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Bill on teacher union rights heads to governor

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A bill to restrict Indiana teachers' collective bargaining rights has cleared its final legislative hurdle, becoming the first part of Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels' sweeping education agenda to make it to the governor's desk.

The GOP-led Indiana Senate voted 30-19 Tuesday in favor of a House-passed version of the bill, which would prohibit contracts between school districts and teachers unions from including anything other than wages and wage-related benefits.

The limits would affect contract agreements between districts and unions for teachers and any other school employees, such as bus drivers, custodians and nurses, starting July 1. Contracts reached before July 1 couldn't extend beyond June 2013.

Supporters of the proposal argue that teacher contracts shouldn't include details that do little to improve academics, such as requiring comfortable teachers' lounges. Daniels has pushed for the bill, saying in his State of the State address that collective bargaining agreements go too far.

Opponents — including the Indiana State Teachers Association — point out that the contracts are negotiated locally. They say school district leaders should have the power to agree to the contract provisions they want.

The Republican-controlled House had previously voted for the proposal, which now heads to Daniels for his signature.

Other big pieces of Daniels' aggressive education agenda face key votes this week.

Daniels also wants to:

— Create the nation's most expansive voucher program directing taxpayer money to private schools. The bill could get a Senate vote as early as Wednesday. On Tuesday, the Senate amended the bill to address concerns from Sen. Brent Steele, R-Bedford. Steele has said he doesn't want tax money to religious schools, saying some Muslim schools teach extremism. The amended bill states that private schools participating in the voucher program — along with public schools — shall not "teach the violent overthrow of the government of the United States." The Senate also included in the bill a tax deduction of $1,000 per child for parents who home-school their children or send them to private schools.

— Expand charter schools. A version of that bill has passed both the House and Senate. House leaders are now determining whether to agree to the Senate version or try to hammer out a compromise.

— Implement merit pay for teachers by requiring student achievement to account for part of teacher evaluations. That bill could get a House as early as Wednesday.

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  • The fine print
    Whoa, "The Senate also included in the bill a tax deduction of $1,000 per child for parents who home-school their children or send them to private schools."

    EVERY taxpayer that does not have a child in school (e.g., seniors, childless couples, singles) should be OUTRAGED that they are not allowed to claim this deduction, too!!

    So, let me get this straight, not only are MY tax dollars going to send someone else's kid to private school, but, that kid's parents get a deduction, too??

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  1. First, the Athenaeum is going to have to get past the hurdle with the Lockerbie residents and the agreement that the parcel would be residential. Second, and in my opinion, this prime piece of property should include parking, PLUS, a black box theater(s), some market rate and affordable artist housing and a plan to renovate and reconfigure the second story theater. I would negotiate to add the DeHaan property surface parking lot into the development mix, place a one story surface parking garage on the DeHaan lot on the street level (for the Dehaan tenants use during the daytime) and add a second story to the garage that would become an addition to the current second story theater and then change the direction of the theater by moving the stage across the alley and on top of the DeHaan lot parking. You can add all the stage elements that are currently missing from the Athenaeum stage to make it more attractive for use by Ballet, Opera and traveling productions. Plus, the theater changes would probably help solve some of the soundproofing issues. Alas,it does not seem to be a part of the strategic plan to conduct a study to determine best use of the property. Seems like the current plan is a quick and easy move that ignores the property best use/potential and any strategic property planning for the effect on future generations.

  2. I recall that MSA's pilings are still in the ground and hard to remove. It’s not likely any proposal will include significant underground construction/parking because of this. Start adding 2 floors of retail, 8 floors of parking and 5-10 floors of possible hotel, and/or 10-20 floors of residential, and you are at 30 floors already with possible expansion of all the uses. But then again I could be wrong.

  3. Accoriding to their website there is no deadline to the Do Not Call list. What is this article referring to??

  4. On what planet are they entitled to this largesse from the stockholders? These people make multi-million dollar salaries: Pay for your own personal travel.

  5. It matters because they're already paid enormously fat salaries: Pay for your own personal travel. Being "taxed on it" isn't a valid excuse--so what? They're still being gifted a raft of luxury perks from somebody else's money on top of an enormous, lavish salary.

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