Before I take a couple days off…
I’m taking a few days off to spend time with my son, but before I disappear I wanted to leave you with these two items to chew on for a while, lawmakers health insurance and Marion County Consolidation.
Health Care for Life
As you know there has been a stir raised in the Capitol over the fact that lawmakers who serve more than six years are entitled to free lifetime health insurance. Their spouses, kids and ex-spouses and widows also get the benefit. Auditor Connie Nass is looking at the costs to taxpayers, which could run into the tens of millions. Sources close to Speaker Brian Bosma tell me that his plan to solve the issue includes eliminating the lifetime health insurance benefit for all lawmakers elected in 2006. Originally it was hypothesized, the Speaker would only eliminate the benefit for new lawmakers elected in 2006, but that would still leave dozens with the benefit. This way everyone is treated equally and all lawmakers lose their lifetime state funded healthcare.
The Consolidation Saga Continues…
The other item I want to leave you with is SB 1, the “Indy Works Better Together Bill.” I know for a fact I am on Sen. Mike Young’s (R-Indianapolis) sh**list, so reporting this won’t probably endure me anymore to the Senator or some other members of the local Marion County GOP who would probably sleep better at night if I were working in some other radio market. Young’s bill is an alternative to Mayor Bart Peterson’s Indy Works part II bill that calls for consolidating all the township fire departments in Marion County with the Indianapolis Fire Department. Young’s bill was heard in committee yesterday, but no vote was taken and there’s probably a good reason, to save him some political embarrassment. Committee chairman Marvin Riegseker told me he wants Young and the Mayor to sit down and seek a compromise. He also says the bill may have to be moved to the Appropriations Committee because of a provision dealing with small claims courts. Riegsecker also believed that had the vote been taken yesterday it would not have passed leaving Young and his allies with serious political egg on their faces. I think the fact that the legislation would not have been rubber stamped by the Senate Republicans shows an increasing disconnect between the Marion County GOP and the state party. Sources tell me the powers that be are not happy with the local guys and I’ve also heard in several places that some major donors are starting to withhold their financial contributions. Throw in the fact Governor Mitch Daniels is calling for the consolidation of the township assessors offices and the fact Mayor Bart Peterson’s forces are much more organized this time around, check out the ad campaign, and the Marion County GOP may be fighting a battle that already has a predetermined outcome.
That’s what I know for now. I’m off to go to the job I enjoy most, being a Dad.
