V20, N24 Thursday Feb. 19, 2015

Meth baby step sans leadership Senate panel passes first major bill taking on Indiana’s ‘horrendous’ meth epidemic as leadership mostly sits it out By MATTHEW BUTLER INDIANAPOLIS – On Tuesday the Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee was the first Indiana legislative panel to advance a major development in law enforcement efforts to combat meth labs. The bill (SB 536) contains a provision, in fact two, that would impose some form of a prescrip- tion for cold medi- Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke in a public service TV ad. He called steps cations containing coursing through the General Assembly a good start to a “horrendous” prob- the crucial ingredi- lem. ents for metham- certainly be back next year if we don’t get it this year.” phetamine. Meth is an absolutely pressing public health and “This is the first time, I safety issue for the state. Indiana led the nation the past think, to have prescription language moving in the General two years with 1,808 (2013) and 1,488 (2014) meth lab Assembly,” Justin Swanson, assistant legislative director for the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, told HPI. Continued on page 3 “I think it’s a very small victory we cannot overlook. We’ll The GOP vs. Donnelly By MARK SCHOEFF JR. WASHINGTON – Even by today’s standards of aggressive partisanship, Indiana voters were treated to a stunning display of intense interparty combat last week that contrasted sharply with traditional Hoosier political dialogue. “I love my father and my brother. Each Republican member of the Indiana delegation signed I admire their service to the na- a letter to Democratic Sen. Joe tion and the difficult decisions Donnelly urging him to allow a homeland security appropriations they had to make. But I am my bill to come to a Senate vote. The agency’s funding will lapse on own man, and my views are Feb. 27. shaped by my own thinking and Republicans included in the legislation language that experiences.” would nullify President Barack - Jeb Bush in Chicago Obama’s executive orders pre- Page 2

venting the deportation of millions of the majority in both chambers. undocumented immigrants. More importantly, funding Indiana’s GOP House mem- DHS will save Republicans from severe bers – Reps. Larry Bucshon (8th CD), political damage it is risking by shut- Todd Young (9th CD), Luke Messer ting down the agency. If there is a ter- (6th CD), Susan Brooks (5th CD), rorist attack, even after DHS is back Todd Rokita (4th CD), Marlin Stutzman up and running, Republicans will take (3rd CD) and Jackie Walorski (2nd CD) the heat – and former Secretary of – accused Donnelly of crimping the State Hillary Clinton will have a potent democratic process by supporting a campaign issue. is a non-partisan newslet- filibuster. In Indiana, Donnelly is more ter based in Indianapolis and Donnelly fired right back, likely to come out of the DHS fight in Nashville, Ind. It was founded saying that the Republicans were try- better shape than the House Republi- in 1994 in Fort Wayne. ing to score political points and have cans. They are taking the fight to him. never done the hard work of It is published by passing a bipartisan immigration WWWHowey Media, LLC bill. 405 Massachusetts Ave., When Congress returns Suite 300 Indianapolis, IN from its Presidents Day recess 46204 next week, it will only have a handful of legislative days re- maining to resolve the impasse. Brian A. Howey, Publisher This would be a good Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington time for congressional Repub- Jack E. Howey, Editor licans to implement the game- Mary Lou Howey, Editor plan that former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush says he will use at the Maureen Hayden, Statehouse presidential campaign level. He is portraying himself as the one Matthew Butler, Daily Wire Bush has indicated he will seeking bipartisan compromise, an ap- Mark Curry, advertising eschew hot-button issues that fire up proach that echoes Indiana’s political the party’s base and instead appeal to past. Subscriptions the middle of the electorate, even in “There was an old-school the primary. rule that clearly doesn’t exist any- HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 Congressional Republicans more,” said Michael Wolf, a professor HPI Weekly, $350 ought to risk upsetting their base of political science at Indiana-Purdue Ray Volpe, Account Manager by staking out a reasonable position Fort Wayne. “[Former Sen.] Rich- 317.602.3620 on DHS funding, namely passing a ard Lugar didn’t throw darts. It is a email: [email protected] straightforward bill that funds DHS cultural shift. [The partisanship] does while leaving the immigration fight for match the culture of Congress right a different forum. now.” Contact HPI Acknowledging that Obama For HPI readers who don’t www.howeypolitics.com can exercise presidential authority know or may have forgotten, I was an [email protected] to change immigration rules may rile aide to Sen. Lugar in the mid-1990s. Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 primary voters, but it will raise Repub- Although his centrist approach has lican credibility with the middle, which fallen out of favor for the most part in Washington: 202.256.5822 must be won, if Bush or any other Re- Congress, Republicans should revive Business Office: 317.602.3620 publican is to take over the Oval Office that tradition, if for no other reason and issue different kinds of executive than to keep from tearing themselves © 2015, Howey Politics Indiana. orders. apart. All rights reserved. Photocopy- It may be difficult for Repub- Moderate Republican senators licans to admit that Senate Democrats may be pivotal to the party successful- ing, Internet forwarding, fax- can be as skillful in using minority ly governing, starting with determining ing or reproducing in any form, power as Republicans were for many its approach to immigration reform. whole or part, is a violation of years. But a grudging acceptance will “There’s a lot of polarization federal law without permission show the political maturity that they within the Republican Party,” said from the publisher. must demonstrate now that they’re in James McCann, a professor of political Page 3 science at Purdue. “It’s difficult for Republicans to figure the agency’s shutdown on Democrats, they are in charge out the politics of this. It’s very much a wedge on the of Capitol Hill. Republican side.” “They were going to be the ones blamed,” Wolf The good news for the GOP is that the Feb. 16 rul- said. “The narrative was moving that direction. House ing by a federal judge in Texas to halt Obama’s immigra- Republicans were going to be under intense scrutiny.” tion orders may give the party the cover it needs to avoid Now the GOP has a chance to bask in a different internecine warfare and pass a clean DHS funding bill. kind of spotlight – one that shows them rising above petty “Lawmakers who want to dial down the partisanship, acting with maturity and securing a foothold rhetoric and move toward the middle can say, ‘We’ll let the in the political middle, where they can strengthen their judicial process take its course now,’” McCann said. majority. v The Texas judge, Andrew Hanen, may wind up saving the GOP from itself, at least when it comes to DHS Schoeff is Howey Politics Indiana’s Washington funding. No matter how hard Republicans would try to pin correspondent.

