210 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(11/08/02 4:48am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- Although questions remained Thursday about which party would ultimately control the Indiana House, Democrats who claimed victory in the election Thursday nominated Rep. B. Patrick Bauer of South Bend to be the chamber's next speaker.\nHouse Democrats chose Bauer, the fiery chairman of the tax- and budget-writing Ways and Means Committee, during a private meeting held in the same room that has been his domain for all but two of the past 13 years.\nHouse Democrats have been fighting internally over the position since former Speaker John Gregg, D-Sandborn, stunned colleagues in February by announcing that he was not seeking re-election to the legislature.\nBauer had portrayed himself as the leading contender for the powerful post for weeks. The speaker runs the chamber, appoints committee chairmen and wields tremendous influence over the agenda and the fate of legislation.\nSpeaker Pro Tem Chet Dobis of Merrillville, Rep. Ed Mahern of Indianapolis and Rep. Paul Robertson of Depauw also went into Thursday's secret ballot contest seeking the top spot.\nRules Committee Chairman Win Moses of Fort Wayne spent months trying to shore up backing for speaker, but dropped his bid after results in Tuesday's election showed him winning re-election by only 64 votes.\nPreliminary tallies from Tuesday's election gave Democrats a 51-49 majority in the House and power to select the next speaker. But the margin of victory was only 37 votes in an Indianapolis-area race, and that tally had yet to be certified by local election officials Thursday.\nRepublicans hung onto hope that certified results would show their candidate the winner and give them a 50th seat and control of the chamber through provisions of a tie-breaking law enacted in 1995.\nRegardless, it seemed likely that recounts would be requested in the Moses race and the Indianapolis-area race. That process could take days, perhaps weeks\nRepublicans met privately Thursday and renominated House Minority Leader Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, as their leader. That means he likely would become speaker if the results of Tuesday's election are overturned in the GOP's favor.
(11/07/02 6:08am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- Democrats claimed victory and continued control of the Indiana House on Wednesday after preliminary results showed them winning two close races, one by 37 votes and another by 64 votes. But Republicans said they may seek recounts in those contests and possibly two others.\nDemocrats said the tallies gave them a 51-49 majority and power to select the next speaker, an internal fight they planned to resume in earnest on Thursday.\nBut after a day of disputed results and political maneuvering between the parties, Democrats acknowledged that the election battle probably was not settled.\n"Right now we're ahead, but who knows -- it's not over yet," Rep. Paul Robertson, D-Depauw, said of likely recounts.\nIf Republicans do request recounts, the races could take days, possibly weeks, to settle.\nDemocrats went into Tuesday's election with a 53-47 advantage. But unofficial vote tallies by The Associated Press indicated that voters were on the verge of sending 50 Republicans and 50 Democrats to the chamber.\nThat would mean that Republicans, who won the secretary of state race, would assume control under a tie-breaking law enacted in 1995.\nBut the results in an Indianapolis-area district were disputed Wednesday, and vote totals in a Fort Wayne district were extremely close.\nAfter Marion County election workers spent the day canvassing votes in one race, they announced an unofficial tally that showed Democrat David Orentlicher with 9,904 votes and Republican Rep. Jim Atterholt with 9,867 votes -- a difference of 37 votes.\nRepublicans went into Wednesday thinking they had won that race in House District 86, which covers parts of Marion and Hamilton counties, by 28 votes. That would have given the GOP a 50th seat.\nIn the House District 81 race in Fort Wayne, unofficial results showed Rep. Win Moses, D-Fort Wayne, with 4,718 votes to 4,654 votes for Republican Matthew Kelty, a margin of 64 votes. Because it was so close, Republicans were eyeing a possible recount in that contest.\nHouse Minority Leader Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, said the GOP also was concerned about possible irregularities involving absentee ballots in the House District 45 race.\nPreliminary results showed Democrat Alan Chowning of Sullivan with 9,627 votes to 9,337 votes for Republican Bruce Borders of Jasonville, a difference of 290 votes. The seat was vacated by outgoing Speaker John Gregg, D-Sandborn.\nRepublicans also were reviewing results that showed Democratic Rep. Scott Reske of Pendleton defeating Republican Rob Steele of Lapel by 410 votes in House District 37.\nBosma called the turn of events disappointing.\n"If these election results hold strong, we will continue to move forward with a lack of leadership at the legislative level with a group of legislators that don't have a plan and do not have a vision, and that's what this election was about," Bosma said.\nIf Republicans gain control, they likely would elevate Bosma to be speaker.\nIf recount requests are filed within 10 days, Republican Secretary of State Sue Anne Gilroy would send them to a recount commission that includes herself, another Republican and one Democrat. The group would have until Dec. 19 to complete and present its findings to the full House.\nBut the House and Senate have legal authority to seat their own members, so the House would not be bound by the recount. The last general election recount in the House was in 1996, and representatives did accept a commission tally that gave Democrats a 50th seat and control of the chamber.\nIn 1994, however, the recount commission determined that Democratic Sen. Frank Mrvan of Hammond had won a narrow victory over Sandra Dempsey. Republicans who ruled the chamber opted for their own review and seated Dempsey instead.\nRep. Ed Mahern of Indianapolis, who led the caucus campaign effort for House Democrats, said they would proceed as if they had 51 members and a majority.\nTheir first task was to nominate the next speaker during a private meeting on Thursday. The leading contenders going into Tuesday's election were House Ways and Means Committee Chairman B. Patrick Bauer of South Bend, Speaker Pro Tem Chet Dobis of Merrillville, and Moses, the Rules Committee Chairman from Fort Wayne.\nHowever, Moses said he was dropping his bid because of his narrow margin of victory for re-election. And Mahern and some others have indicated a possible run.
(10/30/02 4:52am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- With one week left before Election Day, state and federal officials promised a vigilant watch for voter fraud in Indiana and swift investigation of any alleged wrongdoing.\n"In Indiana, to my knowledge, there is no widespread fraud, there is no anticipation of widespread fraud," Secretary of State Sue Anne Gilroy said Tuesday during a news conference with Susan Brooks, the U.S. attorney for the state's southern district.\n"We just want Indiana to continue to be ahead of the curve and be a place where our voters know our elections are free and fair, and that those who violate election law will in fact be investigated and be prosecuted."\nAs in past years, state election officials will work with U.S. attorneys and the FBI to receive complaints of election fraud and investigate them.\nBrooks said she and Gilroy wanted to underscore and publicize that commitment heading into Tuesday's election.\nShe said authorities would pursue cases of impersonating voters in order to cast ballots, altering or failing to count votes, threatening people not to vote, giving false information to election officers, paying people to vote, voting more than once, or voting without being U.S. citizens.\n"These are all federal felonies, and upon investigation, they will be prosecuted in federal court," Brooks said.\nThe news conference was held on the same day President Bush signed legislation revamping the nation's voting system and guarding against the kinds of errors that threw his own election into dispute two years ago.\nUnder the Help America Vote Act, states will receive $3.9 billion in federal money over the next three years to replace outdated punch-card and lever voting machines or improve voter education and poll-worker taining.\nThe new law's protections against voting error will not affect next week's balloting but are scheduled to be mostly implemented in time for the 2004 congressional and presidential vote.
