Tuesday is Primary Election day. Don’t forget to get out and vote!
The South Bend Tribune ran a story yesterday about my own primary contest this year:
Two familiar names are seeking the Democratic nomination for House District 8, which includes urban, suburban and rural parts of St. Joseph County.
Incumbent Rep. Ryan Dvorak, of South Bend, is seeking his third term in office. He’s running on his record, which he describes as “stand(ing) up for my community” on property taxes, education and constituent concerns…
The Tribune also published the candidate surveys we are asked to complete here. The survey responses are limited to 50 words, but it is still nice the paper publishes them for the public.
More coverage of local races can be found at the Tribune’s “Vote 2006” section.
May 1st, 2006
Every year on the Monday after Easter, South Bend, Indiana marks the celebration of a great political and cultural institution - Dyngus Day.
The celebration is a traditional Polish holiday, but was brought to Indiana by Polish immigrants in South Bend 76 years ago. The home turf and “founding mother church of Dyngus Day” is the West Side Democratic & Civic Club.
While South Bend claims to be the home of Dyngus Day, and celebrations now pop up across northern Indiana, Buffalo, New York insists on asserting its dubious claim as well.
Because the event occurs so close to the primary elections, Dyngusing long ago became inextricably linked with politics, and Dyngus Day is viewed as the official kick-off to the campaign season.
I took some pictures at the West Side Democratic Club yesterday as local dignitaries, candidates, and even the Washington High School girls basketball team were introduced to the crowd.
Dyngus Day is a great opportunity to eat good kielbasa and noodles while catching up with old friends at dozens of stops across town.
While Dyngus Day is officially a Polish holiday – celebrated at Polish social clubs across the city, it has expanded to encompass almost every ethnic group in our area. In 1971, the African American community launched the official celebration of Solidarity Day to be celebrated alongside Dyngus Day. The official Solidarity Day headquarters is at the Elks Club on Western Avenue (and the food there is excellent).
The Belgians join in the fun at the BK Club in Mishawaka, and there is also an unofficial Irish “O’Dyngus Day” celebrated at Fiddler’s Hearth in South Bend. For the first time this year, there was also an official dedicated Latino celebration of Dyngus Day at the St. Adalbert’s Church parish hall.
The traditionally Democratic-leaning festival always draws political candidates from across the state. The most famous guest of honor was Robert F. Kennedy during his 1968 Presidential campaign. Today, Republican candidates also take advantage of the opportunity to greet voters in the festive crowds – but they are still excluded from the stage at the West Side Club.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to go Dyngusing, and you enjoy good food and good-natured politics, I highly recommend you visit next time.
For even more Dyngus Trivia, Jack Colwell of the South Bend Tribune has put together a fun quiz entitled “Think You Know Dyngus Day? Prove it.”
April 18th, 2006
Earlier this week, Senator John Broden (D – South Bend) and I spoke at a meeting of the Young Professionals Network – a networking and professional development group for younger people that is affiliated with the St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce.
We gave a recap of the legislative session and answered questions about different issues of interest to the members, as well as questions about our workload and how we approach the legislative process.
Groups like this are a great way to ensure that younger professionals develop roots in our community and help counteract the “brain drain” phenomenon of Indiana college graduates leaving the state for employment elsewhere.
Incidentally, the meeting was held at the College Football Hall of Fame, and if you have never paid a visit to the Hall, you should stop in some time. It is a great interactive museum with nice banquet and meeting facilities as well.
April 14th, 2006
The Indiana Supreme Court recently held that “service fees” charged by school corporations are prohibited under Indiana’s constitutional guarantee of a “free and equal” education.
In Nagy v. Evansville-Vanderburgh County School Corp., the court, however, decided not to address the issue of whether charging for school textbook rental was also a violation of the state Constitution.
The South Bend Tribune made their opinion of the Court’s decision clear in an editorial this week:
So just what should an Indiana Supreme Court justice be expected to do for his public service pay? Answer the hard questions? Or just the easy ones?
