Governor-hopeful Daniels proposes switch to daylight-savings time

Mitch Daniels is attempting to get all Hoosiers on the same page, at least on the same time zone.\nA Republican candidate for governor, Daniels is proposing to move all of Indiana's 92 counties to Central Standard Time, thus eliminating confusion across the state. The change to Central Time is part of an economic package designed to stimulate Indiana's economy.\nPresently, 82 of Indiana's counties are on Central time, but 77 of these counties do not observe daylight-saving time. Southeast counties observe Eastern Time with daylight-savings time, while northwest and southwest counties are in the Central time zone with daylight-saving time.\n"It's just another factor dividing us," Daniels said in a statement.\nWhile most of the country observes daylight-saving time from early April to late October, the majority of Indiana does not. Every year at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday in October, each state in the country except for Indiana, Arizona and Hawaii turns its clocks back an hour.\nEllen Whitt, deputy campaign manager for Daniels, said the proposal's main focus is trying to ease difficulty among Hoosiers.\n"The problem right now is the disruption for the people in the state," Whitt said. "Moving to Central Time would give some continuity to the residents. It's just a matter of simplifying things."\nWhitt also said moving the time zone will help decrease confusion among businesses.\n"For businesses in Northwest Indiana, it might take five hours to distribute something, or it might take four," Whitt said. "Going on Central Time derives the benefit of Indiana's central location."\nAnother reason for the proposal is to move Indiana into the future. Right now, with counties around the state on different time zones, Indiana is out of sync with the rest of the country.\n"One of the biggest reasons for Daniels' proposal is because Indiana is out of step with the rest of the country in regards to time zones, and we don't change our clocks," Whitt said.\nIndiana legislators also think the confusion should be addressed. Rep. Chet Dubois, D-Merrillville, said. Being from Northwest Indiana and in close proximity to Chicago, which is on Central Time, can be confusing to others around the state. \n"My reason for this concurrent resolution is because of the inconvenience coming from across the state," Dobis said.\nDobis introduced a concurrent resolution last week into the Indiana House of Representatives that would have most of Indiana move to the Central time zone and observe daylight-saving time. \nIn a statement, Dobis said, "My objective is uniformity 365 days a year -- with Chicago."\nDobis also stressed the need for consistency.\n"My philosophy is the state should be in the same time zone," Dobis said. "There should be a uniformity."\nThe benefits from the resolution will help those in the transportation industry who pass through Indiana.\n"People transporting into Indiana will benefit," Dobis said. "Now they will be on the same time as the rest of the country."\nDobis also said families will get benefits and more time to relax at night, and the questions why the state should be on Eastern Time.\n"Daylight-saving time provides more recreation time in the evening. I question why would we would want to be on the same time zone as New York," Dobis said. "Why not Chicago? We are closer in proximity, and it makes more sense."\nOverall, the controversy surrounding what time zone Indiana should be on remains an unanswered question. Dobis said regardless of political preferences, the issue of Central Time versus Eastern Time affects everyone.\n"This isn't a political issue," Dobis said. "It's a geographical one and a personal preference"