(10/22/02 6:14am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- Democrats who control the Indiana House are shooting at it. Democratic Gov. Frank O'Bannon is taking shots at it, too. So is the Indiana Democratic Party.\nAs a group, Republicans who rule the Indiana Senate aren't saying anything about it. Senate Democrats are taking a collective pass, too, seemingly resigned with a sigh to still being outnumbered big time come Nov. 6, the day after the upcoming election.\nCall it pie-in-the-sky, too costly, trying to have it all ways.\nCall it what you want or say nothing about it at all, but of the O'Bannon administration and the four caucuses in the General Assembly, the only group with a pre-election, pre-session plan for taking on Indiana's lingering problems is House Republicans.\n"Right now it's the only plan for the future of the state, because most other state leaders are silent at a time when our state is in near-crisis mode," House Republican Leader Brian Bosma said. "It's not just political, it's an issue of leadership."\nWithout much backing from House Republicans, the General Assembly passed a major tax-increase and tax-restructuring plan during a special session in June.\nIt was designed to shore up the state's budget deficit, shield most homeowners from big property tax increases and create jobs.\nIn time, it might create jobs and turn Indiana's economy around. But for now, the state still has a big budget deficit, and the national recession still has a grip on Indiana.\nTo help turn things around, House Republicans are proposing new tax breaks for businesses that create jobs. They're proposing a state spending cap at 99 percent of projected revenues.\nThey want a commission appointed to root out government mismanagement and agency duplication. They want to expand the state government program that helps low-income seniors pay for prescription drugs.\nThey want to shorten the ISTEP test and make teachers take tests to ensure they know what they're teaching.\nHouse Democrats say the proposals are costly and hypocritical.\n"Just a week ago, the House Republicans were calling for massive cuts in state spending and now they say they want an expansion of programs that will cost our state easily $100 million or more," said House Ways and Means Chairman B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend.\n"Indiana does not have that kind of money, especially during the national recession."\nDemocrats also accused House Republicans of campaigning on the state's time by having staff put out news releases that were political pieces, not policy pieces.\nHouse Republicans dismissed the claim and continued playing up their proposals.\n"House Republicans are proud but somewhat surprised to be the only caucus that is talking about a pre-session agenda before the election," said Rep. Jeff Espich, R-Uniondale.\n"We think it's very disappointing ... that the House Democrat reaction was not one of releasing their own agenda, but in fact, simply crying because we have an agenda and are willing to share it with Hoosiers."\nIt's an agenda that might not win them the majority on Nov. 5, but Espich and Bosma are right about one thing. When it comes to future state policy, it is the only agenda out there right now.
(10/10/02 5:47am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- Republicans vying for control of the Indiana House pledged efforts Tuesday to make more seniors eligible for state prescription drug benefits, and help people save more for retirement.\nTheir proposals would expand the number of low-income seniors eligible under the HoosierRx program from an estimated 30,000 to 100,000. The program allows some residents age 65 and older to shave 50 percent off their medication costs up to yearly limits of $500, $750 or $1,000.\n"We think they have paid a lot into the state of Indiana over their lives, not only in taxes but in building this state, and the least we can do is make sure they have prescription drugs they need at an affordable price," said Rep. Mike Murphy, R-Indianapolis.\nDemocrats, who control the House 53-47, said the GOP proposals would cost more than $100 million at a time when the state still faces a budget deficit.\n"Even in good times this would be tough to do," said House Ways and Means Chairman B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend. "In tough times, they are really airing something that gives false hope to people."\nAlthough Democrats hold a slim majority now, all 100 seats are on the November ballot and control of the chamber is in contention. The party that wins will wield tremendous power over legislation and state spending over the next two years.\nRepublicans said they could pay for their plans by controlling overall state spending and rooting out inefficiencies in state government.\nTheir proposal would extend prescription drug benefits to seniors with incomes at 200 percent of the federal poverty level ($1,476 for a single person, $1,990 for a couple) who are not covered under other government or private plans.\nThe current limit is 133 percent of the poverty level, which is $997 a month for a single person and $1,344 for a married couple.\nHouse Republicans also want to cap out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for low-income seniors who face so-called "catastrophic" illness expenses. Murphy said he hoped the cap could be lower than $4,000 a year.\nThe GOP also proposed what it called a "Nest Egg Protection Act." Among other things, it would exempt dividend and interest income up to $1,000 from state taxes.\nRep. Jeff Espich, R-Uniondale, said the tax exemptions would cost the state about $30 million a year. Because of the state's budget crunch, it could be limited initially to senior citizens at a cost between $10 million to $15 million, he said.
(10/04/02 8:13pm)
INDIANAPOLIS -- It won't be listed on the election card, but the battle over control of the Indiana House is living up to its expectations of being the top billing on the ballot this year.\nThere are new accusations and new questions about the campaign practices of both parties.\nRep. Ed Mahern, the head of House Democratic campaigns, said news releases printed on state stationary and distributed by House Republican legislative staff at the height of campaign season crossed the line that separates policy from politics.\n"I think it's very clear they have used state employees and state equipment for political purposes," Mahern, D-Indianapolis, said Wednesday.\nMahern noted that House Republicans did a recent fly-around to discuss issues in one of the news releases. If the flights were funded with campaign money, then the news releases were campaign-related, too, he said.\nIt is illegal for state employees to do political work on state time, but there apparently are gray areas in the law.\nHouse Minority Leader Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, said the accusations were a desperate Democratic response to serious discussion of policy issues on such topics as education, economic development and state spending.\nHe said the news releases have outlined caucus policy stands that have been taken during past legislative sessions and would be pursued in the upcoming session in January.\n"These are policy discussions and not political discussions," Bosma said.\nBosma acknowledged that House Republicans funded the recent fly-around trips with campaign money, but said that was appropriate. Unlike the governor, his caucus does not have ready access to the use of state planes, he said.\n"We were looking to be squeaky clean, and we have been squeaky clean," Bosma said.\nHe said a legislative staff member who handles media relations for the caucus accompanied members on the fly-around, but had taken a vacation day from his state employee duties to do so.\nHe also said that promotional efforts and news releases that have involved non-incumbent Republican candidates have been generated by the Indiana Republican Party.\nAlthough Democrats have a slim majority in the House, all 100 seats are on the ballot in November and control of the chamber is once again in contention.\nMahern said he was not calling for an investigation into his accusations, but said federal authorities were looking into similar allegations against Lee Daniels, the Republican minority leader of the Illinois House.\nActually, federal authorities are investigating the use of Illinois House staffs from both parties after reports during the summer that staff members worked on political campaigns while being paid by the state.\nAccording to the Indiana State Ethics Commission, state employees in the executive branch are prohibited from engaging in political activity when on duty or acting in an official capacity. Such activities can include advertising a political preference, making political phone calls or stuffing envelopes.\nIndiana law says a public official commits ghost employment by hiring an employee and giving the person duties not related to the operation of the public agency.\nBut Becky McClure, assistant director of the Indiana Prosecuting Attorney's Council, said the line between official and unofficial duties can be blurred.\n"It depends on every individual situation," she said.
