Driven to sell off our state, Daniels has ignored issues that matter

From the Indiana Democratic Party
Printed June 29th, 2007

Today marks the one-year anniversary of Mitch Daniels' decision to hand over control of the Indiana Toll Road to a consortium of private, foreign companies for 75 years.

In addition to selling off the Toll Road, Daniels has spent the first half of his first term outsourcing more than $2 billion in state contracts to non-Indiana companies and pushing for the privatization of state agencies, including the Hoosier Lottery, and the construction of privatized highways.

What he hasn't been focused on are the critical issues he promised Hoosiers he'd address once he got to the Statehouse: property taxes, education funding and the economy.

Daniels, who pledged sweeping property tax reform on the campaign trail, has been silent on the issue, showing no leadership whatsoever during the legislative session. Where is he now that homeowners across the state are facing the financial realities of sky-high tax bills caused by the budget he and House Republicans passed two years ago?

He's probably off looking for something else to sell.

Daniels told Hoosiers education would be his top priority if elected, but the budget he approved two years ago slashed school funding and forced dozens of local districts into crisis mode. What does he have to say about that?

We hear nothing.

And what of the constant harping on Indiana's economy and the need to attract more high-paying jobs with good benefits? What of the "economic hot streak" talking points and the assertion that we're doing better than ever before?

He must be living in a state of denial, not the state of Indiana, which has trailed the nation in job and personal income growth on his watch.

Where are the solutions to our most pressing problems? Where is the vision for our future? How long do we have to wait for leadership?

Do not call upon Mitch Daniels to answer these questions unless you're in the market for rhetoric and short-term thinking.

If, however, you're looking for someone to unload our most precious assets while turning a blind eye to property taxes, education and jobs, he's your man.

But we can do better than that. We can work together -- across party lines -- to come up solutions and improve our state for everyone who's proud to call it home. We just can't do it with Mitch Daniels at the helm.

It's time to put a real leader in the Governor's Office and get Indiana back on the right track.