The General Assembly Is Coming! The General Assembly Is Coming!

Yes, the General Assembly is about to convene. Blue Indiana has Setting the stage for the 2009 General Assembly. The article lays out a bit of what to expect. The Governor wants to spend nothing - which on the face of it is a good idea but not so good in the details. The Indianapolis Star has an article here.

Meanwhile, The Indianapolis Business Journal highlights a poll from Ball State - Hoosiers legislative priorities: jobs and efficiency:

"Creating jobs and making government more efficient should be top priorities for state lawmakers who return to session Wednesday, according to a survey conducted by Ball State University.

Of the 600 people queried, 83 percent are most concerned about attracting more jobs to the state - not surprising given the current economic conditions, said Ray Scheele, a political science professor and co-director of BSU's Bowen Center for Public Affairs.

'Economic development and creating jobs are always high priorities for Hoosiers,' Scheele said in a written release. 'The current recession makes these priorities even more important.'"

Not going to get those jobs without spending money. Not going to get good jobs without a skilled workforce. Not going to get a skilled workforce without spending money on education. And what do I read in the Muncie Star Press but this:

Daniels’ proposed budget will give only $80 million over the next two years to K-12 education, essentially flat-lining funding as costs continue to go up.

But Daniels said the state should maintain current levels of funding, and also seek to find ways to get more of those dollars into the classroom to make better use of what the state can afford.

“Put bluntly, the education system of this state, or any state, must be a learning system for children, and not an employment bureau for adults,” he said.

As the IBJ pointed out (Schools may not fare well in Daniels' budget), flatlining results in a budget cut because of inflation.

I would also like to point out that Masson's Blog started an archive on the 2009 General Assembly here. He is pointing out some of the legislative proposal as he has done in the past.