(09/17/02 5:18am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- Gov. Frank O'Bannon was almost beaming the other day, and why not? He had some good news in state government to talk about for a change.\n"There is always room for good news," O'Bannon said.\nThere hasn't been a lot on the state government front of late, however.\nFor the first two months of the fiscal year, the state has taken in nearly $100 million less in tax revenue than projected, dealing more blows to the state's tattered finances.\nLast month, officials were embarrassed to learn that a top administrator of the $11 billion state retirement fund had served prison time for identity theft. Federal prosecutors say he passed a background check by stealing the same man's ID a second time.\nA bitter dispute between the executive director of the Indiana Horse Racing Commission and the state's second pari-mutuel track, Indianapolis Downs, got uglier.\nStill, O'Bannon made room for some good news last week when he visited pharmacies in Indianapolis and Terre Haute to promote changes in the state's prescription drug program for low-income seniors.\nHoosierRx was started two years ago, the result of legislation championed by O'Bannon and passed by the General Assembly. But until last month, eligible seniors had to pay full price for their prescription drugs, mail in their receipts quarterly and wait up to 45 days for reimbursements from the state.\nNow they can use a debit-like card and receive an instant 50 percent discount at more than 900 participating pharmacies in Indiana.\n"I'm happy to say that using this little card is going to make a big difference," O'Bannon said.\nThe program, funded through proceeds from the national tobacco settlement, does have limits.\nTo be eligible, state residents must be 65 or older with a monthly income of $997 or less for a single person, or $1,344 or less for a married couple. They cannot have prescription drug coverage through an insurance plan or through Medicaid.\nThe top maximum benefit is $1,000 per year, although seniors are still eligible after that for discounts at participating pharmacies.\nBut the program has made a difference for some. Betty Shreve, 76, of Indianapolis, is one of the 16,268 seniors so far who have saved money.\n"I've talked to a lot of people and they've never heard of it, and that's sad because it is a big help," said Shreve, who helped O'Bannon promote the program in Indianapolis.\nThe state hopes the new conveniences will encourage more low-income seniors to apply.\n"The fact that you don't have to save those darn receipts is a big help, because that was a pain in the ..."\nShreve paused and seemed to be thinking of a harsher word to end her sentence, but on O'Bannon's cue, she said, "neck."\nShe then took hold of O'Bannon's arm and said, "Thank you for not canceling this program." The governor smiled back at her like he hasn't smiled in weeks.\n"I'm an optimist to begin with, so I always like talking about good news," O'Bannon said afterward.\nHe hasn't had a lot of it to talk about of late, so who can blame him for playing up a positive?
(09/03/02 4:05am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- The state's Democratic and Republican parties and some Indiana congressional candidates plan to suspend campaign commercials or other partisan activities on Sept. 11.\n"We will not have any press releases or anything like that," state Democratic Chairman Peter Manous said. "It's only appropriate that the nation be united as one on such a special day as that, so it would be pretty inappropriate that anything political be going on."\nLuke Messer, executive director of the Indiana Republican Party, said his party is planning to do the same.\n"Obviously Sept. 11 is a sacred day and the Republican Party will not be doing any press releases or campaign commercials," he said.\nNationally, the Republican and Democratic campaign committees overseeing contests for the U.S. Senate and House have pledged to "go dark" on Sept. 11, the date of the terrorist attacks last year. Many candidates across the country have followed suit.\nBoth major party candidates vying for the open House seat in Indiana's hotly contested, northern 2nd District -- Republican Chris Chocola and Democrat Jill Long Thompson -- will suspend radio and television commercials.\nChocola will be off the air from noon Sept. 10 to noon Sept. 12. The camp did not advertise the decision, campaign spokeswoman Laura Zuckerman said.\n"This is just an internal decision that the campaign made not to play politics with Sept. 11," she said. "Buys go week to week, and we didn't make any buys for those days."\nLong Thompson said she would suspend all campaign activities on Sept. 11.\n"It is a day for Hoosiers to join together and pray for the victims' families and for our nation," Long Thompson said in a news release.\nMike Sodrel, a Republican challenging incumbent Democratic Rep. Baron Hill in the state's southern 9th District, says he will not broadcast commercials from Sept. 9 through Sept. 13.\nJay Rigdon, a Democrat running against Republican Rep. Mark Souder in the 3rd District in northeast Indiana, plans no ads Sept. 11.\nEd Feigenbaum, publisher of the weekly newsletter Indiana Legislative Insight, said candidates who air television or radio commercials or make other partisan pitches on Sept. 11 risk public backlash.\n"People will be wondering, 'Why are they running that ad or doing this or that when we're in a period of national mourning or remembrance?"' he said.\nMany Indiana Democrats were embarrassed last year when state party officials, on the two days following the Tuesday terrorist attacks, put out newsletters blaming Republicans for Indiana's budget crisis and "playing politics" with the state's financial woes.\nThe press office of Democratic Gov. Frank O'Bannon called the state party that Thursday and "asked" that further issues of the newsletter be postponed for a while. Party officials obliged.
(08/05/02 2:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>INDIANAPOLIS -- For all the hoopla and security, you'd think George Washington himself was going to step out of the Brinks truck and cross the finish line at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Washington will be there in spirit Thursday, gracing the "heads" side of Indiana's race car commemorative quarter being released to the public that day in big numbers -- and a big way.
There will be pace cars and race cars, a children's choir and a high school band, bigwigs like Gov. Frank O'Bannon and IRL president Tony George, songs and speeches, and a line that puts Indiana on the world map one day every May: "Gentlemen, start your engines."
It might only be a coin, but Indiana is going all out for its debut.
