email
nick@votenickneal.com
Years in an elected position
0
As a nonprofit executive in social services and a former police officer, my three priorities are:
(1) Families First: Expanding affordable childcare and wraparound services so every family in Lake and Porter counties has a fair shot;
(2) Safe Communities: Investing in prevention, mental health and law enforcement partnerships while supporting commonsense gun safety measures; and
(3) Fair Taxation: Opposing regressive policies like SEA 1 that shift burdens onto working families and fighting to ensure Northwest Indiana receives its fair share of state resources.
I grew up in Gary, earned dual master's degrees in law enforcement administration and public administration from Indiana universities, and have spent nearly two decades serving families across Lake and Porter counties. As a former police officer and current nonprofit executive, I have worked on the front lines of child abuse prevention, truancy reduction and domestic violence intervention. I have secured millions in funding for Northwest Indiana programs, collaborated with law enforcement, schools and state agencies, and built coalitions that deliver real results. That experience —working with people, not above them — is exactly what District 19 needs in Indianapolis.
Budget reductions demand smarter investment, not just cuts. My approach starts with transparency — publishing clear data on where dollars go and what outcomes they produce. From there, I would prioritize wraparound services proven to reduce long-term costs: Early childhood programs, mental health intervention and domestic violence prevention. These upstream investments save money downstream. I would also fight against policies like SEA 1 that shift financial burdens onto local governments, forcing impossible choices between police, fire and schools, and advocate for state funding formulas that reward efficiency and measurable outcomes rather than bureaucratic inertia.
Effective representation starts with listening. As state representative, I would host regular town halls and community conversations. This is a practice I have already begun by meeting with residents in their homes throughout District 19. I would also ensure my office is accessible and responsive to every constituent call and email. Where funding allows, I would communicate through direct mail and an email newsletter to keep families informed on legislation affecting their lives. My approach has always been to talk with people, not at them. District 19 deserves a representative who shows up before an election, not just during one.
Indiana's biggest policy challenge is SEA 1. While marketed as property tax relief, it strips hundreds of millions from local governments and public schools. The Legislative Service Agency estimates Indiana schools will lose $744.4 million over three years — gutting transportation, staffing, technology and building operations. Local governments face the same squeeze, forced to choose between raising income and wheel taxes or cutting police, fire and infrastructure. You cannot starve an institution of resources and expect it to thrive. Schools are the heartbeat of our communities. I will fight to repeal or significantly reform SEA 1 and restore fair, stable funding to the communities that drive Indiana's economy.
Working families in District 19 are stretched thin. Groceries, housing, childcare and utilities keep rising while paychecks do not. I will fight for policies that deliver real relief: expanding childcare vouchers and subsidies so parents can work without choosing between a job and their child's care; opposing state policies that defund local services and drive up housing costs; and supporting Medicaid protections that keep families from financial ruin over a medical bill. Indiana ranks among the worst states for childcare access and affordability. That is a policy failure, not an inevitability. Families cannot thrive without stable foundations, and I will prioritize building them.
email
votersforjulie@gmail.com
street
Crown Point
Years in an elected position
10
1. I will continue my quest to end sexual assault. Since this will be a budget year, I will ask for dollars to support the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Grants.
2. Update my HB 1209 which seeks to set in code accounting internal controls for municipal offices. I have feedback from stakeholders and will bring it back in better form.
3. Prioritize saving existing childcare companies at closing due to CCDF cuts.
4. My involvement with increasing the number of available foster families by building an intentional community has me interested in creating a state pilot program. I will also bring back a previous bill requiring lawyers to be assigned to certain children in need of services cases.
Having served 10 years, I've made important relationships with committee chairs & experts whose input makes bills better.
I work hard having authored bills to help DCS & vulnerable children, support foster children, and get parents to pay child support. With ARC's help, we now train & certify Direct Support Professionals, earning me a Legislator of the Year award.
The IN School Counselor Assoc. gave me a Legislator Award for my work on suicide prevention.
On the board for Fair Haven Rape Center, I helped pass new laws to end sexual assault in all its forms.
Many initiatives come from my constituents. This year I carried bills about HOA reform, a new sex grooming law, & mandating drug testing for vehicular fatalities, to name a few.
Indiana agencies are challenged with doing more with less. Medicaid is unsustainable because costs have risen and enrollment is high. Reductions all around are painful and stressful. Not one solution fits all. We should all be in this together and facilitating honest conversations are needed in order to develop long term solutions.
My proposed bills to help foster care costs and mandate attorneys for children will actually save the state money.
I stay active in the community and can usually be seen at local functions. I do my best to reply to all emails, contact forms, calls, and social media PM. It’s very easy with a simple online search to find my contact information. Periodic mailers are sent from the statehouse office about current legislative highlights and contact info is listed there as well. I listen to those who let me know their ideas and ways to fix problems through legislation. Seriously, most of my bills stem from their stories.
I believe Indiana biggest policy challenge (handled by FSSA) is working through Medicaid's increased budget costs with one factor being the aging of baby boomers. Medicaid's share of Indiana's state budget has grown from 15% in 2021 to 22% in the 2025 budget.
Secondly, We really need to keep intoxicating hemp-derived THC products (such as Delta-8 and Delta-9) away from children. Whether by regulation or banning, action is desperately needed. This year, we restricted vaping products lacking FDA authorization, particularly those manufactured in foreign countries like China.
I will address both of these issues by supporting initiatives that keep Hoosiers healthy.
Housing - This year I voted for HB 1001 to reduce one-time municipal fees--the No. 1 problem for housing costs. Fees are passed on to homebuyers & renters.
Food - In 2017, I carried SB 154 in the House to raise the SNAP asset limitation to $5,000. This was taken back to $4,000 to match Federal guidelines. Raising the limit helps folks save for a rainy-day setback and I will work to restore it.
Childcare - I have been working on childcare with First Things First Porter County & will be attending Family Forward NWI Employer Lab. I've asked state agencies to be on hand. I will learn what specific improvements are needed (like supporting existing childcares) and will write a bill or get the agency to make a change.
