Oxley Launches Website, visits South Bend, Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor, Dennie Oxley, today visited several Indiana communities to highlight Governor Mitch Daniels' disastrous four years in office and give him a reality check.

"Four years ago Mitch Daniels promised to turn Indiana around," said Oxley. "But by every measure that he ran on, he has failed. While he likes to say that things are going great, the reality is that Indiana is heading in the wrong direction."

"Indiana continues to lose jobs faster than any other state in America," said Oxley. "The most recent numbers show we lost 16,500 jobs last month alone and thanks to Governor Daniels's policies more than 61,000 Hoosiers have lost  their jobs  in the last year alone. Mitch Daniels' inability to see what is happening in the everyday lives of Hoosiers shows that his is simply out of touch with the challenges Hoosier families are facing."

Joining Oxley on his travels was "Reality Check 1," a new mobile tote board displaying the number of jobs lost in Indiana during Daniels' time in office.

"Indiana continues to lead in categories it shouldn't. Currently the state ranks second in business bankruptcies and sixth in home foreclosures and Hoosiers make only 87 cents on the dollar compared to other American workers," Oxley added. "The cost of health care continues to be more expensive here than elsewhere and when Hoosiers go to fill up at the gas pump they are seeing high prices that jump erratically as each day passes."

Indiana is one of only seven states to even charge a sales tax on fuel.  And, along with the higher fuel prices, Hoosiers have also been forced to pay more in taxes thanks to Daniels's efforts to raise the sales tax from six to seven percent.

To ensure that all areas of the state are a part of Indiana's economic recovery, Long Thompson and Oxley have proposed the "One Indiana Plan." This plan is aimed at overhauling the state's tax structure to create an economy that works for all Hoosiers.  The plan includes policies that will:

• Expand on Indiana's opportunity by creating "Green Jobs." A study by the Blue Green Alliance found that nearly 340,000 existing Hoosier jobs could benefit from investments in clean energy. In the manufacturing sector alone, the same report found that Indiana has the potential to create as many as 25,180 new jobs from wind turbine manufacturing and an additional 7,485 new jobs in solar component manufacturing.

• Create a real insurance pooling option for small businesses and individuals. During all or part of 2006-2007, 1.75 million Hoosiers under the age of 65 were without health insurance. By establishing a pool, small businesses and individuals who lack the buying power that larger businesses have will to be able to purchase health insurance in bulk, making it more affordable.

• Create an "Economic Tiers" program. This proposal would categorize the state's 92 counties into three different economic tiers and then allocate the state's economic development dollars accordingly. The tiers, which would be updated regularly, would be determined by a county's unemployment rate, median household income, population growth and assessed property value per capita.

• Reform education to help grow the economy. This proposal includes measures to ensure all Hoosier children learn to read, creating more flexibility in the classroom to reduce the state's high school dropout rate and better prepare the future workforce and to create lifelong learning opportunities and college scholarships for more Hoosiers.

Today, the campaign is also launching a new Web site, www.mitchrealitycheck.com, to illustrate Governor Daniels' poor leadership, failed polices and consistent flip-flops on important issues. Among other things, the site features articles, web videos and direct quotes of Daniels demonstrating just how out of touch he is with the concerns of working Hoosiers.

Known for her ability to get things done, Jill Long Thompson is an accomplished public servant. She has served as a city councilor, a Congresswoman and as Under Secretary for Rural Development at the United States Department of Agriculture. Long Thompson grew up on her family's farm in rural Whitley County and was the first in her family to go to college. She received her undergraduate degree from Valparaiso University and went on to earn a master's and Ph.D. in business from Indiana University.  A farmer and college professor by trade, Long Thompson lives with her husband Don Thompson, a commercial airline pilot, on their farm in Marshall County.

Dennie Oxley is a 10-year veteran of the state legislature, currently serving as the Majority Whip in the Indiana House of Representatives. A former high school math teacher, school administrator and businessman, Oxley brings a wealth of public and private sector experience to the team. Oxley is a graduate of Indiana University Southeast, where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in education. A lifelong resident of English, a small community in Crawford County, he resides there with his wife, Jayme, and their two young daughters.

For more information about Jill Long Thompson, Dennie Oxley or their campaign to restore Indiana's promise, please visit www.hoosiersforjill.com or call 317-635-Jill.

Source: Hoosiers for Jill Press Release

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