"This is something that only comes along once in a lifetime," said Mark Duray, director of the Speedway High School band. "I told my kids, 'Hey, this is a big deal. I mean, they're breaking out the governor for this.'"
The speedway in Speedway is a natural host for the pomp and
circumstance, since the quarter features a modern day Indy race car imposed over an outline of the state.
"In Indiana, we pride ourselves on being the center of racing in the United States, so we take great pride in being on the quarter and also having the unveiling of the quarter here," said Speedway spokesman Fred Nation, who was press secretary to Evan Bayh during his eight years as governor.
There is a circle of 19 stars on the left side of the coin signifying Indiana becoming the 19th state in 1816. That date is on the coin, along with the state's motto of "Crossroads of America."
Indiana's is the 19th commemorative quarter issued by the U.S. Mint, keeping its practice of producing the state quarters in order of their entry into the union. Mississippi will be next, and the last this year.
The number produced will depend on demand, according to a spokeswoman at the mint. So far they have ranged from a low of about 632 million for Ohio's quarter to a high of nearly 1.6 billion for Virginia's.
Production of the Indiana quarter began July 22 and is expected to continue through late September.
The coins will be available at 13 state parks and at the Indiana State Fair starting at noon Thursday, about two hours after an armored Brinks truck delivers the first big batch for circulation at the speedway.
With the cue of "gentlemen, start your engines," from Indiana first lady Judy O'Bannon, a small parade of four pace cars, the Brinks truck and a two-seater Indy race car will start tooling from the fourth turn on the track toward the legendary row of bricks that marks the start-finish line.
U.S. Mint Director Henrietta Holsman-Fore will be in one pace car, and O'Bannon will be in the back seat of the Indy car driven by open-wheel racer Mark Dismore, an Indiana native, or Sarah Fisher, an Ohio native who now calls Indianapolis home.
There will be some short speeches, and the Indianapolis Children's Choir will sing "Back Home Again in Indiana."
After the ceremony, people will be encouraged to visit a merchandise area at the Pagoda Plaza. The first 2,000 kids will get free quarters, courtesy of the mint. If there are still coins left, adults can get one free.
The quarters also will be on sale, with Indiana State Police providing security. Cheryl Reed, an aide to the governor who helped organize the festivities, cited security reasons for declining to specify how many
quarters will be available at the Speedway.
"I will say that we're anticipating a crowd of 4,000 people, and we don't plan on running out of quarters," she said.
O'Bannon dismissed any notion that the state was going overboard with all this.
"In just a few days there will be a little piece of Indiana in the pockets of people across the world," the governor said. "I think their debut party ought to be something to remember."
The Associated Press
A modern Indy race car and the state's motto, "Crossroads of America," will be featured on Indiana's commemorative quarter, scheduled for distribution this month.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
INDIANAPOLIS -- When rumors ran wild about gasoline prices soaring after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Indiana was confronting something new.\n"It is a situation that we have not dealt with before. And by we, I mean our consumers and our station owners and employees," said Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter.\nIt's a situation the attorney general's office hasn't dealt with before, either, at least not in many years.\nAn investigation by Carter's office into possible price gouging when there was no fuel shortage has at least shed some light on the "gasoline scare" in the hours after the attacks.\nFirst, it wasn't nearly as widespread as the rumor mill suggested. Of more than 3,200 gasoline retailers in Indiana, only 86 were alleged to have raised prices above $2.50 per gallon -- the mark Carter's office deemed to be excessive under the uncertain circumstances of Sept. 11-12.\n"I am proud to say that the vast majority of Indiana's retail gasoline marketers responded to Tuesday's panic buying with price moderation," said Michael Pitts, executive director of the Indiana Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association, in a Sept. 14 letter to newspaper editors.\nOf the 86 stations accused of passing the $2.50 mark, 43 have denied raising prices that high. Six have provided documents to prove it.\nThe "rumors" of soaring prices did have some basis in fact. Owners and operators of 39 stations confirmed raising prices above $2.50. Many of those have since offered refunds to customers.\nBut getting to the bottom of the situation is likely to prove elusive.\n"We really don't have one investigation, we've really got 86 at this point, so it's pretty complex to work through all the explanations," Carter said.\n"I think at some stations, the clerks have been told that when somebody else increases the price, you increase it also," Carter said. "Sometimes they're told, 'You go with whatever the guy across the street has.'"\nBut there were other reasons.\nRYEX, Inc., doing business as Hometown Express, took offense to a letter Carter's office sent requesting an explanation of why its station in Borden may have taken part in "unconscionable pricing" and "abhorrent price increases."\nIn a response letter to Carter, RYEX President Cary Ooley acknowledged that on Sept. 11 at about 5:30 p.m. and for about three hours, that station charged $2.99 per gallon for all grades of gasoline.\nThere were legitimate reasons for doing so, Ooley said in the letter.\nRYEX is a small, independent dealer that has a contract with one distributor, precluding it from buying fuel from anyone else, he said. The distributor called that day and said the station was scheduled for another fuel delivery on Sept. 13, but it was uncertain whether it would actually get the gasoline.\nAn inordinate number of motorists were lining up for gas, some filling multiple gas cans, and the station's supply was diminishing quickly.\nFearing that it might be without fuel for two or more days, which also would hurt sales associated with gas purchases, the station imposed a limit of five gallons per customer and later raised the price to $2.99 per gallon as an alternative to "simply closing our store," the letter said.\n"Quite frankly, closing seemed to be a dangerous alternative in terms of 'feeding' the frenzy by suggesting a shortage of fuel," it said.\nOoley said the "profit" the station realized from selling 700 gallons at $2.99 per gallon for a short period of time amounted to less than $1,000, and it didn't take into account the drive-offs they had or the "additional manpower to control the abnormal amount of irrational customers."\nRegardless, the station made a $1,200 donation to the American Red Cross, a decision Ooley said was made hours before it received Carter's letter.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
