ bill should be approved. We’ll raise a glass to that.

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