State of Indiana Archives: on Budget & Economy
Andrew Straw:
Stimulus plus market-led recovery
Q: Do you agree or disagree with the statement, "Stimulus better than market-led recovery"?
A: Both are important, but when the economy has a greater money supply through fiscal (deficit spending) and monetary (lower interest rates) policies, it has always led out of recession.
Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Indiana Senate candidate
Feb 28, 2018
Brad Ellsworth:
Voted for bailout, health care law and stimulus bill
Ellsworth attacked Coats for the years he spent lobbying in Washington saying the former senator took stands on issues--including the bank bailout and stimulus funding--based on who paid his law firm the most money. "That's not right for Hoosiers,"
Ellsworth said. "We need people who stand up for us, for Hoosiers and base their decisions on what they hear only from the people back home."Coats battled back, saying that it was his law firm--not him personally--who represented clients on those
issues. He pointed instead at Ellsworth, saying that the Democrat's votes for the bailout, health care law and stimulus bill put the country in almost insurmountable debt. "I can understand that someone who went to Washington talking like a conservative
here at home--but followed the agenda of Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama nearly 90% of the time--would not want to come home and talk about that," Coats said.
Source: Louisville Courier-Transcript on 2010 Indiana Senate debate
Oct 22, 2010
Brad Ellsworth:
Stimulus legislation prevented going into a depression
Coats has criticized Ellsworth for voting in favor of the health care overhaul and stimulus programs. Ellsworth believes the stimulus legislation prevented a worse situation. "We made drastic improvements to save us from going into a depression,"
Ellsworth said.Coats said voters are unhappy with federal government, and he accuses Ellsworth of being lockstep with his party leaders. "Clearly, a lot of Hoosiers are not happy with what's come out of Washington these last two years.
90% of what's come out has been supported by my opponent," Coats said. "There's a lot of enthusiasm for change in Washington."
Ellsworth said Coats' claim that he has voted in line with Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi 90% of the time is misleading
He said those votes could include anything from naming a post office to honoring a sports team. "I have one of the most independent voting records in Congress, and I had a more conservative voting record than four Republicans," Ellsworth said.
Source: News & Tribune coverage of 2010 Indiana Senate debate
Oct 24, 2010
Brian Bosma:
Reduce government regulations; reduce unemployment benefits
Q: Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?A: Yes.
Q: Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you support expanding access to unemployment
benefits?
A: No.
Q: Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
A: Yes.
Q: Should Indiana prohibit union membership & dues being a condition of employment (right-to-work laws)?
A: Yes.
Source: Indiana Gubernatorial 2012 PVS Political Courage Test
Nov 1, 2012
Daniel Coats:
Commitment to no new spending unless offset & paid for
Coats said the nation is facing serious problems with the economy as it enters the third year of the recession. "We have not seen light at the end of the tunnel," said Coats. "We have a long way to go."
President Barack Obama's "summer of recovery" has been anything but, Coats said. Coats lambasted
Democrats for spending at a pace that's unsustainable and piling up debt the nation cannot pay back. "There has to be a commitment to no new spending without it being offset and paid for," said
Coats. "No more swiping the credit card and pumping and using debt to finance new spending."
This election, Coats said, needs to be relative to restoring the economy for future generations.
Source: Evansville Courier Press on 2010 Indiana Senate debate
Oct 13, 2010
Eddie Melton:
Gaming licenses issued to support new jobs & revenue
By providing gaming licenses to the communities that would yield the best use for the state as well as laying the groundwork for thousands of new jobs, tax revenue and infrastructure improvement, Senator Melton has proven to represent the kind of
comprehensive vision needed to take Indiana to the forefront of a new global economy.
Source: 2020 Indiana Gubernatorial campaign website EddieMelton.com
Dec 5, 2019
Eric Holcomb:
Tax-and-borrower math will bust us, not lead to prosperity
A robust American economy is vital not only to our national security, but to the preservation of the upward mobility characteristic of the American Dream. At the same time our national debt is out of control & our safety net programs are going bankrupt.
The promises we've made from one generation to the next are all under serious threat. The fact is, we are going to run out of money. It's as simple as that. The math will bust us and the "tax-and-borrowers" aren't being honest about it. We simply can't
afford more credit downgrades, more debt, or more economic instability. There's just no formula to tax and borrow or redistribute our way to prosperity. We have an obligation to hand over to future generations that to which they have been promised;
namely, a country that honors the commitments it has made to our seniors, our children, and our most vulnerable. Policies that ignite private sector economic growth, not higher taxes and more borrowing, are the only way to see those promises through.
Source: 2016 Senate campaign website, HolcombForIndiana.com
Oct 1, 2015
Eric Holcomb:
$250-million Next Level Indiana Trust Fund
For all Hoosiers to be successful, we must continue to cultivate our strong and diverse economy--modernizing traditional sectors like manufacturing and agriculture,
strengthening those where we've built a competitive advantage--like aerospace and life sciences--and nourishing emerging ones, like tech.
