Monthly Archives: February 2011

Luntz Described as ‘Evil Cleaver’

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Categories: Chamber News

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Here’s a recent description of pollster Frank Luntz, courtesy of a political blog: "the boyish charlatan who’s been concocting spin for conservative candidates and causes for what seems like a century now, but who still manages to look like the evil Cleaver brother."

Not exactly a Luntz fan, huh? But love him or hate him, he’s always interesting. And he returns for the Indiana Chamber’s 2011 Legislative Reception and Dinner. A few topics likely to emerge: 2012 presidential contenders, how serious is Washington about debt reduction, state legislative battles (think Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio to begin with) and more.

Here’s a BizVoice story when we had the opportunity to sit down with Luntz in 2008. I’ve heard him a few times now; can’t say I always agree with everything he has to say. But that’s the way it’s supposed to be, isn’t it.

See and hear for yourself on March 16.

Planning Now for 2025

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Categories: Chamber News, Education

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The Indiana Chamber is in the midst of a process titled Indiana Vision 2025. As the name suggests, it’s a long-range economic development planning process for the state. It will guide the Chamber’s advocacy efforts and hopefully help the state move forward, no matter which political party might be in power.

A task force of statewide business and organization leaders makes for fascinating discussion at each meeting. Last week’s focus on higher education took the dialgoue up a notch, with guest presentations from Nicole Smith of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce and Dewayne Matthews of the Lumina Foundation for Education.

Just a few of the many interesting highlights — ones that have to make you stop and think at least a little bit:

  • Each year of training (either formal college education or improving adult skills in some way) leads to a 3% to 6% increase in gross domestic product
  • When surveyed, 85% of eighth-graders and their parents state the young people plan to go to college. The actual number, of course, is far lower
  • In 1973, 28% of jobs required at least some college education or better. In 2018, that number is projected to be 63%
  • Low skill jobs that paid high wages are largely gone — and not coming back. "For the first time, the only way to get into the middle class is through education"
  • In Indiana, 735,000 working-age adults have attended college but don’t have a degree

Like I said, just a few numbers and perspectives. Look for much, much more in the months ahead.

The Circus Continues: What the House Standoff Means

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Categories: Education, Government

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What a circus! And next week is shaping up to possibly be more of the same for Indiana’s House of Representatives. That’s a real shame because the House Democratic walkout jeopardizes a number of key bills that the Indiana Chamber believes would be extremely beneficial to Hoosiers. In fact, the Chamber has actively supported all 11 bills House Minority Leader Pat Bauer is demanding be defeated.

Among them, of course, is the right-to-work legislation that would give workers the choice of whether or not to join a union. There is overwhelming evidence that passing right-to-work this session would be the single biggest action to stimulate Indiana’s economy and bring more jobs to the state. Any policy that can do both of those things over the long term and has the support of seven out of every 10 voters deserves full consideration. Nonetheless, while disappointed, we respect the decision by House Speaker Brian Bosma to steer right-to-work to a study committee where legislators can continue the discussion this summer.

Right-to-work, though, was only one of the labor measures singled out by Bauer, while a collection of important education reform bills were also cited as reasons for the standoff. These education policies would: improve student outcomes and prepare students for the workforce; give parents of low-income students, in particular, more options for getting a quality education for their children; and allow more local managerial control in our schools.

These targeted bills – and nearly 50 in total – have been caught in the political crossfire and are now in limbo. On Thursday, the House Rules Committee voted to extend the deadline for bills to pass out of the House to next Friday (March 4). For the Rules Committee action to go into effect, the House must be able to vote on it – and a quorum of 67 members is needed for that.

The question is whether the House Democrats will reappear next week. It is certainly the Chamber’s hope that legislators return to work and put the best interest of all their constituents first. If they object to certain bills, they should show up, speak their mind and can vote against them. That’s how the process works. Then when election time comes, make their case to the voters. Activity coming to a screeching halt is not acceptable and is a disservice to all Hoosiers.

No Direct Comparison Intended; Just a Clever Lead

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Categories: local government reform

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Yesterday’s blog post about two local government reform bills being defeated in the Senate was intended (like all communication efforts) to draw attention. After all, comprehensive reform — particularly at the township level — has been a top priority of the Chamber (and the governor) over the last four years.

The attention goal was achieved, at least in part, as there was an interpretation by some (including at least one state senator) that the analogy in the lead was directly comparing the defeat of these two bills to the magnitude of the House Democrat walkout. That was not the intention at all. The reference to the House dispute (one could be justified using much stronger terms) was simply to show that 99% of the media and public attention was focused on the House and that the actions of the Senate (both those we agreed with and did not support) were occurring "under the radar screen."

That’s the great thing about interpretations — everyone has their own. Now, you know mine in authoring this post.

Our Statement on Right-to-Work and the Standoff

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Indiana Chamber of Commerce President Kevin Brinegar comments on right-to-work and the continued legislative standoff:

While there is overwhelming evidence that passing right-to-work is the one General Assembly action that could do the most to stimulate Indiana’s economy this year, the Indiana Chamber respects the decision by legislative leaders to continue the discussion in a study committee. Any policy that can help create more jobs, raise the per-capita income of Hoosier workers over the long term and has the support of seven out of every 10 voters deserves full consideration.

"Even though the determination by House Democrats to stage a walkout and leave the state was never over this one issue, we strongly encourage an end to this stalemate. Voters elected their representatives to serve as part of the legislative process, not shut down the system of helping lead our state. There is too much at stake – for all Hoosiers – to continue this standoff.

Township Reform: Senators Do Their Own Harm Before Heading Home

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Categories: Government, local government reform

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Look up the definition of "currently under the radar screen," and you might find an image of the Indiana Senate. With House Democrats bolstering the Illinois economy, little to no attention is being paid to the other side of the third floor of the Statehouse.