INDIANAPOLIS -- Majority House Democrats got enough Republican support to make changes in their sweeping tax-and-budget package Tuesday, but they lacked enough votes even from their own party to pass the overall plan and send it to the Senate.\nAfter outnumbered Republicans went along with an amendment they said "made a bad bill better," Democrats declined to call the legislation down for final passage. It remains stalled in the chamber, which Democrats control 53-47.\nThe changes, including elimination of income tax increases, were designed to make the bill more palatable to wavering Democrats and hopefully gain some GOP support for the overall package. But the effort failed to garner even the minimum 51 votes needed for passage.\n"At this time we don't have the votes," said House Majority Whip Paul Robertson, D-DePauw. "I mean, if we would have had the votes, we would have gone ahead and moved the bill today. There's no secret about that."\nDemocrats said the changes were "major concessions" to Republicans. The amended bill no longer includes an income tax increase, it provides more property tax relief to homeowners and includes a spending cap on future state spending, except for education, Medicaid, property tax relief and teacher pensions.\n"This is a major merger of the two parties," said House Ways and Means Chairman B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend. "I believe it's now time for both parties to come together and move this bill over to the Senate and keep the process going."\nRepublicans provided enough votes to suspend procedural rules and make changes to the bill, but said they would not support the revamped package because it still included tax increases to shore up the state's budget deficit.\nThe bill would still raise sales taxes, increase taxes on cigarettes and riverboat casinos, and suspend two tax cuts approved in 1999 that allow individuals and businesses to offset about $163 million a year in property taxes.\nMost of those tax increases would be used to close the budget gap, which is projected to grow to $1.3 billion by July 2003 if nothing more is done.\nRepublicans in the House and those who lead the Senate say they are willing to work on tax restructuring -- raising some taxes to lower property taxes and promote economic development. But they have continued to oppose tax increases to fix the deficit.\n"We said from day one that we're not going to support tax increases for new spending," said Rep. Jeff Espich, R-Uniondale.\nAlthough the House has until next Tuesday to pass bills and send them to the Senate, Democratic leaders spoke of urgency in getting some GOP support to get the stalled legislation moving.\n"This bill doesn't get out of here without Republican support," said House Speaker John Gregg, D-Sandborn.\nTuesday's developments keep open the possibility of that happening. House Republican Leader Brian Bosma of Indianapolis said his members were willing to negotiate.\nBut he urged Democrats to separate tax provisions to fix the budget from those designed to restructure taxes.\n"The admirals of the world have put these two bills together so the common guy who wants to navigate this cannot do it," Bosma said.\nBauer suggested that House Republicans were playing an "end game" in the middle of the session, instead of supporting the bill to keep the process moving.\nBut when asked if he had enough Democrat votes to pass the plan in the House, he said, "We have more Democrat votes than I expected, I can tell you that."\nSenate Finance Chairman Larry Borst, R-Greenwood, said the changes Bauer offered Tuesday were a clear sign he was "trolling for votes."\nEven if the House passes a major deficit-reduction and tax-restructuring proposal, Borst said Senate Republicans would recast it into something "different than you've ever seen."\nAmong other things, Borst has said any tax-restructuring proposal should shift all school operating costs from local property tax rolls to the state, instead of just 50 percent as O'Bannon and House Democrats have proposed.\nHe has also said any plan should contain caps to control annual increases in property taxes.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
INDIANAPOLIS -- As the 2002 session of the Indiana General Assembly reaches its midpoint this week, tax restructuring and the state's budget deficit aren't the only things still on the table.\nPledge bill loses momentum\nOther issues and legislative proposals are still alive, at least in some form.\nBills in the House and Senate to mandate that schools have a U.S. flag in every classroom and have teachers lead the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence are not moving anymore.\nBecause of concerns over government mandates and the separation of church and state clause in the First Amendment, the bills have been replaced by resolutions that simply encourage schools to do those things.\nHowever, there is a bill alive in the Senate that would require all public schools to display a framed, 11-by-14-inch saying of "In God We Trust" in every classroom.\nSen. Johnny Nugent, R-Lawrenceburg, opened the committee presentation of his bill by saying it had nothing to do with religion, just patriotism. Then he offered an amendment to his bill that would prohibit schools from using taxpayer dollars to pay for the framed sayings.\nHe suggested that schools could easily raise private money to meet such a state mandate, and said he had a phone number that schools could call to get a good deal on the framed mottos.\nSpeeding amendment withdrawn\nFor the first time since 1995, when Congress lifted the national maximum speed limit of 65 mph, a speed limit bill with no amendment baggage could clear the Indiana House.\nRep. Robert Alderman offered an amendment to the bill on the House floor last week that would have more than doubled speeding fines for big trucks. His target was 18-wheelers, but after making a point about the highway scourge he considers speeding truckers, he withdrew his amendment.\n"Clearly there is an issue out there that we need to deal with, and I wanted to raise awareness of that issue," said Alderman, R-Fort Wayne.\n He withdrew his proposed amendment, he said, because he did not want to take a "hip shot" at ruining the chances of a clean speed-limit bill passing the House and getting sent to the Senate.\nCommunity college proposal\n There's a Senate bill still alive that's primarily aimed at Stan Jones, the state's commissioner for higher education.\n It would essentially dissolve the Ivy Tech State College-Vincennes University partnership and give almost complete control of Indiana's new community college system to Ivy Tech.\n The tensions and turf wars have been simmering for months, so it's no surprise the issue has spilled into the General Assembly. The bill squeaked to passage in committee and is now eligible for consideration in the full Senate.\nIts chances of becoming law seem slim, but its intent to begin with seems rooted in simply sending a message to Jones, Ivy Tech and Vincennes University that the ultimate boss in Indiana is the General Assembly.\n"The Legislature is just trying to apply some pressure to them to settle their differences, and I think if they settle their differences, the bill will go away," said Sen. Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville.\nOf course, every bill still alive is just that and only that at the midpoint of 2002 session of the General Assembly.
(06/13/02 3:08am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- The fiscal leader of the Indiana Senate squared off with gambling proponents Wednesday, a day before his committee was expected to endorse a GOP tax plan without provisions to expand gambling.\nThe Senate Finance Committee plans to scrap language from a Democrat-drafted House bill that would allow riverboat casinos to remain permanently docked, authorize a casino in Orange County and allow slot-like machines at horse racing venues in central Indiana.\nDuring a committee hearing Wednesday, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Larry Borst likened the intense lobbying push for expanded gambling to "a big ol' free-for-all" to see "who can wine and dine more legislators."\n"What we've got going on right now in this Legislature is an outright shame," said Borst, R-Greenwood. "The gamers are trying to run the show and I don't want them to, and I'll be doggone if I'm going to let them do it while I'm here."\nBorst's committee is expected to approve other significant changes Thursday to a bill passed by the House last week aimed at shoring up the state's budget deficit and restructuring taxes. Republicans control the Senate 32-18 while Democrats control the House 53-47.\nIf the full Senate approves a plan on Tuesday, it would leave only four days for the House and Senate to reach and pass a compromise by the special session deadline of June 22.\nThere were few signs of optimism that would happen, but Democratic Gov. Frank O'Bannon has said he would call a second special session if lawmakers do not act on time.
