Indiana

Nice To Be Back

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

It’s nice to be back after a weekend of the old song and dance routing.  Here’s what I’ll be paying attention to this week.

1. What will the impact of the federal stimulus package be on Indiana now that the Senate has cut funding to state and local governments and to education; two areas Indiana lawmakers have been counting on help shore up the state coffers.
2. The members of the Capital Improvement Board will explore some funding options to shore its close to $115 million in short and long term shortfalls.  Let’s see if anyone makes it clear that any broad based countywide tax to cover these expenses will go over like Michael Jackson coming over to babysit.
3. How will former State Representative and Lt. Governor candidate Dennie Oxley’s weekend DWI arrest impact the Indiana Secretary of State’s race in 2010?  Oxley was rumored to be the Democratic front-runner.  Now the D’s have no one.
4. Indiana lawmakers will hear testimony this week on reforming township government.  I’ll be looking forward to some township board members explaining how some of them get free health care and life insurance and some rent township space out of their homes and charge it back to the taxpayers.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on February 09, 2009 (boomark / email).