old. During the first month of this year, a Bluffton couple’s Meth, from page 1 3-year-old boy died from meth exposure. During the last five years 56 in law enforcement have busts. County prosecutors believe been reported as injured, but that only a fraction of the actual meth figure is likely much, much higher. labs are being busted. Speaking of meth labs, Delaware “It is a public safety County Prosecutor Jeff Arnold told threat that has the potential lawmakers last week, “I’ve been to to endanger law enforcement, way too many. I’ve seen too many firefighters, and kids,” Evansville children in too many meth houses Mayor Lloyd Winnecke explained with permanent lung damage.” to HPI Wednesday. His city and There are lawmakers well aware county have been a meth hotspot of meth’s havoc, particularly on chil- in recent years, spurring local dren. leaders to create a dedicated “A pediatrician in Bedford I’ve meth suppression task force. known took care of all my kids,” Sen. In 2014, various authori- Brent Steele told HPI Wednesday. “He ties found 382 Hoosier children says, ‘I’m getting baby after baby sick in meth lab environments. In the and I do a blood test and they’ve got previous two years there were meth in their blood.’ It’s just eating us 458 and 388, respectively. These up.” high numbers are a relatively Sen. Susan Glick, R-LaGrange, recent phenomenon but, unfor- a former county prosecutor says tunately, appear to be the new Indiana’s child service agencies are normal. During 2003-09, the utterly frustrated with the state’s annual range of children found in meth lab problem. “They have such a these dangerous circumstances negative attitude right now, because was 125 to 185. Nearly all of they’re dealing on the frontlines with these children must be taken into the meth problem,” she told HPI. State Sen. Brent Steele has switched his position protective custody and often carry “They’ve got the criminals, they’ve on meth after watching it ravage his hometown. with them the scars of abuse and got the families that are broken up, (HPI Photo by Mark Curry) neglect. they’ve got the children who are lost Unfortunately, the toxic because we have so many parents in fumes and residue of meth labs cause grievous physi- a husband-and-wife situation where one is addicted, quite cal harm as well. For the period 2010-14, meth labs have often the second one is addicted, it affects the health of injured 13 Hoosier children and killed one (in 2011), ac- the children, it affects everything about their living, and cording to Indiana State Police statistics. A quick perusal we just have got to do something. It’s not just the crimi- of media reports finds not all of these injuries and deaths nal hurting himself. Meth across the board hurts society. are included in ISP totals. In 2013, a fire resulting from We’ve got kids who cannot sit still in school because they his mother cooking meth killed an Indianapolis 7-year- come from a meth home and are affected by this chemical Page 4 compound that’s in their blood, it’s on their skin.” one of their three top priorities for this session, HPI asked Indiana’s meth boom has paralleled the prolifera- Speaker Brian Bosma about a prescription requirement. He tion of small-batch manufacturing techniques. Indiana said not only was his caucus divided, but so were Demo- meth cooks are often users themselves and prefer to crats and the rest of America. “shake-n-bake” their poison in homes, motel rooms, and “I am a fan of making it a prescription,” Bosma automobiles. These ‘one-pot’ labs are notorious for leav- told HPI back in October. “I know that presents difficul- ing behind toxic contamination that requires professional ties. But with the smurfing epidemic of paying a couple of removal. Quite costly, the meth houses are often left to people to hit a couple of drug stores, it’s very difficult to languish and exacerbate neighborhood blight. Moreover, handle the mechanisms of what we’ve put together. For ‘one-pot’ labs are prone to exploding and causing severe it to be a prescription-only item, I’m OK with that. It’s a chemical and fire burns. public policy issue we’ll have to work through, but I’ll vote The Associated Press has reported the average for a prescription.” hospitalization for an injured meth cook costs an estimated Shortly after the 2014 session, HPI asked Senate $130,000. Adults hurt and killed by meth labs since 2010 leaders the same thing. “I think this is one of the things number 168 and 13, respectively. we’re going to have to tackle next year, no question,” Sen- ate President Pro Tem David Long said. “We may have to Leaders avoiding meth? be more draconian on the availability of these ingredients. Tackling meth production with additional legal We’ve attempted to deal with it without having to go that tools has been an issue that has bubbled up from below extra step.” in Indiana public policy. Whereas top state leaders have “I have been a proponent personally – I’m not been relatively silent, it’s been local talking for my caucus – for making the precursors a pre- officials, like mayors, prosecutors, scription requirement,” Senate police chiefs, and sheriffs that have Minority Leader Tim Lanane told been the most vocal. They see the HPI back in April. “I represent ravages of meth labs in their commu- two counties (Delaware and nities every day. They’ve lobbied the Madison) with some of the high- statehouse the past several years, est rates of meth labs and meth unsuccessfully, for a PSE prescription busts in the state and I don’t requirement. know of any other effective way Coming from largely junior to deal with it other than requir- and middle-rank legislators of both ing a prescription.” parties, bills containing prescription If legislative leaders have requirements have faced perennial at least voiced their individual hurdles in committee. stances on the issue, the state’s In 2014, a prescription chief executive has not used his requirement bill by Rep. Ben Smaltz, bully pulpit to mention a poten- R-Auburn, was heard in Courts and tial prescription requirement, Criminal Code, but a vote was not let alone advocate for tighter allowed. This session, similar leg- controls. islation by Smaltz and Rep. Wendy Asked last spring about McNamara, R-Mount Vernon, were whether he supports a PSE denied hearings in Courts and Public prescription requirement, Gov. Health, respectively. Prescription bills Mike Pence answered, “We’ve in the Senate have not had any luck talked about that; all options are before this year either. on the table. We’ll be looking in Republican legislative leader- Gov. Pence has taken a passive approach to the the budget session for resources ship has acknowledged the state’s meth manufacturing epidemic in Indiana. (HPI Photo and policies that will continue to worsening meth problem and re- by Mark Curry) give Indiana the tools we need to marked that a prescription require- protect our kids from the scourge ment might be the proper response, but they acknowledge of meth.” there are deep divisions within their respective caucuses. Pence’s 2015 budget and legislative agenda did A good many believe a prescription requirement would not include anti-meth measures nor community cor- unfairly burden law-abiding Hoosiers who need the over- rections, which many on both sides of the prescription the-counter cold medications. Others also cite the potential requirement believe are critical to stemming the tide of strain a prescription requirement could put on primary care meth. Attorney General Greg Zoeller has also not taken a physicians. stance on a prescription requirement. When House Republicans named public safety as After SB 356’s committee passage, and in light of Page 5

Indiana leading the nation yet again in meth lab busts, “We waited three years on the NPLEx to see if Pence told HPI on Tuesday, “I’m very proud of the work it had the desired effect,” Steele told HPI. “I didn’t think the Indiana State Police have been doing. It is both to innocent Hoosiers should have to have a prescription, but the credit of our law enforcement community but it’s also it wasn’t working. I came 180 degrees away from my old evidence how serious this challenge is in communities position. We’ve been sticking Band-Aids on a cancer.” large and small across Indiana that we led the nation in This session Sen. Steele proposed SB 445, which meth lab busts. We’re doing the work; we’re going after it. would impose a universal prescription requirement for This drug is a heinous poison and highly addictive and far PSE cold medications but sunset in three years. “The too available. I’m not familiar specifically with the progress State Police liked my bill the best. They think it the most of that legislation, but if it gets to my desk we’ll give it a effective. The governor, I heard, did not like my bill. You fair look. This is an issue that we are leaning into in this can verify that through his people,” Steele remarked. administration and we’ll continue to evaluate all policy op- tions to confront it.” Committee deal making Steele’s bill was initially assigned to his own com- Sen. Steele flips on Rx mittee, Judiciary. However, it was reassigned to Sen. Mike HPI has written extensively on how local leaders Young’s Corrections Committee, which has traditionally and sympathetic lawmakers have been raising awareness handled meth-related matters. Steele used to chair it. and building bipartisan coalitions backing the prescription However, Sen. Young’s had his own anti-meth bill approach. (See our April 24, 2014, and Feb. 5, 2015, edi- (SB 536), which would impose a PSE prescription require- tions.) ment on those with drug-related convic- “In the brief tions. Young believes a universal prescrip- time I’ve been in of- tion is a step too far. fice, this issue has “I figured Mike (Young) would gotten more traction just go ahead and kill my bill and hear at the Statehouse. his,” Steele explained. “But, he’s stand up Before, hardly anyone enough that he didn’t do that. He said, would listen to us. Now, ‘Let the best bill surface.’” legislators from around Last week Chairman Young the state really want to heard his bill and then allowed Steele to help,” Mayor Winnecke, present his bill in the form of an amend- an ardent prescription ment. Extensive testimony and discussion requirement advocate, postponed a vote, but it was quite evident told HPI this week. “You revisions were needed to Young’s bill by don’t always get what itself. When the committee reconvened you want in year two Tuesday, Young moved a revised bill that or three. But it elevates “blended” Steele’s initial amendment into the public debate. with a revised version of SB 536. Other State Sen. Mike Young told Sen. Steele, “Let the best bill People now understand members had not seen the amalgamated surface.” (HPI Photo by Mark Curry) that this is a huge public amendment before the committee sat. safety problem in this The committee ultimately passed the state.” “blended” version 7-1. It would institute Young’s drug-re- One indication of that growing “traction” is Sen. lated conviction reporting starting in 2016 but also allow Steele’s about-face on a PSE prescription requirement. for an automatic “kick in” for Steele’s universal prescrip- In describing how he changed his mind, Steele tion requirement if meth lab busts did not decline by the told HPI the unrelenting news of meth’s impact in his end of a three-year period. community made an impression: “My wife and I started As the revised language states, in January 2020 ourselves a meth bust scrapbook for Lawrence County and a certified report by the Indiana State Police of how every night we had somebody, kids involved,” he ex- many meth labs were discovered in 2019 will be filed. If plained. The scrapbook quickly filled up. that report finds 400 or more labs were discovered, then Steele has grappled with the issue since his days an “emergency rule” enacting a universal prescription in the House, having introduced the first PSE bill in the requirement for PSE cold meds will go into effect starting Indiana General Assembly in 1997. He was confident July 2020. Like Steele’s original bill and original amend- when Indiana joined the National Precursor Log Exchange ment, there will be a three-year sunset. There is a “carve (NPLEx) in 2011. The multistate system tracks purchases out” for PSE cold meds found by the Board of Pharmacy and can issue stop-sale orders to pharmacies in real time; to be “extraction resistant or conversion resistant.” it enforces Indiana’s daily, monthly, and yearly PSE pur- “He can count votes,” Steele told HPI. “I’m sure if chase limits. he moved my amendment it was going to pass. And, he is Page 6 chairman of the committee and he can move any amend- weeks ago. “The smurfs who are doing this don’t typically ment he wants.The blended bill is good because, if Mike have a felony record for it. They’re small-time helpers of is right, and I don’t know if he is, then we won’t need my the whole process. If you ignore them completely you re- bill. But if he is wrong, my bill will automatically kick in.” ally don’t do anything.” Young allowed Steele to set the meth bust thresh- Steele hopes meth busts will decline with con- old of 400. Steele said he arrived at that number from viction reporting, but confessed, “I don’t predict that, the claimed 75% reduction in meth busts for states, like though.” Oklahoma, who have required a prescription of only drug convicts. The Rx bill’s future Though a longtime proponent of an outright PSE Senate Appropriations was scheduled to hear prescription requirement, Sen. Glick sees Young’s drug- SB 536 this morning. Whereas last week the conviction related conviction reporting as progress. reporting, collating, and forwarding costs for the Indiana “It’s a good first step,” she told HPI. “It’s going State Police were unclear, figures reported to the LSA indi- to inconvenience some people. But cate an upfront outlay of $116,800 the first I think we have such a danger- year and continuing costs of around $55,000 ous situation developing with this per year. It’s over these costs IACT cries foul. manufacturing of meth in homes, in There could also be considerations as to lost apartments, and in hotel rooms, it’s sales tax revenue due to the two prescription just too much danger. requirements, first for convicts and, if the “We’ve got to give Young’s automatic kick-in is activated, for everyone. bill an opportunity to work,” she Assuming it makes the appropriations said. “But I’m sure we’re going to hurdle, the full Senate will hear the bill next get above 400 (meth busts in 2019). week before the crossover deadline. If the If it fails, we can act sooner.” Senate super majority follows its normal Asked about the significant procedures, there will be no amendments reduction in meth busts needed to around the committee chairman on second avoid the automatic kick-in, Chair- reading. man Young told reporters, “We It’s uncertain how an up or down vote will believe it will work and it won’t go go, but it’s a very strong possibility the first that way. Whether 400 is the right anti-meth bill with, in fact, two types of pre- number or not, I don’t know, it may scription requirements will be passed by at change. But, we had to have some- least one chamber of the Indiana Legislature. thing. We’re not going to let meth HPI cautiously predicts almost all Demo- pervade our communities without crats will vote for the measure and a suffi- trying to stop it.” cient number of Republicans, especially from “As the bill stands right now, the General Assembly heavily meth-affected areas, will carry it over the edge. is OK with 399 meth labs every year,” IACT’s Swanson told If assigned to the analogous panel in the House, HPI. He noted prescription-only states saw drastic declines SB 536 will head to Chairman Tom Washburne’s Courts in meth busts and have since sustained annual totals in and Criminal Code Committee where it might find a the single digits. “We have an evidence-based solution and sympathetic launching pad to the full House. Washburne we’re still not doing it,” he remarked. proposed conviction-reporting legislation (HB 1563) similar “It makes every Hoosier pay for a small percent- to Young’s original bill. Moreover, he represents northern age of the population of Indiana who actually use Sudafed Evansville and is well aware of meth’s impact on local com- products. I think the better approach would be you require munities. a prescription and you put the cost on the people who are “I hope we are able to get at least one good bill actually using the product.” out of this session,” Glick told HPI. “It’s just too important Moreover, IACT believes Young’s convictions to let it keep continuing.” reporting to NPLEx will do little to abate smurfing PSE to Asked about SB 536, Mayor Winnecke described it meth cooks. Fake IDs are already a loophole to the exist- as “incremental progress.” ing system as well as the fact many smurfs do not have “We’ll take it. I personally would prefer a shorter prior drug convictions because they are usually neither time frame, but I don’t want to be too critical. I guess meth cooks nor users. Describing your average Hoosier I would see more positive than negative. In Evansville, smurf, the Madison County prosecutor told the committee, smurfing is a huge problem. You pay a guy $20 and he “They’re poor people trying to get a few bucks.” gets PSE and some of the product. That’s a huge problem “The reporting of meth-related convictions does here. Our meth suppression task force tell us this happens not do anything to stop the smurfs who are buying it and all the time. Anything we can do, and I mean the collective giving to the meth cook,” Rep. Smaltz told HPI several we, to restrict and hinder the bad guy’s ability, is good.” v Page 7

