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Government
NOTIONS Bruce Hetrick: Here's how to avoid a difficult taxing situation
December 5, 2005
Bruce Hetrick is on vacation this week. In his absence, this column, which appeared on Dec. 10, 2001, is being reprinted.
If I were a betting man (and what entrepreneur isn't?), I'd bet that you bought something from an out-of-state firm for yourself
or your company this year. I'd bet that you logged onto the Internet and purchased new books, computers or pantyhose. I'd
bet that you shopped via catalog for your niece or nephew, and shipped that tutu or...
MoreClarian nabs UAC building: Hospital network wins bid for former corporate headquarters
December 5, 2005
Tom MurphyClarian Health Partners is polishing a deal to buy the former Union Acceptance Corp. headquarters on North Shadeland Avenue,
a move that plants a large footprint for the burgeoning hospital network squarely in a competitor's east-side back yard. Clarian
made the winning bid for the 126,000-square-foot building at a Nov. 15 auction, but the sale had not closed as of Nov. 30,
said Bob Getts of Colliers Turley Martin Tucker, which ran the auction. He referred all questions to Clarian....
MoreLegislators face election-year gamble: Legalized Cherry Masters could generate $300M annually
December 5, 2005
Peter SchnitzlerThe lure of easy gambling money is always an enormous temptation for cash-strapped legislators. But in 2006, the stakes will
be higher than ever. Bars and restaurants are organizing an attempt to legalize electronic poker machines, commonly known
as Cherry Masters. By one count, as many as 40,000 operate illegally around the state. Under government administration, Cherry
Masters could generate $300 million in annual tax revenue for state and local governments, advocates of legalization say.
That would fill a lot...
MoreBEHIND THE NEWS: ATA's new flight plan: Rely on military for bulk of revenue
December 5, 2005
Greg AndrewsATA Holdings Corp. has been so busy in recent months slashing scheduled service and reducing costs in other ways that its
comparatively problem-free militarycharter business has received almost no public attention. But new filings in bankruptcy
court show that business is expected to generate nearly 52 percent of ATA's revenue in 2006, providing stability and a steady
profit as the airline tries to regain its footing in scheduled service. The company, which sought Chapter 11 protection in
October 2004, hopes...
MoreProperty taxes could dominate session: Lawmakers face difficult chore of addressing flaws in market-assessment system
December 5, 2005
Peter SchnitzlerIndiana has been struggling for more than a decade to move its property tax system to a market value standard. Expect the
property tax reform debate to take center stage once again in the 2006 Indiana General Assembly. "The more things change,
the more they stay the same," said Karl Berron, vice president of the Indiana Association of Realtors. There are some who
would like to scrap the property tax system entirely and replace it with some other form of...
MoreHealth discount cards spark call for regulation: State insurance group leads registration push
December 5, 2005
Tom MurphySome health care discount programs that can leave patients stranded with large medical bills have put Indiana insurers in
the strange position of asking for more government regulation. The Indiana Association of Health Underwriters plans to lobby
in the upcoming legislative session for a bill that requires companies offering health care discounts to register with the
state. That would allow regulators to investigate complaints and pursue regulatory action if troubles arise with the discounts,
said Shawn Gibbons, a board member...
MoreECONOMIC ANALYSIS: Farming on decline, but ag still offers opportunity
December 5, 2005
Patrick BarkeyDrive less than 20 minutes from almost any crossroads in Indiana and you'll come across a feature of the Midwest landscape
we take for granted: farmland. The vast open space in abundance between our state's urban areas remains dominated by the industry
that once employed more people than any other: agriculture. And while the sights of barns, cropland and animals grazing in
pastures are familiar to us all, we should remember that looks can be deceiving. Plenty of changes are...
MoreRace against crime: As public safety becomes a business issue, much is riding on battle for prosecutor
November 28, 2005
Peter SchnitzlerThe dust has settled on Mayor Bart Peterson's failed police merger. Meanwhile, local crime is surging, up 11 percent from
2002 to 2004. The next bellwether on how to turn the tide will be the 2006 Marion County prosecutor's race. The contest, pitting
Melina Maniatis Kennedy against incumbent Carl Brizzi, already is drawing the attention of community and business leaders,
who say the stakes are huge: Rampant crime can cripple a local economy. "Where there's crime-scene tape, there are not...
MoreRETURN ON TECHNOLOGY: Lesson from Sony mess: Don't toy with consumers
November 28, 2005
Tim AltomYou know, I understand the need to protect one's intellectual property assets. I do. And I understand the frustration of those
companies in the entertainment business that put out a product electronically only to have it instantly copied and distributed.
But I think it's going a little far for a recording label to load a piece of software onto a user's computer that is supposedly
only for controlling and playing a protected music CD, but actually hijacks parts of the...
