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Supporting public schools and returning local control to our communities on issues of education, housing, and land use.
As an attorney and small business owner for over 30 years in Indiana I understand how our state government should function, and I have seen how it has failed us but ignoring the needs of the people in favor of big business and culture war nonsense. I bring independence from big money politics and political influence from Washington.
I support limiting the number of single family homes that can be owned by hedge funds and out of state investors. I want to return local control to our cities and towns on housing policy. I think any housing project that receives tax abatements must set aside a portion of the project for affordable housing units. I would also support investment in rural transit to allow people to more easily live in more affordable areas to take some supply pressure of the cost of housing.
I support lowering our regressive gas taxes and making corporations and the wealthy take on a more equitable portion of the tax burden.
I think all of these should be high priorities for the state legislature, but if ai had to pick one it would be education. The state legislature has been attacking public schools for decades. We have continued to cut funding for schools, limit the ability for local communities to raise money for schools and limiting the ability of teachers to collectively bargain, all the while expanding voucher programs to pay for the wealthy to send their children to private schools.
Public schools are vital to growing communities and they should be a priority for the legislature.
Indiana consistently ranks at or near the bottom in air and water quality. Our challenge is to actually have a state government that will enforce air and water quality standards. Instead of expanding protected wetlands, which improve water quality and prevent flooding, we choose unlimited development at the expense of the environment. Development is important, but we have to take into account the long term sustainability of our projects.
The recent push to build data centers while ignoring the impact those will have on our water supply is just another example of our legislature ignoring the environment for profit.
I think the first question for any development that seeks government funding or tax abatement should be what is the overall economic benefit to the community, not just the investors. I haven’t seen much that would show me that data centers will provide much in terms of long term local employment. When you add to that the obvious strain that these projects but on local water and electricity resources, it becomes had to see how the benefit to the community would outweigh the costs.
Property tax reform to meet a specific policy goal. Some Hoosiers have a mix of retirement assets that include their home. These savers can watch their portfolios grow in wealth in tax sheltered accounts with zero tax bill until they sell. For many however, the property tax is assessing value on the entirety of their wealth basis every year. This must be addressed.
Legislators need to be held to better account for promoting special interest bills to choose economic winners and losers. More transparency can show how the cost is spread over every taxpayer to benefit very few. All tax credits need a sunset regularly to test whether the policy goals are actually working.
I will push again for a pro forma budget bill. Show your work.
It’s not unique, but perhaps uncommon among legislators. I will live each day by the Golden Rule. I don’t hate anyone for their innate characteristic.
We can agree to disagree agreeably. Attacking people with political rhetoric is wrong. Attacking lies and falsehoods are fair game so long as I have the truth.
Opinions are not the same as reality. I have plenty of opinions but must be willing to change them to confirm to reality. That requires humility and a willingness to hear from every viewpoint. I must reason with informed discernment to consider again my opinions.
I don’t like changing my mind when I’m wrong. Nobody dies. Humility to change may lose elections but it’s a winning formula for living with peace in my heart.
Stop wasting time on inconsequential issues that seek to divide us is a start. I mentioned all the special interest “tax” layered in to every purchase.
We have tried to address the standard practice of deny, deny, deny a health insurance claim for example. Entire call centers exist to argue over the cost of healthcare. These are another hidden tax. Health care costs are still too complicated and subjective based on the payor model, private or public.
Lastly real economic data must be examined rather than talking points if sound budget and finance decisions in the Statehouse are made impacting your pocketbook. I try hard to understand the true state of our economy no matter where that data takes me.
All of these areas are important. I always take serious the role that committee work plays in properly vetting all ideas before they are heard and voted upon by all legislators.
I chair Senate Family and Children Committee with grave concerns for the safety and restoration of children in trauma. Our future lies in the hands of these kids. Repeatedly I see the strength of character and leadership from Hoosiers in this space who themselves were victimized and are working sacrificially to restore our youth suffering neglect and abuse.
I also value my leadership role as Ranking Member of Elections Committee. Preservation of fair and free elections is not easy in a highly partisan environment. I do not back down or yield to intimidation.
Water, water, and water. Indiana has a natural advantage, perhaps our only natural advantage over much of the US and globe even. We must put our water resources to highest and best use instead of surrendering to every developer that proposes to take significant resources.
I think the PFAS issue is also critical and very challenging because the the vast number of common items in our lives that are improvements but at a great price. I am concerned that the levels of man made chemicals accumulated in our bodies will lower quality of life and increase medical costs once again.
Already addressed in part. I do not believe these properties are highest and best use of our water and energy generation capacity.
I did file a community energy bill in 2026 to put a modest regulatory framework to encourage private investment in local energy. The public utilities should welcome the effort instead of opposing it!
