On January 31st, Illinois Lottery retailers commenced selling Powerball tickets. Previously, Illinois residents came to Indiana to purchase Powerball and when the Powerball jackpot swelled to large amounts, lottery sales in border cities like Hammond were brisk and bustling.

This was a nice source of non-Indiana resident money for Hoosier Lottery. Now Illinois folks can stay in Illinois and buy Powerball tickets there, they won’t be coming to Indiana to purchase tickets and the Hoosier Lottery will likely see a future reduction in sales revenue from northwest Indiana lottery retailers.

(Read More Below The Fold)

It’s about time that conservatives get together in the Senate.

Shella:

11 GOP members of the state Senate have announced the formation of a conservative caucus.

They issued a news release that says their first order of business was the passage of a resolution in support of Senate President Pro Tem David Long, who is not a member of the conservative caucus.

Look for the caucus to be a voting block in the next leadership election, however, with candidates of its own.

The members are:

Sen. James Buck (Kokomo)
Sen. Mike Delph (Carmel)
Sen. Travis Holdman (Markle)
Sen. Jean Leising (Oldenburg)
Sen. Scott Schneider (Indianapolis)
Sen. Marlin Stutzman (Howe)
Sen. Greg Walker (Columbus)
Sen. Brent Waltz (Greenwood)
Sen. John Waterman (Shelburn)
Sen. Carlin Yoder (Middlebury)
Sen. R. Michael Young (Indianapolis)

I’m disappointed that the caucus doesn’t have more members, given that the state senate is two-thirds Republican.

You would think that a majority of the Republicans in the Senate would be members of a conservative caucus.

Here’s who voted to not cap your property taxes:

Avery, Dennis (D-75)
Dvorak, Ryan (D-8)
Leonard, Dan (R-50)
Stilwell, Russ (D-74)
Bardon, Jeb (D-25)
Fry, Craig (D-5)
Pelath, Scott (D-9)
Summers, Vanessa (D-99)
Bartlett, John (D-95)
GiaQuinta, Phil (D-80)
Pflum, Phil (D-56)
Tincher, Vern (D-46)
Battles, Kreig (D-64)
Harris, Earl (D-2)
Pierce, Matt (D-61)
VanHaaften, Trent (D-76)
Brown,Charles (D-3)
Kersey, Clyde (D-43)
Saunders, Thomas (R-54)
Welch, Peggy (D-60)
Crawford, William (D-98)
Knollman, Thomas (R-55)
Smith, Vernon (D-14)

Twitter feeds of Mike Murphy and Jackie Walorski announced HB1001, the ethics “reform” package, passed the House 97-2.

Representatives Tim Brown (R-41) and Dave Wolkins (R-18) voted no on final passage of the bill. Dennie Oxley (D-73) was absent, due to his illness.

From Jackie Walorski’s Twitter:

Bauer is allowing amendments to the tax cap constitutional amendment question. If they approve the amendment…voters cannot vote in Nov.

Constitutional amendments must be passed by two CONSECUTIVE general assembly sessions unamended in any way. If amendments were to pass the House, this would in essence kill the property tax caps.

Update from Jackie (via Twitter):

Amendment #1 is defeated now Amendment #2 is up.

If you’re one of those who does have a cell phone number or email to your state rep – shoot them a text message! These must be stopped now – and if the Dems succeed in spiking the tax caps they should be sent to the minority for a good long time in November 2010.

UPDATE from Frugal Hoosiers:

“HJR1, the constitutional amendment to cap property taxes, moves on for final passage in the House … unmolested”

You can also email your rep here.
Or you can call them at 1-800-382-9841

Don’t know who your Rep is?  Click here.

Proposal would scrap Indiana’s township governments:

Wire Reports

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – A state lawmaker wants to abolish township government in Indiana.

A bill by Democratic Rep. Ed DeLaney of Indianapolis would transfer all township functions to county government. The county executive would assume the powers and duties of the township trustee, and county commissioners and councils would take over the legislative and fiscal powers of township boards.

The transfer would begin January 1, 2013, if the bill becomes law.

DeLaney says the bill would save millions of dollars by streamlining government.

The full Legislature reconvenes Tuesday.

Oh boy, now we’re talking! This is reform out on a limb. What say you?

Former State Representative Heath VanNatter has announced he’s running for his old seat.

Former State Representative Heath VanNatter formally announced his candidacy on Wednesday for the District 38 seat of the Indiana House of Representatives at events in Russiaville and Frankfort.

Speaking to friends, family, local elected officials and supporters, VanNatter says he plans “to continue my
service to the 38th district, and citizens of Indiana by making sure our priorities are family, education, and jobs to build our community.”

As a small business owner, VanNatter stressed the importance of economic development –by retaining existing businesses and attracting high paying jobs to the district. “Overall the state has seen success in attracting jobs during recent years but I do not believe House District 38’s highly-skilled workforce coupled with its low cost of doing business has received the attention we deserve,” said VanNatter.

