Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001 ! Volume 7, Number 27 Page 1 of 8 Vanderburgh Demos The face chair contest Howey !"#$"%&'"()*"+,-$.+/$*01$!'++23$4*0 By BRIAN A. HOWEY in Indianapolis Indiana Democrats were going through their Political reogranization process this week - despite uncertainties about actual district lines - and steps were being taken to close a festering sore in crucial Southwestern Indiana. Democratic sources tell HPR that Vanderburgh Report County Chair Jack Waltroup Jr. will step aside and a battle this weekend will be waged between Evansville City The Howey Political Report is published by NewsLink Councilman Steve Melcher and Wayne Crowe, an African- Inc. Founded in 1994, The Howey Political Report is American political activist involved in the recent Paul Perry an independent, non-partisan newsletter analyzing the and Rick Borries campaigns. political process in Indiana. The Vanderburgh power alignment is critical in light Brian A. Howey, publisher of the extremely competitive nature of the 8th CD and its Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington writer potential role as a tie-breaker in the 2002 fight for control of Congress, where the Republicans have a 220-211 majority Jack E. Howey, editor (there are also two independents and two vacancies). The The Howey Political Report Office: 317-254-1533 Vanderburgh Democratic organization has been akin to a PO Box 40265 Fax: 317-466-0993 dysfunctional, bipolar family having a midnight picnic in a Indianapolis, IN 46240-0265 Mobile: 317-506-0883 Balkan minefield. [email protected] It reached a conspicuous crescendo in 1999 when www.howeypolitics.com then-Mayor Frank McDonald refused to endorse Evansville Washington office: 202-775-3242; mayoral nominee Rick Borries, who went on to lose by a Business Office: 317-254-0535. mere 519 votes to Republican Russell Lloyd Jr. Borries’ Subscriptions: $250 annually via e-mail or loss prevented Indiana Democrats from making a big city fax. Call 317-254-1533. sweep, after the party won Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and South Bend. The Vanderburgh organization in 2000 did out- © 2001, The Howey Political Report. All rights perform its 1996 effort, but Hostettler survived anyway. reserved. Photocopying, Internet forwarding, faxing or reproducing in any form, in whole or in part, is a viola- Local, state and national strategists were concerned tion of federal law and is strictly prohibited without about further rifts in the Evansville party. With a new 8th consent of the publisher. Continued on page 2 “It does spend more than we’re taking in, but if Ticker: State budget breezes p. 2 I were writing the budget it would spend more Bob Lang: Tobacco and IRS p. 2 than we’re taking in....” - Republican State Rep. Congress: Pence & Kerns report p. 4 Jeff Espich, on the biennial budget bill that roared Perhaps: Terre Haute questions p. 6 Burton vs. Clinton (continued) p. 7 out of Ways and Means by a 24-1 vote Columnists: Colwell, Leonard p. 8 Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001 Page 2 of 8 DLC COMING TO INDY: The Democratic Leadership Council will meet in Indiana- polis July 15-17. The DLC, headed by Sen. Evan Bayh, chose Indianapolis not only due to the Bayh connection, but also because of recent Democratic successes. “Indiana is a great example of the new Democratic mes- sage getting through,” said Al From, who is a South Bend native. The event will be co-chaired by LG Joe Kernan, Mayor Bart Peterson and Emmis CEO the state’s emerging Democratic power from page 1 Jeff Smulyan. Chairs, center that could, in time, surpass Lake CD expected to be drawn to favor a County as the cornerstone organization. WELFARE BILL PASSES: In Democratic candidate such as House Laudig said that Peterson has asked a move that could save Speaker John Gregg, having the him to do “long-range planning, data col- Lake County taxpayers mil- lection and analysis and web integration.” lions of dollars, the Indiana Vanderburgh organization unified could House passed legislation go a long way toward retiring U.S. Rep. Treacy vowed to HPR that Laudig would Wednesday aimed at elimi- John Hostettler, who has eaked out four have “no seat” at his table and could not nating a major portion of narrow (but growing) victories over Frank hide his contempt for his predecessor. welfare from local property McCloskey, Jonathon Weinzapfel, Gail What Treacy brings to the table is tax rolls, a key element in Riecken and Paul Perry. All but Perry had expertise at building warchests - critical to Gov. Frank O'Bannon's or have since demonstrated electability in Peterson, who can expect a stiff challenge year-old tax relief package key areas of the district. With the variety in 2003, and U.S. Rep. Julia Carson, (Terry Burns, Times of whose new district will likely contain