(04/25/02 3:27am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Senate Republicans plan to present a tax-and-budget proposal on Thursday that would give Democratic Gov. Frank O'Bannon some new money to help shore up the budget deficit.\nSenate President Pro Tem Robert Garton declined to give specifics Wednesday, but said the plan would include new money that could be used to help plug a projected $1 billion budget shortfall.\nThat alone would mark a major shift in position among Senate Republicans, who control the chamber 32-18. During the regular session that ended March 14, they insisted that O'Bannon could manage the deficit without any revenue from tax increases.\nO'Bannon already has set a special session to begin May 14 to address the state's deficit and tax restructuring. He plans to continue private talks with legislative fiscal leaders on Thursday in hopes they can strike a deal before all lawmakers return next month.\n"I think we all must be conditioned to the fact that there will be higher taxes, because the administration is absolutely insisting on it and I don't think the Legislature can go home without doing it," Garton said Wednesday after Senate Republicans met privately for four hours.\nGarton said he was convinced that if lawmakers adjourned a special session after 40 days without raising taxes, O'Bannon would simply call them back again.\n"The governor is going to keep us here long enough to get his tax increase," Garton said.\nGarton described the proposal to be presented Thursday as an economic development plan, but said nobody was guaranteeing it could pass either house or gain wide approval in any of the four legislative caucuses.\nDuring the regular session, Garton said he was opposed to any tax increase this year. He said taxes should not be raised during a recession and that restructuring should wait until next year, when more will be known about the effects of reassessment.\nWhen asked Wednesday if he had softened his stance on restructuring, he said, "In a sense."\n"I still think it's better to work with facts rather than projections, but ... I certainly don't want to spend the rest of my life in the Legislature," he said.\n"I think it's appropriate that we do submit a plan and I support doing so."\nO'Bannon spokeswoman Mary Dieter said she was pleased Senate Republicans would put a new proposal on the table.\n"We are so happy that Senate Republicans recognize that we have lots we can do in this state to improve the lot of Hoosiers," she said.
(04/19/02 4:54am)
FORT WAYNE -- In campaign-style mode Wednesday but without any promises for a rosy tomorrow, Gov. Frank O'Bannon asked Hoosiers to help sell his message to lawmakers: Put election-year politics aside, get back to work and fix the state's pressing financial problems.\n"We need to get back to special session and get it done," O'Bannon told about 75 cheering supporters at the airport in Indiana's second-largest city.\nAfter telling them to call their lawmakers and spread the message, O'Bannon was whisked to a hotel, where he sat down with a group of local civic, business and education leaders and said he needed their help, too.\nThe Democratic governor already has set a special session for May 14 to address the budget shortfall and tax restructuring, but he cannot guarantee that Democrats and Republicans will compromise on solutions.\nO'Bannon said if lawmakers do not raise taxes to shore up a projected $1 billion budget deficit and modernize the state's tax structure this year, schools and an already sagging business climate will suffer even more in the coming years.\nHe later named Republican lawmakers from northeastern Indiana, including Sens. Robert Meeks of LaGrange, David Ford of Hartford City and Tom Wyss of Fort Wayne, and Rep. Jeff Espich of Uniondale. All have been involved in recent budget talks.\nDuring the regular session that adjourned March 14, Senate Republicans insisted O'Bannon could manage the deficit on his own by making spending cuts, account transfers and relying on reserves.\nAfter a private meeting between O'Bannon and fiscal leaders Tuesday, Meeks acknowledged the state faces a serious budget shortfall. But he and many other Republicans have said action should wait until next year, when more will be known about the economy and reassessment.\nPhil Laux, president of the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce, told O'Bannon his group opposes a special session unless fiscal leaders reach a tax-and-budget deal first.\nDuring the flight to Fort Wayne, O'Bannon was relaxed but acknowledged some frustration over the fiscal impasse.\nHe said his proposal to raise taxes on cigarettes and casinos would help balance the budget and protect future funding for schools.\nO'Bannon is counting on support from Democrats who control the House to help get a tax-and-budget package passed in the special session. Rep. Win Moses, D-Fort Wayne, said he hoped O'Bannon's visit would put pressure on Senate Republicans to work on the problems as well.\nMoses acknowledged that most of his House Democrat colleagues do not want to return for special session.\n"We don't want to go through the process of supporting the governor again, putting up tough votes in every respect, and then being left to twist in the wind as we did this last time," Moses said. "I'm not saying we won't do it, but it would be easier if there was an agreement first"
(04/11/02 3:52am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- With backing from rank-and-file, most leading lawmakers are miffed at Gov. Frank O'Bannon's order for a special session and are skeptical of its chances for compromise tax legislation.\n"I know the governor is in a very terrible situation, and I just think that he might feel he has no other choice. But sometimes you can't do the impossible," said House Ways and Means Chairman B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend.\nO'Bannon met privately Tuesday with caucus and fiscal leaders to discuss the state's pressing financial problems. He said he hoped that over the next month, legislative leaders will work toward agreement on balancing the budget and restructuring taxes.\nIf they cannot strike a deal, O'Bannon said he will call the full General Assembly back to work May 14 for a special session.\nLawmakers adjourned the regular session March 14 without passing comprehensive legislation addressing either the projected $1.3 billion budget deficit or tax restructuring.\nLongtime Rep. Robert Alderman, R-Fort Wayne, did not take part in Tuesday's meeting with the governor, but many legislators share his assessment that a special session would be fruitless.\n"I'm trying to be a practical thinker," Alderman said. "When the whole House is up for re-election, half the Senate is up for re-election, and we come back here cold and create some -- quote -- tax restructuring program? It just isn't going to happen."\nLawmakers last held a special session in 1997, when O'Bannon called them back to resolve differences over a two-year budget and other tax matters.\nO'Bannon has said he considers tax increases to balance the budget a prerequisite to adequately funding education and social services and overhauling taxes. He plans another meeting with fiscal leaders on Thursday.\nSenate President Pro Tem Robert Garton, R-Columbus, said little after Tuesday's meeting.\n"We said, "You call it and we'll show up,"' said Garton, who has adamantly opposed raising taxes this year during a recession.\nWhen asked if he thought a special session would be successful, he said, "We'll just wait to see what happens."\nAlthough O'Bannon has announced more spending cuts since the regular session ended, he says tax increases are still needed to balance the budget. He wants to raise taxes on cigarettes and casinos, and suspend two income tax cuts approved in 1999 to shore up the deficit.\nThe Democrat-led House and Republican-ruled Senate each passed plans that would raise some taxes in order to make substantial cuts in property taxes. Those efforts were aimed at promoting economic development and shielding homeowners from higher property tax bills under reassessment.\n But unlike the House Democratic plan O'Bannon supported, the Senate GOP version would not have directed any revenue from tax increases on cigarettes and casinos to help balance the books. It also would not have rolled back the two 1999 tax cuts O'Bannon wants to suspend.\n Senate Republicans have insisted that O'Bannon can manage the deficit on his own by making spending cuts, account transfers and tapping reserves.\n They say that under O'Bannon's own plan, the state could get by without tax increases or major cuts in education and still end the two-year budget cycle in July 2003 with $390 million in ready reserves.\nO'Bannon has said that would barely be enough to meet cash-flow obligations, and the state would still need $800 million in new revenue during the next biennium just to maintain spending levels for schools, state agencies and social services that fall outside federal mandates.\nAlthough the governor can call a special session, he cannot guarantee its success.\nHe acknowledged that some lawmakers are unhappy with him. Among other things, he said some were concerned about the possibility of being in special session for more than a month.\n"I'm always optimistic, but I'm not as optimistic as I normally am," he said about the prospects of solving the fiscal problems.\nSen. Vi Simpson, D-Bloomington, described Tuesday's meeting as sometimes "acrimonious."\n"People were accusing the governor of treating them like they were naughty boys and girls being called before the high school principal to be chastised," Simpson said. "In truth, some of us have been naughty boys and girls by not taking care of the responsibilities we were elected to do."\nIt is clear some House Democrats still feel animosity toward their own party's governor for sometimes blaming lawmakers for failing to act on the budget and restructuring. Most House Democrats voted for a plan that would have raised taxes to address both issues.\n"They feel they are damned if they do and damned if they don't," Bauer said. "Some have told me maybe it's better not to raise any taxes and be with the don'ts"
