This week marked the governor’s annual State of the State Address. During this address, I was pleased to hear Governor Pence echo his commitment to attracting the best and brightest to the Hoosier state. This is something that we have been working towards throughout my time in the Legislature.
One way which we have aimed to achieve this goal is through responsible government spending. This session, as we once again create Indiana’s biennial budget, this is something we will continue to emphasize. In order to create an environment where the private sector can grow and create jobs, it is essential that we pass an honestly balanced budget that lives within our state’s means and does not raise taxes. Frankly, young people simply will not flock to areas that do not have available jobs.
By now, you may have read that Boonville was recently named the ninth best city for young families in the state of Indiana. For the second year in a row, NerdWallet, a blog focused on economic growth and prosperity looked at cities across the state, considering factors such as home affordability, current and past family incomes, quality of education and family friendliness.
In addition, Boonville was recognized as the most affordable place for homebuyers, with home values at $90,600. This is quite the accomplishment, particularly for our small city of just over 6,000 residents. The average population for the rest of the top 10 cities was 32,000, revealing that in Indiana, larger cities tend to be the best cities for young families. However, clearly, Boonville is leading the way for small Hoosier cities.
Even though some of the other cities in our district were not recognized, it is important to note that NerdWallet only considered cities with a population of more than 5,000. I am confident that had the population requirement been lower, we would have likely seen several other local cities make the list. Our efforts for clean, safe, affordable communities are not exclusive to Boonville. These are efforts that echo throughout our corner of the state, and I am pleased to see that recognized by others.
As someone who chose to raise my own family in District 75 and have grown children now doing the same, I am not surprised by this ranking. However, I must admit, it is not something I would have expected. You see, here in southwest Indiana, we know all that our area of the state has to offer, but it is not every day that we make it on the radar statewide.
Whether you live in the Boonville city limits or not, I believe this is something that we can all be proud of. Our district has affordable housing, great schools and nearly everything that a larger city can offer, but yet still keeps that down home feeling that many young families are looking for when determining where to settle down. This is a great time for our communities, and I couldn’t be happier to call District 75 home.
