Andrea Neal column for Aug. 17 and thereafter740 words INDIANAPOLIS — Are books essential to a child’s education? The answer could spell the end to Indiana’s textbook rental fee. Each year about this time, parents whip out the checkbook to cover what might be the most unpopular fee in Indiana. The amount due can range from $50 to $150 or higher, depending on a student’s grade level and course requirements. For more than a decade,…

Andrea Neal column for June 15th and thereafter730 words INDIANAPOLIS — Time for a pop quiz on Indiana politics. Guess which political party includes the following statements in its 2004 platform. 1. "To combat public corruption and end the cycle of scandal, fraud and theft in state government, we support the creation of an Office of Inspector General" as well as stronger whistleblower protection laws to reward state employees for reporting wrongdoing. 2. "No task…

Andrea Neal column for release June 8 and thereafter700 words INDIANAPOLIS — Politicians dead-set on a prescription drug benefit for seniors are faced with two options: Maintain their foolish plan for a new Medicare entitlement that will bankrupt future generations, or follow in the footsteps of Indiana. In a refreshing change from the norm, Indiana is the trendsetter in providing prescription benefits to seniors. The HoosierRx program, launched in October 2000 under Gov. Frank O’Bannon,…

Andrea Neal column for Dec. 7 and thereafter740 words INDIANAPOLIS – When Joel Silverman agreed to serve as commissioner of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, he had a pretty good idea what might lie ahead. The challenges have been hammered home in recent days by the comments he’s heard from well-wishers: everything from "You’re crazy" and "You have to be nuts" to "I’ll pray for you." No appointment in the administration of Gov-Elect Mitch Daniels…

Andrea Neal column for Nov. 23 and thereafter710 words INDIANAPOLIS – If you’re one of the many Hoosiers hoping for big property tax relief in 2005, prepare for disappointment. The Property Tax Replacement Study Commission, after six months of research, has decided now’s not the time to dramatically reduce our reliance on what many consider an archaic revenue source. In its Nov. 15 report, the commission declined to endorse any plan that would cut half…

Andrea Neal column for release Nov. 17 and thereafter. INDIANAPOLIS – The arrest of a former security officer for conspiring to rig a scratch-off game may sound like small potatoes in the $664 million business that is the Hoosier Lottery. But with the legislature poised to consider even more gambling expansion in the 2005 session, Hoosiers would be wise to ask hard questions about our fourth largest revenue source: Has the proliferation of gambling contributed…

Andrea Neal column for Nov. 9 and thereafter730 words INDIANAPOLIS — Gov.-Elect Mitch Daniels is taking a victory lap around the state to thank voters for their support. Before he puts RV1 to pasture, I hope he’ll come to my neighborhood on Indy’s north side. We were among those hard hit by property tax reassessment and my neighbors and I want to make sure he understands our plight before Inauguration Day. If he comes to…

Andrea Neal column for release Nov. 4 and thereafter690 words INDIANAPOLIS –- If one message stands out as defining Mitch Daniels and his quest to be governor, it was this: "Every garden needs weeding at least every 16 years." On Tuesday, Indiana voters weeded the garden, making Daniels the first Republican governor since Robert D. Orr’s term ended in 1988. As Daniels himself promised in his short and upbeat acceptance speech, big changes, "courageous decisions"…

Andrea Neal column for Oct. 19 and thereafter730 words Editors: This is the last of three columns focusing on specific issues in Indiana’s governor’s race. INDIANAPOLIS – By now, every Hoosier has heard the statistic. The average Indiana worker earns only 88 cents for every dollar earned by the average American. The challenge for Indiana’s next governor? Turn that statistic into a competitive advantage. After all, it doesn’t cost as much to do business here.…