BILL WOULD PROHIBIT GENDER ABORTIONS: Talk Panel advances of banning abortions based on gender selection or fetal disability sparked a heated debate Wednesday in the Sen- ate Public Health Committee (Evansville Courier & Press). religious freedom bill Senate Bill 334 – authored by Sens. Travis Holdman, INDIANAPOLIS – A proposed Indiana religious R-Markle and Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne – would prohibit freedom law that’s divided some business groups and Gov. health providers from performing abortions if the doctor Mike Pence passed a state Senate committee Wednes- knows the procedure is desired because of the fetus’s sex day (Associated Press) Supporters of the bill say it would or a potential disability. The bill passed the committee 7-4 protect people and businesses from being compelled to as amended. The original bill included criminal penalties provide services for same-sex weddings and other activi- for providers who performed abortions in those circum- ties they find objectionable. They stances but the committee amended those out of the also maintain the proposal would legislation. Opponents questioned why the bill is needed if shield religious minorities from a provider couldn’t be charged. But Brown said the legisla- government interference. The In- tion helps preserve the value of women and people with diana Chamber of Commerce and disabilities. She pointed out that in China, families value other business groups told the a baby boy over a baby girl, which leads to abortions. But Senate Judiciary Committee last Sen. Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville, quickly countered that week that the Republican-sponsored proposal could hurt argument. “I know you that you cited China, but in the the state’s reputation and make it more difficulty to attract United States we have not found that sex selection has companies. The bill “prohibits a governmental entity from been a reason” for an abortion, she said. “None of the substantially burdening a person’s exercise of religion.” research supports that.” The committee quietly passed the bill Wednesday without Democrats present, which now heads to the Senate. CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION BILL DEAD- LOCKED: The conservative cause asking states to call the WAYS & MEANS PASSES BUDGET: The House Ways first constitutional convention since the nation’s founding is and Means Committee passed a Republican budget bill facing some skepticism among Indiana legislators (Associ- Wednesday that increases funding for schools, roads and ated Press). The Senate Judiciary Committee deadlocked maintains about $1.8 billion in reserves (Kelly, Fort Wayne 5-5 Wednesday on whether to endorse a resolution for In- Journal Gazette). But Democrats spent the day trying to diana to support calling such a convention. Supporters say alter key provisions of the two-year, $31.2 billion spend- they believe states need to stand up to the federal govern- ing plan – without much success. House Bill 1001 now ment’s expanding reach and growing debt. Two Republi- moves to the full House for consideration next week. The can senators joined three committee Democrats in voting bill includes almost $470 million in new money for Indi- against the resolution, preventing it from advancing to the ana’s K-12 schools but also changes the funding formula full Senate. Some opponents said they worried about such that dictates how the money is distributed. “Even though a constitutional convention running amok. you are putting more money in, the bottom line is we still have school corporations that lose dollars,” said Rep. RIECKEN PRESSES FOR MED SCHOOL FUNDING: Greg Porter, D-Indianapolis. A count of full state funding An Evansville state lawmaker on Wednesday tried un- to K-12 schools shows that 91 districts will lose money in successfully to increase state funding for the regional the first year. However, 83 of those are losing children in medical school campus planned for Downtown in the their enrollment count. The bill also sets aside $400 million proposed budget making its way through the Indiana in additional highway dollars over the biennium on top of General Assembly (Schneider, Evansville Courier & Press). the Indiana Department of Transportation’s regular bud- The Republican-controlled fiscal committee for the Indi- get. The budget anticipates that Indiana’s private school ana House voted down the additional funding proposed voucher program will grow from 29,000 students this year by state Rep. Gail Riecken, an Evansville Democrat and to 40,000 students in 2017, costing upwards of $173 mil- candidate for mayor. “I should say I’m very appreciative of lion. The committee did agree to a few small amendments where we are … but I really felt like I needed to put that offered by Democrats on Wednesday. One cuts the funding on the table,” Riecken said. The House’s budget allows for a regional cities initiative being pushed by Gov. Mike organizers of the project to finance $36 million to construct Pence. He proposed $42 million a year for that initiative the school, which Indiana University officials say falls in in the budget. But Pence’s budget folks raided several line with the original size plans for the building. But state existing funds to pay for it. The regional cities initiative is a funding requests by the three public universities involved matching grant program that Pence hopes will propel one in the project totaled nearly $50 million and would provide or two areas of the state into a destination regional city. for a larger building. Riecken requested the committee to After the amendment, only $20 million remains per year agree to that funding level on Wednesday.” v for the program. Page 8