fur- Northwest Indiana). How- of electable talent failing, the search for ever, unlike the governor's blame naturally rests at the doorstep of the ther Republican township areas making earlier proposal, the mea- CD’s largest bulwark organization. her district more competitive. Last week- sure stops short of requir- end, the Indianapolis Star had Treacy ing the state to pay for the Marion County resolution accusing Laudig of stealing office furni- full costs of the Family and A tempest that appears to have ture out of party headquarters. If that kind Children Fund, the most passed for the Democrats occurred in of sniping and devisiveness continues, the expensive category of wel- Democrats risk a power loss because on fare on most local property Marion County, where current chairman tax bills. Instead, House Bill Steve Laudig stepped aside at the request the other side the contrast is the GOP 1003, crafted by Ways and of Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson. uniting behind John Keeler, with Monty Means Chairman B. Patrick That’s despite the Democrats carrying 433 Combs refusing to wage a repeat chal- Bauer, D-South Bend, calls precincts in 2000 (compared to 203 in lenge in the name of harmony. for the state to pick up half 1994), 22 township board members elect- of the cost for the welfare Passing the calumet initiative and requires the ed (compared to 13 prior); and 14 city councilors (compared to 10 prior). Super Another Democratic quicksand site Continued on page 3 lobbyist Ed Treacy inherits what could be is Lake County, where a year ago people Page 3 of 8 Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001 were predicting the demise of Chairman challenged by Pepper Cooper. In nearby Stephen Stiglitz. He had just lost an East Floyd County, Warren Nash, who fended Chicago mayoral primary to Bob Pastrick, off a recall last year, is apparently unop- a race many across the many Lake County posed. factions had urged him not to make. Late County chairs retiring include last year, Sheriff John Buncich began Eddie Pittman in Frank O’Bannon’s home sending signals that he would take on the county of Harrison; Jackie Stutz in counties to foot the rest of staggered Stig. But February 2001 finds Dearnborn; Bud McCall in Henry; Steve the bill. The bill now heads Stiglitz ready to coast to re-election, with Rance in Cass; and Bill Walker in Pike. to the Republican-led the party’s fratricidal tendencies moving John Bonecutter has already replaced Senate, which defeated a from the smoke-filled rooms to the vari- Margaret Alexander in Clinton County. similar effort last year because leaders considered ous City Halls, where north county may- it a Lake County bailout that ors such as Pastrick and Gary’s Scott King Republicans postpone benefited only a handful of are duking it out with Crown Point’s On Wednesday, Indiana Republi- counties with soaring wel- James Metros and State Rep. Chet Dobis cans voted unanimously to postpone reor- fare costs. over property and income taxes. Said one ganization until after the legislature solves influential Democrat, “Apparently there is reapportionment. Two district chairs - Roy LAWMAKERS ‘EUPHORIC’ peace in the valley, and I’m saying that OVER STATE BUDGET; Rogers in the 3rd and Shirley Baker in the PASSES WAYS & MEANS: with a bit of disbelief.” 7th - have indicated they are stepping On the district level, due to a rotat- Lawmakers were so pleased down. with a revised version of the ing agreement, Lake County’s Jim Fife Republican Chair Mike McDaniel state's proposed budget steps aside and Porter County Chair Leon said he will convene reorganization within Tuesday that the House West takes over as 1st CD chair. 30 days after Gov. O’Bannon signs the Ways and Means Committee redistricting bill. When will that be? passed the document with 7th CD turnover McDaniel said that the latest census num- bipartisan support for the first time since the 1980s Another indicator that HPR’s redis- bers are expected on April 1 and it will (Nikki Kelly, Fort Wayne tricting analysis is on target is the 7th CD, take the party caucuses about 10 days to Journal Gazette). "I just one that we’ve speculated has the greatest load all the data into the computers and would like to say I'm in a potential for being eliminated. Five pump out proposed maps. state of euphoria," said Rep. Democratic county chairs and the district McDaniel said that by judging the Ben GiaQuinta, D-Fort chair - former Lafayette Mayor Jim Riehle overwhelming Ways and Means Commit- Wayne. Many legislators - are retiring. Joining Riehle in retirement tee support of the proposed budget on were fearful that a tight bud- are Chet Vice of Montgomery County, Tuesday, the redistricting may not be get would spell doom for state programs. The amend- Claudia Williams in Putnam, David Scott attached to the budget.