See for Yourself What the Chamber is Up To

To those of you reading this blog, our BizVoice magazine and numerous other written communication efforts, thank you. To those who also want to see the latest from the Indiana Chamber, you can click on the videos tab at the bottom of each page on our web site. What will you find?

  • Commentaries from Chamber President Kevin Brinegar
  • BizVoice magazine segments featuring stories from our current issue
  • Profiles of 2008 Annual Award and Volunteer of the Year winners
  • Our special policy outreaches on local government reform (featuring former Gov. Joe Kernan) and the Letters to Our Leaders campaign

In addition, Brinegar and other Chamber issue experts appear weekly on the Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick television program during the legislative session. Inside the Statehouse segments are also available online.

Pals Take Precedence Over Good Policy; Taxpayers are Punished

Colleague Mark Lawrance, the Chamber’s point person on local government reform efforts over the past half-dozen years, started off his description of the ambush of reform efforts in the Indiana Senate this week with an homage to Buffalo Springfield: "There’s Something Happening Here and It Is Exactly Clear."

Lawrance offers a synopsis. First, the opposition to these recommendations is highly focused and mobilized. Second, those special interest groups strongly prefer to keep the status quo and not embrace any of the changes with our fragmented local government system. And third, many of the local people who are involved with townships, county government, libraries and the school systems are also part of the local political system that elects the legislators.
 
What that means is some members of the Senate are playing political games. They’re ignoring the facts (read Kevin Brinegar’s committee testimony a week earlier or watch the latest MySmartgov.org video) to protect their cronies. They’re doing so at the expense of your money and your right to an efficient and effective local government system.
 
Don’t stand for it. Let your legislators know business as usual simply isn’t good enough.

Evidence of Township Mismanagement Continues to Grow

For the last 14 months — to the day (the Kernan-Shepard report was released December 11, 2007) — the Indiana Chamber and allies have touted local government reform and pointed out the absurdities in our no longer viable township system. Today, Chamber President Kevin Brinegar presented new information in his testimony on Senate Bill 512.

Consider the following. Is this really how we want our taxpayer dollars spent?

  • The trustee who doubled her own salary — without authorization — and gave her husband (the deputy trustee, of course, who didn’t know he had that role) a 63% increase
  • Or the one who altered 46 checks (with a nearly $21,000 price tag) and overpaid himself by more than $15,000, all while being in office for 22 months
  • How about the trustee who paid himself an entire year’s salary and 12 months of rent for keeping his office in his home — all on January 1

Reports of nepotism have been rampant. Some, however, don’t bother hiring family members. They just give themselves multiple jobs and taxpayer funds. One township board member doubled as township clerk and tripled her take as cemetery caretaker. Another added the roles of emergency assistance investigator and deputy assessor.

There are hundreds of examples of sloppiness, neglect and criminal behavior. Brinegar’s full testimony is available here. Read it for yourself, get mad and do something about it. 

Chamber Issues Statement on Governor’s Reform Agenda

Governor Mitch Daniels discussed his hopes today to further push government reform in the upcoming legislative session, with Kernan-Shepard Report architects Joe Kernan and Randall Shepard in attendance. We’ve issued a press release in response, indicating our continued support:

When the Indiana Commission on Local Government Reform released its 27 recommendations one year ago (on December 11, 2007), the Indiana Chamber said, "This report places the emphasis exactly where it needs to be — on increased local government efficiency and reduced spending."

Kevin Brinegar, Indiana Chamber president, says today: "Nothing has changed. In fact, in these challenging economic times it’s more important than ever for Hoosiers to demand that the General Assembly enact the recommendations of the Kernan-Shepard Commission so that we may all benefit from high-performing local governments, and for those local units to operate as cost-efficiently as possible.

"We’ve been encouraged by the discussion and the progress over the past year. Hoosiers made their preference for better local government clear at the polls in November when they voted to move the majority of the remaining tax assessing duties from the township to the county level.

"This is not strictly a business issue. It’s putting in place a structure that allows everyone easier access to libraries and other government services, as well as helping ensure the highest levels of public safety," Brinegar concludes. 

Present an Award; Accept the Boos

Over the last two days, the Indiana Chamber visited eight of the 10 Head of the Class schools identified in the annual Indiana’s Best Buys report. (Mother Nature interfered with two trips scheduled for Wednesday).

Chamber education expert Derek Redelman gets the road warrior award for a Tuesday itinerary that took him to Signature School in Evansville, nearby Castle and across the southern part of the state to North Harrison. President Kevin Brinegar stayed closer to home with North Central (Indianapolis) and Hamilton Southeastern presentations.

I ended up with a Batesville-Monroe Central doubleheader — both schools I had visited under different circumstances. For Monroe Central in Parker City, it was covering high school basketball games as part of my sportswriting role prior to coming to the Chamber. I was able to share a few basketball tales and names from the past with the current staff.

Batesville, though, is where things were most interesting. While I was born a mere minute away from the town’s high school at the local hospital, the students gathered for the announcement focused on the fact that I went to school at rival East Central. They expressed their vocal displeasure, but I won them back by telling them their school earned a majority of the basketball victories in matchups between their Bulldogs and my Trojans during my prep days.

Another note: First-year Batesville Principal Tim Stephens deserves kudos as he was the leader at Hauser (a Best Buy honoree each of the last two years). While the report measures high school performance, Stephens pointed out that it is really an award for the entire district.

Rounding out the top 10 are Center Grove and Rushville. Congratulations to all.

View current and past Best Buys reports, along with this year’s press release.

Chamber President Calls on Legislators to Restore Financial Markets, Consumer Confidence

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce, on behalf of its more than 4,800 members who employ 800,000 Hoosier workers, urges the Indiana delegation and all members of Congress to swiftly and decisively reach agreement on a plan to stabilize our country’s financial system. 