He will be giving two more Lincoln speeches in Broad Pence presidential bid Ripple tonight to Washington Township Republicans and in Knightstown next Tuesday. There are two competing schools of thought as could be determined to what Pence will do in May. Howard County Republican Chairman Craig Dunn told HPI, “After hearing Gov. Pence on Jeb Bush’s traction speak at the Tippecanoe Lincoln Day and speaking with him informally, I now believe that he will enter the beauty By BRIAN A. HOWEY pageant after session. He had the biggest entourage that INDIANAPOLIS – The numbers involving former I’ve ever seen last evening. His speech sure sounded like a Florida Gov. Jeb Bush are both shocking and pedestrian dress rehearsal for the big leagues.” and within their context, could play a pivotal role in Gov. It comes as Pence is scheduled to appear at a Club Mike Pence’s political future. For Growth event in Palm Beach, Fla., on Feb. 26-28. Also The Washington Post reported last weekend that appearing are Bush, Sen. Marco Rubio, Gov. Scott Walker, Bush’s “money juggernaut is far eclipsing the efforts of his Sen. Ted Cruz and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. Earlier this would-be rivals.” We’ve seen the month, Club For Growth President David McIntosh, a close $100 million figure kicked around in Pence friend who preceded him in Indiana’s 6th CD, said in the national press. We know that in Washington, “I’m a huge fan of Mike Pence. If he were to George W. Bush’s first four months decide to run for president, I would be very excited.” Club as a candidate back in 1999 he For Growth has a vast money network that Pence could raised a field-altering $37 million. tap. So a $50 million Bush benchmark Another prominent Indiana Republican activist, by the end of April would not be speaking to HPI on background, also believes Pence will surprising. run. “Absolutely he’s going to run,” the activist said. “Pence But the pedestrian part of the equation were the is f---ed. There is no way he could win reelection. These numbers from three NBC/Marist Polls conducted in Iowa, teachers are going to vote in droves and they are pissed. New Hampshire and South Carolina. Bush posted 16% in Pence is going to get all the blame and all the venom.” Iowa (1% behind Mike Huckabee), 18% in New Hampshire This assessment is in the face of a recent Public Opinion where he leads Wisconsin Strategies Poll conducted for Gov. Scott Walker by 3 the Indiana Realtors that had points, and 15% in South Pence’s approval at 62%. Carolina where he trails The activist continued favorite son Sen. Lindsey that in a presidential race, Graham by 2 points. Pence would have a significant The Bush strat- debate advantage. “Jeb is go- egy is to replicate W. in ing to have a lot of money, but 1999, which is to raise so I don’t know if that’s enough,” much money that it sucks he said. away the oxygen from The Weekly Standard’s other potential rivals. W.’s Stephen Hayes reported this early haul in 1999 pushed week he believes Pence won’t. former Vice President Dan “The early betting was that Quayle and others out of Pence would seek the chair- the race early. manship of the Republican Where Bush is Governors Association,” Hayes finding less traction is on wrote. “When he didn’t, many the populist side of the Washington Republicans took equation. Leading in only his decision as a sign that he one of three key early Gov. Mike Pence with former congressman and personal friend would run. Sources with ties to states, that is good news David McIntosh, who now heads Club For Growth at CPAC in 2014. three rival campaigns say they for Pence. It means that expect Pence will pass on the GOP voters aren’t anywhere close to sorting out the field. race.” Gov. Walker is creating the most early buzz, but occupying Hayes clearly sees the Pence potential, writing, that zone early on is a precarious proposition at best. “Pence is a movement conservative and a talented com- Pence is active on the home front, giving a Lin- municator. He’s an old-school, Reagan-style conservative, coln dinner speech before 130 people in Lafayette, while hawkish on national security, unwavering on issues of drawing around 30 pro-Glenda Ritz protesters, last week. importance to social conservatives, and a consistent eco- Page 9 nomic conservative. If he runs, he will have an opportu- tracked. nity to appeal to grassroots conservatives without scaring n Will Common Core become a determinate establishment and big-money Republicans.” factor? It could. Viser reported that in a survey conducted And then there’s Politico’s Mike Allen, who listed a this month for Bloomberg Politics and Saint Anselm Col- 2016 GOP presidential “leader board” on Monday (Bush, lege, 20% of New Hampshire Republican primary voters Walker, Sens. Rubio, Rand Paul and Cruz) which did not said Bush’s support for Common Core was a “deal killer.” include Gov. Pence. But Allen notes, “Our leader board, of Only 40% said it was not a real problem, while 28% said course, will change in radical ways in the weeks ahead, they would have to consider the issue. But another poll especially if another governor, John conducted by Vanderbilt Univer- Kasich of Ohio, Mike Pence of Indi- sity found that 38% of Tennessee ana, gets serious.” Republicans opposed national education standards implemented What could influence a across the states; that number Pence decision? rose to 61% when it was called Here are several points “Common Core” in the poll ques- Pence will almost certainly weigh tion. So this is a branding issue. after the sine die of the Indiana n What will the im- General Assembly. They are: migration issue do to Bush and n How much money has Gov. Walker? In 2006, Bush wrote Jeb Bush raised by the end of April a Los Angeles Times reporter and is there a corollary response in that “the notion that we would the polls? If Bush raises $50 million, felonize folks that have been that isn’t necessarily a definitive here and that are contributing to game changer, as former Texas Gov. our progress is just plain wrong. John Connally would attest. If he’s Penalizing the children of illegal in the $65 million range or more, it immigrants by denying US citizen- might be. ship is wrong.” So here is another n What is the GOP base policy divide between Bush and response to Bush’s support of Com- Pence, who voted against the mon Core? It is this issue where Dream Act on Dec. 8, 2010. Walk- Bush and Pence find the sharpest er backed a 2006 Secure America policy relief, with Bush vowing not and Orderly Immigration Act, a to change his support despite deep bill authored by Sens. John Mc- conservative suspicion, and Pence Cain and Ted Kennedy (Politico). being the first governor to repeal. n Is there “Bush fa- Boston Globe reporter Matt tigue” with Republican voters? Viser observed that Bush won’t back Particularly with conservative away. “In my view, the rigor of the primary voters who watched Common Core State Standards must President George W. Bush plunge be the new minimum in classrooms,” the U.S. into a trillion dollar bud- Bush said in November. “And so get deficit and make the biggest for those states that are choosing entitlement expansion since the a path other than Common Core, Great Society? On Wednesday I say this: ‘That’s fine. Except you before the Chicago Council on should be aiming even higher and Foreign Affairs, Bush attempted be bolder and raise standards and to set himself apart from his pres- ask more of our students and the idential brother and father. “I also system.’ I just don’t feel compelled have been lucky to have a father to run for cover when I think this is and a brother who both have the right thing for our country. And shaped America’s foreign policy others have, others that supported from the Oval Office. I recognize the standards, all of a sudden are that as a result, my views will opposed to it.” Pence has made the Common Core repeal often be held up in comparison to theirs’ – sometimes in a consistent policy burnishment. Walker, New Jersey Gov. contrast to theirs’.” Bush then says, “I love my father and Chris Christie and Mike Huckabee all once either outright my brother. I admire their service to the nation and the or tacitly supported Common Core and have now back- difficult decisions they had to make. But I am my own man – and my views are shaped by my own thinking and own Page 10 experiences.” It will be is a crap shoot. Running fascinating to see how in this surreal environ- this delineation plays in ment without a slam the next spate of polls, dunk “heir apparent” is a particularly among red potential dicey proposi- state primary voters. tion. A Quinnipiac Poll n Will the Koch from the swing states Brothers commit to of Colorado and Virginia another candidate? The gauged the potential Pence speculation in “Bush fatigue”. CNN re- tandem with his strategy ported: As in past polls, of not jumping in at the Bush continues to face beginning of the year is the burden of his family that the Koch brothers name. About 4-in-10 could financially jump- Colorado voters and 35 start a Pence presi- percent of voters in Iowa dential campaign. This and Virginia said they week Bloomberg News were less likely to sup- reporter Julie Bykowicz connected the port Bush because his dots between the billionaire brothers and brother and father have Gov. Walker, observing: “The Kochs have both been president. pledged to marshal some $900 million In addition to his to spend on a fight for the presidency, tepid standing in primary and although they may not wade directly states, in the general into the GOP primary muck, their ties to election matchup with Walker appear stronger than to anyone potential Democratic else considering a run.” nominee Hillary Clinton, On another day in another week Bush is being smoked and in another publication, we’ve read by a Real Clear Poli- similar David Koch affinity for Gov. Pence, tics composite 53.6 to who has key former aides dispersed 40.9%. A January poll through Americans For Prosperity. Charles by ABC/Washington Koch has “personal affection” for Sen. Post had Clinton leading Paul. But Bykowicz reported: While Tim 54-41%. In the primary, Phillips, the president of Americans for where very conservative Prosperity, said that his group won’t voters tend to domi- The Bush dynasty (top) and Gov. Mike Pence on Monday. endorse a candidate in the primaries, his nate in Iowa and South (HPI Photo by Mark Curry) praise for Walker is effusive. “The dif- Carolina, this could be a ference Scott Walker has made with his real problem for Jeb Bush. And a CNN/ORC poll released policy achievements is as transformative as any governor Wednesday showed that 64% saw Bush as a candidate anywhere in a generation,” he said in an interview. “That’s of the past while only 33% saw him as one of the future why his appeal flourishes for activists and for donors.” (Hillary Clinton stood at 48/50%). Would a Pence candidacy declaration change the n How many potential Pence rivals will implode? Koch dynamic? Only a handful of people would know. Gov. Christie is in deep trouble with his vaccine quotes in GOP sources tell HPI that while the Kochs may not London and then his sophomoric evasion of the press in formally back candidate during the primary process, Pence the days that followed. Sen. Paul also took on some hot will have access and carry weight with the sprawling Koch water over the same issue, then pandered to the press bundling network. with a photo op vaccine shot. And Mike Allen’s Playbook carried this post on Tuesday: “President Paul? Wall Street HPI’s take? A game time decision on high alert: His ‘audit the Fed’ push makes him danger- A prediction? The official Pence campaign re- ous in the eyes of finance execs.” Gov. Walker, the current sponse is a reelection bid is the current priority, though the hot candidate, “punted” on an evolution/creationism ques- rhetoric, schedule and actions fuel an alternative universe. tion in London. Walker is also under scrutiny for lacking The environment in early May could be vastly different a college degree. If elected, he would be the first since than the one we found on President’s Day. It will be . . . a President Truman not to have a degree. It is unclear at game-time decision. v this writing on the potential impact. Running for president Page 11

