01/10/11 Top priorities for lawmakers during the 2011 legislative session –which began today at the Statehouse – should be passing a balanced budget and avoiding tax hikes on hardworking Hoosiers, said State Sen. Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso).
“As lawmakers craft the two-year budget, we are working with revenues that are at 2005 levels because of the national recession,” Charbonneau said. “I hear daily about the struggles Hoosier families, farmers and employers are facing. I know they are closely watching their personal budgets. Lawmakers need to do the same thing with taxpayer dollars. We need to set and live within tight spending limits.”
Charbonneau said he is also focusing on improving schools by putting students first, fostering job creation by private employers, protecting Indiana taxpayers from recovery-killing tax hikes and promoting fair redistricting.
Charbonneau provided a snapshot of key issues that lawmakers should be addressing in the 2011 legislative session:
Balancing the Budget, Avoiding Tax Hikes: Legislators will be working to achieve what they hope will be a fourth consecutive balanced budget. Members of the Indiana General Assembly are starting the budget-writing process with an approximate $500-$700 million gap to fill. This underscores the importance of having protected the $1.3 billion in rainy-day budget reserves during the last budget-writing session in 2009. “We are still using those reserves,” Charbonneau said.
Fostering Job Growth, Cutting Red Tape: Indiana’s tax structure is the most employer-friendly in the Great Lakes region and among the top 10 nationally. Charbonneau said state lawmakers this session must work to preserve and build on this foundation by keeping taxes low, encouraging access to capital and strengthening job-creation rewards for expanding employers. He said while government doesn’t create jobs, government frugality and limited intervention can encourage investment and entrepreneurship. “State leaders must remain committed to helping Indiana recover from the national recession faster and better than the competition,” Charbonneau said.
Improving Schools, Putting Students First: Charbonneau said Hoosiers have historically supported providing the most funding possible for education, but are today demanding the most education possible for that funding. He said concerned lawmakers, parents and educators will recommit this legislative session to further improving our schools by putting students first. Such efforts include ensuring teacher quality, holding schools accountable and providing more options for families — especially those trapped in chronically failing schools.
Protecting Voters, Promoting Fair Redistricting: Indiana’s Constitution specifically charges the Indiana General Assembly with drawing new legislative and congressional districts after each national census, so representation is apportioned fairly. According to Charbonneau, Republican senators last year attempted to put into law objective guidelines that would have, whenever practical, preserved traditional neighborhoods and local communities of interest, protected minority voting rights, created simply shaped, compact districts and respected county and precinct lines. “We stand publicly committed to following these guiding principles during this year’s important redistricting process,” Charbonneau said.
“This year’s legislative survey addresses these issues, and I hope constituents visit www.in.gov/senator.charbonneau and provide feedback,” Charbonneau said.
Hoosiers can contact Charbonneau during session – which runs through Friday, April 29 – at senator.charbonneau@iga.in.gov, by toll-free call at 800-382-9467 or by mail at State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, Indiana State Senate, 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204.
Sen. Charbonneau represents Senate District 5, which includes Starke County and portions of Porter, LaPorte, Marshall, Jasper, Pulaski and St. Joseph counties.