But before wrapping up its first half of the session, senators managed to do their own harm by failing to pass two important local government reform measures. SB 405 (eliminating township boards) was defeated 28-21 and SB 303 (giving counties the option to go to a single county executive instead of three commissioners) went down 27-22.

What were they thinking? It’s been clearly demonstrated — over and over and over — that townships waste taxpayer dollars, fail to effectively provide basic services and are a relic of days gone by. Townships don’t work in Indianapolis, Evansville, Fort Wayne or the many less populous areas throughout the state.

Yet, some legislators in more rural districts made the case to their colleagues that, and I paraphrase, "our township folks are good people; it’s OK that they hire their relatives and so what if they break the rules every now and then and sit on money that could be used for schools, libraries and other local services."

As a colleague described it, politics and emotion won out over common sense. We expected more, much more, from our senators.

Lawmakers should have listened to two trustees (one former, one current) who had a clear message.

Quotables from House Dems’ Road Trip

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A nice article here from Eric Bradner of the Evansville Courier & Press on the Democratic border blitz yesterday. I’ll just defer to the article, which has some attention-getting quotes:

The 37 missing Democrats were holed up together Tuesday night at a hotel in Urbana, Ill., and would not say when they will return to Indiana.

“I don’t know when we’ll come back,” said Rep. Gail Riecken, D-Evansville. “We’ve been pushed with our backs against the wall, and it’s time for them to listen to us.”

After Democrats sent back a list of 11 bills to which they object, though, House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, did not sound interested in listening.

“This is the most ludicrous political stunt I have ever seen,” he said. “Let them stay in Illinois. They’ll fit right in. Maybe they can vote for a couple of tax increases while they’re over there.”

Democrats left the Statehouse as hundreds of labor union members rallied for the second straight day. They held signs, chanted and marched around the House and Senate chambers.

Drawing most of their ire was a measure that proponents call “right to work.” It would allow workers to opt out of paying union dues – a move, protesters said, that would undermine those unions’ funding and negotiating power.

They also objected to several other labor-related measures and to most of Daniels’ education reforms – especially one that would limit the scope of teachers’ collective bargaining rights.

Democrats cited those bills as well, saying they want them killed for the rest of the session, or else they might not return. And Nancy Guyott, the Indiana State AFL-CIO president, said the union protesters approve of Democrats’ tactics.

Late Tuesday night, Bosma learned that Democrats had left the state, and was handed the list of bills from House Minority Leader B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, at the same time.

“Maybe voters need to go over there, drag them back here and get them to do their jobs,” Bosma said. “They need to get their butts back here.”

Or, he said, there is another option.

“They should step down. I mean it. If they’re not willing to do their work here and they’re leaving the state, they should vacate the office and let replacements who are willing to come here and do the people’s business be selected,” Bosma said.

Honoring the Best of the Best

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OK, the list is out. Seventy organizations are being recognized as the 2011 Best Places to Work in Indiana. But what you want to know is which ones top the small/medium and large categories.

Well, I am one of the fortunate few to know. After all, we have to plan and execute our usual in-depth BizVoice magazine coverage over the next seven weeks or so. It’s a great opportunity for our team to learn what makes some of these companies tick — and why their employees truly appreciate the workplace environments that have been created.

Software Engineering Professionals and Centier Bank led the way in 2010. Here’s the BizVoice coverage, and you can check out prior years (back to the program’s debut in 2006) in each May-June edition of our archives.

Now, for 2011, the top winners (we say "top" because all that make the cut are winners) … will be unveiled May 5 at the awards dinner at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. It will be another great, great night. Don’t believe me? Here’s the 2010 video.

All in the Nuclear Family

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Did you know:

  • There are currently 104 nuclear reactors in 31 states (count Indiana among the other 19)
  • Nuclear provides about 20% of the nation’s electricity
  • No new nuclear facilities have been built for decades due to environmental opposition and regulatory uncertainty

Minnesota has banned all new nuclear plants, and 12 other states have put various restrictions on any potential construction.

Some states, and a number of other countries, have demonstrated that nuclear can be a safe and valuable contributor to the energy mix. A strong energy policy that promotes a serious look at nuclear as part of the solution would be a welcome addition.

Brinegar Speaks on Today’s RTW Testimony

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Chamber President Kevin Brinegar sat down for an interview with Gerry Dick of Inside INdiana Business to discuss this morning’s testimony in the House labor committee on right-to-work legislation (HB 1468 passed the committee with an 8-5 vote). Brinegar clarifies some misinformation about what the bill actually does.

Here’s more on RTW legislation from the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Jerry Torr:

Rep. Torr’s (R-Carmel) HB1468, commonly known as Right to Work, was heard in the Employment, Labor and Pensions and passed through committee with a vote of 8 to 5.

Right to Work legislation would make it a Class A misdemeanor for employers to require their employees to be a member of the union, pay union dues, or pay fees to a third party organization, such as a charity, that are a part of the union fees. The provisions of the bill exclude construction workers or those included in the national Railway Labor Act.

“Right to Work simply provides workers with a choice of whether they want to be a part of the union,” said Rep. Torr. “There is no provision that limits their collective bargaining rights.

“Statistics and several academic studies have demonstrated that Right to Work states experience more economic development and increased quality of life than those without such legislation,” said Rep. Torr.

Rep. Torr serves District 39 which includes Carmel, Fishers, and Westfield. For the 2011 legislative session, Rep. Torr is the Assistant Majority Floor Leader and serves on the Labor and Employment Committee, Insurance Committee, and the Rules and Legislative Procedures Committee.