Kernan Touts Demo Tax Cuts, Blasts GOP
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
The recently concluded session of the Indiana General Assembly can be summed up in one phrase, according to Lt. Gov. Joe Kernan: "so-so."
Kernan was the featured speaker at the Kosciusko County Democrats' Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner Wednesday.
"The only thing better than saying someone is a good Democrat, or a good lieutenant governor, is saying that he is a good man. Joe Kernan is a good man," said master of ceremonies, Warsaw attorney Jay Rigdon, in introducing the lieutenant governor.
Kernan told the approximately 75 in attendance that while some very good legislation was passed, some major items failed because of the political ambitions of House and Senate Republicans.
"The No. 1 mission for this session was to pass a two-year budget. The governor set three rules for the budget - it had to maintain the surplus, it had to include a tax cut and it had to support education," Kernan said.
As a whole, the two-year spending plan accomplished those goals, Kernan said.
The new community college program, which makes it easier for Hoosiers to attend local colleges and universities, passed both houses and was signed into law.
The budget also included:
• $2 billion in tax cuts over the next two years;
• A new children's health fund to ensure medical coverage for the state's economically-disadvantaged children;
• The 21st Century Growth Fund, intended to bolster high-tech job creation and retention, and;
• a pay raises for all state employees.
"However, there were some very important things that didn't get done," Kernan said.
Among those were a repeal of the financial institution tax that puts Indiana at a disadvantage in attracting that industry, and a repeal of the insurance premiums tax, he said.
"Perhaps most disappointing was that full-day kindergarten did not become a reality," Kernan said. "Today, we know so much more scientifically about children. If we don't get them early, once they're behind, they're behind forever.
"Full-day disappeared for one reason - politics. It disappeared because the Republicans made a decision to deny Frank O'Bannon a victory on a program he wanted so badly," he added. "The Republicans didn't hurt Frank O'Bannon. They hurt the 85,000 children that won't be attending full-day kindergarten."
As for the 2000 state elections, Kernan said, Democrats should be very optimistic and take heart at the performance of the Democrat party in Tuesday's primaries.
"All Democrats (in Warsaw) in (Tuesday's) elections won. Whatever you think the odds are, it's important that we give the people a choice," Kernan said.
Democrats also should be confident that O'Bannon will prevail in the 2000 gubernatorial race, regardless of who the Republican candidate may be, Kernan said.
"We've heard some Republican names - John Price, David McIntosh. We don't care who it is. Bring them on," he said.
In other business, Kosciusko County Democratic Chairman Steve Haines honored Frances Head, of Silver Lake, by naming her Democrat of the Year. [[In-content Ad]]
The recently concluded session of the Indiana General Assembly can be summed up in one phrase, according to Lt. Gov. Joe Kernan: "so-so."
Kernan was the featured speaker at the Kosciusko County Democrats' Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner Wednesday.
"The only thing better than saying someone is a good Democrat, or a good lieutenant governor, is saying that he is a good man. Joe Kernan is a good man," said master of ceremonies, Warsaw attorney Jay Rigdon, in introducing the lieutenant governor.
Kernan told the approximately 75 in attendance that while some very good legislation was passed, some major items failed because of the political ambitions of House and Senate Republicans.
"The No. 1 mission for this session was to pass a two-year budget. The governor set three rules for the budget - it had to maintain the surplus, it had to include a tax cut and it had to support education," Kernan said.
As a whole, the two-year spending plan accomplished those goals, Kernan said.
The new community college program, which makes it easier for Hoosiers to attend local colleges and universities, passed both houses and was signed into law.
The budget also included:
• $2 billion in tax cuts over the next two years;
• A new children's health fund to ensure medical coverage for the state's economically-disadvantaged children;
• The 21st Century Growth Fund, intended to bolster high-tech job creation and retention, and;
• a pay raises for all state employees.
"However, there were some very important things that didn't get done," Kernan said.
Among those were a repeal of the financial institution tax that puts Indiana at a disadvantage in attracting that industry, and a repeal of the insurance premiums tax, he said.
"Perhaps most disappointing was that full-day kindergarten did not become a reality," Kernan said. "Today, we know so much more scientifically about children. If we don't get them early, once they're behind, they're behind forever.
"Full-day disappeared for one reason - politics. It disappeared because the Republicans made a decision to deny Frank O'Bannon a victory on a program he wanted so badly," he added. "The Republicans didn't hurt Frank O'Bannon. They hurt the 85,000 children that won't be attending full-day kindergarten."
As for the 2000 state elections, Kernan said, Democrats should be very optimistic and take heart at the performance of the Democrat party in Tuesday's primaries.
"All Democrats (in Warsaw) in (Tuesday's) elections won. Whatever you think the odds are, it's important that we give the people a choice," Kernan said.
Democrats also should be confident that O'Bannon will prevail in the 2000 gubernatorial race, regardless of who the Republican candidate may be, Kernan said.
"We've heard some Republican names - John Price, David McIntosh. We don't care who it is. Bring them on," he said.
In other business, Kosciusko County Democratic Chairman Steve Haines honored Frances Head, of Silver Lake, by naming her Democrat of the Year. [[In-content Ad]]