That's exactly why we established the new $250-million Next Level Indiana Trust Fund, and in the first quarter of this year we'll begin to make strategic
investments to build and support more innovation and entrepreneurship in our state.
Source: 2018 Indiana State of the State address
Jan 9, 2018
Eric Holcomb:
Building "One Indiana" border to border
A booming economy requires a strong infrastructure and our growth has enabled us to make unprecedented investments into building "One Indiana," border to border. We're completing I-69 from Evansville to Indy three years ahead of schedule,
and we're making US 31 stoplight-free all the way up to South Bend.
Source: 2020 Indiana State of the State address
Jan 14, 2020
Eric Holcomb:
Infrastructure a priority, complete interstate project
I made infrastructure a priority four years ago because of the need to have strong connections with each other and the world. That means we'll complete I-69, the longest new interstate project in the country, from Evansville to Indy, three years ahead
of schedule and paid for, and we'll move toward the construction of a new I-69 bridge over the Ohio River, as well as pursue plans for future upgrades to US 30 and 31 up north, as an example.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Indiana legislature
Jan 19, 2021
Eric Holcomb:
Investing $3.6 billion this year in road projects
We're investing $3.6 billion just this year in road projects throughout Indiana. And we're near completion, three years ahead of schedule, on I-69, which will create one continuous route from Canada all the way to our nation's southern border.
Add to that, through our Community Crossings program, cities, towns and counties have resurfaced or reconstructed more than 20,000 lane-miles of road and repaired or replaced 119 bridges in just the last four years.
Source: 2022 State of the State Address to the Indiana legislature
Jan 11, 2022
Joe Donnelly:
Supported anti-recession stimulus
Economy: Support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?Braun: No. Government isn't the driver of new job creation or economic prosperity.
Donnelly: Yes. Supported anti-recession stimulus & supports infrastructure investment.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Indiana Senate race
Nov 1, 2018
Mike Braun:
Don't pay politicians if they can't pass a budget
Washington's out of control spending must be stopped. The big spending politicians from both parties are mortgaging our future. Due to their failures to get serious about budget deficits, the national debt stands at more than $20 trillion. It's time to
force Washington politicians to get their fiscal house in order by reining in spending and balancing the budget. To ensure Congress gets this done, there should be no pay for politicians if Washington does not pass a budget.
Source: 2018 Indiana Senate campaign website MikeBraunForIndiana.com
May 3, 2018
Mike Braun:
Government isn't the driver of economic prosperity
Economy: Support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?Braun: No. Government isn't the driver of new job creation or economic prosperity.
Donnelly: Yes. Supported anti-recession stimulus & supports infrastructure investment.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Indiana Senate race
Nov 1, 2018
Mike Pence:
Amend state constitution to require a balanced budget
Fiscal discipline has been the hallmark of the past decade of Indiana governance. Our balanced budgets have led to economic growth, lower tax rates and job creation. Remarkably, Indiana is one of the few states in the country that does not have a
balanced budget requirement in its constitution. It is a tribute to the public servants in this room that Indiana has adhered to that practice in recent years even though it is not required.
A balanced budget requirement in the Constitution will assure Hoosiers that today and tomorrow Indiana will spend wisely, protect our state from an economic downturn, and unlike Washington, D.C., we won't bury our children and grandchildren under
mountains of debt.
I call on this General Assembly to begin the process of adding a balanced budget amendment to the Indiana Constitution in this session and send this historic reform to the people of Indiana.
Source: State of the State address to 2015 Indiana Legislature
Jan 13, 2015
Richard Lugar:
Pass the remarkable House budget plan & extend Bush tax cuts
Asked what could be done to cut the $15 trillion federal debt, Lugar, 80, urged the passage of the "remarkable" House budget plan and the extension of Bush-era tax cuts.
Mourdock, 60, called for the elimination of the Energy, Education, Commerce and Housing and Urban Development departments.
Source: Fort Wayne Journal Gazette on 2012 Indiana Senate debate
Apr 12, 2012
Thomas McDermott:
Farm community needs a strong and fair safety net
I'll work hard to support our farm economy with a farm bill that strengthens the safety net for farmers and invests in conservation programs. I believe farm communities need a strong and fair safety net
to protect against market failure and the ever-increasing extremes in our weather patterns. We need a strong crop insurance program and we need to continue to fully fund the permanent disaster program for livestock producers.
Source: 2022 Indiana Senate campaign website GoMcDermott.com
May 8, 2022
Todd Young:
$19 trillion of debt is greatest threat to nation's future
The single greatest threat to our nation's future: to the future we owe to our children--is Washington's failure to adopt a specific, credible plan to address our rapidly growing national debt.
The plain truth is that we spend more than we take in and borrow more than 40 cents for every dollar spent.
