Lt. Governor Speaks At County Lincoln Day DinnerLieutenant Governor Becky Skillman spoke Thursday night about the state of Indiana during the Kosciusko County Lincoln Day Dinner.
The dinner was attended by approximately 200 people, including May 4 primary candidates and Republican supporters, and was held at Noa Noa Restaurant, Warsaw.
Mike Gavin, former Kosciusko County Republican Party chairman, served as emcee.
Skillman presented Charlene Knispel with the Distinguished Hoosier Award for her lifetime service to the Republican party.
Knispel serves on the Kosciusko County Council, and is a former auditor and Turkey Creek Township assessor.
Skillman, who is serving her second term as the 50th Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, spoke about the state's economy.
"Even in a recession, this past year our state's economic development corporation worked with more than 150 companies statewide and these companies committed to create more than 20,000 new jobs for Hoosiers," Skillman said.
She said one of the most significant trends this past year was that international companies saw the need to consolidate their operations and determined Indiana was the best location for their streamlined operations.
Skillman said the state is proud that in Kosciusko County the county has grown its bio-med workforce by 39 percent since 2001.
She also said the state continues to help with funding community projects in the county.
"You are the model for the jobs of the future," Skillman said.
Skillman said since the period she assumed office, Kosciusko County has been awarded $7 million in grants for Warsaw, Claypool, Leesburg, Mentone and Sidney.
Funding has gone to assist the county with housing development, a youth center, wastewater system improvements and planning grants, Skillman said.
She said it is imperative that the Republican party work to return to a Republican majority in the Indiana House of Representatives.
"Indiana has changed for the better and it's been with pro-growth and pro-tax payer policies that have reduced taxes and kept focus on tasks that state government was created to do including providing public safety, infrastructure and education," Skillman said.
She said as lieutenant governor she pledges to focus on the functions of government by providing services well and maintaining a fiscally sound state and providing economic opportunities.
She also said she pledges to support the freedom for the individual, business and church.
Upcoming events include the Kosciusko County Republican Party Golf Outing June 3 at Rozella Ford Golf Course, 1700 Rozella Road, Warsaw.
Registration and lunch begin at 11 a.m. with a tee off at 1 p.m. For more information and a registration form go to KoscGOPGolf@yahoo.com
There will be 32 delegates from Kosciusko County that will attend the Indiana Republican State Convention in Indianapolis June 18 and 19.
