Richard Feldman: Indiana must get serious about pathetic state of health
Tobacco use still is the leading cause of preventable disease and premature death, and the Hoosier state is mired in the human and economic losses due to its use.
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Gary Green: Older ex-offenders make better employees
The movement to put ex-cons to work should start with those who’ve had the time to truly change course.
Lauren Conaboy: Three ways elected leaders can change health care
Comprehensive care that addresses mental health is essential to helping patients, families and employers.
Michael LaFaive & Todd Nesbit: Hiking cigarette tax won’t help Hoosiers or state treasury
Consumers will take their spending across state lines.
Andy Crask: Smart city technology is answer to city’s population boom
Increasing the rate at which we adopt “smart city” technology that enhances connectivity, improves quality of life, and better supports urban population growth is paramount for urban planners in Indianapolis.
Ann Murtlow & Michael Huber: Pass a bias-crimes law with no exceptions
If we go to the Statehouse ready to exclude some of our fellow citizens— trading equality for expediency—any victory would be a hollow one that surrenders any claim to real leadership.
Sandy Sasso: The Women’s March has an anti-Semitism problem
I have been asked whether I will participate this year. While I pledge to continue to help enhance women’s power, I regret that I cannot attend this year’s Women’s March without abdicating my self-respect as a Jewish woman.
Michael Farren & Anne Philpot: Indianapolis dodged the Amazon HQ2 iceberg
Many politicians and economic development officials see the ruse for what it is, but they feel trapped because every other city and state is doing it. Politically, they can’t risk letting their neighbors outcompete them.
Sheila Kennedy: Challenges to democracy come from within
Gerrymandering is a frontal assault on democracy. A pre-midterm electoral analysis from the Cook Report really brought home the extent of that assault: Just one out of 20 Americans lives in a competitive Congressional District.
Dennis Murphy: Discourage smoking, save lives with smart public policy
Only five states have higher rates of infant mortality than Indiana’s. While the past two state administrations have declared infant mortality a priority to fight, the death rate remains grimly high.
Larry Gigerich: Cities, states should revisit economic-incentive policies
Flexibility, reasonability, accountability and transparency are all important factors to consider when taking a long-term view of incentives and entering into a public-private partnership.
Amber Van Til: Keep the ‘farm’ in farm credit; program needs reform
Time is running out, but the Indiana Bankers Association is confident lawmakers will maintain the programs that help rural community banks serve farmers, ranchers and producers.
Kerwin Olson: Proposed Vectren plant would set Indiana back
Vectren’s plant will harm our economy and our environment and will unnecessarily increase the monthly bills of electric consumers already saddled with the highest bills in Indiana.
Dennis Sasso: On patriotism, religion, culture—and humanism
It is the documents and values that inspired and shaped American democracy—the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the advocacy of civil rights and the ongoing vigilance to preserve and enhance our constitutional rights of equality and freedom—that I treasure.
Tim Cook & Katie Culp: What Indy won in the Amazon HQ2 process
The cost of the project, while critically important, never trumped its key determinative factor: people. Size, skill levels and growth rates of the qualified labor pool were indispensable considerations. With that criteria, Amazon chose New York and D.C.
Brian Shapiro: City, state punting on 65/70 reconstruction plans
There are opportunities for improvement throughout downtown. Outdated, elevated train tracks on the south and east sides of downtown are crumbling and unsightly and don’t allow enough clearance for supply trucks.
Vicki Fortino: What’s really happening in the immigration system?
Our immigration system is heavily backlogged. That’s nothing new. But recent policy changes made by the current administration at the federal level have made the system much more difficult for everyone to navigate.
Jill Hoffmann: Water isn’t a resource Hoosiers can take for granted
Many people in central Indiana might not consider water planning a top priority due to a misperception that we have an unlimited supply. In fact, according to a 2014 Indiana Chamber of Commerce report, Indiana will likely face water shortages in the future.
Kyle Hupfer: Hoosiers should stay the course, vote Republican
Here in Indiana, thanks to a decade-plus of strong Republican leadership from Mitch Daniels, now president of Purdue University; Mike Pence, now our nation’s vice president; Eric Holcomb, our current governor; and our supermajorities in the Statehouse, Indiana has seen unprecedented growth and opportunity.
Sheila Kennedy: You can still make a difference in your own back yard
There’s a limited amount that most of us can do to affect national policy, which is certainly not to say we shouldn’t vote, advocate and do our best to persuade our fellow Americans of the value of our positions. But we really can make a difference locally.