V20, N42 Thursday, July 30, 2015

Solutions for low Indiana vote turnout Atrophy in participation requires stewardship By BRIAN A. HOWEY and MATTHEW BUTLER INDIANAPOLIS – The concept of stewardship means leaving things in better shape than you found them. For many in the current generation of political and policy leadership in Indiana, they’ve witnessed a steep decline in voter partici- pation. Over the past generation, voter turnout has plummeted to the point where the state has one of the worst rates in the United States. Hoo- sier policy makers need to explore and implement reforms. pares to 79.8% who voted in Alabama, 57.6% in When it comes Maine, 54.3% in Wisconsin and 49.5% in Oregon. to voter turnout, Indiana In 2010, Indiana ranked 38th with 36.8% vot- ranked 43rd according to the Election Assistance Com- ing. “The last time voter turnout dipped below 36.4% in a mission in the 2014 elections with 27.7% of people in the U.S. general election was 1942, when 33.9% hit the polls,” state over age 18. The New York Times ranked Indiana 50th in voter turnout using a different criterion. This com- Continued on page 3 Gregg’s lessons learned By CHRIS SAUTTER WASHINGTON – It’s often said in politics that a candidate can learn more from losing than winning. Bill Clinton as the nation’s youngest former governor learned enough from his 1980 loss to win it right back in a re- match. Barack Obama used les- “The Club For Growth PAC sons from his 2000 loss for a U.S. House seat to successfully win a strongly endorses Marlin seat in the U.S. Senate four years Stutzman for U.S. Senate. Marlin later. John Gregg and Glenda has fought for economic liberty Ritz are good examples of both sides of that adage. Former since he was elected to Congress House Speaker Gregg, who in 2010.” started slowly in his 2012 race for governor before losing to - Club For Growth President Mike Pence in a surprisingly close David McIntosh election, is off to a fast start in Page 2

a possible re-match. On the other At the Washington event, hand, State Superintendent of Public Gregg shared some interesting results Instruction Glenda Ritz thus far seems from focus groups his campaign to have learned the wrong lessons commissioned just before the RFRA from her stunning victory over incum- controversy broke. Voters who partici- bent Tony Bennett in 2012. pated in the focus groups liked Pence Gregg visited Washington personally. But not one of them could recently, meeting with the Democratic cite a single accomplishment of his Governors Association, raising some administration. As the saying goes, money, and basking a bit in second Pence’s support before RFRA was a is a non-partisan newslet- quarter fundraising totals that showed mile wide but an inch deep. Now, as ter based in Indianapolis and him outraising Gov. Pence by about a result of RFRA, what likely sticks Nashville, Ind. It was founded $125,000 this year, though Pence still out in the minds of most voters is in 1994 in Fort Wayne. has significantly more money in the that Mike Pence was clueless about bank. Gregg told a group of sup- the hazards of RFRA and that he It is published by porters at a downtown Washington embarrassed Indiana nationally. That WWWHowey Media, LLC gathering that last time he tended to negative impression will be difficult to 405 Massachusetts Ave., opt for attending the small town bean erase. Suite 300 Indianapolis, IN supper over making fundraising calls. Indiana’s governor race is 46204 As a result of his poor fundraising, he on the radar screen of national Demo- failed to convince the DGA to invest crats this time.The major reason for more than nominally in his first race the enthusiasm obviously stems from Brian A. Howey, Publisher against Pence. Afterward, the DGA Pence’s disastrous handling of RFRA. Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington conceded, given the closeness of the But Democrats are also clearly pleased Jack E. Howey, Editor race, that they might have missed an with Gregg’s much-improved approach Mary Lou Howey, Editor opportunity to “steal one” from the to campaigning. GOP. Campaigns matter. The last Maureen Hayden, Statehouse Gregg also seems to have time Hoosier Democrats won a gov- Matthew Butler, Daily Wire learned lessons in messaging. In his ernor’s race they were supposed to Mark Curry, photography first run, Gregg over-relied on down- lose was in 1996.That year Lt. Gov. home Hoosier themes instead of Frank O’Bannon defeated Indianapolis Subscriptions emphasizing important professional Mayor Stephen Goldsmith, though strengths and explaining what he overwhelmingly handicappers believed HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 would do differently than Pence. He Goldsmith would prevail. O’Bannon HPI Weekly, $350 came across as “not gubernatorial” in won, in large part, because he ran Ray Volpe, Account Manager his television commercials last time. one of the best statewide campaigns 317.602.3620 Gregg has a wealth of in recent memory. Tom New, who email: [email protected] knowledge about how state govern- skillfully managed the 1996 O’Bannon ment works from his days as Speaker race, is advising John Gregg this year of the Indiana House. And, as a and apparently Gregg is listening. Contact HPI former college president, he has an Meanwhile, the Ritz campaign www.howeypolitics.com advantage over both Pence and Ritz is nothing if not puzzling. While it is [email protected] on the issue of higher education. In true that she won her race in 2012 Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 2012, those strengths were obscured with very little money, she could not by questionable TV ads designed to possibly believe she can be elected Washington: 202.256.5822 garner attention and raise his name governor without strong fundraising. Business Office: 317.602.3620 recognition. She apparently hit a roadblock with This time Gregg seems totally organized labor and some of the other © 2015, Howey Politics Indiana. focused on the message that Indiana major Democratic contributors. But it All rights reserved. Photocopy- deserves better than the ideologically would seem that she could easily raise driven and divisive policies of Mike an amount in six figures or more from ing, Internet forwarding, fax- Pence. He is talking about his impres- her much vaunted statewide grass- ing or reproducing in any form, sive resume and the policies he would roots network, if nothing else. whole or part, is a violation of implement to promote job creation, Ritz’s various fundraising federal law without permission improve education, and bring Hoosiers and other problems lead inescapably from the publisher. together. to the conclusion that no one is in Page 3 charge or in control of her campaign. She has time to turn have prevented the RFRA crisis? If not, the Democratic it around, but the current negative buzz in Indiana political nominee, whoever it is, has a good shot at an upset. circles makes her task even more difficult. Winning is obviously better than losing. But win or If Gregg has learned important lessons from his lose, candidates need to understand why they won or lost last campaign, the question then is whether Mike Pence and take corrective action to improve their chances of win- has learned the right lessons from both his narrow vic- ning the next election. tory in 2012 and his disastrous handling of the RFRA crisis John Gregg seems to be learning the right lessons earlier this year. If he is able to put RFRA behind him and from 2012. Whether either Glenda Ritz or Mike Pence will keep his party united, he will be the favorite again. Indiana remains to be seen. v is a Republican state. It takes unique circumstances or a special candidate for a Democrat to win statewide. Sautter is a Democratic consultant based in Wash- But does Pence understand why his last race was ington. surprisingly close and why he missed signals that could

