Today, there is an Indy Star article on school vouchers entitled, Voucher plan for schools gaining steam.

Here is the basic problem with vouchers: Some kids are more expensive to educate than others.

If we don’t really care if the difficult to educate kids get some level of education, we can let the schools kick out the problem kids and probably make a voucher system work. If schools know they only have $x per kid to meet their education goals, they can just kick out those kids who cost more than $x to educate. Under the current system, the more easily educated kids are, in effect, subsidizing the less educable children.

If we do want to educate the hard-to-educate children (and I think we should), then a straight voucher system doesn’t work because it lets the easily educated children leave and take all of their money with them, including the dollars that were previously being used to subsidize the problem children.

Now, if we had enough money to let the old school receive just as much money as ever while the child who wanted to change schools headed for greener pastures with some additional money; then I suppose a voucher system could work. But, if we’re going to require a school to keep the problem child and take money away from the school every time an easily educated child leaves, then we’re putting the school in a trick bag that it won’t get out of.

Police chief and legislator at odds over level of cooperation Apparently there is some tension between the New Castle Police Chief, Jim Nicholson, and Representative Tom Saunders over the level of cooperation given by the Saunders family. Saunders turned over the car and had his attorney working on voluntary statements before being subpoenaed. Nicholson, who has apparently closed the book on the case in his own mind, would have apparently preferred that Rep. Saunders drive his son to the jail and provide the police department with a signed confession on their way through book-in. Maybe I’m exaggerating, but if I were the Saunders’ attorney, I’d lean toward the “don’t tell ’em a thing” school of thought. So, coming from that point of view, I figure the Saunders are being remarkably forthcoming.

John Tuohy and Mary Beth Schneider of the Indy Star have more on the Saunders/Jackman hit & run. According to the story, the Henry County Prosecutor’s Office plans to file charges against Andrew Saunders. Still no specific indication of whether alcohol is believed to have been involved. But the story says that he was at the local Elks Lodge for several hours prior to the accident and apparently does not remember what happened that evening.

Back in 1897, the Indiana General Assembly attempted to legislate the mathematical value of pi. (See EHB 246-1897). As a consequence, our state was and is the subject of much ridicule. And rightfully so. Ignoring math and science to make life neater is certainly mockable behavior. Well, the General Assembly is at it again. O.k., actually, this time they aren’t legislating pi. Instead, they’re legislating the viability of a fetus. In Indiana, according to HB 1690, a fetus is viable at 20 weeks. No further medical evaluation is required to establish this fact.

Michele McNeil and Rob Schneider of the Indianapolis Star have a story on the General Assembly’s attempt to legislate viability and other efforts to limit the availability of abortions. Apparently when the Fetus Viability Act of 2005 was considered in committee there were many tears and fireworks. The quote of the day came from Vanessa Summers who appears to have been reacting to a saccharine-sweet woman who had self-anointed herself protector of all women. According to the Indy Star article:

And an angry Vanessa Summers, D-Indianapolis, left the hearing after her vote and yelled to an anti-abortion proponent who approached her: “In the name of Jesus, get out of my face,” before threatening to call in Indiana State Police troopers.

The person on the receiving end of Summers’ outburst was Linda Zimmerman, the coordinator for a group of sidewalk peer counselors who stand outside a Fort Wayne abortion clinic. She said she just wanted to talk to Summers, who voted against the bill. “I wanted to give her a hug and tell her that I was trying to protect all women.”

So, the measure is moving on to the House. But, maybe it’ll eventually die in the Senate, just like the Pi Bill did.

Senate Bill 0638

Merger of townships. Allows township governments to merge upon the adoption of identical resolutions by the township boards (presented to the township boards by the township trustees) and an ordinance by the county legislative body. Allows merged township governments to dissolve the merged government and be reestablished as separate governments upon adoption of an ordinance by the county legislative body.

Passed 45-3.

This could possibly be a good way to save a little bit of money at the local level. Though, I am afraid I don’t have the slightest idea how much money or redundancy is involved in the performance of township duties.

Update Who knew there was so much blogging commentary on Indianatownship government? But there are recent blog entries here, here, and here.

Engrossed Version, House Bill 1004

Authorizes the department of state revenue to establish a tax amnesty program that provides for the waiver of unpaid interest, penalties, and fees upon payment of unpaid listed taxes during the amnesty period or in conformity with a payment plan established by the department. Doubles the penalty for a taxpayer that is eligible to participate in the amnesty program but fails to participate. Provides certain exceptions. Requires the department of state revenue to provide the legislative council with an assessment of the impact of the tax amnesty program on tax collections and an analysis of the costs of administering the tax amnesty program.

This House bill passed out of the Senate Committee. So, it’s almost home. It occurs to me that there might not be any reason for this bill to be amending the Indiana Code. It amends IC 6-8.1-3-17 by adding a subsection (c) that instructs the Dept. of Revenue to enact a tax amnesty program for a listed tax due and payable before July 1, 2004. Seems like a Noncode provision would have been sufficient. It’s just going to clutter up the Indiana Code until somebody bothers to remove it. In the year 2010, you’re going to have to step over this provision about 2004 taxes when you’re going through that part of the Code.

Anyway, prior entries, here, here, and here.

House Bill 1403

Insurance fraud. Establishes the offense of insurance fraud as a Class D felony. Makes the offense a Class C felony if: (1) a person commits a second or subsequent offense; or (2) the value of property, services, or other benefits obtained by a person as a result of the offense or the economic loss suffered by another person as a result of the offense is at least $2,500.

Passed 95 – 1.

House Bill 1270 Creates the new crimes of unauthorized entry or control of a motor vehicle, a Class D felony. Essentially, this strikes me as being enhanced conversion which is a Class A misdemeanor. This bill passed the House 70 to 26.

The Muncie Star Press is reporting that authorities spoke with Rep. Saunders sons, Andrew and Patrick concerning the hit & run death of Thomas Michael Jackman on February 5. The story didn’t have any additional details about what happened. I summarized what I could find in this entry.

As usual, I find useless, the “man on the street” opinions that local news insists on obtaining. Today, we get to hear from New Castle resident, Charlie Gerth. If there is any connection between Gerth and the Saunders/Jackman incident, it is not identified in the story. Nevertheless, we are treated to Mr. Gerth’s opinion. Opinions, you’ll recall, are like certain body parts in that everbody has one:

No charges have been filed yet, though a decision on charges is expected this week, Edwards said.

That’s not a moment too soon for New Castle resident Charlie Gerth. He thinks the time is up on this investigation, and said he’s “amazed how they give (Rep. Saunders) almost a week” before his son talked to authorities.

“If it had been you or me, our butt would be in the slammer,” Gerth said.

Gerth said he knows others are complaining too, but he plans to do more than just that. At least, he wants to take his complaints to the next level – directly to Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Though Saunders and Daniels both are Republicans, Gerth said he thinks complaining to the governor will at least turn some heads.

Mary Beth Schneider has an article in the Indy Star entitled, House panel OKs budget with no plan to raise taxes. The headline covers the jist of the story. The story mentions that Governor Daniels proposal to impose a one-time additional tax on those making more than $100k may not be dead, it may come up in the Senate. Rep. Bill Crawford was also described as deadset against the budget bill, on which he voted no, because of cuts to school funding. The House Ways & Means Committee passed the bill on a party line vote 15 to 10.