Legislators hear public's opinion (3/7/05)

Two elected state officials shared their thoughts — including some sharp criticism — on the first half of the legislative session and their hopes for the session’s second half with local residents who gathered Saturday morning at the Jay County Courthouse.

Participating in the Third House Session, sponsored by the Portland Area Chamber of Commerce, were Rep. Bill Davis, (R-District 33) and Sen. Allen Paul, (R-District 27). Davis’ district includes Jay County and parts of Randolph and Delaware counties. Paul represents Jay, Randolph and Wayne counties.

“A lot of good things have happened” in the session’s first half, Davis said, despite the “doom and gloom” of the last few days following the Democrats’ boycott which derailed more than 130 bills.

March 1 was the deadline for bills to pass out of their house of origin and head to the House of Senate for further review. The GOP-controlled House convened early that morning, but Democrats upset about several bills they considered partisan power grabs left the floor to meet privately and never returned.

“This was simply a way for the Democratic Party to stop the governor’s initiatives,” Davis told the crowd of about 50. “The session was moving along very well,” he said. “They simply chose to shut the system done ... I think that’s a sad commentary on what we’re doing in the legislature.”

Paul said he had expected the Democrats to come back for votes on the proposed bills late that night, and he was surprised when they stayed out.

“We’re starting from ground zero” today to begin work on several bills, Paul said. But he expects several of the Senate bills that can’t be amended into legislation that is still alive will “go down the drain” due to the walkout.

Paul anticipates the Senate will begin work in committee on the proposed state spending plan in the next three weeks.

The two-year state budget, which was drafted by House Republicans:

•Includes a slight overall increase in funding for K-12 education, but provides little additional money for colleges and universities.

•Allows a 3 percent cost growth in Medicaid.

•Allots no new money for state prisons.

•Freezes property tax relief payments to local governments at current levels.

No state tax increases are expected under this plan, which the GOP says will erase the $645 million budget deficit over two years.

Jay Schools superintendent Barbara Downing asked Paul and Davis what action they anticipate on funding for Indiana schools.

“The fight will now be in the Senate. The money follows the student” in the current budget proposal, Paul said. Many schools with declining enrollment will face funding cuts — a measure Paul said he will have difficulty supporting. “I couldn’t vote for the budget as it is now,” he said, because of the school funding plan.

“Budget priority one is K-12 education,” Davis said. But he also acknowledged there will be tough times ahead for schools in the state.

“We’re all going to have to tighten our belts” and that includes K-12 and higher education, he said. “(The schools are) not going to get the growth in funding that we’d like. And we hate it.”

But the budget has to be balanced to get the state back on better economic footing, he added.

He also explained, “(The declining enrollment schools which) will lose funding will lose it over a period of five years.” Those schools seeing their enrollment grow will receive new money gradually over the same period of time.

“It’s going to be a rolling adjustment until we get the (schools) to where they need to be,” Davis said.

Paul added he expects a flood of lobbying efforts — especially concerning education funding — as the Senate begins work on the budget. He also urged voters to keep up with the progress of bills at the Statehouse and to make their opinions known to their elected officials.

“Now is the time for you to stay active,” Paul said, and Davis added, “We do appreciate your input. It’s important to us.”

In a related matter, Jay School Board member Jay Halstead said the Jay School Corporation has to borrow money from the bond bank “because the state of Indiana don’t pay (the schools) when it’s supposed to.” He asked Paul and Davis if there is any solution planned to correct that problem.

“We have to move the state forward economically” or none of the funding formulas work, Davis said. He hopes the proposed changes in state spending will bring overall improvement.

“These problems go away when we fix the big problems,” he added.

Also Saturday, some of those in attendance raised the issue of placing the proposed renovation of Jay County High School on a referendum to be decided by local voters. The project currently carries a price tag of $26 million.

“It just seems to me that the people who are going to have to pay for it should have the chance to vote on it,” rural Portland resident Mike Knapke said. It’s his belief that the majority of the local taxpayers oppose the project.

Another local resident asked if there was any plan to extend the 120-day moratorium on new school construction, which Gov. Mitch Daniels implemented during his State of the State address in mid-January. That announcement effectively stalled the JCHS project, but the Jay School Board plans to resume talks on the renovation at its meeting later this month.

Davis said he knows of no plan to extend that moratorium, and added, the JCHS project is a local issue that should be handled at the local level.

Robert Quadrozzi, executive director of the Jay County Development Corporation, raised Indiana’s proposed switch to daylight saving time during Saturday’s discussion.

That bill failed to clear the House, and it’s unlikely that it will be revived in the Senate because of procedural rules.

“I’m disappointed that that issue has taken up so much of your time,” Quadrozzi told Davis and Paul. He added, “Geographically, daylight saving time creates some disadvantages for this area.”

The issue has been debated several times at the Statehouse over the years but has never moved forward. “It’s an issue we need to decide once and for all,” Davis said. He support the switch during his campaign, he added, but later heard from many constituents who oppose the move.

“If there’s a chance that daylight saving time” would have a positive economic impact on the district, Davis said he would be willing “to set my clocks back and forward twice a year.”

Placing that issue on a referendum might end the debate once and for all, he said. “That might be one (the governor) would be willing to put on a referendum,” Davis said, adding it’s not something Daniels can decide by executive order.[[In-content Ad]]