day’s rhetoric that non-educators in the legislature were Gregg, Hill inch toward meddling in classrooms, Ritz told the assemblage, “You’ve done your call to action. They need to hear from you. They need to respect the work we do every day.” The day’s ef- 2016 decision as Dems forts revolved around opposition to pending legislation that would allow the governor-appointed SBOE to elect its own rally ‘round Ritz chairperson. Currently, statute dictates the superintendent fulfills that role. By BRIAN A. HOWEY The next day, the Senate voted to remove Ritz INDIANAPOLIS – As speculation continues on as the automatic chair of the SBOE. The assault on Ritz’s whether Gov. Mike Pence might opt for a 2016 presiden- positions not only have brought about defense from tial run, two potential Democratic challengers are inching educators, but drew op-ed pieces written by Gregg and toward a decision. And Supt. Hill, though neither spoke at the rally on Monday. With Glenda Ritz, who has been at Ritz within the Republican bullseye, there had been talk the center of controversy at the of a potential Ritz 2016 gubernatorial campaign, with the Statehouse, appears to be gear- superintendent responding with a “never say never” quote. ing up for reelection. However, sources close to Ritz are tamping down talk of John Gregg told Doug a gubernatorial bid, telling Howey Politics Indiana that a Ross of the NWI Times that he reelection bid is still in the works. is nearing a decision. “I’m weighing it real heavily,” Gregg, While all of the anti-Ritz legislation is expected to the 2012 Democratic nominee, said last week. “It was easily pass in the two GOP super majorities, some Repub- the closest race in over 50 years,” Gregg said of his 2.3% licans are expressing caution and reluctance. State Sen. loss to Gov. Mike Pence, who polled just 49% of the vote. Randy Head, R-Logansport, defied his party leadership Gregg added that from his per- spective, Republican actions to strip Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz of her powers are “Miracle-Gro” for his grassroots support. Former Congressman Baron Hill told Fox59 that the 2016 Indiana gubernatorial race is “winnable” for a Demo- crat. “Absolutely it’s a win- nable race,” said Hill. “I think we’re getting to a point in time where I have to make that decision sooner than later.” Hill also weighed in on the legislative Republican agenda to strip Ritz of her automatic chairing of the State Board of Education. “Clearly teachers feel under attack and superintendents feel like we’re moving in the wrong direc- tion in terms of our educational Supt. Glenda Ritz speaks to a Statehouse rally that drew about 1,000 educators on Monday. (HPI policy,” said Hill, whose wife Photo by Mark Curry) was a teacher. “It’s about talk- with his nay vote. “It’s not the right thing to do to take ing to people, Democrats and Republicans, trying to find powers away from an elected official in the middle of her common ground and common solutions and unfortunately term,” Head told CNHI’s Maureen Hayden. “I respect a lot right now that’s not going on.” of the people who voted in favor of the bill; in their minds Ritz took center stage on Monday, as educators they are trying to solve the problems that exist between from around the state rallied on her behalf at the State- the State Board (of Education) and the Superintendent.” house. “I am an educator and I know what we need in our State Sen. Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg, questioned schools,” Ritz told the crowd to thunderous applause and the political wisdom of the vote. “For me, the timing was cheering. “Today’s rally is about students.” Adding to the wrong,” Leising told CNHI. “The perception of people right Page 12 now is: That for some reason, the governor, the superin- Harper is vowing to stop “crony capitalism” on the eco- tendent, the state board and the Republicans in the Gen- nomic development front. In an email fundraising appeal eral Assembly are at odds. And so to me, any action taken to potential supporters, Harper explained, “As our next like this is going to be perceived as political.” mayor, I will get to work immediately on changing busi- Leising said she could support the part of the bill ness as usual at city hall. We must stop the practice of that gave the Legislature more say over who sits on the taxpayer dollars being used to pick winners and losers in State Board of Education, which would take away the our business community in the power of the governor to appoint all its members. “But the name of economic develop- timing is all wrong,” she said. Leising acknowledged that ment. In short, I’m going to the current system isn’t working, noting the repeated and stop the crony capitalism. We heated disagreements between the Democrat Ritz and must ensure that decisions board members appointed by Republican Gov. Mike Pence. are made for the benefit of all But she said there was plenty of blame to go around. “I of Fort Wayne and not for the just think there is so much rhetoric back and forth,” Leising favored few.” Harper added, continued. “To be honest, it reminds me of middle-school “The city also spends too much girls fighting. And I don’t want to participate in that. I money on paid lobbyists at the Statehouse. As a former think its time for everybody to act like grownups and deal member of the Indiana legislature, I will apply my real with real issues which is educating kids.” world experience and knowledge to work with our State- A number of Republican sources have told HPI house delegation as a thoughtful and consistent advocate they fear the legislative action is going to mobilize edu- for Fort Wayne; we can get better results without the cators in the same manner they did in 2012, when they added expense to taxpayers. However, to make meaningful played a crucial role in the stunning upset of Republican changes, we must first rise to the challenge of this cam- incumbent Supt. Tony Bennett. paign; it’s time for Fort Wayne to run, not walk.” Harper is Senate President David Long took steps to correct challenging two-term Democratic Mayor Tom Henry, who what he calls “misinformation.” is expected to easily win the Democratic primary against “It’s also important to note what the bill does not three opponents. do,” Long said. “Senate Bill 1 does not remove the super- intendent of public instruction as a board member or even Portage: Snyder campaign in the red prevent the superintendent from serving as chair. It does Portage Mayor James Snyder raised more than not remove the superintendent as head of the Department $138,000 in campaign funds last year, but ended 2014 of Education, and it does not make the superintendent more than $18,000 in the red (Russell, NWI Times). It an appointed position in state government. The unprec- wasn’t an election year for his office. The Portage mayor edented dysfunction we’ve seen on the board in the past filed his 2014 campaign year-end financial report on two years is unacceptable. This legislation is an effort to Thursday, nearly a month after the deadline. Among his get the board back on track, which is in the best interest campaign’s payments were nearly $700 for child care. of everyone in our state.” While Snyder raised what appears to be a significant Senate Minority Leader Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, amount of money in an off-election year, he spent more said during testimony, “This dysfunction, it’s manufactured. than $140,000 and his committee, Citizens for Snyder, is It’s a manufactured dysfunction that’s being thrown out more than $18,000 in debt, according to the report filed by there to convince someone that we have to act. We can’t his treasurer, Kenard Taylor, of Valparaiso. Taylor said it is wait.” not unusual for candidates to raise large sums of money in On the health care front, the U.S. Department an off year, especially if that candidate anticipates opposi- of Health and Human Services announced that 218,000 tion in the following year’s election. “In between elections, Hoosiers had signed up for health insurance via the federal you try to raise money to try and do things to prepare exchange. Hill told Fox59 that he’s glad the state was able for the next election,” Taylor said. In a written statement to reach a deal with the federal government to expand Tuesday, Snyder said the reports were made by a profes- the Healthy Indiana Plan. “I wouldn’t have done it that sional with knowledge of reporting requirements, “not by way, but anytime you can get 350,000 people on board for a campaign volunteer.” “The reports reflect the commit- Medicaid expansion, I’m for it,” said Hill. “Now as it relates ment the Snyder family has made to the city of Portage, as to the exchanges, I think we ought to have our own ex- nearly $20,000 dollars are owed to him by the campaign change. I don’t think we ought to have an exchange that’s primarily for expenditures for the city,” Snyder said in the controlled by the federal government.” written statement.

Mayoral Carmel: Brainard erases Facebook posts Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard is the latest politician Fort Wayne: Harper cites ‘crony capitalism’ to find that managing social media accounts is more chal- Fort Wayne Republican mayoral candidate Mitch Page 13 lenging than simply posting messages for constituents (Si- primary. Turnbull pulled a Democratic ballot in 2014, 2012, kich, IndyStar). Supporters and detractors alike can, and 2011, 2008 and 2006. He didn’t vote in the 2010 or 2007 often do, answer back. Brainard has received blowback in primary races. Prior to that, he voted Republican tickets, the last couple weeks because his campaign staff has been except for 1992. “I saw no need to vote on the Republi- systemically deleting comments they perceive as nega- can side for those,” Turnbull said in an email. “Combine tive, and blocking some users, from his campaign page that with the fact that I have been a city employee for 26 on Facebook. Scroll up and down his Facebook page “Jim years with a Democratic mayor and did not want to risk Brainard for Carmel Mayor” and you’ll find only positive anyone looking at my record with little to contest on the posts and glowing responses from his supporters. Brainard Republican side.” Democratic mayoral candidate Darryl said he wants the page to focus on his vision for Carmel Neher has a more recent history of voting under his as- and his success stories. “Some of the people posting are sociated party, but from 2002-07, he voted in Republican clearly very angry, upset people and it’s not going to do primaries. “I grew up in a Republican household in a small any good to answer them,” Brainard said. “There might be Indiana town,” Neher said. He said as an adult he hasn’t an occasional comment where I will contact someone indi- voted straight tickets and has mostly supported Demo- vidually, someone with a legitimate concern who is open- cratic presidential candidates. “I could no longer vote in a minded.” Experts told The IndyStar that privately managed Republican primary,” Neher said. and clearly marked campaign pages such as Brainard’s will Bloomington’s three Democratic mayoral can- not risk running afoul of the First Amendment if staffers didates are not happy with Indiana University Health’s remove comments. They’re considered personal pages, decision that it will no longer consider building a replace- not public forums. But political campaign managers say ment Bloomington Hospital on its current downtown site removing comments and stifling debate likely won’t be a (Bloomington Herald-Times). “I’m disappointed,” said John winning political strategy on social media, where users are Hamilton, one of three Democratic candidates for mayor in accustomed to interaction. Kiel Kinnaman, who runs both the May primary election. “I think it’s premature and incor- a website and Facebook page called Carmel Chatter, was rect without public engagement.” Democratic mayoral surprised last week when two comments he made were candidate and Bloomington City Council member Darryl removed from Brainard’s page. “It doesn’t give people Neher said that while he is disappointed with the decision, the opportunity to discuss the issues,” Kinnamon said. “It the community needs to move forward. “They’ve made a deletes the purpose of having a campaign page.” statement that’s pretty clear,” he said. “It’s time to move forward into the accountability phase of that discussion.” Bloomington: Party switching candidates There’s a Republican mayoral candidate with a Elkhart: Neese forms advisory committee recent history of voting in Democratic primaries, and a Tim Neese, candidate for mayor of Elkhart has Democratic mayoral candidate who used to vote in Re- formed a 12 member “Advance Elkhart Betterment Com- publican primaries (Erbody, Bloomington Herald-Times). mittee.” The committee is a cross-section of Elkhart Sounds backward, right? It doesn’t mean they’re running citizens and backgrounds. “These individuals have agreed under the wrong party label, though. Andy Downs, director to assist me on varied topics and interests in how to make of the Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics at Indiana Elkhart more competitive and to solve problems. Elkhart’s University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, said there are challenges are not partisan, but rather city-wide concerns several reasons this happens — the person could have that detract from our community,” said Neese. “I want to truly changed values, looked at which party they’d be most work with people who are not hesitant to disagree with successful in as a candidate, or voted in the opposite pri- me, in an effort to determine the best solution, thus keep- mary for a strategic reason. Republican mayoral candidate ing Elkhart moving forward.” v John Turnbull, for example, said he voted in recent Demo- cratic primaries because there haven’t been contested races on the other side. The 2011 election only had three Republicans run for office, and none was contested in the