(those numbers rose to 41% Republican with leaners and Vote reform, from page 1 36% Democrats with leaners), while 24% described them- selves as independent. Republicans tend observed Terre Haute Tribune-Star to respond that when Democrats drew the columnist Mark Bennett. maps in 1991 and 2001, Democrats ended Of the 435 U.S. House seats, up with more House seats than the total 56 are considered competitive, but vote. none is in Indiana. There were 54 “The outcomes are decided well in ad- seats in the Indiana General Assem- vance,” said Sugar. “We need to take the bly that were unopposed in 2014. politics away. People want to make choices And in 2012, while President Obama between good candidates. You have too received 44% of the vote in Indiana, many districts that are noncompetitive. Hoosiers elected seven Republicans There are districts on both sides of the aisle and two Democrats to the U.S. that are like that. When you have unop- House, 40 Republicans to the Indiana posed candidates running, that removes that Senate compared to 10 Democrats, choice. That removes the motivation that and 71 Republicans to the Indiana someone has to get involved in the process. House, compared to 29 Democrats. Some of the things involved there can be Bennett quoted University changed, some cannot.” of Florida political scientist Michael Sugar has forged a “No Politics Plan” that McDonald who cited Indiana elec- is seeking an independent redistricting com- tion laws that tamp down voter Tom Sugar is pushing the Lead or Leave mission in Indiana. “We have to structurally turnout. One such law, dating back redistricting commission plan. (HPI Photo reform the system,” Sugar said in citing the to 1913, sets the deadline for vot- by Brian A. Howey) litany of poor participation rankings and the ers to register at 29 days before an Republican percentages of seats they hold election. “That is probably a contributing factor,” McDonald in the General Assembly and Congress. He also cites 2014 said. States allowing voters to register on Election Day, Rasmussen Reports polling that found that 56% of Ameri- or on-site during early voting, experience turnouts 5 to cans believe that elections are rigged. 7% larger than those that do not, on average, McDonald In a July 24 letter to State Rep. Jerry Torr and stated. The array of uncontested seats in the General As- State Sen. Brandt Hershman, who chair the Special Interim sembly creates the perception that many races are “pre- Study Committee on Redistricting, Sugar advocated the determined” and that turns off voters. Iowa system. “It is my view that this right has been com- From the perspective of Tom Sugar, a former promised to an unprecedented degree by the confluence campaign manager, communications director and chief of of three damaging developments: Nearly unlimited sums staff to Gov./Sen. Evan Bayh, the percentage of Repub- of money deployed by special interest groups, the bal- lican holding of various congressional and General As- kanization of mass media and the hollowing out of news sembly seats is distorted from the number of voters who gathering, and the technological advancements in district regularly identify as Democrats. In the April Howey Politics design or map making. Simply put, this is not your grand- Indiana Poll conducted by Bellwether Research’s Christine father’s gerrymandering anymore,” Sugar wrote. Matthews, 32% identified as Republican, 29% Democrats “In 1980, Iowa state legislators fundamentally Page 4 changed the process for ap- still takes place from 6 a.m. portioning congressional and to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays which legislative districts. Since then is the shortest in the nation. Iowa has consistently produced People can vote 29 days prior some of the most competitive to an election. Mail-in voting elections in the country and the occurs if a voter meets certain partisan makeup of their legis- qualifications (absentee, dis- lature has closely mirrored the ability, over age 65 or if you attitudes and values of Iowans. participate in the state’s ad- I encourage our committee to dress confidentially program). study in depth the details of the Democrats appear to be Iowa approach, but there is one more motivated to seek struc- key attribute that stands above tural changes to the system all others: Politics has no place than Republicans, who hold a in it. Under Iowa law, it is illegal vast majority of elected offices to use voter identification, past in the state. Beyond the federal political performance or even and state legislative bodies and the home addresses of incum- constitutional offices, Republi- bents when designing district cans hold a majority of mayoral boundaries. Instead districts positions and about 80% of are drawn using common sense county offices. criteria like population and Indiana Democratic Chair- compactness, and city, town, man John Zody told HPI, “We township and county lines are need to take the politics away. respected.” They want to make choices In Iowa in 2012, Presi- between good candidates. You dent Obama received 52% of the have too many districts that vote, while Democrats controlled are noncompetitive. Districts the Iowa Senate 26-24, and on both sides of the aisle are Republicans controlled the Iowa like that. Unopposed candidates House 53-47. running removes that choice; it “The Supreme Court removes the motivation some- gave redistricting reform efforts one has to get involved in the like mine a big boost,” Sugar said process. Some of the things of the Arizona decision in June involved there can be changed, that cleared the way for states some cannot.” to proceed with independent Zody blames Statehouse redistricting commissions. “Now Republicans for the decline in it’s time to seize the momentum. The No Politics Plan voter participation, citing a 2013 bill by State Sen. Scott will ensure the Indiana legislature and our congressional Schneider that would end all early voting. “There are delegation reflect the true nature of our politics. It’s the things you could change, but unfortunately Republicans best path forward, and I intend to fight for it, including in at the Statehouse keep making worse our election laws,” my service as a newly appointed member of the Special Zody said. “Look no further than this last legislative ses- Interim Study Committee on Redistricting.” sion when we had a bill to make the absentee voting Torr responded to Sugar, saying a schedule for the process more cumbersome. Time after time after time, interim committee has not been set because several lay Indiana has blazed the modern trail of voter suppression people have yet to be appointed. with our voter ID law back in 2005, reducing the number of days people can go into the clerk’s office to vote early. Little change in Indiana election law Most people don’t even use our state voter registration Indiana has done little to change its voting sys- form anymore, they use the federal one because the state tems in an era when voter participation has fallen. There form is so cumbersome. We have Republican majorities, was a retooling of its computer voting systems following now super majorities, that are intent on making voting the 2000 presidential debacle in Florida. In 2007, the Gen- harder and that is something that needs to change.” eral Assembly began a county voting center pilot program, which expanded to seven counties in 2012 and 16 in 2014. Kittle sought a redistricting commission But many facets of elections in Indiana have not Multiple sources in both major political parties changed as the lifestyles of the population have. Voting tell HPI that after Jim Kittle Jr. became Republican chair- Page 5 man in 2002, he approached Democratic Chairman Dan Parker about forging the independent redistricting commission. Parker told HPI that he was open to the concept, but it was ultimately scotched by powerful State Rep. B. Patrick Bauer. It was a fate- ful decision by the South Bend Democrat, who had watched his party redraw maps in 1991 and 2001 that kept House Democrats competitive. In 2009 and 2010, as part of a national GOP ef- fort aimed at taking control of legislatures, Gov. Mitch Daniels, Speaker Bosma and the House Republican Campaign Commit- tee recruited a legion of candi- dates, financed their campaigns, and with U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh abruptly abandoning his reelec- tion campaign, added the House to their control of the Senate and redrew the maps in 2011. The Washington Post recently ana- lyzed Congressional maps across the nation and deemed Indiana’s and Nevada’s as the least gerry- mandered, meeting the criteria of compactness, respecting existing county and school district bound- aries, while keeping “communi- ties of interest” whole. While Indiana’s current maps don’t resemble lizards and adhere to the concepts laid out by then Secretary of State Todd Rokita, they did create maps that yielded GOP super majorities. Part of the blame for the out-sized majorities must rest with Indiana Democrats, who lost much of their past legacy strong- holds along the Ohio and Wabash rivers. Just a handful of Demo- crats represent rural areas and aligned with Republicans due to social issues. Indiana only a few represent districts in Southern Indiana, once Democrats have failed over the past several election the party’s stronghold. In the General Assembly, Demo- cycles to articulate the pocketbook issues that could have crats have been mostly relegated to Lake, St. Joseph and helped them draw a sharper contrast, and one that would Marion counties, and college towns. be understood at the kitchen tables where the decline of The Indiana Democratic party spent much of the per capita income, and an explosion of credit card and Bayh/O’Bannon era as a “conservative lite,” pro-gun, pro- college loan debt have hobbled the middle class that once life and anti-same sex marriage in an attempt to compete fueled Democratic victories. with the GOP. With Bayh and his prolific coattails ditching Indiana Republican Chairman Jeff Cardwell told the 2010 election, many Southern Hoosier voters simply HPI that his party is open to any way to improve partici- Page 6 pation. “Everybody is concerned about low voter turnout,” Cardwell said. “It’s not a political issue, it’s an American issue. We have a great country and we need to increase voter turnout.” Cardwell said he has agreed to join a bipartisan group organized by former congressman Lee Hamilton, who heads Indiana University’s Center on Congress. “All issues need to be discussed,” Cardwell said. “We need to look at all opportunities to engage partici- pation.” Cardwell said one reason for low turnout is that voter files need to be updated. “We haven’t cleaned up our files,” he said, not- ing that he’s not confident in the current associated data points. “We need to embrace the best technology available to us.” There are Republicans who seem to understand that topical control of power does not translate into the kind of stewardship needed to keep democracy here vibrant. House Speaker Brian Bosma has advocated a move toward a non- partisan redistricting commission, as has State Sen. Mike Delph. Bosma co-authored the redistricting com- mission study committee bill with House Minority Leader Scott Pelath. Bosma told the NWI Times that, halfway through the decade, timing is getting tighter to make the struc- tural reforms needed to foster a redistricting commission. precinct boundaries.” “It probably requires at least some flexibility in our consti- But in the Indiana Senate, President David Long tutional provision today,” Bosma explained. has been largely ambivalent about ceding control of the In a 2012 white paper authored with fellow Kroger redistricting process even though Democrats have had Gardis attorney William Brock, Bosma dissected the legal majority control of that body for only two of the past 45 points associated with redistricting. The paper’s opening years. Those two years came after the GOP was washed observation reads, “The primary goal of any redistrict- out in the post-Watergate 1974 election. ing effort is to avoid a successful legal challenge follow- Vote reform efforts often find the Indiana Senate ing the completion of the process. Most legal challenges as a graveyard. Long points to the 2011 maps that adhere to redistricting plans are based on the alleged failure to to the perspectives offered by Bosma and Brock. ”We are adequately address the key redistricting issues of popula- extremely proud of the maps we drew in the 2011 redis- tion equality, minority vote dilution, reverse discrimination, tricting effort, where the process was fair, open, transpar- traditional and statutory redistricting criteria and public ent and totally compatible with the recommended guide- access to the redistricting process. In short, the best lines set out by the U.S. Supreme Court,” Long said. As and safest districting practice is to justify any significant for the redistricting commission summer study, Long said, population deviations in a redistricting plan with objective ”We are a state that embraces positive, common-sense consistently applied criteria such as preserving or enhanc- ideas, and we should be open to exploring the experiences ing compactness, contiguity, communities of interest, the and outcomes of states (that) handle redistricting differ- cores of prior districts, and/or geographic, municipal or ently than Indiana.” Page 7

