A Citizen's Guide to Indiana

Masson's Blog

J&C on local reaction to state budget

by Leave a Comment

The Lafayette Journal and Courier has a story on the reaction of politicians in the Lafayette area to the budget passed by the General Assembly. They’re still digesting the details, but they say it looks like the General Assembly has kicked the responsibility for raising taxes down to the locals. Local government is saddled with state and federal mandates that state and local government has not seen fit to fund. The taxing tool made available to local government is to raise taxes. One thing the Republicans were right about when they stormed into power on the federal level back in ’94 with the Contract with America was their objection to unfunded mandates. Can’t say I’ve heard much about that in a long time.

For example the article mentions, “Clinton County faces having to buy voting machines to comply with the Help American Vote Act as well as hiring more sheriff’s deputies to comply with federal guidelines, among other expenses.” So, the federal politicians get to take credit for passing legislation designed to help voters and for making the streets safer. The local politicians have to do the unpopular things (usually voting for a tax) necessary to pay for these things. Doesn’t seem fair to me. Well, as they say, “shit rolls downhill”. Just another example of that, I guess.

Fort Wayne Journal Gazette on Legislative post mortem

by Leave a Comment

I don’t have time to comment at the moment, but the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette has a Legislative post-mortem talking about

The line between credit and blame can be fuzzy at times, as Republican lawmakers and Gov. Mitch Daniels are likely to find in the months ahead. The victory cry they issued as the legislative session closed Friday also saddles them with responsibility for what happened.

The only surprise about the Republican “success” was that it wasn’t easier won. The GOP, after all, controls both chambers of the General Assembly and the governor’s office.

J&C on Bush’s Social Security “Fix”

by Leave a Comment

As a general rule, I like to stay away from national politics, since it is covered much better elsewhere. But today’s Lafayette Journal and Courier has an opinion piece that I think deserves a brief response. Specifically:

The piece Critics scoff at Bush’s contention that Social Security will be flat broke by 2041, about the time today’s 28-year-old hits 65 and about the time the system is projected to pay out 74 percent of the expected benefits even without a fix. Still, hand that 26 percent cut in promised benefits to today’s Social Security recipients and see how it goes over. Sounds like a system of diminishing returns to us.

That’s not to say President Bush’s private accounts are the total answer.

A couple of points:

  • If Social Security is able to pay out 74% of projected benefits then it is not “flat broke.” Part of what Bush’s detractors object to is his descriptions of the problem which are both deliberately frightening and wrong. An ad campaign by the AARP likens Bush’s approach to tearing down the house because one has a clogged drain.
  • Bush’s privatization is not the total answer. It’s not even part of the answer. Bush’s people have used a rosy set of numbers to show how well private accounts will perform (something like a 3.4% per year growth in the economy) while using a grim set of numbers to show how badly Social Security needs a fix. Private accounts do nothing to fix the projected social security shortfall that warrants the problems creating private accounts would cause — either borrowing money to cover the gap caused by the cut out used to start up private accounts or raising taxes sufficient to start the program.
  • This problem was supposedly addressed when Greenspan’s commission obtained a steep increase in the payroll taxes in 1983.
  • Bush shouldn’t even start worrying about Social Security until he’s fixed his addiction to deficit spending. At least Social Security is solvent currently. We can’t say the same for the general fund which is actually borrowing from the Social Security trust fund to pay for current expenditures. Those huge deficits are a problem that are both clearer and more present than any problems with Social Security. Before the J&C demands detractors to recognize a potential problem for Social Security, it ought to require the Bush administration to acknowledge that any such problems are small in comparison to more current fiscal problems.

    For an exhaustive discussion of why Bush’s proposed social security solutions don’t fix the problems he alleges, be sure to read Josh Marshall’s Talking Points Memo.

    • BMV to close 12 state license branches

    by Leave a Comment

    Michele McNeil has an article in the Indianapolis Star entitled, BMV closing 12 license branches across state. According to the article:

    The Bureau of Motor Vehicles will announce today that 12 license branches across the state will close in June to improve efficiency and save money. The closings come at a time when lawmakers are requiring Hoosiers to show their IDs more — to vote and to buy many cold medicines. . . . Commissioner Joel Silverman said Monday that the closings will affect the branches that do the least business, in the smallest communities. . . .Silverman said he could not list the 12 branches on Monday because state officials are still notifying employees, branch landlords and legislators. A list of the branches will be released today. . . .The closings come just after the Republican-controlled General Assembly passed a law requiring most voters to show a photo ID before they cast their ballots. . . . Hoosiers also will be asked to show ID when purchasing many cold medicines, as part of the effort to fight methamphetamine.

    Rep. Teri Austin wants to know the criteria for closing branches and who was involved in making the decision. Rep. Ed Mahern points out that the General Assembly just passed a law allowing the burea to keep $1.3 million from the sale of personalized plates that used to go to political parties.

