Marion County at Muncie Free Press - Delaware County Indiana | News and Information

By Brian Howey

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Obamacare is coming! Obamacare is coming!

If you’re a Democrat, you’re looking over your shoulder heading into the 2014 Affordable Care Act installation (and mid-term elections) and pointing out that people with pre-existing conditions will be covered, there will no longer be annual limits for coverage received, and that college kids can stay on their parents’ plan until age 27.

If you’re a Republican, Obamacare is the Moore, Oklahoma, tornado. It is an abomination that is keeping jobless rates unacceptably high as uncertain employers refuse to expand.

Free Press Report

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Today the Indiana House of Representatives approved legislation co-sponsored by Rep. Sue Errington (D-Muncie) that helps restore more flexibility to school corporations in the allocation for the losses of circuit breaker funds supported by property taxes.

Senate Bill 517 corrects an unintended consequence of a law passed last year that has created a hardship for nearly 50 schools around the state, including Muncie Community Schools. According to Errington, this is a problem for schools that must use a disproportionate amount of their levy to support the Debt Services Fund.

“Under this new provision, the amount of property taxes that go toward the operating balance for the Debt Service Fund will be capped at 50% or an additional 25%, depending on when the debt was incurred. This will allow those struggling districts to use the remaining tax dollars for the transportation, school bus replacement, and capital projects funds,” Errington said.

By Brian Howey

INDIANAPOLIS – The headline fixation in the fledgling administration of Gov. Mike Pence has been his 10-percent income tax cut. It is, what Chief of Staff Bill Smith observes, “the shiny object” and one that Senate Appropriations Chairman Luke Kenley partially restored on Thursday at 3.3% after it didn’t make the House Republican budget.

The narrative after 80 days is an administration that has groped for a voice and a gravitas on the issues. Gov. Pence said at one point, “We have to do a better job of getting our message out.”

But after spending several days deep in the gubernatorial warrens on the Statehouse second floor, what emerges is an array of numbers that when pieced together in what is now an incomplete jigsaw puzzle, a different story line emerges.

Gov. Pence’s nine agenda bills are, for the most part, progressing. There was a staff review of some 2,200 bills that emerged prior to this long session, one that the Pence team had just seven weeks to prepare. According to Senior Policy Director Marilee J. Springer, there have been 95 meetings on individual pieces of legislation over eight weeks. There have been 138 meetings between the new governor and legislators.

By Rick Yencer

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Indiana lawmakers found there has to be a better way to recycle amid the lack of a container law, frozen state money for recycling and consumers still throwing away $60 million in raw materials in landfills.

By Rick Yencer

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Mayor Dennis Tyler responded to some of biggest concerns in Muncie at the Indiana Statehouse this week, the growing problem with meth labs and rising utility bills paid by consumers.

 A former lawmaker, Tyler testified before Indiana House committees that put further restrictions on pseudoephedrine and also make it easier for public utility companies to increase rates on businesses and residences.

By Rick Yencer

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Cool landscapes, inviting patios and urban gardens and flower beds show that spring is coming during March Madness at the Indiana Flower and Patio Show.

 A handful of the best landscapers in Indiana besides hundreds of vendors fill two buildings of the Indiana State Fairgrounds through Sunday for a gate of $12.

Free Press Report

WASHINGTON, DC -  Today, Congressman Luke Messer, a member of the House Budget Committee, gave the following statement on the 2013 House Budget Resolution:

“For far too long Washington has refused to make the tough choices necessary to control spending so taxpayers can keep more of their hard-earned money to use for their needs instead of the government’s wants. 

We cannot keep spending money we do not have.  Washington’s answer previously has been to borrow and tax more.  But our government does not tax too little—it spends too much. 

The President’s budget is routinely turned in late and does not balance.  The Senate has not passed a budget in more than 1400 days.  The proposal they are currently discussing raises taxes and will not balance. 

It is time that we balance the budget in Washington just like families across America do.  A balanced budget will create a stable environment for job creation and protect families from tax increases. I am proud to support this proposal and will fight to balance our budget.”

Free Press Report

INDIANAPOLIS, IN -  So far in her first session as an Indiana Representative, Sue Errington (D-Muncie) coauthored four House Bills and six resolutions, honing in on education issues to help improve her district and the state of Indiana.

One bill Errington coauthored is House Bill 1015, which sets up a study committee to examine ways to promote school safety by providing teachers with tools to help recognize, prevent and stop bullying.

“The committee will discuss what the role of the legislature is in the fight against bullying,” she said. “We will examine the best practices of other states and figure out what resources we can provide our teachers and administrators to combat this issue. The ultimate goal is to make schools safer.”

Errington also coauthored House Bill 1099, a bill that amends the definition of “supervision” in current state law to grant more opportunities for Physician Assistants (PAs) to prescribe controlled substances. Under this proposal, the supervising physician would oversee the prescription authority of his or her assistants.

            “This legislation would help provide PAs with greater incentives to stay and work in Indiana,” said Errington. “Some of our best and brightest choose to leave the state to find better employment options.”