It seems to us that the court took the easy way out with its ruling on Nagy v. Evansville-Vanderburgh County School Corp. The justices settled the specific matter regarding the constitutionality of student services fees. But they punted the question of textbook rental fees back to the Indiana General Assembly — even though legislators long have ducked the state’s duty to fully fund textbooks for public school students.
I agree that textbook rental fees should be eliminated so that Indiana students may receive the benefit of a truly free education.
However, I also tend to agree with Justice Sullivan’s dissent, which takes a more deferential approach to Legislative authority to determine what exactly is funded in the public education system.
The Court’s opinion is available here (.pdf), and more coverage is available at Advance Indiana and the Indiana Law Blog.
April 11th, 2006
Universities in Indiana are continuing to lead the way in technological innovation that can help our state stay competitive in the global economy. Indiana University has announced the acquisition a new supercomputer expected to be one of the fastest in the world, and possibly the fastest university-owned computer.
The impact on research funding will help develop the technological infrastructure of our state and lead to more investment in innovative science:
Research means research grants, and MacIntyre said IU expects to receive $477 million for research of all kinds this year. The new computer is intended to help IU reach a long-term goal of attracting $800 million in grants each year.
Purdue University is also staying at the cutting edge, and their Energy Center Hydrogen Initiative Symposium recently concluded its inaugural meeting:
The meeting, which ends today, comes about two months after President Bush used his State of the Union address to trumpet continuing research that could eventually fill the nation’s highways with fuel-cell cars and hydrogen filling stations.
More than 100 people are attending Purdue’s Hydrogen Initiative Symposium to hear scientists and officials from the U.S. Department of Energy, NASA and several national laboratories discuss the challenges of harnessing hydrogen for transportation systems.
Basic university research directly translates into market innovations for Indiana businesses and is crucial for the future economic development of our state.
Now that we live in a world where China has officially surpassed the United States in internet usage, it is apparent that resting on our laurels is not an option. In order to stay ahead of the competition, create new jobs, and ensure opportunity for the next generation we must continue to invest in the research and technology that drove the financial engine of our country for the last century.
If you are interested in other similar university-sponsored projects in Indiana, here are a few I have discussed in the last several months:
Nanotechnology Center Opens in Indiana
Update on South Bend Tech Park
ND research results in possible CSO fix
Supercomputing grid comes to South Bend
April 7th, 2006
I was not quite sure what to make of Governor Daniels’ comments in this Evansville Courier and Press story on the Toll Road debate:
Daniels, who wore an I-69 pin in his left lapel, said Tuesday he had heard “tales of Democrats with tears in their eyes who would like to have had a chance to vote for (Major Moves).”
The governor said Democrats who dared to support Major Moves faced the prospect of being “last on the parking lot committee.”
I am not even sure what “last on the parking lot committee” means, and I was even more confused by this statement:
“They weren’t against this thing because it wouldn’t work,” Daniels said. “They were against this because it will work.”
I guess he best sums up his feelings here:
“I don’t honestly think these were serious objections (by Democratic legislators),” the governor told the Courier & Press. “They were in a tough spot. Their political leadership had ordered them to stay in line, and they did. They had to find some reasons for it.”
I couldn’t decide whether to get angry at the Governor’s dismissive remarks or simply laugh them off.
The notion that the House Democratic caucus can be “held in line” on anything is definitely amusing. In our caucus meetings people argue, laugh, fret, and even occasionally storm out – but the Golden Rule of the Democratic caucus is that each member should always make their decisions based upon what is best for their district.
The Governor’s implication that my colleagues march to the orders of anyone other than the people who elected them is, frankly, insulting.