    Indy Star on Colt Stadium

    by Leave a Comment

    The Indy Star has an article about the Colts stadium bill entitled Surprise! Check the bill. Of particular interest is a discovery by officials in the cities and counties surrounding Indianapolis, specifically Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Morgan, Shelby and Boone Counties and Avon, Carmel, Fishers, Greenfield, Lebanon, Martinsville, Noblesville, Westfield and Zionsville, that they can raise restaurant taxes.

    According to the Star article:

    The idea appeals to many local leaders, as it offers a quick opportunity to raise much-needed cash. Counties would have to give half of their revenue to the stadium project, with the remainder available for local needs. Cities and towns, meanwhile, would be able to use their new money to bolster local budgets.

    SEA 14 Ballot Form

    by Leave a Comment

    SEA 14 Ballot form. Election Law. Sen. C. Lawson; Rep. Richardson, Thomas.

    (I note that the very beginning of the law starts with poor form. It defines “chad” at IC 3-5-2-8.7 and then says that section expires on 12/31/05 — so that part of the Indiana Code will be effective for approximately 8 months. And yet the provision will have to be published in any subsequent edition of the Code until it is repealed. Typically this kind of thing is put in a Noncode section so it won’t clutter up the Code for future generations.)

    Establishes a ballot form that lists candidates by office for optical scan and electronic voting systems. Adds circles to the types of figures permitted to indicate a vote cast on a ballot card. Revises the printed instructions for optical scan ballots to permit a voter to darken the circle, oval, or square indicating the candidate voted for.

    Specifies that “independent ticket” refers only to tickets for President and Vice President of the United States; or Governor and Lt. Governor. Revises the instructions for preparing an optical scan ballot card or an electronic voting system that includes the offices of President and Vice President of the United States.

    Provides that references to punch card ballots expire December 31, 2005 (the use of punch card ballots is prohibited after that date). Removes references to ballot card and electronic voting systems in provisions that only apply to paper ballots, lever voting machines, and the use of punch card ballots for presidential elections.

    Requires that certain features of an electronic voting system concerning the verification or correction of a voter’s ballot apply after December 31, 2005. Prior to this legislation, it appears that the law required an electronic voting system to allow private and independent verification by the voter that the system registered the voter’s vote correctly. The system also had to permit a voter to correct such a ballot privately and independently prior to the vote being cast. Finally, the system had to notify the voter of the effect of casting multiple votes for the office and provide an opportunity to correct the ballot. The General Assembly has apparently lifted these requirements between April 22, 2005 and December 31, 2005 so that, for this period of time, electronic voting systems are not required to have these features anymore.

    SEA 13 – DNA testing of felons

    by Leave a Comment

    SEA 13 DNA Testing of Felons. Criminal Law. Sen. Zakas, Wyss; Rep. T. Harris, L. Lawson.

    This law permits the use of DNA data erroneously obtained or added to the DNA data base. Specifically, “The detention, arrest, or conviction of a person based on a data base match or data base information is not invalidated if a court determines that the DNA sample was obtained or placed in the Indiana DNA data base by mistake.”

    The law also requires a person convicted of a felony (or conspiracy or attempt to commit a felony) to submit a DNA sample to the department of correction or a sheriff. It permits the department of correction to perform DNA analysis on a sample at any time, and requires such an analysis when federal funds for testing become available.

    SEA 12 Code Adam

    by Leave a Comment

    SEA 12 Code Adam. State Administration. Sen. Zakas, Breaux; Rep. Walorski, Welch.

    This bill establishes the “Code Adam” program to locate missing children. Requires the department of administration to adopt rules to establish and implement a “Code Adam” protocol for lost or missing children in certain state buildings. In particular, DOA must set forth information a state employee is to obtain when a missing child is reported and set forth the person in the DOA the state employee must contact. DOA must also adopt procedures the contact person must then follow, procedures for department employees to search a building in which the child is presumed to be located, and procedures for contacting law enforcement if the child is not found.

    I have nothing against this law. But, in general, I hate legislation with emotionally charged names (“Code Adam” “Megan’s Law” “Amber Alert” etc.) If it’s a good idea, do we really need to name legislation after a murdered child to get it through the General Assembly?

    But, in case you’re interested, here is the tragic story behind Code Adam.

    SEA 8 – Arbitration in Family Law

    by Leave a Comment

    SEA 8 Arbitration in family law. Family Law. Sen. Ford; Rep. Duncan. (Governor’s signature pending.)

    Specifies the procedures in family law arbitration cases. I deliberately remain as ignorant as possible in family law cases, so I can’t really offer much guidance on what this law does.

    SEA 2 – “Parenting Time”

    by Leave a Comment

    SEA 2 Family Law: Parenting Time. Sen. Ford; Rep. Duncan.

    This bill replaces references to “visitation” with “parenting time”. It was prepared by the child custody and support advisory committee. I actually went back to the Minutes of 8/25/04 where the draft seems to have been discussed originally. I can’t find any explanation as to why this is important enough to require legislation. It seems to be a matter of semantics. No explanation is provided in the committee’s final report.

    The bill also provides that a prosecuting attorney or private attorney in a Title IV-D case is not required to litigate a dispute between the parties relating to the amount of parenting time or parenting time credit.