Cardwell said he has “no real thoughts” at this n Increase poll times: Make the polls open time on an independent, non-partisan redistricting com- longer on Election Day, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. This makes mission, adding, “We need to learn more about it.” it easier on working folks and particularly on moms and “I’m absolutely committed to improving turnout,” dads juggling work and child care pickup. Cardwell said, who served as an election observer in El n Increase satellite voting/early voting: Salvador last February. “I’m grateful to be from such a Most counties do not provide satellite voting locations. In great nation.” He said he was moved that many rural El the majority of our counties the only opportunity to vote Salvadorans traveled great distances and waited in long early is by visiting the courthouse during its restrictive lines to vote, noting that voter turnout there was high, business hours and for a few hours on the two Saturdays much higher than here in Indiana. “I want to do ev- prior to the election. Expand both the locations and the erything I can to protect the process. I want to use my hours. For a county like Howard, that should involve hav- position to increase participation. We are always open to ing 6 to 8 early voting locations that are staffed beyond change and new ideas.” 4 p.m. The current system is designed to be easy on Republican Secretary of State Connie Lawson is the clerk’s office staff and not designed with the voter in embarking on a voter outreach program for this year’s mu- mind: this mindset needs to change. Put the voter first by nicipal elections, said spokeswoman Valerie Kroger, though providing more early voting locations, extended hours and she is not currently advocating any of the kind of structural Sunday early voting. This also has the benefit of eliminat- changes that Sugar is advocating. ing instances of voter intimidation: In Howard County “To our knowledge this is the first-ever municipal voters must walk through a metal detector and be wanded election voter outreach campaign,” Kroger said. “The cam- down prior to voting early. Not only is this process time paign starts the week after Labor Day, the traditional start intensive, it acts a deterrent to participation. of campaign season. It will feature TV, radio, print and n No fault absentee vote by mail: Make vot- online and social media advertising focused on encourag- ing by mail open to all voters. ing Hoosiers to register to vote and to vote. We hope that Common Cause of Indiana also advocates great this will increase awareness and turnout in this year’s elec- accessibility. “We support more early voting opportunities tions.” at satellite locations outside county courthouses, longer polling place hours (our 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. voting day is the Democrats seek systemic changes shortest in the country), and less restrictive absentee vot- Howard County Democratic Chairman David ing laws,” the organization states on its website. “The best Tharp says the state should retool its system to reflect the way to address administrative barriers to voting is Election changing electorate. He advocates: Day voter registration, which is possible now that we have n Same day voter registration: “We currently a statewide, electronic voter file.” shut off registration before the peak of the election,” Tharp An array of states are seeking structural changes. explained. “Large segments of potential voters are not Redistricting commission movements are underway in Ohio tapped into the cycle until just a few weeks or days before (where Issue 1 will be on the November ballot), Florida, an election. By that time, the electorate is frozen. Create Maryland, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, same day voter registration opportunities and you immedi- Nebraska and Pennsylvania. ately remove a barrier to voting.” n Change the default setting: Instead of Changing society having every 18-year-old seek out a registration form, As Howard County Republican Chairman Craig change the default to where each 18-year-old is automati- Dunn notes in his column on Page 10, voter turnout is not cally registered to vote at their current address and mail the only aspect of society to see disengagement. Atten- them their registration. Citizens can opt out of registration dance in church on Sunday and to high school basketball for any reason, but they no longer have to “get” registered on Friday night is down. Services clubs are seeing declin- when they come of age. “This method of changing the de- ing enrollment. fault has a proven track record of increasing participation Cardwell acknowledges that “many people don’t in other areas like organ donation,” Tharp said. believe their own vote matters” but adds that despite n Reverse the changes made to the voter Democratic complaints that too many districts aren’t registration form: The General Assembly made a host of competitive, says “everybody has the opportunity to seek changes to the form that are designed to limit registration office.” drives; including the necessity of providing your personal The Republican chairman also believes that social information to the individuals with which you register. media has changed everything associated with politics, n End voter ID requirements: Voter ID laws including turnout. Policy makers, he said, need to study have no impact on deterring (non-existent) in-person voter the impact of social media, and, perhaps, use such tools to fraud. They do have an impact on elderly, poor, and mi- create more interest in the process. v nority voter participation rates. It is another unnecessary barrier. Page 8

er ID law and failed. In 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court took Voter ID remains in up the case, Crawford v. Marion County Election Board. The resulting 6-3 decision held that ID requirements were in keeping with Indiana’s interest to prevent voter fraud the political crosshairs and assure the sanctity of the election process. Associ- By MATTHEW BUTLER ate Justice John Paul Stevens, more a moderate than INDIANAPOLIS – Since last November, discussion conservative, wrote in the opinion of the court, “Because of improving Indiana’s embarrassing voter turnout rate Indiana’s cards are free, the inconvenience of going to the of 28%, the lowest in the nation, has touched on all the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, gathering required documents, predictable topics: Voter apathy, the early voting window, and posing for a photograph does not qualify as a sub- easing absentee voting restrictions, whether district lines stantial burden on most voters’ right to vote, or represent deter competition, etc. Though not as hot button as in a significant increase over the usual burdens of voting.” previous years, Indiana’s voter ID law still remains in the The National Conference of State Legislatures crosshairs and talking points of Democrats. To them it’s classifies Indiana as one of seven states with “strict” unnecessarily restrictive and intentionally so. voter identification laws. All told, however, 23 states now “Time after time after time, Indiana has blazed request an ID when voting. the modern trail of voter suppression,” Indiana Democratic During the 2008 Supreme Court case, Democrats Chairman John Zody told HPI on and liberal groups said as many as 400,000 Hoosiers did the topic of improving voter par- not have an ID necessary to vote. Then-Secretary of State ticipation.The state’s 2005 voter Todd Rokita’s office said the number was likely under ID law was among the first two 25,000. You don’t hear that scary figure of hundreds of examples he mentioned. Hoosier the thousands anymore. When I asked Zody if the ID law Democrats’ efforts, however, really deters that many Hoosiers from voting today, he would be better served focusing replied in generalities. “I think it can set up the conditions on other election law reforms where it makes voting harder,” he said. “When you set and improving their candidates up onerous laws that make certain people go through a and campaigns. certain effort to exercise a right, it will impact turnout.” To vote in person, a Hoo- For the political party that claims to have cham- sier must present an ID issued pioned and monitored the wellbeing of disadvantaged by either Indiana or the U.S. groups, we heard little to nothing from Democrats for government. It must match their decades regarding their constituents’ lack of government- registration record and have a photo and expiration date. issued IDs until the dawn of these voter laws. This new- If a voter cannot or refuses to present such an ID, they found outrage is troubling because possession of a gov- are still allowed to cast a provisional ballot. However, in ernment-issued ID has long been mandatory to fully enjoy order for their ballot to be counted, the voter must present modern citizenship. It’s become cliché to rattle off all of themselves to the election board by noon on the following the activities and transactions that require a government- Monday and either present a valid ID or sign an affidavit issued ID, but it is quite real nonetheless.This explains swearing they were unable to procure one because of why the ID requirement seems far from burdensome and indigence or religious objections to being photographed. just another bureaucratic, albeit common sense aspect When the voter ID law was passed, Indiana cre- of modern life. It’s quite conceivable that Indiana’s 2005 ated a free, six-year ID card specifically for voting if one voter ID law provided the first avenue for some Hoosiers does not have a driver’s license. To secure any Indiana- to obtain government-issued identification. issued ID for the first time requires proving your identity, The Democratic answer to Indiana’s voter ID social security number, lawful status within the United law should not be histrionics, repeal, nor further court States, and Indiana residency. Democrats argue voter challenges, but rather proactive efforts to provide gov- fraud, especially voter impersonation, is extremely episodic ernment-issued IDs to those who have difficulty securing and largely a myth. Given the sea change in how modern them. Perhaps the BMV could have several mobile vans life is lived day to day, there is now the widely held (and tour both urban and rural areas of the state offering their reasonable) expectation that IDs should be required for usual services, but, most importantly, providing extra important transactions, such as voting. assistance for those who may not have access to trans- Indiana Republican Chairman Jeff Cardwell portation or all the necessary documentation required told HPI, “You can’t get on an airplane without photo ID. to procure an Indiana ID. Yes, it will be great if typically Why wouldn’t you want to protect the integrity of the sys- disadvantaged groups such as the elderly, homeless, and tem?” He spent time as an election observer in El Salvador disabled will be able to present an ID to vote on Election last February. “That’s a third world country and they have Day. Perhaps even more importantly, they will possess voter ID,” Cardwell said. an essential tool to greater consumer, financial, and legal Democrats challenged the legality of Indiana’s vot- freedom the other 364 days of the year. Page 9

Requiring Hoosiers (and Americans) to prove their do not already, should acknowledge it’s not an overly bur- identity in order to verify they can exercise a constitutional densome administrative step to verify background checks right, such as voting, is reasonable. However, it requires during firearm sales. If Democrats believe there should uniformity in application to other public policy topics and be background checks for a constitutional right such as on this point some Republicans lapse, like Democrats, into firearm purchases, then they should acknowledge voter ID selective obdurance. laws are part and parcel to the same line of argument. “When you’re looking at a right that is guar- The rights to vote and bear arms are cherished anteed by the constitution, then you have got to make and extremely important constitutional assurances. Yet sure that right is distributed equally,” Zody told HPI. “We we, the commonweal, have come to a general consensus believe as Democrats that voting should be accessible and there should be systems in place to assure these rights are as easy as possible for everyone who is eligible to do it.” exercised correctly and honestly. IDs and data bases are Someone could have easily spoken those two sentences the best mechanism to prove the identity of a person in from the other side of the aisle if you replaced “Demo- order to verify whether they should be allowed to exercise crats” with “Republicans” and “voting” with “purchasing a a constitutional right, such as voting on that day, at that firearm.” precinct, or purchasing a specific firearm given their per- It’s time for both parties to be intellectually con- sonal history. Certainly more can be done to improve voter sistent in rhetoric and practice. Republicans across the engagement and turnout in Indiana. But let’s get serious; country should hold firm on voter ID laws, but those who doing away with our voter ID law is not one of them. v

ing shows that 70 percent of Americans think elections Redistricting reform are rigged,” Sugar said. “To add insult to injury, Indiana had the worst voter turnout in America in 2014.” Indiana’s voter participation last November was 28 percent. brings a birthday cake Sugar has been appointed a member of the By MATTHEW BUTLER redistricting study committee and has founded a pro- INDIANAPOLIS – Two weeks ago was the birthday reform group called “Lead or Leave.” “I know he’s going anniversary of Elbridge Gerry, whose namesake, gerry- to be a bulldog in the process,” Vaughn said of Sugar. She mandering, stands for drawing of election districts to suit also wants Helmke to serve on the panel. Sugar contends the faction doing the drawing. Now a bipartisan coalition his plan would make 22 House seats and seven Senate is using the opportunity to call seats competitive as well as for independent redistricting in four congressional districts. Last Indiana. year none of the state’s nine At a rally on the State- congressional races were close house steps, complete with once the ballots were counted. a birthday cake, the Indiana “It’s about politicians Coalition for Independent stacking the deck. It’s one of Redistricting called upon the those background issues, like newly created Special Study election reform, voter registra- Committee on Redistricting to tion. People only care about work toward serious reforms. their polls opening, they don’t “We are on our way, we have our foot in the door,” said care about the mechanics of it,” Vaughn said. “It is wonky, Julia Vaughn, of Common Cause Indiana. “We know this is but people are starting to understand these are issues that not going to come easy. Make no doubt about it, the ability affect everyday life.” to draw districts is one of the most powerful political tools Besides redistricting, Vaughn’s group backs other that the legislative majority has and they are not going to reforms they believe will augment voter turnout. She said give it up without a fight.” Minnesota, which has the nation’s highest voter participa- One aspect all redistricting proponents touched tion rate, has same-day voter registration. “There is no on was how uncompetitive races influence voter turnout. magic bullet, but if there is one, that’s it,” she told HPI. Paul Helmke, former three-term Republican mayor of Fort Though Vaughn laments Indiana’s voter ID law, Wayne, told the crowd redistricting was an imperative, she said the number one reason people are turned away citing uncontested legislative contests in both partisan at the polls is a registration error of some kind. She con- directions. He said he almost considered not voting last tends the technology is there to assure accurate registra- year. Tom Sugar, a former chief of staff of U.S. Sen. Evan tion in real time by equipping each polling location with Bayh, agrees. “The people are exasperated; national poll- electronic poll books connected to BMV databases. v Page 10

