The fundamental debate in trying to pass a new state budget is whether education funding should be for districts or students. Unfortunately, it’s not a new debate. Chamber education expert Derek Redelman can — and will — go in-depth on that topic, one that has been around throughout his 20-plus years in Indiana education policy.

Also unfortunate is that lawmakers are not taking advantage of the opportunity to right their biggest wrong of the regular session — the unemployment insurance tax increase that employers are telling us will simply force more layoffs. You can calculate for yourself how the largest business tax increase in state history will impact your organization and why it doesn’t solve the shortfall that is approaching $1 billion in loans from Washington.

It’s not big businesses vs. small businesses. It’s not employers vs. employees. It’s bad public policy — one that will require a true solution sooner rather than later.