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set “uncommonly high” standards that would have other The education states looking in admiration at Indiana. Well, a lot of states no doubt are looking now at Indiana. Controversy abounded as new standards were mess in Indiana set. Some Common Core critics said the replacement was By JACK COLWELL too close to the original. Others said new standards were SOUTH BEND – Education is in a mess in Indiana. rushed and inadequate. With schools poised to administer the impor- Controversy in Indiana education rages way tant ISTEP+ exams to measure how kids, their teachers beyond test standards. and their schools are doing, A key factor in all this is that a Democrat, Glenda wrangling continues over the Ritz, had the audacity to win election in 2012 as state content, the length and the superintendent of public instruction. That wasn’t in the significance of the test and plans of Pence, who was elected governor that year, a big over blame for the mess. Republican year in Indiana. Most politicians and pundits It’s not the fault thought Tony Bennett, the Republican incumbent, would of the teachers. They are vic- win reelection and carry on with education reforms he was tims as they struggle to find pushing. what they are supposed to do But a lot of teachers were upset over reforms they to prepare their students for saw as hurting public education. They got behind Ritz, and standards that keep chang- she won, actually getting more votes than Pence did for ing. It’s certainly not the fault governor. of the kids. They are victims, A Democrat in state office? One with an education too, as those making the philosophy different than that of Pence? Unthinkable. mess seem more interested in So, Pence, with appointments to the Indiana State measuring political gain or loss than in measuring what the Board of Education, and Republican legislators, with super students know or don’t know. majorities in House and Senate, set out to trim Ritz of Sorry, kids. Politics first. traditional authority as superintendent. The making of a mess began when Gov. Mike The legislature is moving to take away the super- Pence, with an eye on winning favor with conservative vot- intendent’s role as chairman of the board of education. ers in places like Iowa and New Hampshire, called during Initially, some Republicans warned that doing so would the 2014 legislative look too political. But hotter session for Indiana heads prevailed. to abandon Com- Whether Ritz is doing mon Core standards a good or bad job as super- for schools. Those intendent is hard to evalu- rigorous standards ate. After all, she has been had been adopted by prevented from doing what Indiana and 44 other she was elected to do. With all states as part of edu- the political maneuvering to cation reform pushed deplete her power and change by such Republican test standards, Ritz can’t be governors as Mitch blamed for the mess, even Daniels of Indiana and if she has contributed to it. Jeb Bush of Florida. Pence took ownership with his Alas, when promise of standards “written a president named by Hoosiers, for Hoosiers” and Obama proclaimed support for the effort, some Tea Party “uncommonly high.” members and other conservatives who detest the presi- Instead of pushing Ritz into irrelevancy, Pence dent decided it must be some kind of left-wing plot. Bet has pushed her into the spotlight , and favorably so in the you didn’t know Mitch Daniels was a left-winger plotting view of Democrats who now talk of her as a candidate for with Obama to take control of Indiana schools. governor. Indiana in 2014 abandoned Common Core, the Education is in a mess in Indiana because too first state to do so. many Hoosier politicians regard Rs and Ds as more impor- Educators had been planning for Common Core tant than the ABCs. v standards. Local schools had spent a lot of money in preparation. No problem, said Pence, because Indiana Colwell has covered Indiana politics over five de- wouldn’t just dumb down the testing but would instead cades for the South Bend Tribune. Page 15

to the bitter end to stop monstrous people in their tracks. ISIS won’t be stopped The battle to end Islamic terrorism will end the same way, not by words, but with action. Can you imagine President Franklin D. Roosevelt rising from his wheelchair and rising with diplomacy to the podium in front of the United States Congress after By CRAIG DUNN the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and saying? KOKOMO – If anyone believes that Islamist terror- “Whereas Japan poses a grave threat to the ist organizations such as ISIS, Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, etc. people and territorial integrity of the Far East and to the will be stopped by diplomacy, measured wordsmithing or national security interests of the United States and its al- de facto appeasement, they are living in a pure, unadulter- lies and partners; whereas Japan holds significant territory ated fairytale world. Welcome to the world of Nobel Peace in the Far East and has stated that they intend to seize Prize recipient Barack Obama. more territory; whereas Japan has attacked the United Rarely, in the history of cruelty and barbarism has States, its citizens and its interests; whereas Japan has evil raised its ugly head in such a committed despicable acts of violence; whereas Japan has challenging manner. To be sure, threatened genocide and committed vicious acts of vio- history is littered with examples of lence; whereas Japan has targeted innocent women and atrocities committed in the name girls with horrific acts of violence including abduction, en- of religion, atrocities committed slavement, torture and rape; whereas Japan is responsible against subjected peoples and for an undeclared act of war by attacking Pearl Harbor and atrocities committed against en- killing nearly 3,000 American servicemen; I hereby autho- emies during time of war. There is rize the use of no ground forces except in situations where no doubt that terrorist groups such Special Forces might be helpful. I authorize no enduring as ISIS are faced with committing ground combat operations. In fact, this authorization shall unoriginal acts of cruelty. Their terminate three years from this date regardless of where predecessors over the centuries have largely tried and we stand in our conflict. Oh, and by the way, I also would perfected virtually every form of torture and murder imag- like to revoke the declaration of war that was declared inable. What makes the current acts of evil perpetrated by against Spain in 1898. We have remembered the Maine the Islamic terrorists so shocking is that they are occurring enough already!” in a digital age. If you substitute the word ISIL for Japan and Let’s face it, Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot, Idi Amin, delete the part about Pearl Harbor and Spain, this was ex- Robespierre, Mao and Franco killed millions in pursuit of actly the war powers authorization that President Obama their sick twisted goals. They and their minions generally presented to Congress. carried out the massacre of innocents beyond the glare of Could you even remotely imagine 1944 rolling cameras. The current breed of Islamic tyrants recognize around and President Roosevelt saying, “Well, General both the shock value and recruiting value of broadcasting Marshall, bring the boys home. You know I only asked unspeakable acts in an effort to draw the attention of the for a three year declaration of war. Hell yes, I know the world. In the most recent atrocity, the burning alive of Lt. Japanese still hold Guadalcanal, the Philippines, Malaysia, Muath al-Kaseasbeh, ISIS actually solicited suggestions on Guam, China, Korea, Thailand and Burma, but we can be ways to murder the Jordanian pilot via a Twitter account. proud that we haven’t sent in the Marines. That would be Islamic terrorists who are congregants of mass devastating to the cause of world peace.” beheadings, murder and mutilation of children, rape and Thankfully, President Roosevelt was a man of desecration of women, suicide bombings and murderous vision and action. After initially resisting the temptation assaults on anyone who challenges them are not likely to to enter World War II at the urging of Winston Churchill notice, let alone be persuaded by words raised in protest after France fell to the advancing German Army, Roosevelt or righteous indignation. It matters not one iota when looked for ways to support the struggling British people. President Obama condemns an act of murder or barbar- Just shy of a war declaration, Roosevelt supported the pro- ity. These Islamic terrorists don’t have political aides who visions of a Lend Lease agreement with Great Britain and dial up their most recent poll numbers and make decisions provided some convoy protection for ships observing our based on their personal popularity numbers. Unfortunately, right as a neutral nation to engage in trade with a belliger- our temporary leader of the free world does and he is ent country. Once Pearl Harbor was attacked and we were clueless as to what actions to take to stem the rising tide officially at war with both Japan and Germany, Roosevelt of Islamic terrorism. practiced all-out war on our enemies. If history has taught us anything, it is that words I can’t conceive of President Roosevelt telling Elea- alone never stop evil from advancing like a rapidly grow- nor in December, 1941, that before this war is over we will ing cancer or plague. It has taken resolute action from attempt to starve our enemies to death. We will launch an aroused people committed to seeing a fight through 1,000 plane raids on cities in Germany and Japan against Page 16 targets, using calculations of wind velocities to cause “Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact massive incineration of civilian populations. We will devote that our people, our territory, and our interests are in our best minds in science to the pursuit and invention of grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces, with an atomic bomb that will kill hundreds of thousands of the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain people. the inevitable triumph, so help us God. I ask that the Nope, I sincerely doubt that Franklin Roosevelt Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly ever had that conversation. But with his leadership we did attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of those things and more. We fought World War II to win it, war has existed between the United States and the Japa- not to win any popularity contests. There was absolutely nese Empire.” no way in 1941 for President Roosevelt to know what Wars led by Nobel Laureates, apologists and at- would need to be done to win the war. His declaration of torneys are doomed to failure. There is only one way to war was short, simple and to the point. He ended it with fight your enemy and that is by whatever means necessary these words: and to the death or absolute capitulation. That is the only “No matter how long it may take us to overcome option that President Obama should give ISIS and Islamic this premeditated invasion, the American people in their terrorists, death or absolute capitulation. The only mes- righteous might will win through to absolute victory. I sage he should give is, “We will go anywhere in the world, believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the at any time with any means necessary and will kill our people when I assert that we will not only defend our- enemies!” v selves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that Dunn is chairman of the Howard County Republican this form of treachery shall never again endanger us. Party.

