Daniels ponders sale of ‘extra’ state items

An Indianapolis Star article about Gov. Daniels’ proposal to sell off government assets and allow naming rights. I certainly have no problem with selling assets that the state doesn’t need. But there is also talk of selling the toll road (I-80/90) to private interests. I’m against selling critical infrastructure to non-government entities. (I’m generally against toll-roads themselves, for what it’s worth. Roads are a common good and should be paid for as such and accessed by the public as such.) But don’t get into the business of turning capital costs into operating costs by selling stuff you need to private interests and then leasing from them.

Introduced Version, House Bill 1073 Representative Don Lehe introduced a bill that would withdraw the BMV’s discretion to withhold the identity of someone who contacts the BMV regarding a person’s ability to operate a vehicle safely. Don’t know that this is a good or a bad idea, it’s just kind of trivial. That probably means there is a specific story behind it. I wonder if Lehe or one of his constitutents in particular wants to know who has been looking at their BMV records.

It is surprising how much legislation, especially the minor nit-picky stuff, is designed, at least initially, to address a particular individual’s experience.

Introduced Version, House Bill 1063 This bill prohibits the use of eminent domain to acquire property for commercial purposes. This is an interesting issue. Currently, I think eminent domain can be used by the government to take private property if it is done for the “public good”. I honestly don’t know if the question has been definitively settled under current Indiana law. But, the argument would go that taking your corn field and selling it or even giving it to some commercial or industrial interest will create jobs, generate tax revenues, and therefore be for the public good. That makes some sense, though it doesn’t feel right that Crony County (fictitious), Indiana should be able to take the property that’s been in your family for almost 200 years since they fought the Pottowatomis for it, shove a bargain basement “fair market value” down your throat, and turn the property over to Acme Co. to throw up a strip mall.

If such a law had been in place in Texas back when George W. Bush was with the Rangers, I believe it would have prevented him from making a good chunk of his fortune with the Rangers stadium deal, for example. (I wonder if anyone currently owns property in jeopardy of eminent domain from the new Colts stadium?)

Introduced Version, House Bill 1058 Allows minors 14-18 years old to operate snow mobiles and off road vehicles only on their parents’ property. Requires anyone under 18 to be wearing a helmet.

Introduced Version, House Bill 1025 is up for hearing today before the Public and Homeland Security Committee. I covered this a bit earlier and Rep. Koch as well. He also wants to require the DNR to make payments in lieu of taxes to counties in which its acreage is located. The payments come from the state general fund. So, it would basically be a matter of transferring wealth from counties without DNR land to counties with it.

Daniels taps pair to fill jobs posts

Ron Stiver, a brand strategy and sales manager for Eli Lilly and Co., will be commissioner of the Department of Workforce Development, which handles unemployment claims, keeps statistics on Indiana’s work force and spearheads worker retraining efforts.

To be fair, he also appointed a Columbus corporate attorney, Miguel Rivera, to the Dept. of Labor. So, while it’s still the business community, it’s a good 35+ miles south of I-465.

State tax amnesty bill sent to House: Rep. Eric Turner has introduced a “tax amnesty” bill that gives tax debtors an as yet to be determined 8 week period to pay taxes without penalty or interest charges. Proponents say “we need the money”. Detractors say, “it’s a cheater’s rights bill.”

As written currently, HB 1004 would also double the penalty against a debtor who has the opportunity pay under the tax amnesty program but fails to do so.

This kind of makes me wonder what the current practice is with regard to tax collection efforts currently in litigation. I wonder if the State will cut a deal with debtors to settle in full if they pay a lump sum equal to their principal debt, waiving the extras. If they do that kind of thing already, I wouldn’t have any problem with this bill. If not, I have mixed feelings.

Introduced Version, Senate Bill 0217 It never passes, but Sen. Server has introduced a bill to raise the speed limit on Interstates from 65 to 70 mph.

(Maybe they could play up the economic development angle. When given an option, I chose a route that was a few miles longer because it was primarily through states with 70 mph speed limits.)