GiaQuinta comments on Washington Post designation of Indiana as ‘State of the Year’

Today, the Washington Post Editorial Board designated Indiana as its inaugural 'State of the Year.' Indiana House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) issued the following statement in response to the editorial and its citation of policies passed by the General Assembly this year as 'worthy of emulation':

"I agree with the Washington Post Editorial Board that Indiana Senate Republican and Democrats' principled rejection of partisan gerrymandering is worthy of celebration. However, the rest of their analysis of policy changes made by the supermajority is an inadvertent testament to the importance of Indiana's local media outlets and journalists.

"The editorial board's celebration of property tax cuts and budget cuts was clearly made without consideration of the fallout from both of these decisions: the fact that many homeowners and renters will end up paying more than they save from the cuts in the form of local income taxes, wheel taxes, and more; the cancellation of important local projects and programs across the state, like a domestic violence shelter in Hamilton County; and the mass closure of child care facilities. Just a few weeks ago, a daycare center in my district announced it was closing its doors as a direct impact of the Braun administration's decision to cut Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) vouchers.

"As for education funding, the only reason it increased was because of the mass flow of money toward the private school voucher program. For the 9 out of 10 Hoosier kids in public schools, their school did not receive a huge influx of dollars. For most, funding was at or below inflation, and once you factor in property tax cuts, you start to realize that our public schools are really hurting.

"All in all, this editorial is yet another example of Washington elites failing to grasp the real situation on the ground here in Indiana. I am grateful for the Hoosier reporters who work hard to tell the complete story of the policies that come out of the Statehouse – the good and the bad."