turnout hovering in the mid-50% range. One might lament Uninformed voters the presidential election turnout as low but it certainly is not in a statistically verifiable decline. So much for the big money, voter suppression baloney! at the polls? No way Midterm election turnouts have shown a By CRAIG DUNN steady decline since 1966. That year voter turnout was KOKOMO – As a Republican Party County chair- 48.4%. We’ve seen midterm turnout gradually decline to man, I’ve come to learn a thing or two about voter turn- 36.3% in 2014. I believe that this statistic is what is really out. Don’t count on me to be one of those who sees low bugging journalists and liberal pundits. I can just imagine voter turnout as a sign of the the angst of going from the exhilarating victory of the peo- apocalypse or some nefarious ple by Barack Obama in 2008 to the crushing defeat of the plot by the vast right wing con- voter-suppressed, Koch brothers-purchased 2010 off-year spiracy to unjustly win elections election which gave Republicans control of the House of through some sophisticated Representatives and has served to block much of President method of voter suppression. Obama’s rush to Greece status. Can’t those noble voters Low voter turnout occurs be- who have twice elected the Chosen One just make it to cause of voter apathy, plain and the polls, vote absentee or do early voting and sustain the simple. many wonderful programs of our socialist wunderkind? The general malaise is This all begs the salient question of just what are not confined to polling places you really upset about. Is it that people whose futures will on Election Day. We can see be dramatically impacted by off-year elections don’t vote evidence of this apathy in our as frequently as they do in presidential cycles or are you churches, service clubs and really just upset with the outcome of the elections and PTAs. You can see the apathy even in the hallowed shrines assume that greater turnout will bring better results for of Indiana high school basketball, where cavernous arenas Democrats and their liberal agendas? I’m just guessing remain partially filled on game nights. The public has that an extra 5% turnout by Republicans with no corre- become increasingly fickle and demanding with where and sponding increase by Democrats would not be viewed as a how they will allocate their time and energy. triumph of democracy, but rather further proof of a failed I can remember running for delegate to the Indi- system. ana Republican State Convention in 1972 as an 18-year- From where I sit as a county and congressional old. The district I was running in had nine candidates district Republican chairman, it appears to me that voters chasing two delegate positions. As a county chairman I turn out to vote when they are motivated by campaigns quickly learned that those days were dead and gone. I’ve that draw a significant distinction between candidates and now been moved to create two super districts for dele- offer a reasonable chance that either party may prevail. gates to the convention, one for 4th Congressional District In Indiana, there is nothing better than a hotly contested residents and one for 5th District residents. I’ve done this sheriff election to get the voters to the polls. so that I may fill all delegate seats by election and not As to legislative races, with Republicans holding have to resort to filling delegate vacancies by appoint- super majorities in both the Indiana House and Senate, ment. The world has changed. with huge financial advantages, the average potential Voter turnout statistics have been used and voter sees these races decided before the elections are misused for a variety of purposes. They’ve been massaged held. The same may be said for congressional elections. even more than global warming statistics and used as You could have bet the farm in 2014 that Republicans proof to promote whatever agenda the pundits are pursu- would win seven of the nine elections for United States ing. To the breathless lights of the left, the statistics are representative in Indiana. There was no outcry of doom proof positive of the evil effects of big money, talk radio, and dismay in 2006 when voter turnout was only .8% Fox News and institutional voter suppression. Conserva- higher but voters gave Democrats majorities in Congress tive pundits don’t get nearly as worked up about low voter and in the Indiana House of Representatives. I guess it turnout statistics because they are quick to lament the just depends on whose voter gores whose ox. woeful ignorance of the typical infrequent voter on key is- Will our country and society be enriched by an sues. Failure of people who spend their days glued to Twit- influx of uninformed voters making their way to the ballot ter to live vicariously through Kim Kardashian and Kanye box because they like the candidate’s jingle, appearance or West does not alarm the average conservative when they mantra? I don’t think so. Give me informed voters or just don’t get out of bed and vote. let the apathetic stay in bed on Election Day! v Voter turnout statistics are a fairly mixed bag. Turnout for presidential elections was fairly high until Dunn is chairman of the Howard County Republican after World War I. Since then, voter turnout has ranged Party. from a low of 48% to a high of 62%, with the average Page 11

Our first goal was to visit as many of the precinct posts When the dead voted prior to the 6 a.m. scheduled openings to scout out the most suspicious. Using a newspaper public listing of polling places that morning – what the voters had for reference in the 1970 Hartke- – one of the first ones turned out to be a private home. That, of course, is illegal. Furthermore, not seeing any Roudebush showdown sign of activity, we walked around and found on the back a notice posted with a new polling place location. Upside By MARK SOUDER down. And, as you probably know, you can’t switch a poll- FORT WAYNE – In 1970, Lake County was known ing place on day of the election. for having high voter turnout when needed. As in Chicago, We went to the new location and watched for it wasn’t even required that you were still alive in order a while when the polls opened. There were some bar- to cast your vote. Others voted rels with some sort of fire going to provide warmth for a early and often. It was a mess. few Hartke volunteers holding signs. Our attorney went Other major cities in Indiana, in. Amazingly, something like a hundred or so people had and tightly controlled rural coun- already voted. We had seen six or eight. We watched for ties, had been known to cheat more minutes – no voters – and made a swing through the as well, but nothing, even had other 20 or so precincts. We felt we should go back to the all allegation totals been com- suspect polling place and observe some more. No activity. bined, approached the voter Then our attorney went in to check the numbers (around fraud in Lake. mid-morning). Amazingly, it had the highest turnout in the In 1970 U.S. Sen. Vance city of Gary with some 400 mostly phantom voters. Hartke was running for reelec- But we had other problems. At least one polling tion, opposed by Congressman place had a bar open across the street (illegal) and was Richard Roudebush. Former a mess. Around noon we received an emergency call to mayor Hartke had proven to be “rescue” Mike Organ, another college volunteer. Because a feisty and scrappy competitor, as well as lucky. Hartke there were no Republicans in his precinct, he decided that was the kind of candidate the Region liked, a gritty, old- he could better serve justice by helping as the Republican style, campaigner who delivered. Democrat Boss John poll book assistant. But there had been a shootout in the Krupa was the strong-arm political man who corralled the alley behind the table where he was working. Rattled, he disparate parts of the machine, East Chicago, Gary, Ham- wanted out. It turned out to be just an everyday shooting, mond, etc., and hammered them into the essential founda- not election related, but he was already on the road back tion of Indiana Democrat and union power. to Indy when we arrived. A court had ordered that a certified Republican I had decided holding my camera was the best observer could go into a polling place and check the vote defense that day. As I checked for roaming buses of voters count on the machine at any point during the day. The going from polling place to polling place, I was tracked Democrats, of course, could do the same. They usually did by a Democrat ward chairman who kept asking which anyway. newspaper I worked for. After I denied several, he finally The Republicans created precinct groupings. Each congratulated me on trying to disguise my cover but he had an assigned car that included an attorney with the already knew that I worked for the Hammond Times. I appropriate legal certification, a steelworker to drive, and didn’t deny it because it demonstrated some caution on two college students. There was also a phone in each car, the machine’s part. which was connected to the media because the police It was clear chaos was reigning, but for me, were not trusted. One student was to stay in the car with my last time out of the car was most memorable. It was the phone should trouble arise. The other student and the late afternoon. Dozens and dozens of people were mill- volunteer driver would accompany the attorney up to the ing around outside a polling place. The steelworker and I poll, and wait outside within visual distance of the student were waiting outside the polling place for our attorney. I back in the car. was holding my camera. Suddenly our attorney appeared, I was Indiana College Republican chairman being carried out by four men or so. I snapped my last at the time, so felt I should be one of the volunteers. My picture. Suddenly a strong well-dressed man was in front friend Maurice Emery and I drove over the night before of me, grabbing me by the shoulder. He told me to stop and then got up early to meet the others gathered for taking pictures. I argued that as a free citizen, I could do assignments in the gray pre-dawn morning. Most of the what I wanted. students were very nervous. At least I was. Maurice was He said that either my camera or my face was go- less so, and waved his hand to volunteer us for the first ing to be broken. At that point, I was willing to run away assignment, the precincts in Gary that were considered to but was in his grip. The steelworker, emboldened, pro- be highest risk of fraud. ceeded to lift my camera back up and told me to shoot a Page 12 picture. The man pushed it down. The steelworker pushed group. The Republicans lost the appeal mostly because we it up. The man pushed it down. Then he told me he was could not prove that all those voters hadn’t voted during a police officer, and opened his jacket which displayed his the times we were not present at each precinct, which was badge. He was Gary Mayor Hatcher’s brother. And he still true. had a hold on me. When I hear about turnout being too low, it al- Some press was beginning to arrive (Maurice ways brings back 1970 to me. We once had higher turn- had used the phone). Suddenly there was a hatchet chop out, but across America it was not legit. Elections have be- from an arm that broke his grip. The legendary John Krupa come more honest. Today if people are too lazy, or cannot had freed me. He said it would be probably best if I left. I comprehend that the large differences between the parties needed no convincing. I ran, then stayed in the car for the determine what kind of nation we will be, then I hope they rest of the day. stay home. The last thing we need is more uninformed The extremely close election was won by Hartke, voters. v with Lake County providing the key votes needed and Gary votes remaining unreported long after most results were Souder is a former Republican congressman from in. The results were appealed. It went to the Supreme Fort Wayne. Court. Most of the Lake County precincts were in our

