The Indiana Chamber of Commerce listed its top legislative priority as strengthening workforce development, but its interest in other issues might get more attention.

Other priorities, according to a news release from the chamber, include supporting a $2 tax increase on cigarettes; support for a hate crimes bill, which it termed “bias crimes statute”; and opposition to legalized medical and/or recreational uses of marijuana.

The position on cannabis comes as Michigan is preparing to legalize recreational pot. Ohio and Illinois have already legalized some form of medical marijuana use.

In the statement, state chamber President Kevin Brinegar expressed concern about the impact marijuana would have on the workplace and pointed to the federal government’s outlook on pot.

“The FDA has not approved marijuana for valid medical purpose. We believe the longer Indiana waits on legislation, the more useful clinical data will be available to make sure that the state gets this right,” Brinegar said.



SUPPORT IS HAZY – While 56 percent of Michigan voters supported a referendum that will legalize pot for recreational use within weeks, Indiana is not as supportive, according to an Old National Bank/Ball State University Hoosier Survey.

According to the study, 39 percent of respondents said marijuana should be legal for personal use, while 42 percent said it should be legal only for medicinal use. Only 16 percent said it should not be legal at all.

The survey was  based on calls to 604 Indiana residents.

Nationwide, a 2017 Gallup poll found that a majority of Americans — 64 percent — supported legalization of marijuana in some form. It remains illegal at the federal level.



Eminent Concern – State Rep. Dave Wolkins is pledging to continue standing up against the use of eminent domain, which allows municipalities to seize property for certain projects.

Entering his 31st year in the General Assembly, the Warsaw Republican said he wants to amend existing law.

State law differentiates how much a municipality must pay a homeowner in exchange for their home when sought under eminent domain. If the homeowner lives in the property, state law says the owners should be paid 150 percent of the appraised value. If the house is not occupied, payment drops to 100 percent.

Wolkins was successful in pushing eminent domain reforms in 2005, drawing a distinction between property sought for direct public use and one for private development.

He said he thinks all property owners whose land is seized for private development should receive 150 percent of the appraised value.

The change could include even farmland. “Any property owner in that situation, yes, I would want them to receive 150 percent,” Wolkins said.

Wolkins doesn’t have to look far to find an example of what he considers an overreach. Brinda Whitaker’s home on North Buffalo Street was sought by the city of Warsaw through eminent domain and settled out of court recently with developer Dave Matthews for an undisclosed sale price.

City officials had said the house had not been occupied in a while. Whitaker contends she has kept a residence on North Buffalo but had been staying with a relative.

The house is needed to lay underground pipes, but is also in the middle of the Buffalo Street redevelopment project.

Wolkins declined to comment on the local case.

Key Role – State lawmakers will head into a long session this January with work on a new budget, and a familiar name will have a bigger role. State Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Bremen, will take over as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, a key panel in the budget-making process.



Trumpeted – City Councilman Ron Shoemaker on Monday argued the city should delay a vote on the sewer rate hike for time to work out some bugs. Others opposed that notion, saying they were under a time constraint to secure low-interest financing.

Jeffrey Rowe, a partner for Umbaugh and Associates, pointed out the ordinance could be amended after being approved.

Shoemaker – reminded of the idea that very few taxes are ever reduced – asked if anyone could think of a tax that had been turned back. He was quickly reminded of President Donald Trump’s tax reform, which drew a smile of acknowledgment from the councilman.

The rate hike was approved 5-2 on a final vote. Joining Shoemaker in opposition was Cindy Dobbins, who was one of several council members who expressed an interest in monitoring the impact on customers.



TIF Tutorial – If you are bored this weekend and looking for a tutorial on how tax increment financing works (aren’t we all?), you can find a good summary during video of a Nov. 5 Warsaw Redevelopment Commission meeting.

TIF has become the dominant choice for economic development projects for cities and counties.

The TIF presentation begins at the 23:00 mark of the meeting. You can find video of the discussion at Warsaw.in.gov and by clicking on the “watch city meetings” button near the bottom of the home page. Look for the most recent redevelopment commission meeting.