But what makes me laugh about this, rather than get angry, is the fact that the people of Indiana have seen through this type of talk. The facts are plain, and the voters know that “Major Moves” is a bad deal for Indiana. The popular outcry has even made national and international news. (The Slate story, Lost Highway: The foolish plan to sell American toll roads to foreign companies, is the latest to discuss the debate in Indiana. [via TDW])
In the end, I take comfort in the fact that I and the rest of the House Democratic caucus voted the way our constituents wanted us to vote – and the Governor knows it.
March 31st, 2006
The Indiana Finance Authority and the Indiana Department of Transportation are holding public hearings in St. Joseph and Elkhart Counties on the lease of the Indiana Toll Road and the rate increases associated with the lease.
Unfortunately, these hearings are taking place after the Governor has already signed the legislation into law.
St. Joseph County residents are understandably peeved that they are only now being asked to provide their input.
Actually, the hearings are required by state law, and I doubt they would be occuring at all if they were not statutory mandates.
For local coverage of the hearings and public sentiment, check out the stories below:
After fact, state sets Toll Road hearings - South Bend Tribune
Lease critics in a late stand - South Bend Tribune
Hearing Allows Many to Vent About Toll Road Lease - WSBT-TV (with video)
People Speak Out At Toll Road Rate Hearing - WSBT-TV (with video)
Major Moves faces lawsuit - WNDU-TV (with video) - with a focus on the threated lawsuit against the deal
Lease could end up in court - FOX28-TV - more on the possible lawsuit
Finally, the South Bend Tribune editorial, Too little time, too little thought, offers a critique on the Legislature’s handling of the Toll Road lease as well as HB 1279, the telecommunications bill (roll call).
Update: The South Bend Tribune story on this afternoon’s hearing contains some strong opinions from local residents:
… the“Toll Road lease scheme is destined to be seen as the greatest example of malfeasance and betrayal of the public trust ever perpetrated on the citizens of this state.”
…the “criminal actions” of Daniels and his “political running dogs” are motivated solely by “self-aggrandizement and greed” and are in “direct contravention of the will of the people and the welfare of the state.”
March 23rd, 2006
The “short” legislative session has come to an end for the year. Over the coming weeks I will go over some of the session highlights and lowlights.
Last week I had the opportunity to discuss the merits and drawbacks of the compressed schedule of the short session as a guest on the television show Indiana Lawmakers.
The 30-minute show is available to watch online here. (until Monday, when it will be replaced with the next episode)
Among the topics covered was the possibility of allowing standing committees to meet over the summer to give more consideration to complicated policy issues, encourage more citizen input in the legislative process, and conduct more legislative oversight of the executive branch.
I previously suggested making such a change back in December on this site.
If you have the time to watch the program, feel free to leave a comment or let me know what you think.
March 16th, 2006
Last night, both the House Democratic Caucus and the House Republican Caucus hosted dinners honoring their retiring members.
The Democrats gathered at Iaria’s, a small Italian restaurant on the near east side of Indianapolis, to pay tribute to Representatives Ben GiaQuinta (Fort Wayne), John Aguilera (East Chicago), and Tom Kromkowski (South Bend).
Representative GiaQuinta, a veteran of World War II who fought in the Battle of the Bulge, was accompanied by his son, Mark, and his wife, Helen.
Representative Aguilera, who was joined by his wife, is the only Hispanic member of the House of Representatives. John is leaving the Legislature, but I imagine he will stay involved in public service back in Lake County.
Finally, Representative Kromkowski is retiring after 25 years of service in the House of Representatives. The long-time UAW member is possibly the longest-serving member of the House Labor Committee.
It was good getting everyone together to wish our friends the best in their retirement. I know we will all definitely miss their experience and the unique perspectives they have brought to the General Assembly.
March 14th, 2006
Proponents of the Governor’s plan to lease the Indiana Toll Road often say Northern Indiana residents should support the plan because it could allow for the construction of an upgraded US 31 from South Bend to Indianapolis.
However, there is no plan in place to build a new US 31 – the Governor already canceled the few construction plans that existed, and now there are only vague promises.
