A Citizen's Guide to Indiana

Masson's Blog

Of School, Super Bowls, and Mechanized Bureaucracy

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The Indianapolis Public Schools announced that they were going to delay their start time by two hours on the Monday after the Super Bowl, hoping to avoid a repeat of 2007 when bus drivers called in sick en masse after the Super Bowl. This resulted in them having to cancel classes entirely that day. Abdul is reporting that the proposed two hour delay solution is running into static from the State.

[T]he Indiana Department of Education tells Indiana Barrister News that state rules mandate students must be in school the entire time and delays can only be used for emergency situations like the weather.

The State says IPS would have to make up the day later in the school year, or let school out two hours later on Monday. A Department spokesman says IPS could ask for a waiver to allow the 2-hour delay, but it’s unlikely it would get it for the Super Bowl.

To which I say: buncha kill joys. This strikes me as inflexible bureaucracy at its finest. The two hour delay is a reasonable solution to a real, albeit somewhat frivolous, problem. Is education more important than football? Well, yeah. But that two hours of school time isn’t going to make or break the kids, and the Super Bowl isn’t an every day issue.

Once upon a time, local leaders would be able to make these common sense gestures as a matter of civic pride. Now there is a mechanized bureaucracy that abhors flexibility and ad hoc solutions.

SB 177 – Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission

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Senator Miller’s SB 177 passed the Senate on a vote of 33 – 17. It caught my attention when I saw a Facebook group joined by friends of mine of distinctly opposing political views. The Indianapolis Star has an opinion piece opposing the bill.

I’ll confess to only having a vague idea of what is going on with this one, but it looks like it gives the Metropolitan Development Commission the power to review decisions made by the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission. According to the Indianapolis Star:

Currently, the commission deals from strength in setting limits to demolition and disfigurement of distinctive properties. Its decisions have to be appealed to the city prosecutor and the courts, essentially on narrow legal grounds. Under Senate Bill 177, rank could be pulled. Besides halving the current four-year terms, it would make rulings appealable to the body above the Historic Preservation Commission, the Metropolitan Development Commission. Originally, even worse, it was to be the City-County Council. Either way, members would be watching over their shoulders.

The proposal to weaken the commission does not reflect its overall record, which is collaborative and results in rare rejections. Rather, it stems from two incidents, one involving windows in an Irvington house and the other a historic church in Cumberland threatened with demolition for commercial development.

It’s one of those deals where I have to kind of scratch my head and wonder why the state is getting so deeply involved in local matters.

SB 118 – Election Day Alcohol Sales

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The Senate has come up with a way to keep up voting on election day in the face of increasing voter disillusionment – election day alcohol sales. The Senate passed SB 118 on a 30-20 vote which repeals a prohibition on alcohol sales during primary, general, and special elections.

Additionally, the Senate passed SB 119 on a 32 – 18 vote which extends Sunday retail liquor sales (restaurants and the like) a bit. Currently, they can sell alcohol from 10 – 12:30 a.m. Under this bill that would be changed to 7 – 3:00 a.m.

SB 35 – State Administration

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The Senate passed SB 35 on a 34 – 16 vote regarding various state administration matters.

Among other things, it increases from $100k to $500k the value of the project on which the Department of Correction can use inmate labor. It increases from $75k to $150k the amount of a project for which the bidding process is required. It increases from $150k to $1M the amount of projects for which retainage is required. It allows the Department of Administration to use clickwrap contract approval methods.

It allows the State to sell state property through a request for proposal method in addition to a bidding or auction process. Specifies requirements for documentation of negotiations.

It “eliminates the Alzheimer’s disease and related senile dementia programs. Eliminates the Alzheimer’s and dementia special care disclosure by a health facility that provides or offers Alzheimer’s and dementia special care. Eliminates the requirement for the community and home options to institutional care for the elderly and disabled board (CHOICE board) to conduct an annual conference on the problems of the aging and the aged. Repeals the requirement that the CHOICE board meet at least six times each year. Increases the maximum monthly cost share amount for services under the infants and toddlers with disabilities program.”

And, it eliminates the requirement that a teacher be paid the same rate of pay as an IPS teacher when the board for the Deaf School and Blind School prescribes a salary schedule.

Budget Cut Fallout Followup: Locally Grown Meat

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Probably I can’t cite the awesome power of Masson’s Blog for this turn around, but following up on a post I did yesterday about budget cuts to the Meat and Poultry Inspection Program (MPIP), Ken Kusmer, writing for the Associated Press reports that the Daniels Administration is backing away from some planned cuts.

