(Music plays) >> A surprising Governor Holcomb's final state of the state.

Numbers of Congress not running for reelection plus I just need agendas anymore.

From the television studios a WFYI it's Indiana Week in Review for the week ending January 12, 2024.

>> Indiana Week in Review is made possible by the support of Indiana public broadcasting stations.

>> This week Governor Holcomb spent most of his final state of the state address reflecting on Indiana's accomplishments on his seven years in office but he had a big announcement for his final year.

Holcomb reflected on what he calls the Indiana model, which he describes is not being content with mediocrity and seeking excellence with giant leaps.

To back up that argument he cited some numbers.

>> Private sector employment is up by 200,000 to an all-time high.

While our unemployment rolls remain historic lows.

>> Holcomb stressed his work is not done and he announced that his economic development initiative, ready to .0 receive a boost from the largest grant award in the history of the Lilly endowment.

>> $250 million to support Ready to .0 projects focused on flight reduction, redevelopment and arts and culture initiatives throughout our entire state.

>> Those awards are set to be announced in April.

Has Indiana taken giant leaps forward the last seven years?

It's the first question for our Indiana Week in Review panel.

Democrat Ann Delaney, Republican Mike O'Brien, editor-in-chief of mirror Indy and Nikki Kelly, editor-in-chief of the Indiana capital Chronicle.

I'm statehouse bureau chief Rendon Smith.

I want to know that the Lilly endowment also provides funding for Indiana broadcast news.

Without disclosure out of the way Mike O'Brien the Indiana model.

>> To start to build that speech was with Holcomb focused on the things, their Stacy hasn't paid a lot of attention to in state government, things he spent a lot of time paying attention to in state government, most of which I think are top of mind.

Educational workforce, Economic Development, how they are all connected and that speech in his agenda encompasses all of that.

It's clearly been his passion for the last seven years.

The numbers prove it out that 50 billion new investment.

Overseeing high-tech industry choose Indiana.

Battery plants, 50 billion and outside investment, the leap project.

On the education side is going to focus along with the Republicans in the legislature on making sure kids who read in the third grade.

Average teacher pay is up to $60,000 which is 10,000 beyond where the goal was.

There are a lot of high points that he hit but I thought it was classic Eric and finish on a high note I think.

>> If I had a dollar for every time you said Indiana takes only baby steps I wouldn't have to host the show anymore.

>> Is that a goal of yours?

>> Will see.

But considering those numbers that they talked about.

The unemployment highs and lows, Economic Development growth, teacher salaries nearing.

Not at 60 yet.

Next year I think he said that they will hit $60,000.

Average.

Are those giant leaps forward?

>> Certainly the teacher pay is a very substantial leap forward.

The unemployment rate in the employment rate of the function of the national economy which is affecting all of the states, not just Indiana.

It's Joe Biden's economic policy that has done that.

>> And Donald Trump.

>> I think it postdates Donald Trump.

In any event the one thing that you recall with Mitch Daniels was the guru of Economic Development as far as Republicans are concerned said the one measure and the only measure that matters is where Indiana affairs in terms of the national income per person.

We are still lagging behind the national income.

We have been lagging behind during all of those years of Republican-controlled governors race and governor and legislature.

>> It hangs around my neck.

>> Your mentor.

>> If we could go back in time.

>> Your mentor said it was the only measure of success and they failed on that.

He has taken some positive steps forward.

Teacher pay finally recognizing we have a public health issue that needs to be addressed is important.

On Economic Development, I mean we will see whether the Leap Project is already supposed to be since they have been paying through the nose on that and did not study in advance what they would need in terms of resources in order to get that off the ground.

He has done some good things.

Doing what she had done more?

Yes.

There are a lot of areas in Indiana lagging behind our sister states and certainly the national average.

>> Was this about the speech from the governor you expected from his final state of the state?

>> He struck the reflective tone.

Looking back at his eight years.

Also throwing in a few things he wants to get done for his final year.

The Lilly announcement was a bright spot for him.

But yes, I think it was quintessential Holcomb.

Even with a Henry note.

>> I thought that the most exciting part of the Lilly Endowment announcement wasn't just the dollar amount.

$250 million.

>> Not chump change.

>> It's not.

That's exciting on its own.

But what those dollars have been targeted at.

Need improvement, redevelopment art and cultural initiatives which are sometimes things we don't prioritize enough because we have so many other things we have to focus on.

