Incoming House speaker says legislature facing many challenges

INDIANAPOLIS -- Incoming Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma said legislators will face budgetary challenges when their session starts in January, but that newly empowered Republicans have a unique chance to make issues on their agenda a reality.\n"We're going to hit the ground running," Bosma said during an Indiana Chamber of Commerce luncheon Monday.\nBosma has been House minority leader the past four years, but Republicans won control of the chamber by a 52-48 seat margin in the Nov. 2 election. The GOP also continued its control of the Senate and gained the governor's office with Mitch Daniels' victory.\nThe new Republican majority in the House will confirm Bosma as speaker when lawmakers meet Tuesday for the largely ceremonial organization day.\nBosma said he would welcome the contribution of Democrats, who find themselves completely out of power in the Statehouse for the first time in 16 years, as he said he knew what it was like to be in the minority.\n"I mean it when I say we are looking for inclusion," Bosma said.\nSenate President Pro Tem Robert Garton, R-Columbus, also is expected to be confirmed in his position Tuesday as the Senate's leader. He said the state budget would be the single biggest issue facing the Legislature.\nThe state is facing an $830 million deficit and owes more than $710 million in back payments to schools, universities and local governments.\nBut Republican leaders in both chambers said other topics, including daylight-saving time, will be debated in the upcoming session.\n"Daylight-saving time will be back," Garton said, adding that legislators could raise sales tax by 5 percentage points and still not get as much mail as they do about time change.\nBosma said one of the first items he'd like the Legislature to focus on is the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, which will replace the Department of Commerce on July 1. He said attracting high-tech jobs to Indiana is also important.\nBosma, from Indianapolis, said local projects -- such as expanding the convention center in downtown Indianapolis or expanding the Gary airport -- are vital to the state's economy.\nIndianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson, a Democrat, is expected to push some major proposals next session, including a plan to secure funding for a new stadium for the NFL's Colts and a convention center expansion.\nBosma, who said the Colts give the city and state an economic boost and cultural momentum, offered this advice to those supporting such projects.\n"Build the case," he said.\nSenate Minority Leader Richard Young, D-Milltown, said Republicans should stay away from a handful of contentious issues and focus on the large number of bills that can help Indiana residents.