Articles
Governor Daniels' Weekly Wrap-up: 2/13/08
Weekly Wrap-up
A look at news and events in the Daniels Administration
Volume 2, Issue 68
February 4-10, 2008
Governor discusses property tax relief plan
Feb. 7, 2008- Governor Mitch Daniels attended chamber of commerce events in
On Wednesday, the Governor met with civic leaders at a luncheon sponsored by the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce. The Governor expressed optimism that the Legislature could accomplish permanent property tax relief during the short session.
"If we do right by the taxpayer in the next few weeks, I believe we can set the stage for reforms, changes and progressive improvements that people have been talking about for a long time," said Daniels.
"We have to put taxpayers first in this state," said Daniels, speaking to more than 900
Biopharmaceutical company to grow its
Feb. 6, 2008- Governor Mitch Daniels joined executives from biopharmaceutical manufacturer Cook Pharmica to announce the company's plans to add new filling and finishing lines to its south central
The company, which develops and manufactures pharmaceuticals for pre-clinical through commercial use, plans to invest more than $80 million to build and equip an 80,000-square-foot addition to its production facility that will house a high-speed syringe filling line, vial filling line and two complimentary finishing lines.
"Anytime we can bring high paying jobs like the ones Cook has brought to
Cook Pharmica, the biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing division of Cook Medical, will begin construction of the expansion in mid-2008 and plans to complete the project in early 2010. The company, which currently employs 173 associates, will hire engineers, information technology specialists, quality assurance professionals and manufacturing associates as part of the expansion.
The addition of filling and finishing capabilities will allow the growing company to participate in nearly every step of drug development from research through finished packaging, fulfilling a key niche in the contract manufacturing market.
AT&T adds 150 jobs in Evansville
Feb. 6, 2008- Governor Daniels and Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel joined telecommunications provider AT&T to announce the addition of 150 jobs at the company's
The new employees will support AT&T's wireless business customers, bringing AT&T's total workforce in
Governor Mitch Daniels said he is glad to see jobs in fields other than manufacturing are coming to
"We applaud Governor Daniels, Mayor Weinzapfel and all of the state and local officials for creating an ideal environment for job expansion," said George Fleetwood, president of AT&T Indiana.
Steel processor to locate new facility in Brownstown
Feb. 4, 2008- Steel processor and manufacturer Indiana Steel and Tube announced it will construct a new steel processing facility in Brownstown, creating more than 100 new jobs by 2010.
The company plans to invest more than $8 million to build and equip an 80,000 square-foot steel coil processing, manufacturing and distribution center at the intersection of U.S. 50 and Indiana Highway 135 in the southern
"We're excited to bring new jobs anywhere in
"This facility will enable us to serve the agriculture, automotive and recreation markets," said Dill Whittymore, president of Indiana Steel and Tube. "We are moving very quickly, and I can't say enough about how supportive the Town of Brownstown and State of
Packaging company to consolidate U.S. manufacturing operations in Terre Haute
Feb. 8, 2008- Applied Extrusion Technologies, one of the nation's largest manufacturers of plastic film packaging products, announced it is consolidating its
The Delaware-based company is closing its
"More and more companies are recognizing that
Governor's schedule for February 13-14
Wednesday, February 13
- Governor Mitch Daniels will hold a question and answer session with students and faculty members at
Noon
- The governor will visit patients at the
2:15 p.m.
Veterans Affairs
- The governor will give the keynote address at the Whitley County Lincoln Day Dinner.
7 p.m.
Eagle's
125 South Eagle Glen Trail
Thursday, February 14
- Governor Daniels will discuss his property tax plan and other current issues with area residents during a town hall meeting at the
8:15 a.m.
Avilla
- The governor will discuss his plan to bring property tax relief to Hoosiers during a visit to Christo's Family Dining.
Noon
Christo's Family Dining
IN THE NEWS
Hoosiers don't need or want gas tax hikes
February 5, 2008
A gasoline tax used to be a viable method of collecting funds for road maintenance and repair.
It is a user fee, which is collected from drivers who travel the highways and contribute to the wear and tear on the roadways.
But Gov. Mitch Daniels is urging
The reason is simple. The lease of the
The last time there was a state gas tax increase, state officials retained the lion's share of the extra revenue and there wasn't enough that trickled down to local units of government.
Additionally,
The National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission members issued a report this month suggesting that federal gas taxes should be increased by up to 40 cents per gallon over five years to help fix aging bridges and roads and reduce traffic deaths.
But
It is understandable that other states may need additional infrastructure funds, but
Insurance plan off to fast start
The Journal Gazette
February 7, 2008
By Niki Kelly
"You never know until you put the product out there whether it's going to be successful or not," said Mitch Roob, secretary of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. "This one seems to be pretty successful so far."
He updated House and Senate public health committees on the program Wednesday.
The state started a media blitz complete with TV and radio ads Dec. 10 and began accepting applications Dec. 17.
So far, 21,101 Hoosiers have applied for the Healthy Indiana Plan approved by lawmakers last year and funded largely through a cigarette tax increase.
Of that number, 6,198 applications have been processed with 1,212 denied; 3,392 pending while waiting for information; 1,299 deemed eligible but the applicants haven't yet paid the premium and enrolled in a specific plan; and 295 on a plan and receiving benefits.
That leaves almost 15,000 applications waiting to be processed.
Roob said the state has 45 days to act, a timeframe it is currently meeting. But the pace of the applications did surprise FSSA, which has since doubled staffing from 45 to 91 to handle the volume.
Several segments of adults without disabilities age 19 to 64 are eligible for the program:
- Parents or caretaker relatives of dependent children with family incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
- Childless adults with family incomes less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
That threshold is $20,800 for a single person or $42,400 for a family of four, according to 2008 guidelines.
The program can serve 130,000 people, though there is a hard enrollment cap of 34,000 on non-parental adults.
Once in the program, Hoosiers receive free preventive services and must contribute a small percentage of their gross annual income to a $1,100 health savings account with the state covering the rest. If that account is depleted, there is an additional $300,000 in annual coverage.
Two plans are being offered - one from Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and another from MDwise with AmeriChoice.
Participants must be uninsured for at least six months and can't be eligible for employer-sponsored health insurance.
Roob told lawmakers the plan doesn't include everything they wanted because he had to give in some areas to get a waiver for federal matching dollars.
For instance, the original bill authorizing the program said only
There also is no dental or vision coverage.
"To say that the governor and I became frustrated with (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) is an understatement," Roob said of negotiations. "It was excruciating."
Roob also said that cigarette tax revenue is coming in as forecast, while the number of cigarettes being sold in
The law increasing the cigarette tax by 44 cents a pack was passed in late April with a July 1 effective date. In May and June, cigarette sales skyrocketed to almost 1.4 billion before dropping to fewer than 800,000 in December - a year-over-year decrease of about 200,000.
Data are not yet available on whether
To apply for the health plan, call 1-877-GET-HIP-9 or go to www.hip.in.gov.
