Statehouse Stuff
Here are a couple things that I think are newsworthy from the Statehouse today…
THANKS, BUT NO THANKS
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels says he’ll decline taking the portion of the federal economic stimulus package that’s geared towards unemployment insurance.
Although the state faces hundreds of millions in deficits in the fund, Daniels says the conditions attached to the federal dollars would only make matters worse because Indiana would have to increase its benefits in the long haul. He says the federal plan would be a bad fit and result in job killing taxes.
By last estimate, Indiana would have received up to $200 million for unemployment.
GETTING TO KNOW YOU
Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard says he had a productive meeting today with members of the Marion County Democratic Statehouse delegation. The Republican Mayor met with the Democrats as a whole for the first time this session. He said the two sides talked about his legislative agenda and government consolidation. The Mayor would not comment on specifics, only to call them “positive.”
A number of the Democrats oppose township consolidation when it comes to fire services and poor relief, even though many of those same officials supported it a couple years ago when Bart Peterson, a Democrat, was Mayor.