lies today. Although each congressional seat is supposed Voters need to press to represent approximately the same number of persons, 60 percent more persons voted in the Mr. Stutzman’s 3rd district (Northeast Indiana) than Mr. Carson’s 7th District on gerrymandering (Indianapolis). Indiana has nine seats in the House. Seven By MORTON MARCUS are held by Republicans and two by Democrats. Thus the INDIANAPOLIS – The U.S. Supreme Court recently dominant party in the state legislature (the Republicans) decided an independent commission in Arizona may de- got 77 percent of Indiana’s delegation. They achieved this termine election district boundaries for congressional and with just 58 percent of the vote. legislative seats. This puts Arizona Many practitioners of politics believe a victory among the few states limiting the by more than 55 percent of the vote cast is a landslide. power of legislators to control the By that definition only Mr. Carson failed to make the earth election process. move; he won by a measly 54.7 percent. All the other vic- Despite this critical decision, tors exceeded 55 percent; five of them topped 60 percent, we did not feel the earth move in led by Mr. Rokita’s 67 percent in the 4th district. Such Indiana. major landslides are the evidence of non-competitive elec- Although the 2015 General As- tions. It is easy to say Hoosiers preferred Republicans to sembly created an Interim Study Democrats in 2014. But to win 77 percent of the seats with Committee on Redistricting, the 58 percent of the vote shows the field is slanted toward prevailing Hoosier view is legislators Republicans and our elections are not competitive. will not give up their power to decide Perhaps the Democrats, seeing how the district where boundaries are drawn. While a study committee boundaries are drawn against them, meekly failed to put gives opponents of the current corrupt system a chance to up strong candidates or gave them inadequate support to vent, one of the best ways to bury an issue is to assign it make a sincere winning effort. Similarly, in the 1st and 7th to such a committee. No meetings of the Study Committee districts, Republicans, anticipating defeat, responded with are scheduled at this time. flaccid campaigns. Indiana’s Republican-dominated General As- What’s to be done? Aroused citizens need to make sembly drew the lines of our congressional and legislative candidates for public office aware of their discontent with seats to maximize the number of Republicans elected. If the current gerrymandering system. They must inform they were in the majority, Democrats would do the same. themselves about how other states handle this problem It’s the way the parties play the game. But it is no game. and then get bills passed for an independent commission Hoosiers depend on their elected representatives to shape to redraw our congressional and legislative districts after tax, expenditure and social policies. These in turn deter- the next census in 2020. That’s just tomorrow in legisla- mine the nature and quality of public services which drive tive time. v our economy. The 2014 election of Indiana’s delegation to the Mr. Marcus is an economist, writer, and speaker U.S. House of Representatives shows how the playing field who may be reached at mortonjmarcus@yahoo. com. Page 13

of Indiana.” Gregg received a standing ovation from the Buncich, Lake Dems crowd. During his brief speech, Gregg talked about the middle class and raising the minimum wage. And he talked about trying to restore the rights that have been taken coalesce around Gregg away from teachers and other labor unions. And, unlike By RICH JAMES four years ago when he narrowly lost to Pence, Gregg said MERRILLVILLE – If Glenda Ritz wants to win the the governor is very beatable this time around. Democratic nomination for governor, she’ll have to do it Gregg wasn’t the only 2016 statewide can- without the heart of the Lake County precinct organization. didate in attendance. Former U.S. Rep. Baron Hill also Ritz, who is the superintendent of public instruction, en- took part in the proceedings. Hill, who like Gregg, is from tered the governor sweepstakes southern Indiana, is the favorite to win the Democratic considerably after former House nomination for the U.S. Senate to replace retiring Republi- Speaker John Gregg announced can Dan Coats. that he would take another run Hill ran against Coats in 1990 to fill the last two at Republican Gov. Mike Pence. years of Dan Quayle’s Senate seat. Hill walked the state With a series of attacks of Indiana that year and dove into Lake Michigan off the on Ritz, Pence and legislative Marquette Park beach in Gary. Nevertheless, Coats won Republicans have made a martyr the race. of the head of education in In- Hill told the crowd at the Buncich event that he diana. Ritz expects to have the could win the Senate seat because he has a history of be- state’s teachers on her side dur- ing elected to the House several times from a district that ing the 2016 primary election. leans Republican. And that, of course, is a pretty Hill said he was in awe at the Buncich event strong lobby. because of the size of the crowd for a man who wasn’t But the Lake County Democratic precinct or- seeking reelection and in fact cannot run again as sheriff ganization isn’t buying into the Ritz candidacy. Last week, because of term limits. v at a fundraiser for Lake County Sheriff John Buncich, who doubles as county chairman, Gregg was front and center Rich James has been writing about state and local before a crowd of some 800 Democrats. government and politics for more than 30 years. He Buncich introduced Gregg as “the next governor is a columnist for The Times of Northwest Indiana.

“Quite frankly, when I look at our candidates, I’m Sugar, McDermott not sensing a lot of enthusiasm for the ticket,” said Mc- Dermott, who is running for reelection in November and is heavily favored. He sees himself as a potential late entry keeping gov options into the race. “I think if I ran I would be very, very danger- By BRIAN A. HOWEY ous in the primary. I think I could win the primary. I know and MATTHEW BUTLER John Gregg and Baron Hill want me to endorse them. Why INDIANAPOLIS – In the past week Glenda Ritz’s would I endorse them if I am contemplating the race? gubernatorial campaign was described in the IndyStar as There’s no city person on the ballot, and cities and towns “minor league” with three strikes against it. State Sen. need help.” Karen Tallian drew 10 people to a Richmond meet-and- McDermott identified Gregg as the “man to beat” greet. John Gregg, Ritz and due his $1.7 million financial report earlier this month, but Tallian have yet to unveil the added, “I’m afraid he’s a one-trick pony. We’re deeper than so-called “big idea” to fuel that. I worry about becoming the party of labor. I support popular support of a cam- labor and union jobs, but I think we’re more than that. paign other than defeating With Glenda, with all due respect to her, I think John’s the socially divisive Gov. Mike safely in the lead with the three current candidates.” Pence. And former Evan Bayh “There’s definitely an opening,” McDermott said. staffer Tom Sugar and Ham- “I’m constantly thinking about this. Every single day for mond Mayor Thomas McDer- the past year this has been on my mind. I’ve been tortur- mott Jr. are both exploring potential candidacies. ing myself with this decision for a long time. I thought I It’s nine months out from the 2016 Democratic could run for mayor and have options for 2016. I’m not primary and the field isn’t set. saying I am or I’m not running. I have options.” Page 14

