Indiana Public worker, teacher funds have lost $8B in 15 months
The state’s two biggest pension funds are poised to combine into one Indiana Public Retirement System, with a single executive
director and board.
State Government
Articles
Legislators struggling with economic imperatives
The Indiana state budget will continue to be a work in progress for many more weeks.
CAFE standards not as effective as gasoline tax
The Obama administration recently reversed a Bush-era policy that prevented states from imposing some of their own environmental policies with respect to corporate average fuel efficiency, or CAFE, standards.
Payroll tax hike looming
Shoring up the state’s jobless-fund shortfall likely will cost employers and employees more.
Trickiest legislative issues remain far from resolution
Positive action, action for the sake of action, and inaction were all on tap in the General Assembly in recent days as lawmakers
prepared to wrap up the first half of the session.
Activity at Statehouse picks up, but how much is getting done?
After a surprisingly slow month of January, the pace of legislative action picked up considerably during the first two weeks
of February.
Health care interests wary of state’s cost-cutting idea for Medicaid
Indiana Medicaid officials want to take over management of all its patients’ prescription drugs because they say it could save the state as much as $40 million a year.
Fight brews over liquor distribution in Indiana
A Florida firm is suing to overturn Indiana’s resident-ownership law regarding liquor.
Workplace smoking policies move backward
The bill in question seems like a long shot. It would abdicate government’s responsibility for protecting citizens’ health
and safety, and place it in the hands of individual business owners.
Credit crunch creates bond crisis for CIB
The Capital Improvement Board’s $43 million in debts must be settled soon, or the entity may not be able to survive.
From politics to basic training, state official excels
Danielle Chrysler hasn’t met a challenge yet that she hasn’t embraced–and conquered.
Stimulus talk creates uncertainty at Statehouse
Stimulus talk continues to dominate discussion at the Indiana Statehouse, creating indecision for lawmakers who were supposed to be devoting their full attention to assembling a two-year budget under difficult economic circumstances.
Cash-strapped gambling firm pushing bill in Legislature; Centaur trying to recover from Pennsylvania setback
Centaur is lobbying the Indiana General Assembly to let it transfer 500 slots from its Hoosier Park horse track in Anderson
to the Fort Wayne area.
Indiana continues to have high smoking, obesity rates, and is below average in public health funding
Obesity and smoking rates are little changed since Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels took office in January 2005.
State warns businesses about scam
Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita has issued a warning about a fraudulent letter targeting Indiana businesses.
Fund to fuel ethanol use out of gas
A state fund supporting an 18-cent-a-gallon tax credit for gas stations selling E85 ethanol was exhausted in the first three
months of the state’s new fiscal year.
Recession, budget shortfalls will have major impact on everything legislators debate
Now expecting $935 million less in annual revenue than they did a year ago, legislators will spend the next four months arguing
over budget cuts.
Tax-cap bill, jobless fund among top business issues during legislative session
Several major issues with business implications are expected to receive ample attention when legislators convene next month,
particularly the continuing saga of property-tax relief and the state’s ability to pay jobless benefits.
Charter school study likely to stoke legislative debate
A state-funded study of Indiana’s charter schools has found that “no practical difference” exists between the alternative
schools and traditional public schools.
Other states duplicate Indiana’s tax-amnesty program
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels has no plans to repeat Indiana’s tax-amnesty program that recovered about $245 million from delinquent
payers in 2005.