Porter: GOP running out of excuses on funding highest priorities

INDIANAPOLIS – State Rep. Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis) today issued the following statement after the State Budget Committee received the latest revenue forecast for the state of Indiana:

“Today’s numbers show that the state is anticipating $250 million more in revenue than was predicted just eight months ago. The question that needs to be asked is why state government isn’t using this windfall to make a proper commitment toward the people of Indiana.

“It is obvious today that the state is not going broke, and that we do have the ability to fund critical needs and maintain a healthy surplus. Today’s projections provide us a surplus well beyond what even Republican leaders think is sufficient, and if they have faith in their leadership in Washington, D.C., then there is no reason for us to think there will be an economic downturn in the near future. There is no reason to delay acting on serious problems.

“But Republicans continue to act like Chicken Little, assuming the sky is falling. They are content to find excuses, rather than live up to their responsibilities. It does not send a great message that we think debt relief for government is a higher priority than giving our teachers the pay they need to support themselves and their families.

“The governor is asking to spend around $300 million from our reserves to pay for a series of buildings around this state. That is opening up the state budget, and that means we can have a healthy discussion about the best ways to use that $300 million.

“While there are many areas that we intend to discuss – school safety, improvements to health care services that focus on affordability – let me talk about teacher pay. The governor and the Republicans say they care about the teachers of this state, yet we are being asked to wait until the 2021 session before they can show how much they care. By providing them with additional pay now, we can show we care now and provide a proper starting point for discussions in 2021, when the ‘Teacher Pay Commission That Includes No Teachers’ is supposed to make its recommendations.

“These discussions will happen in 2020. The Republicans may prefer spending on physical infrastructure. I believe it’s time to pay greater attention to human infrastructure.”