The administration of Gov. Mitch Daniels is backing away from a plan to cut in half the budget for state inspections of meat processors after complaints that it would drive some plants out of business and hurt small farmers.
. . .
Animal Health Board Chief of Staff Doug Metcalf says the budget cut still will result in laying off some state inspectors but not as many once feared.

The board inspects about 130 smaller meat processors that employ more than 1,500 workers. They processed about 80,000 head of beef, hogs, lambs and goats last year valued at more than $35 million.

Budget Cut Fallout: Locally Grown Meat

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First, a heads up: my information is based on a website of unknown (to me) provenance. But, it seems plausible, so I’ll pass it along. The Pasture to Plate blog has flagged one impact of Gov. Daniels budget cuts. Basically, one of the cuts is apparently to the Meat and Poultry Inspection Program (MPIP) which is an inspection required for locally grown meats to be sold to individuals or farmers markets or the like.

Dear Friends,

I want you to know the ability of family farmers to provide locally-raised meat to our fellow Hoosiers is being threatened by crippling state budget cuts to the Meat and Poultry Inspection Program (MPIP).

To sell meat at farmers’ markets, or direct to families, or to restaurants or donate to food banks our meat has to be processed at an inspected facility.
. . .

SJR 13 – Marriage Rights Act Passes Senate

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SJR 13, the latest run at Constitutionalizing marriage discrimination, passed the Indiana Senate on a vote of 38 – 10. I’m unable to find a link to the roll call vote though to see who voted for and against. I discussed my views of this amendment a couple weeks ago.

It’s a solution in search of a problem; it is – at root – mean spirited; and it’s on the wrong side of history. One day, we will view those who fight the acceptance of gays as equal citizens in the same light as we now view Strom Thurmond and Bull Connor.

Senate Votes to Eliminate Township Boards

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SB 240 concerning township government was passed by the Indiana Senate on a 29 – 19 vote (PDF). It would eliminate township boards and make the County Council the fiscal and legislative body for the township board.

The bill gives some guidance to county councils on formulating township budgets. It also specifies that the relative of an officer or employee of a township can’t be employed by the township in a capacity where the relative is a direct supervisor or subordinate of the officer or employee. However, no termination or reassignment is required prior to 2015 if the position was one the relative held prior to 2010. It has some other anti-nepotism provisions with respect to contracts. And, it requires the township to list its telephone number in a telephone directory

IN-04: Steve Buyer to Retire

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RTV 6 is reporting (and I saw it from Abdul first) that Rep. Steve Buyer (R IN-04) will not seek re-election. He cites the health of his wife as the reason for his retirement. I have not had any love for Rep. Buyer’s representation of my district, but regardless, I hope his family’s health situation, whatever it is, improves. In fact, I hope it’s just one of those things politicians say when their real reasons are less sympathetic. Family illness is just one of those devastating things. (I’ll even avoid, for the moment, my inclination to veer off into a discussion of how important access to adequate health care is.)

Rep. Buyer was under fire recently for his non-charity, the Frontier Foundation, which had not been providing scholarship money but been taking in money from corporate donors with business before Congressman Buyer’s committees; usually through a golf outing at nice places. But, unless there are some more spectacular skeletons in the closet, I kind of doubt that added a whole lot to his decision to step down. He is in a very safe Republican district and, with no real primary challengers, has been largely unaccountable for his performance as a Congressman.

I would now expect a lot of Republican interest in the seat. I expect the chances of a Democratic pick up to be very slim but chances of an improvement in the quality of representation for the District as very good.

But, again, even though my differences with Mr. Buyer’s politics couldn’t be more profound, I hope he and his family regain their health and live long and happy lives.

(The Indianapolis Star has the story now as well.

Hey, Look! America’s “Feel Good” Team Wants To Win By Injuring Our Quarterback

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So, the Saints are apparently the “feel good” story of the NFL playoffs. I get it. They used to suck, their city got washed away, and they’re in the Super Bowl. But, mouthy cheap shot artists kind of take the bloom off the rose.

Saints Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams, from an interview on 104.5 The Zone in Nashville, going all Buddy Ryan on Peyton Manning (via ESPN’s AFC South Blog).

“This guy’s got a great clock in his head. The big thing is that he throws the ball so early that we’re going to have to do a good job of finding ways to get to him and when we do get to him we’re going to have to make sure he gets a couple ‘remember me’ shots when we get there …”

Then, when asked about his players worrying about incurring 15-yard penalties for hitting Manning, he added this:

“Here’s the deal. When you put too much of that type of worry on a warrior’s mind, he doesn’t play all out. If it happens, it happens. And the only thing you’d like for me to say is that if it happens you hope he doesn’t get back up and play again.”

Yeah, go to hell. If you can’t beat Manning playing by the rules, find another game.