Is that maybe the most exciting part of the Lilly Endowment from your perspective?

>> Probably for me, yes.

It also shows where were trying to go in Indiana.

Thereafter trying to focus more on things may not people think are important.

Arts and culture gets, oh it's not the bread- and-butter and not something, but it's important quality of life.

I think it's something Governor Holcomb has focused on his term as quality-of-life issues.

That often are talked about.

From the government perspective.

Those are the things that keep people in Indiana and make people want to come to Indiana.

I find that it is really those things that are not really top of mind issues, but they are always there.

>> Two of Indiana's members of Congress announced this week they will not run for reelection this year.

District representative Larry and district representative Greg Pence.

>> In a statement Sean cited Scripture saying there is everything a season and it became clear to him over the holidays the time has come to bring his season in public service to an end.

Pence talked about his decision said it was his experience as a Marine that led him to in the first place serve his country again, and it's been a privilege to represent the district.

He has been serving U.S. House since 2011 while Pence was elected in 2018.

For members of Indiana's Republican delegation U.S. House have announced they are not running for their seats this year.

They join Victoria Spartz and Jim Banks and that number although Banks is running for higher office in US Senate.

Kim Delaney, are you surprised at the amount of turnover delegation?

>> They might as well design.

They haven't done anything in the terms they were there.

They haven't.

All they do are denied the election of Joe Biden and talk about insurrection as being tourists.

They cannot pass a budget.

We used to have people in the congressional delegation on the Republican and Democratic side that we could point to with pride, that got elected to do something in Congress.

These are not among them.

In five years they will be a trivia question and no one will get it right.

>> This amount of turnover in terms of what it means to constituencies they're going to have a bunch of freshman in those states who hopefully will get things done, but when you are one of 435 in the house and being that low on the totem pole is that going to hurt Indiana in terms of its ability to attract things to the state?

>> What they do to attract them when they were there?

>> It does, particularly in the Senate.

He benefited from Tanya the head of NRSC and spent his cycle running over.

That gives cachet in that caucus he's used.

>> Loosing that play out in all of the hub designations that Indiana made late last year from the federal government.

>> That's an example.

In the house you can move quicker because it turns over faster.

Get elected every two years.

Who knows what the outcome will be this year in terms of the majority in the margin.

What we've seen in thin majorities the five, six, seven people who have an outsized amount of power because they can lock up the process.

We see that happen and so it depends on how they handle it.

I don't want to go to Congress, so I'm glad the people there still want to.

>> They may be afraid of the Democrats that will take back control to.

>> There was some thought that Greg Pence might not run again.

We saw member of the statehouse already announces candidacy the day after Greg Pence announced running.

The same day.

Clearly that was coming.

I don't think a lot of us knew that Sean was going to retire so we might seek delayed reaction from his district.

If you or someone in one of these districts why do you want to run for Congress?

>> Why do I get that question?

(laughs) I think you want to run for Congress because you want to have some kind of power, change, help.

First of all, I do like the idea of people not staying in office forever.

I do like the idea of turnover.

I think we should say 10, I think we should say 10, 2012 years, fresh ideas and people coming in.

Why would someone want to run?

I don't know?

What do they want to accomplish?

It's a different time.

Your point is a different time.

People want to get in there and do things, they just want to kind of be famous and maybe write a book from it.

I don't know.

They are auditioning for another job, I don't know.

I don't see people really doing much anymore.

They just get in there, pontificate and talk about things that are wrong.

>> Given that all of these districts are fairly red and the general election.

>> What you mean fairly red?

They are gerrymandered.

>> Given they are all fairly red in the general election when you combine it with the Senate race and the governors race is this the most chaotic primary season you've ever seen in Indiana?

>> I would definitely say that.

Between the governors race, U.S. Senate race, I don't think it is as technically competitive, it's kind of crazy.

I would say, I do think it is a concern for Indiana though.

I think the average term for congresspeople going into this session was for terms, for terms is 1/2 years or something like that.

Indiana's delegation is very young.

Most of our delegation is under two terms.

I think there's a concern about whether we are going to be able to move legislation, do anything to help Hoosiers from the national level.

>> I think after this election the matter with the results are in the entire delegation Todd Young will be the most senior Republican by far was first elected to the house in 2010.

Which is 14 years ago.

But still, congressional time that's not a lot.

>> That's not much.

(Laughter) >> Time for viewer feedback.

