The Kernan factor (12/12/03)

Call it the Kernan factor.

That’s what we think made the difference in the Indiana General Assembly’s recent special session dealing with property tax reform.

What could have been an extended, contentious, fiercely partisan brawl ended instead with a version of political jujitsu.

It played out something like this.

The Republicans, who control the Indiana Senate, put forward a limited bill addressing some concerns about reassessment without completely revamping the system.

The Democrats, who control the House, started writing laundry lists of exemptions, options, and changes.

In between, Gov. Joe Kernan sent a clear message: Slow down on the idea of making big changes in the special session since the full impact of reassessment isn’t yet known in many counties.

Now, if Kernan were a lame duck, as the late Frank O’Bannon would have been, his comments might not have had much impact. The same is true if Kernan had decided not to run for governor in 2004. He would have been a figurehead without any real clout.

Under those circumstances, our guess is the House Democratic leadership would have staked out the most partisan positions possible in order to gain advantage at the polls.

But with a popular new governor in office, one who will be on the ballot next year, the political calculus is different.

Democrats in the House knew that their new governor needed a win, and they decided to take their cues from Kernan.

Suddenly, bipartisanship didn’t look so bad after all. Instead, it looked like the best way to support the guy in the top job and steal an issue from his GOP opponents. Call it the Kernan factor. — J.R.[[In-content Ad]]