During the events VanNatter stressed that “today, and each day forward, I will be knocking on doors in every neighborhood and listening to your ideas. We are all working harder for less these days, I promise that you will not find a more honest or hardworking representative.”

Indiana House District 38 contains part or all of Boone, Clinton, Hamilton, and Howard Counties.

VanNatter, at this point, will be challenging beleaguered Republican incumbent Jacque Clements.

Clements, as you may recall, has had more than her fair share of personal and work related difficulties since her auspicious beginnings as a state legislator. Those trouble have included a lawsuit filed against her by the Clinton County Commissioners due to her work as Deputy Auditor of Clinton County with charges of fraud as well as being fired from her position as Deputy Auditor, all of which can be chronicled here, here and here.

It’s time for change in HD 38. The people in HD 38 need someone they can count on and trust. They need someone who has the integrity to serve their constituents and not take advantage of them. That person is Heath VanNatter.

Please take the time check out Heath VanNatter and donate to his campaign.

Tonight, precinct committeemen from Marion and Hamilton Counties met to select a new State Senator for District 30 to replace Teresa Lubbers. On the second ballot, by a margin of 61 to 38, former City-County Councilman Scott Schneider defeated City-County Councilman Ryan Vaughn (who works at Barnes & Thornburg, was endorsed by Mayor Greg Ballard, and was generally seen as the establishment choice).

Former state representative John Ruckelshaus (who lost to Lubbers in the primary in the district when it was an open seat) was eliminated on the first ballot. The margin on that ballot showed Schneider with 49 votes, Vaughn with 37, Ruckelshaus with 12, and one ballot spoiled. Vaughn gained only one vote on the second ballot; apparently either all of Ruckelshaus’ supporters voted for Schneider on the second ballot, a substantial number of Vaughn’s supporters bailed and deserted him, or there was a good bit of bandwagoning (or all of the above).

Hoosier Access streamed the caucus live online, including the pre-vote speeches of each candidate, and had interviews with all three of the candidates.

This election marks but the latest time that the Indianapolis establishment has gone to bat in a caucus, convention, or primary, only to be decisively sent packing by the party base. Indeed, Scheider’s margin of victory–61 to 38–isn’t all that different from Greg Zoeller’s 60% to 40% convention victory over Jon Costas in June of last year.

Time and again, “wiser” insiders in Indianapolis have tried to pick winners in these contests. Time and again, they have been defeated. Delph beat Randolph, Walker beat Garton, Bailey beat Kellems, Leising beat Sponsel, Zoeller beat Costas, and now Schneider beat Vaughn.

Read more after the leap.

It’s worth it to watch it all, but just to warn you it’s a 27+ minute clip.

One alternative plan for the Capital Improvement Board problem has consistently been promoted amongst local bloggers: CIB bankruptcy. Under the proposal, first suggested here and here, the Indiana General Assembly would need to authorize the CIB, a municipal government corporation, to file bankruptcy, under which the CIB could renegotiate its unfavorable contracts.

Proponents say CIB bankruptcy has two main positives: 1) that it does not raise taxes, and 2) it allows Indianapolis to renegotiate the one-sided Lucas Oil Stadium lease with the Colts. Both are very attractive things, but a CIB bankruptcy filing presents a host of questions.

1. Municipal Bankruptcy Rules. Government entities file Bankruptcy under Chapter 9. Unlike the private rehabilitation offered by Chapter 13, Chapter 9 bankruptcy is limited by the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which reserves powers not delegated to the Federal Government for the states. The main advantage of a Chapter 9 filing is to rewrite labor contracts, which is not at issue in the CIB. It remains to be seen whether Chapter 9 could adjust the CIB situation in a favorable manner.

2. Long-Term Debt Costs. Bankruptcies tend to have a poor effect on personal credit ratings. You can only imagine the havoc that a CIB bankruptcy may have on its, as well as the city’s and county’s, other bond and debt obligations. Taxpayers will have to bear those cots.

3. Convention Contracts. Unfortunately, the Colts deal is not the only CIB contract that would be up for change under a CIB Bankruptcy filing. Every contract the Convention Center–also managed by the CIB– has as well would be up for revision, giving conventions and events like the NFL Combine a chance to get out of their agreements and flee to other cities.

Using an NFL analogy, would the Colts tear up a labor deal to rid themselves of one bad player contract, but risk letting Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, and Bob Sanders, as well as all their other players, all becoming free agents? The risk is far worse than the reward.

Bankruptcy may be the only way to force the Colts reopen the Lucas Oil Stadium lease, but it puts every other event and convention in Indianapolis at risk. Such loss of business would have a tragic effect on jobs, downtown businesses, and the government revenue generated by those events, making our tax situation even worse. The more questions that are asked, the more CIB Bankruptcy seems like a really bad idea.