by Jeff Abbott, Ph.D., J.D. In the past few weeks, we have heard horror stories throughout Indiana about testing under ISTEP+ — particularly the overload of the computer system and the failure of the testing company’s servers to handle the testing. State Board of Education members expressed frustration about what Indiana educators and education policymakers widely viewed as a disastrous testing experience. Several state board members expressed concern about the validity of an ISTEP+ that…

by Andrea Neal Otis Bowen will go down in history as the governor who delivered landmark property-tax relief to Hoosiers. He also deserves mention for what happened on Mitch Daniels’ watch: a tax-reform amendment to the state Constitution. Relief is “lightening of something oppressive,” according to Merriam-Webster. Reform is “correction of an abuse or wrong.” The first tends to be temporary, the latter more permanent. That’s why Bowen lobbied for the Daniels tax plan in…

by Cecil Bohanon, Ph.D. A conservative Republican governor has super majorities in both branches of the legislature. One might suspect such one-party government will lead to major changes in public policy, but this did not happen in 2013 in Indiana. When out of power, many conservatives, progressives and libertarians (me included) love to wax on how they would radically restructure public policies — remember the call for property-tax abolition? When one party is in control…

Please mark your calendar: 11 a.m. July 9, Hilton North, 8181 North Shadeland Avenue, Indianapolis This is your invitation to the foundation’s summer seminar. Click on the photo at right to save a seat for lunch, an endless coffee pot and a roomful of informed discussion ($20 if you register now). With a Republican sitting in the governor’s office and the GOP holding a supermajority in the legislature, you are right to expect a review…

“People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices. But though the law cannot hinder people of the same trade from sometimes assembling together, it ought to do nothing to facilitate such assemblies, much less to render them necessary.” — Adam Smith, 1776 by Craig Ladwig Beginning this year, only those construction projects valued…

“A Tea Party that devotes the next two years to promoting conservative candidates and removing moderates or non-ideologues is one that is well-positioned to expand its influence in the next round of elections.” — Jamelle Bouie in the Nov. 23, 2012, Washington Post. by Jason Arp There was commentary in the wake of the November election predicting that a new wave of conservatives would be the winning factor in 2014. Hopes were fed, toasts were…

by Stephen M. King, Ph.D. The recent U.S. Supreme Court arguments on same-sex marriage — e.g., the federal government’s Defense of Marriage Act and California’s Proposition 8  — have generated intense interest and speculation in what already was a controversial cultural issue. Even after listening to the Court’s justices ask questions of the lead attorneys, experienced Court watchers were unsure how it would decide when it rules on the cases in late June. What is…

by MARYANN O. KEATING, Ph.D. Charlie Rose of the Public Broadcasting Network gathered a group of majors around his oak table to discuss the state of U.S. municipalities. A dominant theme emerged — the need for a mayor to be able to implement his or her own personal vision. Yes, with respect for administrative discretion, we should attract competent, honest officials and expect them to use their bully pulpits to express themselves, but only about…

For release April 17 and thereafter (675 words) by Andrea Neal Only three months into his term, Gov. Mike Pence has taken a beating for failing to lead. Opinion writers, Democrats, even fellow Republicans, have offered all manner of conflicting counsel. His own legislative leaders have balked at his proposed 10 percent income tax cut, which should have been a shoo-in with Republicans in charge of both chambers. They say it’s not prudent to cut…

by Eric Schansberg, Ph.D. This year, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 16th Amendment’s income tax, passed in the last days of the Taft Administration in February 1913. It was the first change in the Constitution since 1870, giving Congress “the power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever sources derived.” In 1913, there were only seven tax brackets with marginal tax rates ranging up to 7 percent on income earned about…