(04/10/02 5:41am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- Gov. Frank O'Bannon said Tuesday he will call lawmakers back to the Statehouse next month for a special session aimed at resolving the state's financial crisis.\nThe Democrat said he hoped lawmakers would work toward resolving their differences over balancing the budget and restructuring taxes. However, if leaders cannot reach a deal in coming weeks, he said he would call the full General Assembly back to work May 14.\nLawmakers adjourned the regular session March 14 without passing comprehensive legislation addressing either the projected $1.3 billion budget deficit or tax restructuring.\n"We feel something needs to be done this year," O'Bannon said after a two-hour private meeting with caucus and fiscal leaders.\nO'Bannon insists balancing the budget will require tax increases, which he considers a prerequisite to adequately funding education and social services and overhauling taxes. He plans another meeting with fiscal leaders on Thursday.\nLawmakers last held a special session in 1997, when O'Bannon called them back to resolve differences over a two-year budget and other tax matters. The last time an overtime session was held following a short legislative session was 1982.\nLeaders from both parties have been cool to the idea of a legislative overtime, and leaders expressed little optimism they could settle their differences in the coming weeks or during a special session.\n"I know the governor is in a very terrible situation, and I just think that he might feel he has no other choice. But sometimes you can't do the impossible," said House Ways and Means Chairman B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend.\nSenate President Pro Tem Robert Garton, R-Columbus, said little after Tuesday's meeting and Senate Finance Chairman Larry Borst, R-Greenwood, deferred comments to Garton.\n"We said, 'You call it and we'll show up,'" said Garton, who has adamantly opposed raising taxes this year during a recession.\nWhen asked if thought a special session would be successful, he said, "We'll just wait to see what happens."\nAlthough O'Bannon has made additional spending cuts since the regular session ended, he says tax increases are still needed to balance the budget. He wants to raise taxes on cigarettes and casinos, and suspend two income tax cuts approved in 1999 to shore up the deficit.\nThe Democrat-led House and Republican-ruled Senate each passed plans that would raise some taxes in order to make substantial cuts in property taxes. Those efforts were aimed at promoting economic development and shielding homeowners from higher property tax bills under reassessment.\nBut unlike the House Democratic plan backed by O'Bannon, the Senate GOP version would not have directed any revenue from tax increases on cigarettes and casinos to help balance the books. It also would not have rolled back the two 1999 tax cuts O'Bannon wants to suspend.\nSenate Republicans have insisted that O'Bannon can manage the deficit on his own by making spending cuts, account transfers and tapping reserves.\nThey say that under O'Bannon's own plan, the state could get by without tax increases or major cuts in education and still end the two-year budget cycle in July 2003 with $390 million in ready reserves.\nO'Bannon has said that would barely be enough to meet cash-flow obligations, and the state would still need $800 million in new revenue during the next biennium just to maintain spending levels for schools, state agencies and social services that fall outside federal mandates.\nAlthough the governor can call a special session, he cannot guarantee its success.\nHe acknowledged that some lawmakers are irked at him. Among other things, he said some were concerned about the possibility of being in special session for more than a month.\n"I'm always optimistic, but I'm not as optimistic as I normally am," he said about the prospects of solving the fiscal problems.\nSen. Vi Simpson, D-Bloomington, described Tuesday's meeting as sometimes "acrimonious."\n"People were accusing the governor of treating them like they were naughty boys and girls being called before the high school principal to be chastised," Simpson said. "In truth, some of us have been naughty boys and girls by not taking care of the responsibilities were elected to do"
(04/05/02 3:59am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- Having failed to obtain tax increases to balance the state budget during the regular legislative session, Gov. Frank O'Bannon is now trying to lay the groundwork for calling lawmakers back to work.\nHe said Wednesday he will consider calling a special legislative session to work on Indiana's pressing financial problems, even if he is unable to broker a deal among leading lawmakers beforehand.\n"That's something that may happen, but I certainly want to speak with them and see how we can put together a plan that will work," O'Bannon said after meeting with educators, business lobbyists and others who want a special session.\nSenate President Pro Tem Robert Garton, R-Columbus, said the Democratic governor's motives were clear.\n"He just wants higher taxes, and he's not going to quit," said Garton, who was adamantly opposed to any tax increases during the regular session that ended March 14.\nLawmakers adjourned without passing comprehensive legislation to close the budget deficit or restructure taxes to shield homeowners from higher property tax bills expected under reassessment.\n"He will have (a special session), and he will finally badger the Legislature into raising taxes. I think I said last December that he could break us economically," Garton said of O'Bannon's ability to keep lawmakers at the Capitol and away from their regular jobs back home.\nO'Bannon is scheduled to meet with legislative leaders Tuesday to discuss the state's budget deficit, tax restructuring and the possibility of a special session to address both issues.\nSince lawmakers adjourned, O'Bannon has announced $400 million in new spending cuts and other steps such as account transfers and spending down reserves to help shore up a projected $1.3 billion shortfall.\nAlthough his overall plans are expected to keep the state solvent through the two-year budget cycle that ends in July 2003, O'Bannon said Indiana will still be in serious financial trouble.\nIt still would take $800 million in new revenue during the next biennium just to keep spending levels the same for such things as schools and universities, state agencies and social programs that fall outside of federal mandates, according to his administration.\nThe governor's office released figures Wednesday showing that state tax revenue in March was $54 million, or nearly 9 percent, below the fiscal forecast in November. For the first nine months of the fiscal year, revenues are $92 million below expectations.\nO'Bannon's press office billed Wednesday's event as a meeting between O'Bannon, Lt. Gov. Joe Kernan and "thought leaders" to discuss the state's financial problems.\nIt was no surprise that their unified stand was for a special session, because most are members of a group called Alliance for Indiana's Future that already advocated a legislative overtime.\nThe group includes the state's seven public colleges, the Indiana State Teachers Association, the Indiana Association of Realtors, the United Auto Workers and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.\nDuring the regular session, the Democrat-led House and Republican-ruled Senate each passed plans that would raise some taxes to make substantial cuts in property taxes.\nBut unlike the House plan that O'Bannon backed, the Senate GOP proposal would not have used any revenue from tax increases on cigarettes or casinos to shore up the deficit. Senate Republicans have insisted that O'Bannon can manage the deficit without tax increases or huge cuts in education.\nGarton said it was easy for O'Bannon to assemble special interest groups that stand to benefit from tax increases.\n"Now what he needs to do is pull together an alliance of average citizens who want a tax increase," he said.
