Comments on Advance Indiana™: More Populist Pandering From Bauer

Amen, Kevin. (No pun intended.)Bosma ought to be ...

2006-08-03T09:01:00.000-05:00

Amen, Kevin. (No pun intended.)

Bosma ought to be ashamed. He's the original Pander Bear. The whole State House prayer thing has cost us, at my last check, $345,000 in legal fees.

Not unlike the County Clerk pursuing two legal actions a few years ago, in the City Council races, that were overturned by courts, at a huge cost to taxpayers.

Evidently if it fits their idea of "right," these folks will spend our tax money on legal fees out the whazoo.

This is what a dying elephant sounds and looks like. It's costly, but, ultimately, it's effective. Ms. Sadler isn't running again. Bosma has a credible opponent this fall. And he won't be Speaker even if he does win his district.

Justice.

The interest will be used for the Major Moves init...

2006-08-03T08:23:00.000-05:00

The interest will be used for the Major Moves initiatives. They're going to need every penny of it to fund all of the projects in the pipeline.

I'm not a big fan of Bauer or his ridiculous propo...

2006-08-03T07:40:00.000-05:00

I'm not a big fan of Bauer or his ridiculous proposal but I find it hypocritical of Bosma to criticise him on wasting effort and tax dollars when Bosma has spent millions of our hard earned money trying the keep "Christ" in statehouse prayers.

On a semi-related note....I read in The Star that the state is earning 500K every day in interest off the toll road revenue. I haven't read or heard about any funds yet being distributed, so theoretically we should be up 10 million or so. Where is that money going?

Thank you! Suspending the sales tax on gas is rid...

2006-08-02T22:44:00.000-05:00

Thank you! Suspending the sales tax on gas is ridiculous. First, it offers an insignificant reduction in the cost. Second, the law doesn't allow the Gov to do it. The statute says that if an energy emergency exists, then the Gov may suspend some laws to fix the problem. An emergency would be, for example, if the supply of gasoline was interrupted for an extended period -- then the Gov could suspend some laws. However, suspending the sales tax on gas, making it cheaper to buy gas, would actually make the emergency shortage worse, not better. This was the fallacy behind O'Bannon's suspension. Refineries faced a production problem which interrupted the flow of gasoline, so O'Bannon's campaign was able to call it an emergency. Fine, but suspending the sales tax on gas did not help the so-called emergency, it made it worse! Finally, just when the state's budget is finally under control, Bauer has his hand out for money, ready to spend, spend, spend. Full day kindergarten that he seems to want so bad will cost about $300-400M after the first year -- exactly how much money the state would lose if Bauer becomes Speaker and makes good on his promise to eliminate the sales tax on gas. He seems to want to give more money to education, which Republicans seem to want to do also, but you can kiss that goodbye, too, if Bauer cuts $300-400M out of the budget. And for what? So we can save a few bucks a month and give a gas price reduction to out-of-staters who travel through the state? The whole thing is a dumb idea and a transparently desperate attempt to grab back a House majority that may be just beyond his reach.