Van Til was sentenced to 18 months in prison and Why McDermott ordered to report on April 30. At Van Til’s request, the judge recommended that he be assigned to the prison camp in Terre Haute. He pleaded guilty to having a couple resigned as chairman of his employees do political work on county time, just as By RICH JAMES former Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett MERRILLVILLE – It would appear that Hammond admitted to doing. Bennett was fined $5,000 but not crimi- Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. wasn’t telling the truth, the nally charged. whole truth, and nothing but the truth when he announced Gregory Sanchez, who was Van Til’s chief deputy, his resignation as Lake County Democratic chairman last was called by the government to testify during the sen- year. tencing hearing. Sanchez sought to replace Van Til as sur- At the time, McDermott said he veyor but lost to William Emerson, who had McDermott’s was stepping down because he was support. considering a 2016 run for state- A week prior to the replacement caucus, San- wide office, possibly for governor. chez delivered an envelope to McDermott. Sanchez said he If he were to seek statewide office, was acting on Van Til’s behalf. In the envelope was a copy McDermott said, it could be a nega- of an FBI 302 form which contained confidential informa- tive if he carried the title of chair- tion. man, given the history of public The form detailed a conversation between the FBI corruption. and Speros Batistatos, the president of the South Shore McDermott seemed to be suggest- Convention and Visitors Authority. The conversation was in ing that if he resigned as chairman June 2012 as Batistatos was en route to a baseball game that no one would remember that he once headed the with friends, including a woman who worked for Van Til. Democratic party in the county. So, McDermott resigned According to the form, the woman told Batistatos she did and the precinct organization elected Sheriff John Buncich a considerable amount of political work while on county as chairman. time. There has been little mention since of McDer- McDermott said that after reading the Form 302 mott running for governor or another statewide office. But that he had an uncomfortable feeling that helped lead to last week, it became clear why McDermott stepped down his resignation as chairman five months later.v as county chairman, and it wasn’t because of the county’s less than stellar reputation. The truth came out the day Rich James has been writing about state and local after the sentencing hearing for former Lake County Sur- government and politics for more than 30 years. He veyor George W. Van Til in U.S. District Court. is a columnist for The Times of Northwest Indiana. Page 17

anything they do. Once, we expected GAV to tell us how Assessing local we were doing with our ED efforts. Now, how to evaluate ED performance is a mystery. Politicians love the number of jobs promised as the primary measure of success- economic development ful programs. More sophisticated analysis focuses on the By MORTON MARCUS changes in earnings realized in a community. INDIANAPOLIS – Once upon a time, in a land Yet changes in GAV should be the most telling where we now live, citizens sought to improve their com- indicator of how a community is doing. The prices house- munities through something called “economic develop- holds and firms are willing to pay for the land, plus the ment.” They formed committees of local business and structures and equipment they bring to a community, may government leaders to encourage transportation and other be the best measure we could have of economic develop- public works improvements, the attraction of new indus- ment. tries, and the expansion of existing Next week, in this space, we’ll examine what has firms. happened to GAV throughout Indiana in the past few The primary motive behind years. Spoiler alert: It’s not a pretty story. v these efforts was to build the prop- erty tax base of the community so the Mr. Marcus is an economist, writer, and speaker services provided by the schools, the who may be reached at mortonjmarcus@yahoo. libraries, the cities and towns, as well as the county could be enhanced. At that long ago time, these services were financed through the local prop- erty tax. As the town grew in popu- The strange politics lation and provided more revenue for local businesses, it meant more students for the schools and more law of net metering enforcement. If more businesses were in town with more jobs, there would be more stress on the fire department By MICHAEL HICKS and the streets would have to be kept in good condition. MUNCIE – Indiana faces a looming problem in All this takes money derived from the property tax. electricity markets that many states have already tackled. Growing and modernizing businesses would have larger fa- It is not a specially complicated issue, but with more than cilities and more expensive equipment that could be taxed. the usual demagoguery surrounding it, a little explanation Higher paying jobs would lead to higher rents and selling is in order. Electricity is sold to consumers under a form of prices for houses; more people with more money in their price regulation. The reason for this is that consumers can- pockets make the land and buildings of homes, stores and not change the wires to their home offices more valuable. any time they see a lower price. So, In that bygone time, economic development (ED) electricity production is what econo- was easily understood as real estate development. The mists call a natural monopoly and measure of economic development was the change in the everywhere power is sold there is gross assessed value (GAV) of property, the increase or some form of pricing regulation. decrease in the property tax base. The way this works is that That was then, before the members of the the electric company builds power Indiana General Assembly realized they were ordained plants, pays workers and buys to change the world. They gave away generous exemp- fuel. Then the regulator (usually tions and deductions to property owners which reduced an appointed board) sets a price the GAV and consequently the property tax base. They for consumers that covers the cost capped property taxes and pushed through a constitutional of the fuel and the people and pays the companies a fair amendment to that effect. rate of return on their plant and equipment. In return, the In addition, the legislature concluded businesses company must provide service to everyone in their region. could not survive if they had to pay any local taxes and, This pricing regulation is not perfect. It cannot therefore, set in motion a process to reduce and eliminate be. No price will meet the mutually exclusive goals of get- taxes on inventories, machinery, and other means of pro- ting service to everyone at the lowest costs. So, regulators duction. They also gave local governments the power to (or owners of rural co-ops) compromise by having some phase in or divert business property taxes through abate- consumers subsidize others. Traditionally, it has been ments and TIFs (tax increment financing districts). Now, structured so wealthier households subsidize poorer ones, firms expect these breaks as a natural right for almost but that is changing. A decade ago Congress passed legislation that re- Page 18 quired electric utilities to buy power from consumers (typi- sive tax that most ratepayers pay to wealthier owners of cally large farms) who installed solar and wind power on the home solar cells and wind turbines. their land. As in many states, the requirement was that the Now, there are solid arguments for subsidizing power companies buy any excess power from this home- renewable energy, but implementing a regressive tax that made electricity at the same price other retail customers hits low- and middle-income electricity customers is close pay for their electricity. Therein lies the problem. to the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard of in years. The power company loses money on the deal, Many groups including the National Black Cau- and growth in solar and wind power means that soon it cus of State Legislators are calling on states to change will be big money. Many of us might be tempted to say, the rules. Indiana should do so. It is funny though, that “Who cares??!” But remember that the electrical company Indiana’s Community Action Coalition is fighting against is regulated, so it cannot lose money overall. That means change even though this rule might honestly be called a someone else is paying wealthy landowners to have wind CAFO subsidy. Wow. Pigs may not fly, but they have subsi- and solar power. That someone else just might be all those dized electricity. ­v customers who do not have solar cells on their roof. It gets worse. The folks who have the solar cells Michael Hicks, PhD, is the director of the Center and wind turbines are going to be a good bit more affluent for Business and Economic Research at Ball State than the typical electric utility customer. These systems are University. expensive. So, this pricing scheme acts much like a regres-

budget that is discretionary spending, Congress never The thud of a budget rewrites it wholesale; in general, all but 5 or 10 percent of the White House’s spending blueprint will make it through By LEE HAMILTON intact. The President’s budget, in other words, is never BLOOMINGTON – It may not be obvious from the “dead on arrival.” This is not to say that what Congress news coverage, but a good bit of Congress’s 2015 agenda does will be unimportant. The debate from here on out will just landed on Capitol Hill with a thud. I mean this literally. be specifically about taxing and spending priorities; About The federal budget that President Obama recently submit- how much money should go to defense, or homeland se- ted runs to 2,000 pages. curity, or social welfare, and more generally about who has This is the most important government document the best ideas for addressing the country’s needs. produced each year, so its heft is more than physical. The There will be times in upcoming months when budget is how we decide what it sounds as though our economy’s health depends on share of this country’s economic what our lawmakers do. The budget, after all, is where resources we should devote to the President and Congress can have an impact on the government, and how we should economy. I’m not persuaded, however, that it’s as large as spend them. It’s where we set they’d have us believe. For one thing, the Federal Reserve, out our national priorities, sort- through its control over the money supply, has its hands ing out how to allocate money on an immensely important economic lever. So do the big among defense, the environ- banks, major corporations and, most importantly, millions ment, education, medical re- of consumers. search, food safety, public works. Congress used to reign supreme in budget-mak- You get the idea. ing. George Washington didn’t even think it was his job Which is why you saw to send a budget to Congress, and the president wasn’t the political maneuvering begin legally required to submit one until the budget act of 1921 the moment it arrived. In a press conference after Presi- codified the practice. Now, of course, the President has dent Obama submitted his budget, House Speaker John become the chief budget-maker, and the Congress reacts Boehner dismissed it out of hand. “The president gave the to, and largely accepts, his proposals. The maneuvering on American people a good laugh yesterday,” he said. Every Capitol Hill over the next few months will, indeed, nudge year, politicians play some variation on this theme. I’ve lost the country in one direction or another. But our basic count of the times I’ve heard a budget declared “dead on course was already set by the time those 2,000 pages hit arrival.” lawmakers’ desks. v Yet here’s what you need to remember: Con- gress changes only a small portion of the budget. Well Hamilton heads Indiana University’s Center on Con- over half is mandated spending, interest on the debt, gress. He served 34 years in the U.S. House. entitlements, contractual obligations of the government. And even when it comes to the roughly 40 percent of the Page 19

