State Representative - District 78

Suzanne Crouch* (R), Indiana State Representative, District 78

1. During the next session of the Indiana General Assembly, a new biennial budget will be developed.  If elected, what priorities would you advocate in this process?

Indiana’s budget priorities in the upcoming session should be as follows:

(1) Enacting another honestly balanced budget where operating revenues exceed operating expenses with no tax increases.  This will be done by limiting government spending as it’s likely that revenue growth will be below historical averages.

(2) Directing the limited amount of new revenue to (a) education, particularly K-12 (school funding formula, full day kindergarten) and need based college student aid, (b) funding the property tax relief package in HB 1001 (assumption of levies—child welfare, police & fire pensions, etc.) and (c) growth in Medicaid

2. As the construction of the Interstate 69 has begun in Indiana, will you pledge to support appropriation of the $700 million in funding designated for the project through the Major Moves transportation plan?

Yes.

As a follow-up, what is your plan to fund the remainder of the Interstate 69 project in Indiana, including the new I-69 Ohio River bridge? 

If Congress does not act to put more money in the highway trust fund, states could see up to 30% reduction in future highway monies. Even if Congress acts, the increased use of ethanol and fuel efficiency cars will threaten future growth in the fund.

The challenge to Indiana will be to continue to be innovative in the funding of I-69 The Commerce Connector, another private/public road partnership could provide future funding for I-69.  Tolls could certainly be an option providing they could produce enough revenue for bond payments.  And finally, the administration may need to evaluate INDOT’s current 10 year plan and determine new priorities in order to shift money to the I-69 road project.

3. In 2007, the bi-partisan Kernan-Shepard Commission made numerous recommendations to reform and restructure local government in Indiana, such as creation of a single county executive and legislative body, as well as transferring the responsibilities of townships to the county level.  Do you support implementation of these recommendations?

This session I voted for House Bill 1001 which streamlined government.  In addition, I voted for legislation that currently provides a process to government entities wanting to combine, subject to a voter referendum.

4. As economic development becomes increasingly competitive on the regional and national level, how best can our state position itself to attract new business and retention and expansion of Indiana-based companies?

In order to compete on a regional, national and even international level, Indiana must continue to focus on two critical issues: (1) growing a trained and qualified workforce and (2) maintaining a positive tax, government and regulatory climate so that we can attract new business and business expansions. These broad principles can be met by examining proposed legislation and seeing if it meets the test of promoting these goals.

I support continued funding of K-12 education that is tied to results. We must also continue our efforts to train our adult workforce for their second and third "career." Continuing education is a critical component in developing a workforce that will attract companies to our community.

A positive business climate is a position that a state must earn and keep.  Indiana is viewed in a positive light but legislators must continue to look at regulatory and tax challenges from the business perspective because business must meet new requirements or pay those taxes.  One way we can improve our efforts is to find more cost effective ways to deliver local government services.

For continued success in the economic development arena, we must continue to maintain a positive business climate (low and predictable taxation), ensure we continue to provide access to unmatched infrastructure (roads) and provide a quality education system that ensures we can staff the new jobs planned to locate in Indiana.

5. As the national debate continues, what role can Indiana play in the discussion and development of a new national energy policy?

There are a number of things Indiana legislators can do impact our national energy policy.  First and foremost we should remain engaged with federal lawmakers and policymakers in advising about the practical impact of any energy legislation they are  considering.  In particular, we should encouraged the continued use of Indiana coal as a viable energy source and urge the adoption of federal policies that balance the environment and the need to use this plentiful fuel source.  We should encourage federal policymakers to look at our nation's aging power grid and promote policies that encourage investment in the electricity "transportation" system that is so vital to our economy.  Finally, I would like to see more federal tax dollars coming back to Indiana colleges and universities that conduct energy research, such as  Purdue University. 

As a follow-up, what should the State of Indiana do to address the issue of increasing energy costs? 

Two prominent energy issues on the minds of Hoosiers are gasoline prices and the cost of electricity needed to run homes and business. With respect to gasoline prices, Indiana must continue its robust development of alternatives, including ethanol and biofuels. Indiana is a leader in this area with nearly twenty plants producing ethanol and biodiesel fuel. The State of Indiana has included flex fuel and biodiesel vehicles in its own fleet, is promoting the development of flex fuel pumps at "gas" stations and is working with the U.S. Department of Energy and other states to create E85 corridor that would run along I-65 from Lake Michigan to the Gulf of Mexico.

Indiana faces challenges on the electric front as well. New, strict environmental policies are eroding the cost advantages we have enjoyed for many decades. Recognizing this we must do two things:

(1) utilize new technologies that allow us to burn coal cleanly as we meet our growing energy needs and

(2) develop and promote the use of renewable sources of power such as wind, solar and to the extent possible, hydro.

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James Pete Rapp (D) - Did not return survey. 

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