ANALYSIS OF GOVERNOR HOLCOMB STATE OF THE STATE SPEECH
BY GAIL RIECKEN, CCO STATEHOUSE EDITOR
Last night Governor Eric Holcomb gave his annual State of the State speech to the General Assembly.
As expected, he talked of investing in infrastructure, stepping up the fight to end the opioid epidemic and making government more efficient. He wants to keep about 1.8 billion in reserve.
What seems to be the passion of the Governor’s initiatives is his workforce initiative.  The Governor said tonight he will be the push to reorient our educational system to take vocational/career – talent – training to the “Next Level†in order to increase post-secondary certifications and degrees-even while in high school
He sounds like he would support what an education leader in southeastern Indiana is doing in his school system. Â This rural educator has made aggressive changes in the curriculum resulting in a dramatic increase in more students graduating high school with industry recognized certifications and/or associate degrees.
The educator reasons his approach this way.  He says over the years we have increased learning expectations by two school years. So, let’s take advantage of this and change the expectations in those last two years of high school, focus the students more on a career and give them a head start in college or finding a job.
The Governor should have no trouble getting his education agenda passed. The legislature gave him a boost in 2017 when they passed legislation allowing the governor to appoint the superintendent of public instruction, right now a statewide elected position. Â He will have assured, built-in cooperation.
As a matter of fact, the Governor should have an easy road getting all his budget priorities funded. The lack of strong fiscal leadership by Senators like Luke Kenley, Brandt Hershman and President David Long, all who have left the Senate, has opened a door for the Governor’s budget staff to assume that leadership. Staff members Jason Dudich and Micah Vincent, so far, have shown they are up to the task.
I am not sure what will happen with teacher pay raises. More money is coming the way to education but without specific legislation like that of Representative Hatfield’s HB 1611 that requires a minimum salary for a full-time teach to $50,000, there is no guarantee the increase in monies to the schools will reach the teachers.
Little notice was given to the Governor’s agenda for the health of our children, but we know he wants to increase funding for the Department of Child Services, which we all want. He also wants to boost rural broadband, which has been a critical need for some time.
And, last, we know the Governor wants a hate crimes bill passed. It is the right thing to do and he knows it. Big business wants it and the Governor should use his political influence in the legislature to make it happen. I join many others in wishing him the best of luck here.
As I might want to say,†the game is over†now that the Governor has spelled out the rules. But, the reality is that the game has just begun and in the General Assembly it is never over until the last minute – adjournment, sine die, which is April 29 this year.