Sugar, who is pushing the “Lead or Leave” cam- rights code to include sexual orientation. He hinted to re- paign advocating election reforms, has been reaching out porters last week, ““I think our economy speaks for itself. to potential supporters in the gubernatorial race, multiple Our economy is strong and growing stronger, and that’s a Democratic sources are telling Howey Politics Indiana. In testament to the resilience of the people of Indiana and an interview with HPI about those election reforms, Sugar to the great reputation our state enjoys. We’re going to observed that the current Democratic field is lacking the move forward on the policies that are making that a real- big idea. ity, and we’ll leave debates about the future for the future. Of the existing field, Gregg clearly had the best We found a way through that difficult period last spring month with his finance report where he actually out-raised to calm the waters, and the facts speak for themselves Gov. Mike Pence. The money haul dwarfed the combined Indiana’s economy is strong and growing stronger.” totals of Ritz and Tallian. Gregg spent time in Washington The family-focus groups are combating expansion earlier this month, meeting with the Democratic Gover- of local civil rights expansion ordinances in a half dozen or nors Association (see Chris Sautter’s column on Page 1). so city councils. But Democrats and some Republicans are He is also relying on Tom New, a key figure in Gov. Frank expected to push for the civil rights expansion in the 2016 O’Bannon’s 1996 upset victory, as a key consultant. General Assembly session, leaving Pence in a precarious Informed and reliable sources tell HPI that Ritz political position of either alienating his socially conserva- has just added a campaign treasurer and is preparing to tive base, or the business and corporate community that staff up. Her campaign really hasn’t existed beyond a web- rebelled against the Religious Freedom Restoration Act last site and her early June campaign kickoff. Since then, she’s March and April. been on vacation, traveled to Europe on state business, and successfully won a three-year No Child Left Behind Second complaint filed v. Ritz campaign waiver from the Obama administration. Her problem ap- Glenda Ritz’s campaign for governor is facing a pears to be that her top advisers are also Department of new election complaint tied to allegations the Democrat Education employees. As a group they are well aware of violated a state law barring campaign fundraising by the campaign violations former Supt. Tony Bennett and his statewide officeholders during legislative sessions when a staff incurred in 2011 and 2012. There is also the dilemma new state budget is crafted (IndyStar). The complaint filed of dispensing political advice to the boss. late Wednesday by a Whitestown man comes a day after The Ritz campaign is not weighing in on topical a complaint that made similar allegations against the Ritz issues surrounding the Pence administration. There has campaign was withdrawn. The complaint takes issue with been no campaign spokesman and no campaign phone an initial campaign finance report submitted July 14 that number. Without a finance director, the campaign has been showed Ritz received $8,150 during this year’s legisla- unable to compete with 2012 nominee John Gregg on the tive session, as well as donations that campaign finance money front. records show were accepted in 2013. An Indianapolis Former Indiana Democratic chairman Robin Win- Star review of the 2013 records found that Ritz, the state ston, who is volunteering time with the Ritz campaign, schools chief, received more than $82,000 in contributions sees an “unorthodox” campaign developing, based on the during that year’s legislative session, when lawmakers also groundswell of support she was able to mine via social decided on a two-year state budget. Ritz addressed the media in 2012. Winston said she won’t need as much amended campaign finance report, which reflects fund- money as the other candidates. “There’s a lot of time raising efforts for the first half of the year, with The Star between now and next May,” Winston said. “This process earlier Wednesday before the new complaint was filed. is evolving. This is an Etch-a-Sketch campaign and it will Her campaign has said the initial report contained “clerical continue to evolve.” errors.” “There were errors made,” Ritz said of this year’s As for Gov. Pence, he trumpeted the state’s job- report, “and the (campaign treasurer) has amended the less rate slipping below 5% for the first time since 2008. report, and that’s pretty much it.” Her campaign couldn’t “Indiana’s economy is on the move thanks to hard-working be reached late Wednesday for comment on the new com- Hoosiers and businesses both large and small,” Pence plaint. said last week. “With each passing day, it becomes more apparent that Indiana is strong and growing stronger, and Senate: Club endorses Stutzman now, for the first time in more than seven years, Indiana’s “The Club For Growth PAC strongly endorses unemployment rate is below five percent. Our administra- Marlin Stutzman for U.S. Senate,” said Club For Growth tion is committed to implementing the kinds of pro-growth President David McIntosh of the Howe Republican. “Marlin policies that allow businesses to succeed and families to has fought for economic liberty since he was elected to thrive, and Hoosiers can be assured that we will not relent Congress in 2010. He has repeatedly voted to cut bloated in these efforts in the months to come.” federal programs and has voted for conservative budgets It’s on that strong economy that Pence is pin- that would cut taxes and reduce the size of the federal ning hopes of steering clear of the biggest obstacle to his government. He voted to block a half-trillion-dollar debt reelection, the coming move to amend the state’s civil Page 15 ceiling increase in 2013, and just this year, Rep. Stutzman reported raising more than $596,000 in campaign contri- opposed creating a new line of more than $9 billion in butions during the second quarter. Young raised more than mandatory spending. Marlin Stutzman has a proven record $1 million in the quarter, Holcomb collected $207,000 and of opposition to wasteful Washington spending, and the Hill received nearly $151,000. Young’s campaign reported Club for Growth PAC is proud to give him our full support.” $2 million in cash on hand, compared with about $849,000 “Marlin Stutzman is the constitutional conserva- for Stutzman, about $277,000 for Holcomb and $143,000 tive in this race,” said Club For Growth Board Member for Hill. The sums for Young and Stutzman, who were and former Club President Chris Chocola. “His principled elected to the House in 2010, include money left over pro-growth voting record in the House makes Marlin the from their previous congressional campaigns. clear choice of Hoosiers to represent Indiana in the U.S. U.S. Rep. Todd Young picked up a significant Senate.” Stutzman has a lifetime Club for Growth rating of policy victory on Tuesday when the U.S. House voted 243- 93%. 165 to pass the Regulations from the Executive in Need U.S. Rep. Todd Young’s campaign reacted with of Scrutiny (REINS) Act in a bid to roll back the executive campaign manager Trevor Foughty saying, “Todd Young’s branch’s rulemaking authority. “Our rulemaking process sole focus is reversing President Obama’s agenda by ad- is out of control,” said Young, who introduced the bill. “It vancing conservative solutions. That’s what Hoosiers want needs to be reined in.” President Obama has threatened in their next U.S. Senator. This week’s passage of Todd’s to veto the bill, which from the standpoint of the Young REINS Act shows that conservatives can not only fight, but Senate campaign, would bring about earned media that win, in Washington.” will play well to the Republican primary voters. “We’ll keep In 2011, Club For Growth openly backed Richard focusing on the issue,” said campaign manager Trevor Mourdock, who upset U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar in the primary, Foughty, adding that Young’s August schedule will have but then blundered his way to a loss to Democrat Joe Don- the Bloomington Republican making an array of appear- nelly that November, kicking away a Senate seat the GOP ances around the state. had held for 36 years. The Rothenberg/Gonzalez Political Report’s take The Club For Growth shows up on Stutzman’s on the Indiana Senate race: The GOP race is just begin- latest campaign finance report as having directing $4,200 ning, but looks like it will come down to a choice between to his Senate campaign. (Francisco, Fort Wayne Journal Young and Stutzman. Young will try and line up estab- Gazette). The club’s political action committee has directed lishment support, particularly from Republicans who fear $4,200 to Stutzman’s Senate campaign at the request of Stutzman would be a general election liability and Coats three club contributors from California, Pennsylvania and allies who didn’t like how Stutzman attacked the senator in Texas. This practice for collecting and earmarking money the 2010 primary. Democrats are hoping that Republicans is known as “bundling” contributions. “Were always happy nominate another Richard Mourdock, whose comments to serve our members in that way. We are still watching about rape and abortion helped Democrat Joe Donnelly the race and have not made an endorsement though we win the state’s other Senate seat in 2012. But Stutzman’s certainly consider Congressman Stutzman a strong pro- early moves, including his new campaign team, show that growth candidate,” Doug Sachtleben, communications he isn’t automatically in the mold of Todd Akin. director for the Club For Growth, said in an email. Former Rep. Baron Hill is running on the Demo- The Club For Growth in 2012 supported Richard Mourdock, cratic side and hoping to take advantage of a Republican the Indiana state treasurer who unseated 36-year Sen. implosion. But he raised just $151,000 before the end Richard Lugar in the Republican primary election and was of June. Some Democratic strategists are still holding defeated by Democratic Rep. Joe Donnelly in the general out a glimmer of hope that popular former Sen./former election. The club’s three PACs combined to spend nearly Gov. Evan Bayh will run because they believe he would $4 million that year trying to influence Hoosier voters. The walk into the seat. But there is no indication that Bayh is Senate Conservatives Fund, which endorsed Stutzman in interested in running for Senate this cycle. And Repub- May, bundled $44,000 in individual contributions to his licans would not give him a free ride. They would likely campaign in the second quarter of this year, according talk about his post-office lobbying efforts and the amount to the campaign finance report he filed with the Federal of time he spends outside of Indiana. HPI Horse Race Election Commission. The PAC spent more than $700,000 Status: Tossup. in support of Mourdock in 2012. Stutzman’s own joint fundraising committee has delivered money to his Senate 3rd CD: Brown targets PP campaign. The Stutzman Victory Fund transferred $10,800 State Sen. Liz Brown, a candidate for the 3rd CD in contributions from Forrest Lucas and his wife, Charlotte, spoke at the Fort Wayne Women Betrayed Rally. The rally, both of Corydon. Forrest Lucas is chief executive officer of organized in response to the undercover video exposing Lucas Oil Products Inc. The contributions come to $2,700 Planned Parenthood’s practices, called for defunding and from each Lucas for the 2016 primary and general elec- investigating the organization. “Planned Parenthood is a tions, the most an individual is allowed by law to give to business and its business is abortion,” Brown said. “They a federal candidate. Not counting that transfer, Stutzman abort more than 170 babies for every baby they refer to Page 16 adoption. Planned Parent- His record in federal courts has hood’s claim of providing drawn praise from social conserva- women access to health care tive groups, such as the Indiana is a farce; it is about provid- Family Institute. Moreover, the con- ing a profitable service, and centration of the legal profession now they have finally been in Central Indiana will help Zoeller exposed. Providing an abor- compete in Waltz’s backyard, the tion, carefully cutting up a southern Indianapolis suburbs. baby in order to preserve Waltz is confident in his power- its organs for research, is base, however. He told HPI earlier not giving women access to this month that his strategy will health care. We need to con- lean heavily on Johnson County. tinue to press all our elected With a population of 145,000, the officials in Washington, D.C., county contains over a fifth of the to stop funding this profit 9th CD electorate. Before election center of death.” State Sen. Brent Waltz courts the gun to the Senate, Waltz was Johnson The political action vote has his criss-crossed the 9th CD.. County Council president. He also committee for the conserva- cites strong ties in Morgan and tive advocacy group FreedomWorks has endorsed the U.S. Lawrence counties. Doing well in those three populous House candidacy of state Sen. Jim Banks, R-Columbia counties and simply making a decent showing in the dis- City (Fort Wayne Journal Gazette). Banks seeks to replace trict’s others would be enough, Waltz reckons. Republican Rep. Marlin Stutzman in the northeast Indiana If Houchin’s hometown and county lack popula- 3rd District. Stutzman is running for an open U.S. Senate tion, she certainly leads in endorsement category, some seat in next year’s elections. FreedomWorks PAC Chairman of which suggest political inroads in the powerbases of Adam Brandon said in a statement: “Our activists in Indi- both Waltz and Zoeller. First, Waltz’s hometown mayor, ana’s third district want a candidate who is truly committed Mark Myers, is co-chairing Houchin’s campaign. Myers will to the principles of individual liberty and limited govern- serve alongside senior State Sen. Brent Steele, of Bedford. ment. That guy is Jim Banks. As a state senator, he has a They should help Houchin in both Johnson and Lawrence proven record of championing freedom.” HPI Horse Race counties, respectively. Among Republican county chairper- Status: Tossup. sons, Houchin has secured Floyd, Monroe, and Crawford counties. She also has the backing of eight legislators. 9th CD: A three-way race takes shape In addition to Sen. Steele, the list includes Republican Two weeks ago the 9th CD’s Republican field of- Senate Caucus Chairman Jim Merritt, Sen. Mark Messmer, ficially became a three-way race among State Sen. Erin and Sen. Jon Ford. From the other chamber, Houchin has Houchin, of Salem, State Sen. Brent Waltz, of Greenwood, endorsements from State Reps. Lloyd Arnold, Randy Frye, and New Albany native and Attorney General Greg Zoeller. Todd Huston, and Matt Ubelhor. The flurry of announcements followed the much-anticipat- The campaigns have enlisted consultants. Cam ed announcement that incumbent Todd Young is running Savage of Limestone Strategies is assisting Houchin. He is for U.S. Senate. The three hopefuls’ early campaign state- also serving as a general consultant to Young’s U.S. Sen- ments have touched on different themes. Zoeller’s cam- ate bid. Zoeller has enlisted Hathaway Strategies, which is paign kickoff stressed defending states’ rights, reining in assisting Eric Holcomb’s U.S. Senate campaign. Waltz’s has “federal overreach,” and tackling dysfunction in Washing- hired veteran campaign consultant Mark Collins. Zoeller ton. Houchin, however, focused on a strong foreign policy has a campaign splash page up taking email information and border security. Waltz has been touting his record in and campaign contributions. Both Houchin and Waltz have the State Senate and record for grassroots activity. more developed websites. Unlike the others, Zoeller’s Though Zoeller has never faced a true Republican Twitter account has been silent and still refers to his last primary, he did secure the party’s nomination after an attorney general bid. upset of Jon Costas at the 2008 state convention. Zoeller All three candidates’ kickoffs involved multiple easily secured his party’s re-nomination and cruised to stops, but Waltz was certainly the most impressive. He victory in November 2012. His 1.45 million votes were the came out of the gate with a barnstorming tour of the most for any statewide office, exceeding the individual district billed “9 days in the 9th.” He visited 61 cities and totals of U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, Superintendent Glenda towns. Starting the first day in places like Bloomington, Ritz, and Gov. Mike Pence. It’s safe to assume he is the Oolitic, and Ellettsville, Waltz wrapped up the tour in ham- best known of the three at this point. Floyd County will be lets like Heltonville and Norman Station. Along the way depended upon in the coming months, but two terms in he toured several county fairs, visited VFW and American statewide office has likely provided ample opportunities to Legion posts, spoke to the Corydon Tea Party, chatted at develop connections throughout the south-central district. several gun store counters, and met with first responders. Page 17

