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MICHELLE OBAMA SAYS SHE’S NOT ELITIST: Michelle Obama said Wednesday she is a product of a working-class background and rejected characterizations of her and her husband as elitist. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has tried to deflect criticism of his comments that .jpg)
people in small towns cling to religion and guns out of bitterness over their economic plight. Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton and Republican John McCain have called the remarks elitist. Obama said it was a poor choice of words to describe the economic insecurity many face (Associated Press). "I am a product of a working-class background, I am one of those folks who grew up in that struggle. That is the lens through which I see the world," Michelle Obama told a cheering crowd at Harrison High School, "There were no miracles in my life," she said. "The thing that I saw that many of us still see is hard work and sacrifice." Touching on rising food and gas prices, the mortgage crisis and many Americans’ struggles to make ends meet on one salary, she asked the crowd, "Does this sound familiar? Am I out of touch?"
HILL ATTENDED OBAMA RALLY: The appearance of U.S. Rep. Baron Hill, D-Ind., in Columbus for Friday’s speech by Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., caught people’s attention (Columbus Republic). Hill is one of Indiana’s 12 Democratic superdelegates but also one of five who have not publicly stated which candidate they are backing for president: Obama or Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. Members of the local and state Republican parties, and the National Republican Congressional Committee, believe Hill should announce now which candidate he supports. However, the local Democratic party chairman believes Hill should wait, and Hill is remaining tight-lipped. "We really don’t have any comment on this story," said Katie Moreau, his press secretary. Gary Bell, Bartholomew County Democratic Party chairman, believes Hill should wait until after Indiana’s primary on May 6 to declare his support.
DANIELS SEEKS FREE TUITION: Gov. Mitch Daniels wants the state to help bankroll the first two years of college for Hoosier families struggling to pay tuition (Indianapolis Star). The governor doesn’t know how the state will pay for the plan, which he said would provide $6,000, the equivalent of two years of tuition at Ivy Tech Community College. Families earning up to the state’s median income of $54,000 a year would be eligible. "The careers of tomorrow will require training beyond that which is available in high schools today," Daniels said, noting college tuition has risen 21/2 times faster than Hoosier incomes. "We must elevate quickly the number of our young people who pursue education beyond high school." The goal, Daniels said, is "to assure every Indiana high school graduate two years of paid tuition at Ivy Tech, or that amount of money transportable to any school in the state." Indiana ranks 44th nationally in the number of residents over 25 with a bachelor’s degree and 41st in the number of adults with an associate’s degree, according to a February report from the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.
PENCE’S EARMARK MORATORIUM NO HIT WITH LOCALS: The top officials of Muncie’s largest employers, Delaware County government and the business community, have asked Rep. Mike Pence, R-6th, to reverse his new policy about seeking money for local projects (Smith, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette). Pence’s spokesman said he’s not likely to budge. Pence said this year he won’t request that money for projects in his Muncie-area district be included in next year’s federal budget. Most spending bills include money for “earmarks,” which are specific projects identified by individual lawmakers. In a letter signed by the president of Ball State University; the president of Cardinal Health System, which operates Ball Memorial Hospital; two Delaware County commissioners; and the president of the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, Pence was asked to reconsider his moratorium. They said changing the earmark process is a good idea and that everyone would benefit from less federal spending. But they said, “the earmark moratorium does neither. Denying funds to east-central Indiana will not result in less federal spending but, rather, a diversion of federal spending from our area to other states.”
SOUDER TAKES UP AMISH PHOTO ID ISSUE: The government shouldn’t force the Amish to abandon their religious teachings to visit family members in Canada, Rep. Mark Souder, R-3rd, told the Bush administration Wednesday. He said fingerprinting should be enough (Fort Wayne Journal Gazette). But an official with the Department of Homeland Security told Souder the Amish would have an easier time getting across the border if they had photo identification. Under questioning, Bob Jacksta said he would consider a 10-finger fingerprint an alternative to a photo ID. The Amish faith prohibits photos of its members’ faces as a violation of the commandment against graven images. The U.S. government requires a person to have a picture ID, such as a passport or driver’s license, to come into the United States from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean.
LAKE FACES $10-$15M IN CUTS: Lake County government officials must find between $10 million and $15 million to cut out of this year’s budget before Indiana’s property tax reforms begin in eight months, county officials said Wednesday (Times of Northwest Indiana). County Councilman Larry Blanchard, R-Crown Point, said he will help lead that search as chairman of the county government finance committee. "Nothing is off the table at this point. Everything is under consideration," Blanchard said. Possibilities include layoffs, service cuts and a local income tax, an option Blanchard said he finds personally repugnant. He voted against an income tax last year. Commissioner Fran DuPey, D-Hammond, said Wednesday, "Why don’t we get rid of all the consultants? That would be a good start." Both DuPey and Commissioner Gerry Scheub said Wednesday they will never vote for an income tax. "I won’t vote for a study of an option income tax either," Scheub said.
ASSESSOR REFORMS HIT HOME: One element of a sweeping property tax reform package that was passed by the General Assembly earlier this year is about to hit home (Shelbyville News). By July 1, a total of 13 township assessors throughout the county will be required by law to transfer all of the real and personal property records they currently oversee, along with the funds that run their offices ,over to the office of Shelby County Assessor Lynn Bass. "I’d like to put together a task force to make sure this transition runs smoothly," Bass told the Shelby County Council at its monthly meeting Tuesday night. "We have about six weeks to get this in order."
PROSECUTOR QUESTIONS RELEASE OF RECORDS: Local Republican Party leaders had access to police reports on a fight involving GOP voter registration official Will Statom before they reached the desk of Delaware County Prosecutor Mark McKinney (Muncie Star Press). McKinney expressed concerns Wednesday that witness statements and other documents stemming from an ongoing investigation were released to GOP officials before he had a chance to review the case. "The Republican Party chairman is not a member of the law enforcement community and does not have access to police reports," said McKinney, a Democrat.
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