(04/03/02 4:35am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- When Michael Dean Overstreet was sentenced to death for the rape and murder of 18-year-old Franklin College freshman Kelly Eckart, her family wanted to read a statement in court.\nThe judge did not allow it.\n"I wanted to tell (Overstreet) what he took away from us, how he changed our family, how our life will never be the same," said Kelly Eckart's mother, Connie Sutton. "We're still close, but there are only three of us that are close. It's supposed to be four."\nConnie Sutton, her husband, Dale Sutton, and Kelly's brother, Chris Eckart, watched Tuesday as Gov. Frank O'Bannon signed legislation that will give the families of some murder victims the right to be heard in court.\nThe event was ceremonial only, because O'Bannon already had signed the bill into law to meet a constitutional deadline. Ceremonial signings allow the governor, lawmakers and others to highlight certain bills after the deadline has passed.\n"I hope this makes a difference in other families' lives," O'Bannon said.\nThe law guarantees that someone from a victim's family can make a statement to the court and the convicted murderer after a judge has announced the sentence. It will apply to cases in which prosecutors are seeking the death penalty or life without parole.\nCurrent law does not give victims' families the right to speak at sentencings, and many judges refuse to hear such statements out of concern they could cause the Indiana Supreme Court to overturn a death sentence.\nAs it passed the House, the bill would have allowed the statements after judges had determined the sentence but before they announced it. The Senate changed it so the statements are allowed only after judges have announced sentencing.\n"This will guarantee the rights of the families or their representatives to make statements in the official sentencing, but at the same time they cannot impact the verdict or allow for appeals based on that," said Rep. Cleo Duncan, R-Greensburg, who spent two sessions pushing the bill.\nProponents have named it "Kelly's Law" in memory of Kelly Eckart of rural Boggstown, who was abducted, raped and strangled Sept. 26, 1997. Overstreet was condemned for the killing.\nTom Stapleton also attended Tuesday's ceremonial signing. His son, Steven Stapleton, 29, was shot five times and died during an October 1997 armed robbery at a gun store in Greenwood.\nTimothy Greer was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to the murder. The judge in that case allowed Stapleton's family to speak, but Tom Stapleton said that decision should not be left to a judge.\n"This is just a small step in the way it should be," he said of the new law.
(03/27/02 4:29am)
INDIANAPOLIS -- Gov. Frank O'Bannon's job approval rating has dropped to 41 percent, the lowest level during his six years in office and a 10-percent decline since November, according to a statewide poll released Tuesday.\nBut the poll by the Public Opinion Laboratory at IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis also shows that 68 percent of respondents believe there is a state budget crisis, and 49 percent blame the Legislature for failing to address it or property tax reform.\nTwenty-four percent blame O'Bannon, and 15 percent blame lawmakers and the governor.\n"People are angry. They want something done about the budget crisis," pollster Brian Vargus said. "They do not know exactly what the nature of the crisis is, except there is no money."\n"They're just angry, but they don't quite know why."\nThe telephone survey of 803 registered voters was conducted Thursday through Monday and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points. The sample was composed of 35 percent Republicans, 35 percent Democrats, 23 percent independents, 4 percent of another party and 3 percent with no party identification.\nVargus said O'Bannon's job approval has slipped from above 60 percent in an IUPUI poll last June to 51 percent in November to this month's new low. The ratings are driven in large part by party allegiance and likely reflect the sluggish economy and news about the budget deficit, he said.\nSixty-eight percent of respondents said there was a budget crisis and 59 percent said it warranted legislative action, but there was little agreement on what should be done.\nWhen asked an open-ended question of what action the Legislature and/or governor should take, about 10 percent favored a tax increase of some sort. The next-largest category of responses -- at 5 percent -- was people who said cut waste.\nAbout 4 percent said a special legislative session should be convened. Three percent specifically objected to cutting any education spending.\nDuring the session that ended March 14, O'Bannon was unsuccessful in getting lawmakers to raise taxes on cigarettes and casinos to help shore up a projected $1.3 billion budget deficit.\n Lawmakers also failed to compromise on proposals to raise some taxes in order to make substantial cuts in property taxes. The proposals were aimed at shielding homeowners from court-ordered changes in assessments and much higher property tax bills next year.\nLast week, O'Bannon announced $332 million in spending cuts he plans to make to help close the budget gap. That was on top of $782 million in cuts he already announced, and more cuts are to be detailed Thursday.\nBut in the poll, people named few specific programs that should be cut. Less than 1 percent each indicated the state should cut Medicaid, the Build Indiana Fund, state employees' salaries, education or welfare.\nSome of the cuts recommended by respondents were more specifically aimed at the Legislature and governor, such as cutting their salaries.\nAlthough most agreed there was a budget crisis, only 43 percent said they followed the Legislature closely or very closely.\n"It's a classic case of voters not being aware of the state Legislature," said Brianne O'Brien, field director for the polling project.\nOne person said the most pressing problem facing state government was the need to rehire Bob Knight, one said more guns were needed and one cited a need to pull out of Afghanistan.\nMary Dieter, Gov. O'Bannon's press secretary, said she was pleased the poll showed that most people recognize there is a budget problem.\n"We're not terribly concerned about approval ratings or disapproval ratings," Dieter said. "Any time people take gutsy positions, you might suffer a little bit in polls, but that's not what being a leader is about"