Most of the stops were documented with photographs on Trustee Rick Riney to show support for one of the routes Twitter. This sort of ground game is reinforced in Waltz’s that is in danger of being consolidated. “Easy and con- message: “Our elected representatives in Washington venient access to public transportation is important to so should be as accessible and responsive as local officials at many people in Evansville,” said Riecken. “Not everyone home. I’m convinced that solutions to America’s problems can afford to own a car, but everyone needs a way to get will be found around dinner tables, at town halls, and in to work or shop. Riecken is challenging incumbent first- the streets of Indiana,” he said on the campaign trail. term Republican Mayor Lloyd Winnecke. Horse Race HPI Horse Race Status: Tossup. Status: Leans Winnecke.

Mayors Richmond: Candidates promise issues Voters have yet to hear specifics about what Fort Wayne: Harper, Henry spar over jobs Libertarian Kamara Gard, Republican Kyle Ingram and Fort Wayne City Councilman Mitch Harper, R-4th, Democrat Dave Snow would do if elected. Republican Kyle last week released a statement expressing his disappoint- INgram said he has been in a “perpetual state of cam- ment about the loss of 360 jobs with the exit of Harris paigning” since winning the primary in May. “Right now, Corp. from the community (Gong, Fort Wayne Journal I’m doing a lot more listening than talking,” he said. Dem- Gazette). “Working to sustain and create jobs must be ocrat nominee Dave Snow said he will propose to have five a strategic focus for Fort Wayne. The loss of 360 Harris “issues-oriented” debates with Ingram and Gard. As of this Corp. jobs is a body blow to our local economy,” Harper week, he had not approached his opponents with the idea. said. “Our next mayor needs “I really want to get down to the brass tacks of what’s a real plan to grow good going on in the city. That’s what the people deserve,” he paying jobs and work to said. Horse Race Status: Leans Ingram maintain our current base of employers.” Harper, the Presidential Republican Party mayoral nominee, took aim at incum- Trump leads in national, Florida polls bent Mayor Tom Henry, a Donald Trump leads the GOP presidential field Democrat, for what Harper by a significant margin, according to a new Quinnipiac described as “faux economic development in the form of University national poll released Thursday. The poll also pay-to-play projects” and criticized the city administration’s indicates that Ohio Gov. John Kasich could ride a post-an- focus on downtown. “Mayor Henry and his team have also nouncement bump onto the stage for next week’s debate focused almost exclusively on downtown development in Cleveland, despite fears that Trump’s wall-to-wall media often to the exclusion of other areas in need of improve- coverage had overshadowed his late entry into the race ment and growth,” Harper said. “As our next mayor I will (Politico). Fully 20 percent of Republican and Republican- work proactively to sustain and create jobs in Fort Wayne leaning voters said they would vote for Trump if the by doing the work it takes to attract quality employers and primary were held today — the largest share any single ensure we are working with current employers to make candidate has received in Quinnipiac’s seven surveys over Fort Wayne a permanent home.” In an email, Robert Dible, the past two years. That puts the brash real-estate mag- Henry’s campaign manager, responded by stating that nate ahead of the two other candidates who earn double- Henry “has added thousands of jobs in his current tenure.” digit support: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker at 13 percent Dible also noted that Harris Corp. is not entirely leaving and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at 10 percent. It’s a the city. “Nearly 540 employees will remain in good-paying four-way tie for fourth place — with pediatric neurosur- jobs here in Fort Wayne,” he said. Dible also leveled his geon Ben Carson, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, own criticisms of Harper. “Mitch Harper seems to think he Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio all can lead by just pasting random talking points into a press at 6 percent. Kasich, at 5 percent, is tied for eighth place release. When you’re the mayor, you have to show up to with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. work, make a plan and work collaboratively to make things Trump would beat both former Gov. Jeb Bush happen,” he said. “Mayor Henry has a proven record as and Sen. Marco Rubio by wide margins if the Republican an effective leader, while Mitch Harper has been notice- primary were held today in Florida, according to a new ably absent from the conversation about how to keep Fort survey. Twenty-six percent of 1,902 Republicans surveyed Wayne’s momentum going.” Horse Race Status: Likely for St. Pete Polls said they would vote for Trump, vs. 20 Henry percent for Bush and 10 percent for Rubio, based on re- sults released Wednesday. v Evansville: Riecken backs METS route Democratic Mayoral candidate Gail Riecken rode the METS Howell Route #12 today with Perry Township Page 18

graduates. That explains current enrollment declines. What’s impacting the So, are low salaries keeping teachers out of the classroom? Starting teachers and army lieutenants earn about the same annual salary. I’ll let the reader draw their demand for teachers? own comparison of the rigors and hours of each job, but By MICHAEL HICKS unlike soldiers, teachers in Indiana have seen their salaries MUNCIE — Changes in the unemployment rate stagnate in recent years. This surely offers less induce- and student enrollment levels affect the true supply and ment into the profession. As I have previously argued, bet- demand for teachers. ter teacher pay should be a policy goal for quality reasons, With Indiana’s unemployment rate back near but it cannot be implicated in a widespread shortage. pre-recession lows, we are sure to hear a lot about a labor No, the problem is that in Indiana, only about shortage. For businesses, the issue is all about adjust- one-third of school corporations are growing. The rest see ing their business model. In government, the problem is shrinking student enrollment, with one in five experiencing not as clear because most public sector occupations have double digit declines since 2010. Almost all of this is due to fewer well-functioning labor mar- falling local population or parents fleeing broken schools. kets. Here we should be very care- In these places, hiring new teachers will be difficult. After ful about judging claims of worker all, who wants to enter a school system facing the inevita- shortages and the brouhaha about bility of long-term cuts? teachers is a classic example. The truth is that there is more evidence of a From 2010 to 2014, total public teacher glut in Indiana than a shortage. But in shrinking and private school enrollment in schools, specious claims of shortages will be in endless Indiana declined 6.2 percent from supply. v 1.16 million to 1.047 million stu- dents. The loss of full-time school Michael J. Hicks, PhD, is the director of the Cen- staff was about 12 percent, almost ter for Business and Economic Research and the all of which occurred in 2010. George and Frances Ball distinguished professor of Since 2011, the staff-to-student economics in the Miller College of Business at Ball ratio actually increased. Moreover, during the last year State University. as student enrollment dropped there were increases in almost all types of teachers. This was likely a consequence of improvements to the funding formula that previously penalized growing schools. From 2013 to 2014, secondary teach- ers saw 12 percent growth, career and techni- cal teachers saw 11 percent growth, special education for kindergartners saw 6 percent growth, and secondary special education and enrichment teachers saw growth of 20 per- cent and 18 percent respectively. Shockingly, education administrators saw a 10 percent increase in 2014, even as overall student enrollment declined. With fewer students, the demand for teachers statewide should drop, leaving an excess supply of teachers. This is, of course, bad news for teachers colleges that claim their historic enrollment declines are a looming catastrophe for schools. Hogwash. Nationwide, only 59 percent of teacher college graduates currently working have jobs in education. With 15 per- cent of education school graduates currently working in office support, sales, agriculture and construction, there remains no shortage of folks with a teaching degree. The reports of shortages are mostly in fields better taught at colleges of science and liberal arts. Folks, we have an excess supply of teacher college Page 19