How vague? Take this Senator’s suggestion on how to show progress on US 31 if Major Moves passes the Legislature:
“…[T]o show there is a positive side of all this thing. We’ve got to have some groundbreaking somewhere.”
He suggested the state could start on U.S. 31.
“I told them to go up there and dump a truckload of sand and take a bulldozer and shove it this way today and shove it back that way tomorrow,” Meeks said. “Do something, at least, that will be showin’ them that we’re doing some work.”
The final vote on HB 1008 – the authorizing legislation for major Moves must take place by midnight tonight. A draft “compromise” version of a conference committee report that I have read does little to change the bill, and takes out many of the amendments that were originally passed by the House. The main points I noticed were:
- An extra $10 million to each Toll Road county
- The option for LaPorte County to join the Lake/Porter RDA (in exchange for less money)
- Removal of the toll-freeze language (discount for I-PASS users)
- Removal of any north-east or north-central RDA
- I-69 as a toll road from Evansville to Martinsville, but no tolls from Martinsville to Indianapolis
- Possibly the ability for INDOT to give large chunks of land at I-69 interchanges to any future leaseholder
Of course, the final version of the conference committee report could still change at any point today.
March 14th, 2006
Masson’s Blog recently had a post on a WNDU story that examined constituent surveys in Northern Indiana that showed overwhelming opposition to the Governor’s proposed lease of the Indiana Toll Road.
Many State Senators and State Representatives send out annual constituent surveys to sound out feelings on issues that might come before the Legislature.
I find that sending out my annual survey is a good opportunity to get feedback on general policy topics, and to help spot areas of consensus or contention on specific proposals. My survey also allows room for constituents to communicate their thoughts on other issues not on the list that might be of interest or concern.
The story noted that Senator John Broden (D – SouthBend) reported 93% of his constituents opposed the Toll Road plan, and a Republican Senator from Bremen (I assume that was Senator Ryan Mishler) showed 85% opposition.
My own results are similar. Out of 815 responses (received between December 1, 2005 and March 1, 2006), 85% of my constituents are opposed to the Toll Road plan.
There are few issues capable of uniting so many people in such strong opposition.
It should be noted that that a constituent survey is not a scientific opinion poll. The respondents are self-selecting, which can skew results. However, it is definitely a good indicator of how the public feels about an issue. I imagine a properly conducted poll would show similar results.
For today’s latest Toll Road/Major Moves developments, Masson’s Blog also has a good roundup here.
March 9th, 2006
In the final week of session, legislators are focused on the conference committee process. Conference committees are comprised of both House and Senate members that meet to resolve differences in bills that have passed both chambers, but in different versions.
For instance, yesterday the conference committee on HB 1010, the eminent domain bill, met to resolve differences between versions of the legislation that passed the House and the Senate. I am one of four conferees that have been appointed to the committee (there are also seven non-voting “advisor” members). All four Conferees must sign the final conference report before it can be sent back to each chamber for final approval.
Below is a picture taken as the meeting adjourned yesterday afternoon.
In the case of HB 1010, the meeting went smoothly, and few changes were needed to reach a consensus. The report with the amended bill was circulated to the conferees this morning, and once all four signatures have been collected, the bill will be ready for its final vote.
Conference committees can be very contentious at times, but since both chambers and the Governor’s office are all controlled by the same party this year, there has not been much conflict or need for compromise. This is because the Majority in each chamber appoints the conference committee members. If a minority party conferee refuses to sign a report, they can simply be replaced with a more cooperative participant by the Speaker of the House or the Senate Majority Leader.
The last day of session is only one week away, so conference committees are busily trying to finish their work. The most interesting conference report will definitely be for HB 1008 - the “Major Moves” legislation. That committee met for the first time yesterday, and has not yet come to any agreement.
March 8th, 2006
Next Posts
Previous Posts
Welcome! I created this website to communicate with my constituents on developments with issues important to Indiana…