The U.S. is mired in over $19 trillion of debt--roughly the same size as our annual national economy. Five trillion dollars of that has been added since 2008 under the Obama administration.
There is no way to spin it, no matter how hard Democrats try: our current path is unsustainable.
Source: Vote-USA.org on 2016 Indiana Senate incumbents
Aug 10, 2016
Todd Young:
One of 17 Republicans who voted for infrastructure bill
Young has become the focus of discontent among Indiana party leaders. Young was one of 17 Republicans to vote for the $1 trillion infrastructure bill being sought by President Biden. "As the Crossroads of America," Young said in a statement, "Indiana
understands the need for federal investment in our crumbling infrastructure, especially with nearly 5,500 miles of Hoosier highways in poor condition. That's why I voted today to formally begin debate on a bipartisan infrastructure bill."
Source: The Herald Bulletin on 2022 Indiana Senate race
Jul 31, 2021
Eric Holcomb:
Indiana has become known for our responsible budgets
Because of our strategic collaboration [with the legislature], Indiana has become known for our responsible budgets--and this one is no different. We have again proposed to make an additional $1 billion contribution to the pre-1996 teachers'
pension fund. Since 2011, 30 years have been cut from the time to fully fund this pension, which will free up dollars for other uses beginning in 2029 instead of 2059. And just since 2017, we've paid down our state debt by 31%!
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Indiana legislature
Jan 10, 2023
Mike Braun:
America First economic agenda brought unmatched prosperity
Mike Braun spent his career in the private sector, growing a small business into a national company and employing thousands of Hoosiers. Indiana needs policies that help every Hoosier achieve prosperity with a good–paying career.
The America First economic agenda brought unmatched prosperity and Indiana should be partnering with industries and business that are committed to growing jobs here in the USA.
Source: 2024 Indiana Governor campaign website MikeBraunForIndiana
Oct 24, 2023
Suzanne Crouch:
Limit expenditures to a 2% inflation adjusted growth rate
- Limit the growth and cost of Indiana government to necessary levels
- Realize new revenues from the dynamic economic impact of [my "Axe the Tax" reforms]
- Limit expenditures to a 2% inflation adjusted growth rate
-
Trigger reductions and elimination based on realizing key base-line revenue levels or other appropriate benchmarks, which triggers could reflect
- Once triggered, phasing in reductions and elimination for revenue predictability
Source: 2024 Indiana Governor campaign website CrouchForIndiana.com
Oct 30, 2023
Eric Doden:
Partner with local leaders to revitalize small towns
He also wants to take this strategy to a smaller scale as well by using state funds to help revitalize small towns throughout the state. "There is this real opportunity for us to partner with local leaders who want to restore their community," said
Doden. "That's what our 'Indiana Main Street' initiative is all about. It's about taking 10-percent of our budget and saying we will work with these leaders in small towns."
Source: WIBC 93.1 FM on 2024 Indiana Gubernatorial race
Nov 3, 2023
Eric Doden:
State can offer incentives but must be private sector led
Doden said his campaign is one of ideas about how to revitalize communities across Indiana, particularly small towns of 30,000 or fewer residents. He told the gathering that his Main Street Initiative would provide financial incentives of $100 million
a year for private businesses to invest in those small communities. "We cannot be the state with four, five or six counties doing well. We need to be the state where all 92 counties are doing well, but it has to be private-sector led," he said.
Source: YouAreCurrent.com on 2024 Indiana Gubernatorial race
Apr 27, 2023
Curtis Hill:
Audit government to make appropriate budget cuts
As governor, Curtis will audit the state government to find unnecessary expenditures so Indiana lawmakers can make appropriate budget cuts.
In office, Curtis will implement the same accountability measures that reformed the state's attorney general's office to hold government officials, elected leaders, and Indianapolis bureaucrats accountable to Hoosier taxpayers.
Source: 2024 Indiana Gubernatorial campaign website CurtisHill.com
Dec 19, 2023
Jennifer McCormick:
Launch comprehensive workforce development initiatives
We will work in collaboration with in-state, national, and international partners to launch comprehensive workforce development initiatives tailored to the needs of emerging industries, setting expectations for and providing support for a highly
educated and trained citizenry.We will pursue federal grants aligned with Indiana's needs and priorities by bringing back your tax dollars from Washington DC.
Source: 2024 Indiana Governor campaign website McCormickForGov.com
Jun 10, 2024
Mike Braun:
All governments need to do more with less
My property tax plan is built on three priorities: cut property taxes for Hoosier families--especially new homeowners and seniors, cap the annual increase to protect homeowners, farmers, and businesses, and reform the system through transparency.
I understand this tax relief will have an impact on local governments, but taxpayers are struggling, and we have to put their needs first. Just like the example I set with my budget proposal, all governments need to do more with less.
Source: 2025 State of the State Address to the Indiana legislature
Jan 29, 2025
Page last updated: Feb 07, 2026