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SYRACUSE -Ê"One percent of the people make things happen. Two percent of the people think they make things happen. And 97 percent go around saying, 'What's happening?'" said Eric Miller, executive director of Advance America, in his opening remarks Monday at the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce Prayer Breakfast.
Miller spoke to the group of approximately 20 regarding government, religion, the goals of Advance America and how each person can be more informed about government and get involved.
Advance America was founded in 1980 by nine people. It is a statewide network of families, churches and businesses who want to see smaller government, tax reform, less business regulation and better education, Miller said. During each legislative session, Advance America serves as the people's eyes and ears in state government. They also produce and distribute close to one million nonpartisan voter guides before each election, he said.
"What is Advance America?" Miller asked. "It is Indiana's largest pro-family, pro-business, pro-tax reform organization. We take a stand without apology for traditional family values. We take a stand for excellence in education."
He said 95 percent of the people don't know who their state senator is or who other elected officials are as well.
"If they don't know who's in office," he asked, "how can they pray for them?"
Miller told the small group that Advance America works for change in various ways.
He said he, former governor Dr. Otis R. Bowen and state Sen. Kent Adams wanted to have a piece of legislation that slowed down the growth of government this year.
"Do you realize state government has collected billions of dollars more than what they should have, in my opinion, in the last three, four to six years?" he asked. He said the state has collected the money because the economy is doing so well. But why, he asked, haven't taxpayers seen any tax relief the way "we ought to?" He asked why certain taxes - like the inventory and estate taxes - have not been repealed. He asked the crowd if they knew why the property taxes are expected to go up.
He answered by saying, "The reason property taxes have been going up is because the state has been spending way too much money and they take away money that could help extend the home tax credit," the real estate tax and the inventory tax.
Senate Bill 21, which would have slowed the growth of state spending increases, was supported by Advance America, the Automobile Dealers Association of Indiana, Indiana Association of Realtors, Indiana Farm Bureau and other statewide groups, Miller said.
The bill, he said, couldn't be passed because many people in government believe they know how to spend taxpayers' money better than the average taxpayer. The same people also think they make decisions regarding education better than local school boards.
"We need to return educational decisions to local school boards," he said, "rather than let state or federal government make the decisions."
Another bill that "tragically" died, Miller said, was Senate Bill 471, which passed out of the Indiana Senate 47 to 3. The bill would have made possession of child pornography a felony, instead of a misdemeanor.
However, once SB 471 got to the House of Representatives, Miller said, one man killed the bill and didn't even let public discussion take place.
"That man was Mike Dvorak," Miller said. Dvorak is a representative from Granger. Miller said that on his radio program he let everyone know who was responsible for the defeat of that bill.
Another bill was introduced to specify that before a child in a public school can be asked personal questions about religion, sex or politics, the parent's permission would have to be given first. He said that bill didn't even get a hearing in the House.
During his speech, Miller invited the public to a meeting at the Dal-Mar building, 1054 W. Market St., Nappanee, at 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 20. Miller, Adams, Ed Roberts and others will be present.
"We're going to be talking about what happened in the legislature. We're going to be talking about what's coming up in the 2000 election campaign," he said.
Miller emphasized that the election this year is the "most pivotal election" in the last 20 to 40 years for Indiana. In the General Assembly next year, decisions will be made on tax reform, property tax reassessment, educational accountability, educational choice and on traditional family values.
"I don't apologize for supporting traditional family values," he added.
To learn more about Advance America, contact them at www.advanceamerica.com, phone (888)-878-8293 or (317)-684-3300, e-mail at america@indy.net or fax at (317)-684-3304.
