Gov. Mitch Daniels calls her the “quarterback” of the Indiana General Assembly. The executive director of the National Lieutenant Governors Association claims she has more power than any other lieutenant governor in the country. Becky Skillman, Indiana’s lieutenant governor, said she has no plans of backing down until the administration’s agenda is fulfilled. The Indiana Daily Student sat down and talked with her about what needs to be accomplished in the upcoming weeks.
IDS How has the walkout of the Indiana House Democrats changed the tone of debate in the legislative session?
SKILLMAN Well, the most dramatic change has been the intense push now. You know, five weeks lost has necessitated a very rigorous attitude in going forward. It’s been very intense and testy, especially for the first two days. My hopes are the cooler heads have come forward.
IDS Was the Democratic walkout successful in any way?
SKILLMAN There were several compromises. I’m frequently asked who are the winners and losers. That should not be determined until the end of the legislative session. So many bills have many steps where bills can win or lose or just not succeed. The governor’s agenda has fared very well to date. I feel by the end of the session we will have a budget that is very responsible and stable.
IDS Have the region-wide protests in the name of labor organizations and education changed your opinion regarding the agenda that you and Gov. Daniels have been pushing?
SKILLMAN The basic reforms are remaining intact. There have been compromises along the way, however. The governor is very well aware that legislatures all have their fingerprint on the ultimate end product and to nearly every measure we’ve introduced, be it the school scholarship, the voucher bill. All of those bills have been changed since their introduction. We’re very comfortable with where we are today.
IDS Why the emphasis on limiting collective bargaining rights?
SKILLMAN It’s gotten out of control here in the state. We can send you a three-page list of things that are being negotiated by teachers’ unions and it has absolutely no impact whatsoever on education for the children. As I mentioned earlier, this negotiation period just takes critical time away from administrators when they need to be devoting their time to the children.
IDS Why do you believe education in Indiana needs to be reformed?
SKILLMAN We all know that our public schools in Indiana have produced so many success stories. But we have to acknowledge that the competition is much more intense today around the country and around the world. We have to do everything in our power to make sure we put our students first, that they are our focus in all that. There is no silver bullet to improving public education in our state, but there can be progress made on every front. We like to look at the bills moving forward in this session as a comprehensive package. Collective bargaining frees up times for administrators to do what they do best, which is focus on the students.
Just one education issue I want to touch on is the accelerated graduation proposal where we would allow students who can complete their high school graduation in 11 years to take the dollars the state would spend on them and apply that toward their college education. That’s another bill that’s moving very well through the General Assembly. It’s very popular among high school students.
IDS There’s been a huge movement to protest the labor-related bills that your administration has been pushing. Do you think that backlash will run into the next election and cancel out any progress?
SKILLMAN I can speak only for the governor. We have 20 months remaining in office. We have no intention of slowing down. We actually believe Hoosiers are much more receptive to change today than they were in 2004 when the governor and I first came to office. They have a better understanding of why we do the things we do after coming through one of the toughest economic periods with one of the most fiscally sound state governments in America.
IDS What is the most pressing issue approaching the legislative session right now? Is it at risk to not reach a compromise?
SKILLMAN The budget. That is the one constitutional duty for the General Assembly. We all know what is happening at the federal level. All the ancillary issues have kind of overshadowed talk of Indiana’s budget. We’re in a far better fiscal situation than most states in the country. It’s not an easy budget to adopt, but it’s doable and it’s manageable. It took many steps to make it this far.
IDS How will the threat of a government shutdown on the federal level affect the state government?
SKILLMAN All of our state agencies keep very close watch on what’s happening at federal level. We have many programs that are funded by federal dollars. We have an office in Washington D.C. Deborah Holtz heads that agency and reports regularly on actions. It means a great deal to state government going forward. Agencies have to attempt to prepare for cutbacks, so all of this is happening. We are an administration that always has a contingency plan. Individual agencies know what they can do and cannot do. We will continue to provide essential services.
IDS You manage the Office of Energy Development. Has the recent nuclear disaster in Japan changed the legislative opinion on pursuing nuclear energy, as in Senate Bill 251?
SKILLMAN The short answer is yes. There are times when the perception becomes the reality. We do have to stop and consider the consequences of every action. The comprehensive energy package in the Senate has been delayed being given a second thought on how we proceed now. With the understanding, however, that we have to continue to find new ways of producing more power. Indiana has not built any additional power plants in more than 20 years, yet our consumption continues to be greater and greater.
IDS Suppose Gov. Daniels runs for president. I’m assuming you would take over many responsibilities. What would that mean for you and the agenda that Daniels has pushed?
SKILLMAN That’s a hypothetical question. As I said earlier I have no intention of slowing down in the next 20 months. Not only have I been fully supportive of the agenda, but the governor calls me the quarterback who hustles the legislative agenda through the General Assembly. I’m just looking forward ... with no intentions of running for governor in the future.
