Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
LEESBURG - Indiana is moving forward thanks to Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels and the Republicans, according to Tim Berry.
"We are moving the state in the right direction," said Berry, state treasurer and Republican candidate for state auditor, who was the guest speaker Thursday night at the Kosciusko County Lincoln Day Dinner at Tippecanoe Country Club, Leesburg.
Now is not the time to look back, he said. It's a time to look forward and that's why he's running for state auditor.
During the past legislative year, much attention was paid to the daylight-saving time issue. But before that, Indiana was not operating efficiently until Daniels was elected and the Republicans took control of the House and Senate. For the first time in 10 years, they were able to balance the state budget.
Also, under their leadership, as of Tuesday night, the General Assembly made it possible for families to save for a family member's education and receive a tax credit.
As for jobs, they have grown in Indiana under Daniels, Berry said. Last month alone, he said Fort Wayne has seen 300 new jobs, 500 in Muncie and 1,000 at the Toyota plant. In the past two weeks, the largest biofuel plant announced it's coming to Kosciusko County. Instead of Hoosiers hearing from former governors the late Frank O'Bannon or Joseph Kernan that jobs are leaving, they are hearing under Daniels announcements of jobs coming to Indiana.
Major Moves, the plan to lease the Indiana Toll Road for $3.8 billion, also will help Indiana with jobs and infrastructure. For years, Indiana has talked about being the crossroads of America, but it didn't have the infrastructure, Berry said, or the money to pay for it. In the past 30 years, the state talked about making U.S. 24 a four-lane highway to Ohio.
"It still isn't finished," he said of U.S. 24. "We talked about road projects in Indiana until we were blue in the face, but we didn't have the money."
Is it any wonder that the state's major employers are located near major highways, he asked.
"We need that infrastructure to grow our economy," he said. The state can talk about roads, "but the problem has always been the money."
If elected as Indiana's next auditor, Berry said he will make sure the money from the lease of the Toll Road is used for highway projects, not pet projects.
"We're moving the state forward," he reiterated.
Other ways that's happening, he said, include the state paying its debts down, jobs moving to the state and the state's bond rating is going up.
"It's a commitment to the future, it's an investment in the future," Berry said.
He then issued the Republicans a challenge.
"I ask each of us not to be passive, but to be passionate," he said.
He said just like former President Ronald Reagan said in his inaugural speech, "We have every right to dream great dreams. We, as Hoosiers here in 2006, have a right to dream great dreams."
By working together in Kosciusko County and in the state, he said they can move the state forward.
"Let's make dreams work for all of us in Indiana."