Carl Bernstein, Washington Post: Is it possible, When the president decided he needed a special unit, the four decades after the resignation of President Richard M. Plumbers — who later broke into Watergate — to investi- Nixon, to report and write a great narrative biography of gate his political opponents and enemies, he said, “I really the man and his presidency? Not quite yet, judging from need a son of a bitch like Huston who will work his butt off two ambitious new works published this summer: Tim and do it dishonorably.” v Weiner’s “One Man Against the World” and Evan Thomas’s “Being Nixon.” Weiner, attempting a more limited task, Tim Swarens, IndyStar: To say that Glenda Ritz’s comes much closer to realizing his goal than Thomas does campaign for governor is operating on a minor league level in his uber-biographical portrait. But Weiner ultimately is to insult the professionalism of the Indianapolis Indians. misses the opportunity for a masterwork on the Nixon And the Fort Wayne TinCaps. And the Evansville Otters. presidency, especially given the breadth of his research. Team Ritz hasn’t been able to get to first base so far with- Perhaps most disappointing, neither of these books comes out tripping over the foul line. Repeatedly. Strike one was to adequate analytical grips with recent scholarship and the botched launch of her bid for governor, which included historiography. Newly released Nixon tapes, photoshopped models posing as supporters and recently declassified oral histories of his aides sparse crowds of actual supporters. Strike two (especially those of the mysterious Thomas was the paltry fund-raising total for the first half Charles Huston) and previously withheld por- of the year. Ritz brought in less than 2 percent of tions of H.R. Haldeman’s diaries illuminate as what her chief rival for the Democratic nomina- never before that Vietnam and Watergate are tion, John Gregg, collected. Money isn’t every- inextricably linked in the Nixon presidency. thing in politics, but it does buy a few essentials One of the strengths of Weiner’s account is his focus on — such as a full-time, experienced campaign staff and the Vietnam and Watergate, and he briefly cites the Huston ability to carry her message (whatever that may be) to all oral histories as source material. But he comes nowhere corners of a state with the size and diversity of Indiana. near availing himself fully of their richness in further il- Strike three was her campaign’s inability to properly handle luminating the Nixon presidency. Huston — his title was what little money it does have. It was revealed last week associate counsel to the president — can be seen in many that Ritz appeared to have accepted campaign donations remarkable ways as a kind of epoxy that binds momentous while the General Assembly was in session, a violation of episodes of the Watergate tale. He represents a connective state law. Ritz blamed those apparent transgressions on tissue holding key elements of the underside of Nixon’s a clerical error, and I’m willing to give her the benefit of presidency together. Huston is best known as the author the doubt. But it does raise even more concerns about of the infamous Huston Plan, approved by Nixon in 1970, whether she’s ready to compete in the big leagues. So has to authorize break-ins and other illegal surveillance — not Glenda Ritz struck out already? Not yet. We’re still nine only of left-wing radicals such as the Weathermen, who months away from the Democratic primary, and the state’s were building bombs, but also of nonviolent leaders and top education officer has a bit more time to learn the fun- prominent figures in the antiwar movement. As Nixon damentals of running for higher office. But the margin of acknowledged on tape when the coverup was unraveling: error has narrowed greatly. v “I ordered that they use any means necessary, including illegal means, to accomplish this goal. . . . The president of Statehouse File: Twen- the United States can never admit that.” Though Huston Lesley Weidenbener, ty years ago when I arrived at the Indiana Statehouse to personally had nothing to do with the burglary at the Wa- begin covering the General Assembly, the beat was among tergate or the cover-up, he shows up repeatedly, Zelig-like, the most respected in the newsroom. Covering the legis- in the Nixonian deliberations that made Watergate pos- lature meant you were doing something that mattered – sible. A very special assistant with unusually broad security writing stories about taxes, highways, education and social clearances, he was chosen to conduct private research issues, stories that helped people make decisions about projects for the president — especially to provide him their lives and at the polls. Editors and the public saw it with secret information about what Nixon’s enemies might that way too. But over the decades – as I moved from know about him. Huston’s presence, and the invocation of covering state government for The Journal Gazette in Fort his name, are conspicuous at crucial moments. (“Follow Wayne to The Courier-Journal in Louisville to TheState- Huston” is a fruitful notion.) He’s there early, undertaking houseFile.com where I’ve been the editor – the position an investigation of the bombing halt for the new president has diminished in stature inside and outside the media to determine, in part, exactly what Johnson and FBI Direc- industry. The public’s increasing distaste and skepticism for tor J. Edgar Hoover knew about Nixon’s complicity in un- government and politics, a changing news business that dermining the Paris peace talks. Around the same time, he focuses on the sensational, and elected officials who’ve conducted another investigation for Nixon that, infuriating been slow to eliminate perks their constituents loathe have the president in its conclusion, failed to find evidence that contributed to the overall decline in the respect for even the North Vietnamese or other foreign powers were giving the reporters who cover the beat. v financial support to the antiwar movement in America. Page 20

capable of burning natural gas. The are taking advantage of the designa- Schellinger to process will help IPL comply with EPA tion. “Conversations with multiple standards limiting coal-fired power broadband providers are underway,” head IEDC plant emissions. Indiana Office of said Scott Rudd, Nashville’s Town Utility Consumer Counselor spokes- Manager and Economic Development INDIANAPOLIS — Gov. Mike man Anthony Swinger says the OUCC, Director. “Nashville is taking the des- Pence named Jim Schellinger as which is a state agency that acts as a ignation one step further by preparing president of the Indiana Economic consumer advocate, has been sup- to offer broadband providers access to Development Corpora- portive of phasing out coal at town properties, public works facilities tion (IEDC). He currently this plant and is still review- and right of ways. We want broad- serves as the chairman ing the case. “We were band access for every visitor, resident and chief executive of- generally supportive of the and business in town,” Rudd said. ficer of CSO Architects utilities request when it came and is a member of the to the conversion of Hard- Moore pulls Elkhart IEDC Board of Directors. ing 7 and the other aspects Schellinger was an unsuccessful 2008 of this particular case,” Swinger says. LGBT ordinance Democratic gubernatorial nominee Last year IPL converted two other ELKHART — Amid a strong and had been participating in current units to natural gas. IPL says it plans outpouring of opposition, Elkhart Democratic Party talks to find a nomi- to reduce its dependence on coal by Mayor Dick Moore has asked that his nee to challenge Gov. Pence. “Since 44 percent by 2017. proposed ordinance extending civil day one, our administration has priori- rights protections to the LGBT com- tized establishing Indiana as the best Nashville first town munity be withdrawn from formal state in the nation for job creation. To consideration (Elkhart Truth). That do this, we need a top-notch team at ‘broadband ready’ doesn’t necessarily mean the issue is the Indiana Economic Development dead. The Democrat said in a letter Corporation, and Jim Schellinger is NASHVILLE — Nashville sent Monday, July 27, to Elkhart City the right man at the right time to lead recently earned the first “Broadband Council members that he’s asked city the organization,” said Gov. Pence. Ready Community” designation in staff to pursue a more comprehensive “Already this year, Hoosier companies the state from the Indiana Economic overhaul of the city’s human relations have committed to creating more than Development Corporation. The Brown ordinance instead. As with the original 15,000 new jobs in the coming years County town earned the honor by proposal, he wants the overhaul to with salaries well above the state’s streamlining local policies and ordi- incorporate civil protections for the current average. I am confident that nances to quickly facilitate broadband lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Jim, with his unmatched business deployment, a process established by community. Still, some council mem- leadership experience, will continue to state law this year. Local and state of- bers expressed skepticism. “I guess build on this progress and attract both ficials, as well as business and school I would ask what time frame can we national and international recognition district representatives, praised the expect it in,” Councilman Brian Dick- and investment in the Hoosier State.” move as a forward-thinking step that erson, a Republican, said. “I don’t “I greatly appreciate this opportu- will benefit the entire community and believe he had the support for the nity to positively impact the eco- visitors, as well as improve the busi- ordinance.” nomic progress in Indiana for years to ness climate. “This designation sends come,” said Schellinger. a strong message to the telecom- Errington seeks munications industry that Nashville’s IPL to convert regulatory climate is welcoming to reservoir study plant from coal infrastructure investment, to the busi- INDIANAPOLIS — State Rep. INDIANAPOLIS— The Indi- ness community that it can meet its Sue Errington, D-Muncie, has re- ana Utility Regulatory Commission technology needs, and to tourists that quested the interim study committee has approved Indianapolis Power they can enjoy a high-quality digital on environmental affairs look at the and Light’s request for a $70 million experience while visiting, all while pro- proposed Mounds Lake reservoir this investment into their Harding Street viding local residents with high quality, summer (Anderson Herald-Bulletin). plant to transition another unit from affordable service,” said state Rep. Errington sent her request to the coal to natural gas. IPL said in a Eric Koch (R-Bedford). Koch, authored committee chair Sen. Ed Charbon- release the investment would go to House Enrolled Act 1101, which set up neau, R-Valparaiso, and the vice chair, eliminate coal burning and revamp the the process. The IEDC informed Nash- Rep. Dave Wolkins, R-Warsaw last Harding Street Plant unit so it will be ville on July 17. Town officials already week, asking for a hearing.