Steve Kornacki, MSNBC: The model for Jeb lon needed to be added to page 4, line 13. At the rally on Bush’s campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential Monday, Ritz looked like she was a candidate for public nomination is obvious: His brother. Sixteen years ago, office. Oh, wait, she did run for office, and quite success- George W. Bush joined an unusually cluttered and form- fully. In 2012, about 1.3 million Hoosier voters made their less Republican field in a race considered more wide open choice: Ritz, not incumbent Tony Bennett, should lead than any the party had ever seen. Within months, though, the state’s education apparatus, which includes the State Bush had imposed order on the process by raking in Board of Education. Midway though Ritz’s ELECTED term, previously unimaginable sums of cash and racking up an the foot soldiers of Emperor Mike Pence changed her role. all-star roster of endorsements. By the end This is the politics you get in the world of the supreme of 1999, before a single primary or caucus leader and his gutless foot soldiers cloaked within vote had been cast, Bush had intimidated six that aforementioned super majority bubble in the separate rivals out of the race, with one poll Statehouse. v putting him 48 points ahead of his nearest remaining rival. This rapid trajectory — from Dana Milbank, Washington Post: Jeb untested legacy candidate to overpower- Bush was mere seconds into his speech Wednesday ing front-runner — is exactly what Jeb Bush and his team informing the world that he’s his “own man,” and not his are aiming for now with their “shock-and-awe” strategy, a brother or his dad, when he did something reminiscent of belief that a massive cash haul will produce a self-fulfilling both. He flubbed his line. “We definitely no longer inspire narrative of inevitability. George W. Bush’s grip on the GOP fear in our enemies,” the nominal front-runner for the faithful remained firm the whole way. In the end, there Republican presidential nomination said at the start of his was no math that could have vaulted McCain or anyone ballyhooed address. “The problem is perhaps best demon- else to victory over Bush. Now compare all of this to what strated by this administration’s approach to Iraq.” Whoa! Jeb Bush is facing today, starting with the mood of the He’s going there — right into the failure that pretty much Republican Party. The “Just win, baby!” spirit that prevailed destroyed his brother’s presidency? Bush continued read- in the late ‘90s has been replaced by a grassroots yearn- ing from his text, as if for the first time. “We’ve had 35 ing for ideological purity and distance from anything or years of experience with Iran,” he went on, then realized anyone connected with the party establishment. This is his earlier mistake. “Excuse me, Iran. Thirty-five years’ the product of a conservative movement that interprets experience with Iran’s rulers.” Dr. Freud would have been Barack Obama’s presidency far differently than it interpret- amused. v ed Clinton’s. And that interpretation of the Obama-era is directly related to how the right has chosen to reckon with George W.’s presidency. This is the story of the Tea Party, Tim Swarens, IndyStar: How do you solve a which came to life around Obama’s inauguration. In part, problem like Glenda? If that were a question on the ISTEP, it reflected the predictable reaction of one party’s base to it’s clear that Indiana Republicans would be destined for the election of a candidate from the other party. But it was summer school. No matter how many hours were spent also, crucially, a response to the Bush presidency, to the teaching to the test. But in fairness, there’s not a simple idea that in accepting “compassionate conservatism” in the solution to the dilemma of how to smartly balance the name of victory in 2000, the GOP had corrupted itself; the political challenges posed by Indiana’s educator in chief idea that the Bush administration had expanded govern- and the essential need to ensure that student achieve- ment irresponsibly and given conservatism a bad name, ment continues to improve in a state that’s fallen below and created the conditions that hastened Obama’s rise. the curve for far too long. Acquiescence to Ritz’s repeated This is the real story of the Tea Party: It’s not just an effort demands to shelve on-the-job accountability for teach- to fight Obama. It’s a mission to keep the Republican Party ers isn’t a viable option. We can’t afford to go back to from selling out again. v an era when the state essentially said that results in the classroom don’t really matter in relation to job security or rewards. But continuing the current cycle of confusion John Dodge, CBS Chicago: The halls of the Indi- and disarray on the State Board of Education and beyond ana Statehouse filled with angry parents and teachers this isn’t a responsible choice either. As House Speaker Brian week, the Republicans retreated deeper into their political Bosma told me this week: “It’s clear that it’s gone from bubble, wrapping themselves tightly in their super-majority dysfunctional operations (on the State Board) to being security blanket. “Let your voices be heard, you own this really detrimental to kids.” So, faced with that choice, Gov. place!” Sen. Tim Lanane, a Democrat, told the crowd.At Mike Pence and his allies in the General Assembly landed least for a few hours they did. A scheduled vote on bill that on a decidedly less than perfect answer to the Ritz puzzle: would strip State Education Supt. Glenda Ritz of her role Change the law to let the State Board elect its own chair as chair of the state school board was shelved. Officially, in hopes of finding enough unity to build a workable body. there is a rule that allows for a vote to be delayed to allow To which Ritz’s supporters have loudly and repeatedly cried for “technical corrections” in a bill. In this case, a semico- foul. Understandably so. v Page 20

five projects in the Purdue University 67 percent of Lafayette School Corp. 219,000 Hoosiers Colleges of Engineering and Technol- teachers, in September 2011 to 332 ogy and Purdue Libraries (Lafayette members, or 56 percent of teachers, sign up for ACA Journal & Courier). “It’s now our duty in September 2014. The Tippecanoe to turn it into a significant event in In- Education Association saw a 26 per- WASHINGTON — Nearly diana history by delivering even more cent drop during that same time pe- 219,000 Hoosiers obtained health world-class engineers, technologists riod — dropping from 420 members, insurance offered through the Afford- and leaders of all kinds, along with the or 67 percent of Tippecanoe School able Care Act during the 3-month discoveries, innovations and new jobs Corp. teachers, to 310 members, or open enrollment period that ended that great research produces,” Purdue 46 percent.” Sunday (Francisco, Fort President Mitch Daniels said. Wayne Journal Gazette). The grant is the largest cash Clerical error The number, which in- donation in Purdue history. cludes new sign-ups and “These projects hold great costs Elkhart Co. existing customers who promise to be real game- ELKHART — Elkhart County re-enrolled in insurance changers,” said Sara B. Cobb, officials have learned they’ll have $1.5 plans, is a 65 percent vice president of education million less in property tax revenue increase over the first enrollment for Lilly Endowment. “With its con- than expected because of a clerical period in 2013-14, when more than siderable strengths in engineering error, but they expressed confidence 132,000 people bought coverage over and technology, Purdue is poised for that public services won’t be affected a 6-month period. “If you look at that significant impact in research, educa- (Parrott, Elkhart Truth). Elkhart County growth in Indiana and you look at that tion and economic development.” Council adopted a $36.2 million bud- total enrollment of 219,000, we’re get in fall 2014. However, the state of pleased by the results,” Kevin Couni- Teacher union Indiana recently told county officials han, chief executive officer of the ranks decline that it can’t collect more than $34.7 Affordable Care Act Marketplace, said million in property taxes for this year’s Wednesday in a media conference LAFAYETTE — In 2011, general fund, leaving a roughly $1.5 call. Counihan said there was “a tre- teacher union leaders were neck million budget shortfall for this year. mendous amount of demand over the deep in a losing battle against state County Auditor Pauline Graff says she weekend” in Indiana. According to fig- lawmakers pushing a bill to curtail col- used the wrong levy figure last fall. ures released by the U.S. Department lective bargaining rights for teachers “None of us caught that when we of Health and Human Services, which (Lafayette Journal & Courier). The bill were going through the budget,” Graff administers the health care law, more passed easily, limiting negotiations for said. “We would have had more cuts than 20,000 Indiana residents chose teaching contracts to just wages and or they would have had to come up insurance plans over the final few wage-related benefits. The fear was with more income.” days of the latest enrollment period. that the law would weaken teachers HHS said 88 percent of Hoosiers who unions and erode teacher protection Millennials cutting signed up through January had quali- against vindictive or incompetent ad- fied for tax credits that averaged $325 ministrators. Four years later, did that cable TV a month. Nearly 80 percent of enroll- bargaining law — one piece of a coor- ees who qualified for subsidies were INDIANAPOLIS — A new dinated, Republican-driven education survey says more young adults are paying less than $100 a month for reform agenda that included private insurance, the agency said. Indiana’s cutting the cable cord. They’re still school vouchers and teacher merit watching TV, but not in the traditional latest enrollment figure was similar to pay — enact the damage union lead- numbers for Arizona and Tennessee. ways (WISH-TV). The Nielsen survey ers predicted at the time? Local union said millennial viewers, ages 18-34, The three states have roughly the leaders say their relationships with same number of residents. dropped 10.6% from September to local school officials remain collabora- January. That’s double what research- Lilly gives $40M tive despite the law. But they ac- ers have been seeing from season-to- knowledge that in most cases — just season before. That means millennials as it is in teacher unions across the are cancelling cable, throwing out the to Purdue county — their membership numbers bunny ears, and using different ser- are dropping. The Lafayette Education vices to watch TV. Cost seems to be WEST LAFAYETTE — Lilly Association saw a 17 percent drop in a driving issue. Cable can run about Endowment Inc. announced Wednes- the past four school years; member- 65-dollars a month on average, which day a $40 million grant to support ship decreased from 400 members, or adds up to nearly 800-dollars a year.