Each weekly postevent scientific online poll question.

This week's question is, is the amount of turnover in Indiana's congressional delegation good or bad thing?

A, yes.

B, bad.

Space question was do you expect the 2024 legislator session to be quite and uncontroversial?

18% said yes and 82% said no.

If you like to take part in the poll go to WFYI.org/IWIR and look for the poll.

Since said it our education and workforce.

House Republicans top priority bill would allow state scholarship program such as 21st century scholars and the Frank Bannon grant to be used for workforce training, not just traditional two and four-year degree programs.

Todd Houston, House Speaker, says it helps further the goal of making more relevant high school experience.

>> Getting more kids in high school classes going to prepare them for college and the workforce.

>> The Senate GOP top authority is improving student reading skills.

Senator Jeff says the bills focus is identifying a release is who are struggling to read.

>> Schools will check with students in kindergarten, first and second grade to make sure they are on track to be proficient in reading by the end of the third grade.

All students not on track must be given extra support to reading remediation.

>> The only students allowed to advance to fourth grade if they fail third grade reading test the English learners, students with intellectual disabilities and those with individual education programs, and students who pass third grade math test.

Let's talk about the reading proficiency bill that the Senate Republicans are putting forward.

Lillian move the needle?

>> I certainly hope so.

I think we need to really focus in and honing on education.

I think it's kind of, will not kind of be too late to wait until third grade.

I believe Senate bill one talks about second grade to see, you should know her students are falling behind that early on.

Third grade I think is too late.

There is also talk of the different exceptions that you can have.

We're saying too many exceptions are actually being passed so students are still being promoted who cannot read.

So then where is the chief?

I think there still this option if we don't know what to have summer school anymore.

So we remediate during the year.

I think we need to revisit that as well.

We go back to mandatory summer school?

I understand it's not popular for a variety of reasons, but is it better than having students continue on and not being able to read or not to fourth grade?

Where are the options?

I think it's on the table to figure out what we need to do to move the needle because there's many things to do.

Definitely starting before third grade.

The greatest too late.

By third grade you know they cannot read.

>> Now they require first and second grade and if you pass it you don't have to take it again in third grade.

>> Those are great starts on the bill.

It makes total sense to start in second grade.

You have more time to remediate.

I do think it's fair to point out a few things with the bill does not go far enough.

There are only so many hours in those days now.

They are already in school.

I'm not sure where you fit in all the remediation.

Making a school offer summer school but not requiring kids to take it.

It seems like 1/2 step there.

The other thing to point out is well the bill does "Which prior retention" mirrors the language that already exists in state rule and schools are not following it.

I am not sure how it does anything different.

There still no enforcement on the schools.

I guess there point is saying now it will be in state law so you have to follow it as opposed to administrative rule which still technically has the force of law.

>> Let me ask you this question.

It's one of those questions that came up in the press conference, not mandating kids to go to summer school if they need remediation.

Should the state mandate that?

>> I think it should not be option.

We have to have third- graders and second graders or whatever it is, we have to have a population that is literate.

They got to be able to read and if they are not able to do it within the hours provided they have to go to summer school.

It used to be the rule.

Why we have abandoned it when we got third-graders failing reading test is beyond me.

I don't think that the legislator needs to get into the nitty-gritty of who goes ahead and was held back.

That's for teachers and parents.

>> To me it's a balancing act which is worse.

Mandating summer school or holding the student back?

>> Mandating summer school is the way to go.

>> That's the question I was going to ask.

Which will be more unpopular?

Holding kids back or mandating.

>> Looking at second graders I am shocked it took us 15 years to figure out to find out second graders can't read will be able to read in third grade.

Starting early.

>> Why not have preschool for all kids?

>> I am for that as well.

I think will the new kickback is always there so much rocked into that.

>> There's so much.

>> Which is why summer school is better.

>> Democratic Senator talks about if you are holding kids back you really are moving more kids back and finally enforcing the administrative rules and enforcing the law.

You have to have more supports a schools necessarily just a teacher to provide engagement.

Social workers, counselors who are handling the mental effect of holding a kickback from their peers.

The Indiana Black legislative caucuses housing should be more accessible, and equitable for all Hoosiers.

That's the focus of the caucuses agenda in 2024.

Caucus bills include measures to prohibit housing discrimination against active-duty and veteran military servicemembers, then foreclosures based on medical debt, and double tax deduction for renters.