MoreCenter offers courses in global adjustment: Programs help companies learn cultural differences
November 28, 2005
Scott OlsonIn India, where cricket is the sport of choice, telling an employee he knocked the ball out of the park with his latest proposal
most likely would confuse him. The communications gap and other cultural contrasts between the United States and a country
such as India can be as vast as the 10-hour time difference. So, as local software developer Sigma Micro Corp. prepared to
launch operations at what it refers to as an off-shore development center in the city...
MoreIndustry races to promote itself: Statewide motorsports group hopes to thwart competition from other U.S. markets
November 28, 2005
Anthony SchoettleArea motorsports leaders are gearing up for another run at unifying the industry and assuring the region retains its status
as one of the world's leading motorsports markets. Organizers of the latest effort promise they won't spin their wheels this
time around. They're casting a wider net-going statewide with a motorsports association-to attract more members and build
more clout with the media, local and state lawmakers, and service providers, such as banks and insurance companies. The Indiana
Motorsports Association Inc....
MoreHealth care: big problem for small business: Wyoming lawmaker's proposed legislation could end 10-year Senate impasse on controversial
solution
November 28, 2005
Matthew KishMore than 45 million Americans lack health insurance. And more than half of them are employed or dependent on someone who
works for a small business, according to the National Federation of Independent Business. It's a big problem-especially in
Indiana. Between 2000 and 2004, 5.6 percent of Hoosier workers lost employer-provided health care, according to the Economic
Policy Institute. That's a higher percentage than any state except Wisconsin. Legislation just introduced in Congress by Wyoming
Sen. Michael Enzi, however, may...
MoreStates crimp Zyprexa access: Medicaid restrictions cutting into sales of Lilly's top drug
November 28, 2005
Tom MurphyEli Lilly and Co.'s top seller Zyprexa, pummeled in recent quarters by concerns over side effects, now faces a growing challenge
from some of its biggest customers: state Medicaid programs. Citing high costs, more than a half dozen states have moved Zyprexa
and other pricey anti-psychotics off preferred drug lists or made it harder for doctors to prescribe them for patients on
Medicaid, the state-federal program that provides health care coverage for the poor and disabled. Georgia, for instance, saved...
MoreNOTIONS: Putting human rights bill to the test
November 28, 2005
Bruce HetrickA few weeks ago, my son Zach was named a Student Rotarian by his high school in Fort Wayne. He was invited to be honored at
a downtown Rotary Club luncheon in that city, and asked me to attend. The Rotarians met on the second floor of the Summit
City's downtown Holiday Inn. Zach and I went through the buffet line and sat down at a round table with the superintendent
of his school system and four other Rotarians. The...
MoreHispanic market his target: Ponce Publicidad founder focuses on fast-growing demographic group
November 28, 2005
Anthony SchoettleThe Bank of Central America is moving into Florida and other parts of the southeast United States. While this development
might not seem significant for central Indiana business operators, Roberto Ponce thinks it's a sign. "The burgeoning Hispanic
market within the U.S. is becoming a major factor," said Ponce, president of Indianapolis-based Ponce Publicidad. "If domestic
businesses don't realize that and reach out to this segment, others from beyond our borders will." Ponce thinks his firm is
uniquely positioned to...
MoreVOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: What's protected in United States may not be elsewhere
November 28, 2005
Amie PeeleGlobalization It's a buzz word and opportunity; a blessing and a curse. The shrinking global marketplace can help jump start
companies that learn how to navigate the morass of regulations and potential pitfalls regarding the protection of intellectual
property and personal and business information outside of the United States. But compliance with U.S. laws regarding trademark,
patent, privacy and other areas does not necessarily equal compliance in other countries. Successful U.S. companies can find
themselves facing uphill battles if they...
MoreTechnology proposals get business focus: IEDC requests new 21st Century Fund applications
November 21, 2005
Peter SchnitzlerIt's been 18 months since state government requested new technology proposals from startups or academics. The days of waiting
are now finished. "We're in business," said the Indiana Economic Development Corp.'s new director of entrepreneurship, Bruce
Kidd. "The open sign is in the window. We want to start accepting applications again." On Nov. 16, the IEDC issued a request
for applications to its $75 million 21st Century Research and Technology Fund. Much has changed since March 2004, when the
state...
MoreEYE ON THE PIE: Should we save ailing manufacturers?
November 21, 2005
Morton MarcusToday, Delphi in Kokomo is the leading economic issue in Indiana. The resolution of its difficulties may foreshadow where
we go as a state. Delphi is a major manufacturer of electronics for automobiles. As a former component of General Motors Corp.,
Delphi still depends on that struggling company for a large portion of its revenue. In addition, Delphi has pension and health
care costs inherited from GM's relationship with the United Auto Workers. Despite the fact that Delphi has been...
