Indiana

Sunday Morning Post

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

I’ve been taking it easy this weekend, but still managed to pick up a few tidbits here and there.  Personally, I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop regarding soon to be former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.  No one quits their job with more than 18 months left in their term on a holiday weekend because they don’t like the pressure.  There’ something else going on here folks.

Meanwhile, here’s some local things to ponder…

There’s talk that the latest CIB plan was brought in part by some City-County Council Republicans who did not want to vote for a tax increase so they approached Sen. Mike Young to come up with the current plan.  And per Young, he was goofy enough and annoyed enough of his colleagues and got it done.

It looks like Marion County Democrats are declaring war on one of their own.  My sources tell me they are not happy with Mary Ann Sullivan because she voted for the budget and supports charter schools and consolidation.  So I am hearing the party will try not to slate her and run someone against her in the next election.  John Barnes may also be on that list.

Speaking of schools, lawmakers removed a provision in state law that would have prohibited schools from using ISTEP test results to evaluate teacher performance.

Although the Decatur township Trustee is fighting consolidation, the office is taking out more than$1 million in loans to keep the office and fire department going, part of that is going for raises.

Although the Mayor and Governor had a “rocky” relationship this past session, I hear efforts are being made to patch things up as soon as possible.

The state’s effort to fix its unemployment insurance trust fund may be only getting worse, even with the latest round of tax increases, the deficit in the fund is expected to grow to $3.5 billion.

You hear anything else, let us know.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on July 05, 2009 (boomark / email).