“We recognize that the complexities of the situation are enormous and that any short-term solutions carry potential long-term implications. However, the negative impacts of the current economic uncertainty are guaranteed to increase beyond their current levels,” states Indiana Chamber President Kevin Brinegar. “Rhetoric must give way to thoughtful progress. Now, more than ever, partisanship and politics must be put aside for the benefit of our state and country.

“The Indiana Chamber and its members are typically not in the position of advocating for government intervention in the free market system,” Brinegar continues. “Today’s unique circumstances, however, make it essential for our legislative and executive leaders in Washington to act now to restore our financial markets and consumer confidence.”

Wildly fluctuating stock markets and tightening credit markets will impact businesses of all types and sizes. Indiana companies, particularly small businesses, cannot be allowed to be decimated by inaction at the federal level, Brinegar says. The window of opportunity to act — effectively — is rapidly closing.

“Let’s settle the crisis now,” he concludes, “then utilize the excellent public and private sector resources we have to work on a comprehensive reform plan that, in the long term, protects our valued companies, their employees and all taxpayers.”

Chamber Back on the Road Again, “What a RRRRRRRush!”

Call us Road Warriors. Perhaps we are not as scary as "Animal" and "Hawk" from the professional wrestling duo known as the "Road Warriors," but we have been hitting the road quite a bit this summer to connect with our members in the various corners of the state. The next stop is August 21 at the Sheraton Riverside Hotel in Jeffersonville.
 
Kevin Brinegar, president of the Indiana Chamber, will discuss Chamber programs and services and you will have an opportunity to network with our southeast Indiana Chamber members.
 
The breakfast is free for Indiana Chamber members and $19 for non-members.The program begins at 8 a.m. and will last one hour. Please contact Abby Hamilton at (317) 264-3793 or ahamilton@indianachamber.com to RSVP.
 
No need to worry. We did NOT invite Animal and Hawk to this event. We knew they’d do a flying elbow drop body slam on Kevin before eating all of your breakfast.
 
 

Breakfast Tour Headed to Fort Wayne

Our next stop on the Breakfast with Brinegar circuit is in Fort Wayne. We encourage our members and interested non-members to attend our August 7 program at the Hilton Garden Inn.  Kevin Brinegar, president of the Indiana Chamber, will discuss Chamber programs and services and you will have an opportunity to network with our northeast Indiana Chamber members.
 
Ryan Beck, the Allen County Territory Manager of the Indiana Chamber, thinks this is a great opportunity for businesses to learn about membership resources and to use them to generate new business and to save money during a tough economy.

"In just 60 minutes you have the chance to network with local businesses and to learn about our free customized sales leads and free HR HELPLINE," Beck explains. "Most businesses need a shot in the arm right now and we have a number of resources to help them."
 
The breakfast is free for Indiana Chamber members and $19 for non-members. The program begins at 8 a.m. and will last one hour.  Please contact Abby Hamilton at (317) 264-3793 or ahamilton@indianachamber.com to RSVP.

The People Speak Through ‘Letters to Our Leaders’

If you’re going to borrow an idea or a title from someone, six-term Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar is not a bad person to emulate. Lugar’s 1988 "Letters to the Next President" was a book on U.S. foreign policy and his well-honed suggestions for future actions in various parts of the world. (A more recent entry from former Okahoma governor and U.S. senator David Boren, now the president of the University of Oklahoma, was titled "A Letter to America.")

The Indiana Chamber’s focus is our state. While the letters on key public policy issues are being delivered directly to the candidates for governor, they’re also intended for all those involved in the lawmaking and regulatory process. Thus, Letters to Our Leaders is the title.

Several of our state’s leading newspapers, including the Indianapolis Star and the South Bend Tribune, have this morning published overviews of the campaign. Additionally, you can watch the video of Indiana Chamber President Kevin Brinegar discussing the reasons for releasing the letters. The effort officially kicks off this afternoon with five press conferences around the state. The letters, press releases and short videos on each policy area will be available online at 1:30 p.m. today, and this site seeks your input on the issues important to our state’s economic future. 

Who came up with the topics and the suggestions for these letters? You did, at least indirectly. The Chamber’s Economic Development Committee led the project, with input from the executive committee and board of directors. It was leaders of companies big and small, located throughout the state. The more than 4,800 Chamber member companies employ 800,000 Hoosiers.

Governor Mitch Daniels and Democratic challenger Jill Long Thompson, the people of Indiana have something to say. We look forward to your responses.

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Indiana Chamber Makes Pit Stop at Indy Motor Speedway

We call it "Breakfast with Brinegar," but for this first time event at the world’s most famous racing facility, we just might call it "Bacon at the Brickyard" for a day. Local Indiana Chamber members are encouraged to join us Tuesday, May 13, from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Joie Chitwood, President of the IMS, will speak briefly about the excitement of this year’s Indianapolis 500. With the IRL and Champ Car merger, along with Danica Patrick’s first IRL win, the buzz is as hot as ever regarding the 2.5 mile oval. Kevin Brinegar, president of the Indiana Chamber, will discuss Chamber programs and services and you will have an opportunity to network with other Indiana Chamber members. A Q&A session will be held for Kevin, as well. 

The breakfast is free for Indiana Chamber members and $19 for non-members. Please contact Abby Hamilton at (317) 264-3793 or ahamilton@indianachamber.com to RSVP for this fun and educational event.
 
Sounds like a great way to start a Spring day in the month of May in Indianapolis. You may even be lucky enough to bump into A.J., Mario or Little Al. But I promise you won’t have to listen to me sing "Back Home Again in Indiana."