Building the state’s transportation network, of course, is hardly just a matter of loyalty to our slogan about being the “crossroads.” It’s a key to our own economic future and that of our children.
A new archives building has been on the public radar since a moment 20 years ago when water leaks at the Indiana State Library threatened to destroy some of our most important and irreplaceable history.
The economists who saw the Carrier glass as half-empty said these recent events represented a “spot solution” rather than a policy or a strategy. “It’s not easily replicated,” said one. Another suggested the transaction could theoretically open a “floodgate” for businesses seeking tax breaks.
Holcomb declared his ambition to “start moving toward taking Indiana to the next level” and, the not-for-profit being created for transition and inauguration tasks is called Next Level Indiana Inc. A central strategy in achieving this ambition should include empowering cadres of young trailblazers.
The modern reality is that Indiana continues to lead the nation in the percentage of our workforce employed in manufacturing. And the level of employment in such jobs has risen continually since the Great Recession began.
What passes for debate in this election seems to represent a new low in the annals of public dialogue. I suggest Indiana has the capacity to go through the next three months without doing damage to our civic fabric.
Tuition-free attendance could draw thousands of new students to Indiana’s colleges, surely a good thing for our state’s future. But the universities’ ability to expand faculty and facilities would depend almost entirely on funding decisions by Congress.
With its eye on the state’s economic future, the Indiana Supreme Court has launched the Indiana Commercial Court Pilot Project, in part to “enhance economic development in Indiana by furthering the efficient resolution of commercial law disputes.”
The 2016 Indiana bicentennial can serve both as party and as a springboard for thinking about our future. The state’s bicentennial commission has laid plans that both bolster Indiana’s statewide opportunities and promote local initiatives.
During a season when we often pause to express gratitude, Indiana can give special thanks for Lilly Endowment’s recent commitment of $100 million to 14 cultural institutions. The endowment’s action will enrich our civic life. And if you haven’t thought about its economic impact, think again.
When apartment magnate Sam Zell recently announced he was selling off a quarter of Equity Residential’s apartment units, it signaled that the development strategy Indianapolis has used still positions the city for success.
As the city election nears, I wonder whether Indianapolis is about to decide that our decades-old effort to recruit jobs and attractions to its central core can be brought to a close.
Voter turnout in Indiana’s recent primary election was the lowest in 20 years, 35 percent below average. It’s time for a serious conversation about whether the growing use of voting centers is bad for turnout.
A recent settlement between the city of Indianapolis and the Indiana ACLU over enforcement of the present ordinance about panhandling has put the question of writing a new ordinance back on the table.
Recent debates in the General Assembly about inspecting apartments for safety and sanitation purposes has highlighted the need for more energetic collaboration between state government and the people who lead cities and towns.
Surely Larry Conrad is smiling over the recent report about the phenomenal strength of the housing market in downtown Indianapolis.
Our public dialogue about competing with other states often focuses on development tools, tax policy, infrastructure and the like. These are surely some of the hard-edge elements of any sensible approach to building Indiana’s economic future.
We hope society’s leaders will do well for us in times of turmoil. In the days following the verdict in the Florida trial of George Zimmerman, this state’s public figures responded to a difficult moment in ways that showed humanity and skill.
Though issues like Medicaid expansion and reducing the income tax were most visible during the recent legislative session, the General Assembly may have also set the stage for substantial future shifts in how Indiana goes about producing a work force prepared for the 21st century economy.
Fresh analysis released last month on the economic impact of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the satellite industries attracted by its location in Indiana make it clear the General Assembly is on the right track in moving legislation to bolster the track and the jobs it helps create.