MoreIncentive search shot down: University Loft eyes Tennessee after Hancock County spurns request to create a TIF district
November 14, 2005
Anthony SchoettleHancock County Commissioners' unwillingness to consider creating a Tax Increment Financing district has sent a growing Indianapolis-based
manufacturer looking for a new expansion site, possibly out of state. University Loft Co. CEO James N. Jannetides said he
was continually rebuffed over a months-long process to get the tax incentives his company needed to bring 200-plus jobs to
the county directly east of Marion County. Now Jannetides said he might look to consolidate manufacturing in Tennessee where
he opened a plant...
MoreMASTER OF THE PLAN: Ultra-prepared president has Purdue primed for 'pre-eminence'
November 14, 2005
Peter SchnitzlerIt's half-past eight on a Monday morning and Martin Jischke is at his desk, poring over notes. This is how Purdue University's
president spends his days and most of his nights-preparing to be prepared. At any time, Jischke could be interacting with
students, alumni, faculty, legislators or business leaders. He wants to be ready for their questions with clear, articulate
answers, no matter the subject. His responses seem off-thecuff, but make no mistake: Jischke has studied and considered his
position...
MoreState revamps I-Light expansion project: Funding restored, but network limited to universities
November 14, 2005
Scott OlsonIndiana Gov. Mitch Daniels has given high-speed Internet project I-Light the green light, but with a twist from its original
intent. He agreed this month to support the final stages of funding for the project, which began in 1999 and connected supercomputers
at Indiana University, Purdue University and IUPUI. The aim was to expand Indiana's digital infrastructure by connecting 15
cities via a fiber-optic network. Under his directive, though, only universities and related research parks can tap into the
network,...
MoreBULLS & BEARS: Problems look daunting? A lesson from Granddad
November 14, 2005
Dave GilreathGranddad rocked back and said, "The news is pretty tough to read these days. Makes me want to sit on the porch and just watch
the leaves turn." He shook his head and mentioned all sorts of events that made him wonder if the United States could ever
bounce back. First, he brought up the battles for control in the Gaza strip and the fierce fighting over Palestinian areas.
Then came speculation on how the United States was going to...
MoreNOTIONS: An interdependent interaction with Bill Clinton
November 14, 2005
Bruce HetrickA few months ago, Butler University announced that former presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush would be among the
speakers appearing on its Indianapolis campus during the school's 2005-2006 sesquicentennial celebration. Within hours of
the news breaking, my niece, a Butler junior and political science major, sent an e-mail asking if I'd like to join her for
the first of these appearances, the one by Clinton on Nov. 8. Having long ago rounded up my fellow neighborhood kids for...
MoreHealth Care Crusade: Physicians push for universal health coverage in Indiana
November 7, 2005
Tom Murphyome heart muscle had already died by the time family members coaxed the 50-something uninsured man into visiting Bloomington
Hospital a few weeks ago. The patient had suffered severe chest pains two days before his hospital visit but didn't seek treatment,
said Dr. Rob Stone, an emergencyroom physician there. "It was clearly because he was afraid of the bill," Stone said. By the
time he made it to the hospital, the man was suffering a second heart attack. Now he...
MoreEYE ON THE PIE: Don't let a little suffering wreck holidays
November 7, 2005
Morton MarcusI drove past the shrine at Clark and Addison in Chicago the day after the White Sox won the World Series. All was normal outside
Wrigley Field. There was no evidence of the momentous event in Houston the night before. The White Sox and their fans do not
exist for Cubs fans. There is an order to the world. For Hoosiers, people from Kentucky generally rank lower than folks from
Pennsylvania. Yet we know Hoosiers don't rank highly in the...
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You guys have some "interesting" comments to say the least. I hope you will call in and share those opinions starting June 1. I'm looking forward to having you on the air.
For those who let this information strike a nerve, remember that this is still the America that allows the freedom to achieve dreams and goals. Should you really chastise those who are given a perk on a deal that is supported by the consumer (that is until they don't like the deal anymore due to envy) or should the dream of rewards for working be looked at a little closer? I say lets stick to the deal, go to work,earn our keep, shoot for dreams, change our jobs to have that dream or shut up about others achievements ..............while we are still afforded this liberty of America !
Three Magi
Cats out of the bag. The object of the game is to get acquired. That means the company has no idea how to grow beyond a certain point. Email is a 1990s technology. I have laughed at this company since day one. Such a small bit player. If it was anywhere but here, it wouldn't be newsworthy.
Esther, Indy has passed Chicago in the local government corruption arena. Don't downgrade us. We're No. 1 in the Midwest.