Throughout Gov. Mike Pence’s annual State of the State address on Jan. 12, he repeatedly emphasized how strong the state of Indiana is.
The summer of 2016 marks Indiana’s 200th year as a state, and Pence said it has seen “remarkable growth” since it was founded.
Pence said his priorities for 2016 were jobs, the economy, schools, roads and confronting drug abuse.
Here are some key takeaways from the speech:
1. Hoosiers will keep their guns
Pence made it clear that allowing law-abiding citizens to have guns makes communities safer, not more dangerous. He said Indiana will continue to defend its Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms. He called out President Obama for blaming Chicago’s gun violence on Indiana gun laws, saying, “Hoosiers are not the cause of crime in your hometown — criminals are."
2. Student achievement is up
After Indiana raised its standards for students, graduation rates went up to the seventh highest in the United States. Hoosier kids performed better than the national average in every major category on the Nation’s Report Card. There are also 100,000 more students in a school with a B grade or better — Pence attributed this to putting education first on the 2015 budget.
3. There are more employed Hoosiers than ever before in state history
Unemployment is down to 4.4 percent from the 8 percent it was three years ago, with the help of 139,000 new jobs created. There are 34,000 fewer Hoosiers who are getting unemployment claims. Indiana set a state record in 2015 for private sector employment, as well as ranking in the top 10 states to do business.
4. Indiana needs to improve infrastructure without raising taxes
Although the state does need to invest in infrastructure, Pence said, it’s important to do so without it coming out of Hoosier’s pockets. While Indiana road and bridge conditions rank above the national average, Pence wants to make $1 billion available to improve state bridges and roads in the next four years, as well as provide another $400 million for local roads.
5. More Hoosiers need to pursue education careers
Many of the strides the state made in education are due to the teachers, Pence said, so he wants to find ways to make teaching more attractive to upcoming Hoosiers. He spoke about Speaker Brian Bosma’s Next Generation Scholarship, which covers $7,500 of tuition per year for students in the top 20 percent of their class who will commit to teaching in Indiana for at least five years.
6. The war on drugs needs to continue
Pence said drug abuse and addiction is a “growing epidemic” in Indiana, and the state needs to do more to change that by using courage and compassion. Indiana has been leading the war on drugs, and Pence said they’ll continue to go after drug dealers and anyone else who may sell drugs to Hoosier kids. He even had a special message to drug dealers: the state is coming after them if they’re selling drugs to Hoosier kids. He wants stiffer penalties for drug dealers, and to make sure there are more options for those addicted to drugs.
7. Hoosiers won’t tolerate discrimination
After the Religious Freedom Restoration Act controversy last March, Pence said he has been researching and meeting with Hoosiers about whether or not to extend full civil rights protections to Hoosiers based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Pence said while Hoosiers are divided on changing civil rights laws, Hoosiers don’t tolerate discrimination and they “cherish faith and freedoms.”
8. Religion is, and always will be, important
Pence made it clear he would not support any bill that diminishes religious freedom of Hoosiers or that interferes with citizens' constitutional rights to worship, service or work.
Read More
Silent Hill: The Short Message—a grim discussion of our generation
By Aaron Picklesimer / 2 days agoEven with good gameplay design, the legacy of Silent Hill seems to be too much for Silent Hill: A Short Message. With weaker performances and weaker story, A Short Message comes up a bit short.
'Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League'—A villain of an Arkham game
By Aaron Picklesimer / 2 days agoWith massive shoes to fill, Suicide Squad Kills the Justice League manages to stake it's own claim in the Arkham Universe, despite some issues cropping up here and there. With fun new gameplay mechanics and a cast of loveable, unloved unheroes, The Suicide Squad is here to stay
Building a foundation for the future: Becoming a teacher in the classrooms I was in as a student
By Savannah Oliphant / 6 days agoI have been teaching in the Muncie School District for two years now at East Washington Academy (EWA). I student taught first grade here with my mentor teacher Michelle Bergren. It was such a joy after student teaching to be selected as a first-grade teacher.
