Indiana State House District 58
The Indiana House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Indiana General Assembly. The House of Representatives and Senate constitute the legislative branch of the Indiana state government, and they collaborate with the governor of Indiana to create laws and establish a state budget. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the Indiana House of Representatives include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes. State representatives serve two-year terms. Adapted from https://ballotpedia.org/Indiana_House_of_Representatives and https://iga.in.gov/information/about.
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Michelle Davis
(Rep)
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Sandy James
(Dem)
What measures, if any, will you take to expand voting rights in Indiana?
Does Indiana need a state-wide plan to address climate issues affecting agriculture, industry, and families? If so, what should the key elements of the plan cover?
Would you support legislation and funding that supports statewide regional water study and planning?
What will you do to enable public schools in Indiana to be, or continue to be, successful?
How do you plan to ensure transparency and accountability in your decision-making process as a state house representative?
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All citizens should be able to vote. Expanding voting rights is vital to a free people. In this age of technology, registering to vote should be easy, as should voting. We need to expand early voting so that everyone can find time to get to the polls. In addition, mail in voting should be made accessible to anyone who has difficulty getting out to vote. I would advocate voting electronically if we could ensure online security. In this age of technology, there is no reason we shouldn’t be able to log in with a scan of our driver’s license and cast our ballot.
Indiana absolutely needs to address climate issues. We need to encourage recycling to reduce the need for landfills. I also believe we need to remove the obstacles to solar power. My husband and I investigated installing solar panels and discovered Indiana laws make it difficult to get a return on investment for the equipment. I’d like to change those laws and enact some that encourage solar power. I recently purchased a hybrid SUV and was shocked to discover that Indiana levies an extra tax on cars that run on any kind of electricity. The rationale is that better gas mileage means less gas tax revenue. This is a ridiculous policy that discourages people from owning automobiles that are environmentally friendly. I would change those laws.
Indiana has some of the most polluted rivers and streams in this country. I would like to see polluters held accountable and required to address the harm they’ve done to our environment. EPA standards haven’t been updated in decades. It’s time for state government to take the lead in helping industries and agriculture control the pollutants they release. Climate change is also creating more water shortage problems that need to be addressed. Rising temperatures and lower than normal rainfall leave citizens with increasing difficulty with getting enough water for their demands. We need to encourage conservation and educate people in water preservation.
First of all, we need to ensure that public funds are only used by public schools. I am strongly against our voucher program as it currently exists. Too much money is being funneled to private and religious schools, which leaves public education underfunded. As a thirty-year educator, I know what makes a school successful. The most important quality is to have excellent teachers. Indiana discourages the recruitment of strong teachers by limiting teacher salaries. If we want great teachers, we need to pay them a professional salary. I’ve watched talented young teachers leaving education simply because they can’t afford to buy a home or raise a family.
As a teacher, I have always been accessible to parents and students. I answer calls and emails promptly, and I post often on my school website and through social media to explain things that are happening in my classroom. I plan to continue those practices if I’m elected. I want the people I represent to know that I hear their concerns and that I will always consider their opinions before casting any vote. Public feedback will be very important to me.
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