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Statehouse Update

I’m at the Statehouse and will try to blog regularly throughout the day on what’s going on here.

1:30 p.m.

  • I spoke the Speaker right before lawmakers went to lunch to get his thoughts on the final 72 hours of session (i.e. the Budget, Unemployment Insurance and the Caapital Improvement Board).  You can hear his comments below.  We spoke for about four minutes.  He makes an interesting comment regarding Jim Irsay.
  • House Speaker Pat Bauer

9:52 a.m.

  • The unions are already showing up for today’s unemployment rally.  They are going to protest any possible cuts in worker benefits.  A couple thousand are expected to show.  Of course I did wonder if these guys can all afford to take the day off to protest, are they really worried about being unemployed?
  • I ran into Senate Pro Tempore David Long.  He was on his way to the Governor’s Office.  I asked him what he thought about Jim Irsay’s weekend comments that the Colts have already given enough and had no intention to contributing to close the $47 million shortfall.  His response, “Jim Irsay is the last thing on my mind right now.”  It wasn’t clear if he was going to meet with the Governor on the CIB, the budget or unemployment.  However, Senator Luke Kenley wasn’t too far behind.  Stay tuned.

 

 

Posted: 04|27|09 at 10:01 am by Abdul Hakim-Shabazz
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  • LeRoyJ
    Is fire consolidation still "alive" on any bill. Firefighters are on the verge of being laid-off in our county. I love the Colts, but if my house is on fire I want a fully staffed fire engine, not a football team.
  • Think Again
    Nick just stumbled into the truth. Brilliant.

    Nobody: before you jump onto the Hannity-Rush bandwagon, you might want to check the unemployment facts. Indiana is 29th among the states, in weekly benefits, and below all surrounding states except Kentucky. The Gov says this morning that we have Rolls-Royce UI benefits, which is an insult to everyone, and untrue.

    The UI tax is a tax on employers and employees. Employers don't need a lower UI tax to exit Indiana. There are enough whorish deals out there, for a good company, to go about anywhere it wants. Tough times breed strange incentive deals. Indiana communities and the state do it to companies nationwide. It'll be done to us. Get used to it. UI insurance is one of many components that factor into those deals: for God's sake there are companies that exist solely to broker incentive deals.

    Hint: most of those deals in these parts, siphon property taxes via abatements. Which is really a tax on all the rest of we property owners...and we'll have to decide if the incentives are worth the extra jobs.
  • pascal
    We want a lot more from the Colts than a stinking $5,000,000.00 and, given the quality of the Forbes information it isn't asinine to expect a much more even handed deal. Same with the boys in the short shorts. It is interesting that Forbes comes up with information our poodles didn't consider important. Mitch understands that operating income is NOT the only means by which a corporation makes monies-that is why there is some basis for a capital gains tax.
  • Nick 2
    @ Nick

    That is an asinine comment. Let us take a look at your Forbes report. The operating income, the amount of profit the colts franchise actually makes on a yearly basis is $16.1 million. Essentially what you are asking is for Irsay fork over 1/3 of their income yearly because the city made a terrible deal in the first place. We have no right to complain about Irsay when it was the incompetence of the city employees who screwed the city in the first place.

    Maybe we should ask you to fork over 1/3 of your salary to pay to operate the stadium, how does that sound?

    http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/30/sportsmoney...
  • Jack
    Unemployment ---taxes paid by employeers will have to go up simply to maintain a healthy fiscally responsible financial level. There is need whether it occurs or not to be a limit on benefits received by those who are definitely seasonal employees or the tax on such employers will have to go way up since unfair for all to pay for those who every year collect as opposed to employers that never have a seasonal situation. Naturally the unions are going to go all out to avoid cut backs and the pressure will be on every legislator to aid in their efforts---of course who will pay for the high benefits? Again, the state can not go in debt is operating in the red--real deep.
  • Taxpayer 834512
    If the budget's bloated relative to incoming revenue, I hope the Governor vetoes it. The stimulus money was created out of thin air. To spend it as if it's real just teaches our kids the same thing, while making the cliff ahead that much bigger a drop. Automaker and pandemic fall-outs are still on the horizon.
  • Nick
    Jim Irsay is complaining about his troubles being a small market team.

    Here are some interesting facts:

    According to Forbes Magazine, the Colts were bought for $15 million and now are worth over $1.1 Billion.

    The current value of his team exceeds the value of the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers COMBINED.

    Jim needs to quit complaining considering he has done quite well in this small market of Indianapolis.

    Sources:

    Colts Team Valuation:
    http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/30/sportsmoney...

    NBA Team Valuations:
    http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/32/nba08_NBA-T...
  • Anonymous Nobody
    If you think companies are closing and relocating now, jack up the state unemployment tax and REALLY watch them move.

    Remember, payroll is a company's largest expense in most cases.
  • Think Again
    Three things:

    1. Unemployment insurance is just that--lots of well-intentioned folks are on it, and cannot help it. Please don't make light of it. Who knows the employment status of anyone, whether at a rally or not?

    2. It's not Pro Tem: it's president pro tempore or president pro tem. Without president, it just means "for the time being."

    3. Your updates are very much appreciated. It's a mini-twitter, and it is well-read. Thanks.
  • Nick
    Sounds like the CIB bailout might just get dropped because of Irsay's comments.

    He seems oblivious to the kind of pain coming his way.
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