Caucus Gerald Harris Junior says housing is an integral part of the American dream.

>> Owning a home is about far more than having a roof over your head, it's about giving the losers sense of security.

>> Some of the bills that have come up before prior legislation to ban discrimination in housing appraisals.

Prior system members of the Republican super majority don't see things such as to Squamish as well.

>> I think the legislator has not taken the issue as seriously as they should.

>> Harris said that House Speaker Todd Liston acknowledged the decision for further housing issues.

Nikki Kelly, we have seen the black caucus have more success in recent years some of the recent reforms in 2021.

We saw the scholars program was a big thing last year, education equity in general last year.

Is this one that could have more success?

>> I think that could get one or two of the smaller items.

One bill I was particularly intrigued by was a bill that requires notice when a landlord is selling the property, and to actually make the new owner basically keep to the terms of the lease so they cannot just kick people out willy-nilly.

That one would be I think really helpful to Hoosiers.

>> I think there's been tension in Indianapolis, from Democrats and Republicans including FairPlay to attorney general for looking at out-of-state corporate landlords who are not properly handling their properties here in Indiana.

This kind of gets to some of those issues.

Does the source of things that you could find my person.

>> I think so.

Right now you see in affordable housing shortage.

I see apartment buildings going up all the time, constantly, but we know the rent is astronomical for a lot of people.

Buying a house, people cannot buy a house, that's one of the easiest ways to build wealth for generations and your families to buy a house.

Repressing people out of that market.

People are no longer able to rent because I think we are seeing a lot of these out-of-town characters, landlords, their pricing people out and buying properties and increasing the rent the next month before people have a chance to even really prepare for that.

People are getting evicted left and right.

We know their protections we need therefore renters too.

I think this is something that both sides of the aisle will need to look at in connection.

We actually want to take care of Hoosiers.

>> I don't see how anyone could argue that service people shouldn't be discriminated against.

>> I think.

>> The renters credit should be raised.

We ought to find a way to help people with downpayments.

That's the way families build wealth and that's what's prohibitive for somebody people.

There could be ways we could help address the housing shortage by being a little bit innovative on the state level.

>> I want to talk about an issue that and just brought up because I think that's one of the issues that Representative Harris is built.

Providing state fund that helps people with downpayments can't afford them.

That's often a huge barrier into getting into the housing market and the first place.

Wayne pays for it is not with general fund appropriation.

The way he proposes paying for it is by essentially taxing folks will buy more than one single-family home.

You're looking at more and more corporate landlords in that sense.

Not buying apartment complexes but buying a bunch of single-family homes and then raising the prices for those making the rental properties.

By taxing those in the fund it would fund that down payment fund and as he pointed out we don't have a bunch of people doing that, that makes housing more affordable because we don't have corporate landlords jacking up the price.

To think that something that could find support in the general assembly?

Not necessarily the session?

>> Raising taxes is always a challenge but I think in the policy space there's been a broad line agreement on the problem.

I think these are some good solutions that the caucus put forward.

I think if not successful this session as short sessions to sometimes big issues like this into back >> The Indianapolis zoo is expecting his first ever rhinoceros baby next month born to a white rhino that joined last year.

Mike O'Brien, what is a good Indiana themed name for the baby rhino?

>> Witticisms from some viewers of the show should behave Mike O'Brien the rhino.

>> Because here I am.

>> I like that a lot.

Ann Delaney?

>> I don't know.

>> There you go.

That's terrible.

>> It's like racing but also irony.

Speedy.

>> Here's the only problem could be considered an illegal campaign donation to Representative Mike speedy who is running for congressional seat?

>> It could be.

>> It could be a problem.

>> What's your idea?

>> I don't have any.

It's not my job.

>> You weigh in on occasion with these questions.

>> Not on one where >> Classic conservative.

Not a rhino.

>> It's not you.

>> The only problem I cast people have is he's absolutely in that district.

That's a part of that district that is usually further east so you have to introduce himself.

>> Another gerrymander.

>> That's Indiana Week in Review.

One last question.

Our panel is Democrat Ann Delaney, Republican Mike O'Brien, though she avoid and the Kelly of the Indiana capital Chronicle.

You can find Indiana Week in Review's podcast at WFYI.org/IWIR or on the PBS App.

I'm Brandon Smith of Indiana public broadcasting.

Join us next time because a lot can happen in an Indiana week.

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