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IssuesThis page summarizes David O's position on various issues. Links are provided to detailed statements. If you are interested in a particular issue not listed here, please feel free to contact David. Property Taxes Building World-Class Schools Child Safety Affordable Health Care
Attracting High-Paying Jobs for Hoosier FamiliesJust any job isn’t good enough--Hoosier families need stable jobs that pay good wages and offer benefits like health insurance. At the State House, David O. addressed a critical problem with economic development in Indiana—the lack of venture capital for new businesses. He authored a provision that will generate more than $100 million in funding to help ensure that young companies can tap the venture capital they need to start here and stay here. He also supported other policies to bring quality jobs to Indianapolis so our kids can grow up and find high-paying jobs right here in Indiana. He voted for the creation and reorganization of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, the state entity that is bringing new jobs to Indiana. He also voted to make the research and development tax credit permanent and to provide $75 million for the 21st Century Fund for new and emerging technology companies. David believes that the life sciences industry will play a critical role in the state's future economy. That is why he supports greater investments in our state's universities, cutting-edge research on stem cells and other promising areas in medicine, and stronger partnerships between companies like Eli Lilly and scientists at our academic institutions. For more information on David's proposals for economic growth, see his op-ed in the Indianapolis Star. Property TaxesWhen the General Assembly restructured the state’s tax code before David O. took office, legislators tried to give homeowners relief from the court-ordered reassessment. Although $800 million in property tax relief was approved and the current budget increased property tax relief by more than $2 billion, homeowners bore a larger share of the state tax burden than was anticipated. David supported Senate Enrolled Act 1 in December 2003 that contains nearly $500 million in protection for homeowners and businesses from previously unchecked local property tax increases. As a result of the Act and other changes, homeowners will be protected from substantial increases in their property tax bills in the future. David also voted for House Enrolled Act 1001 in 2006 that will provide $227 million in property tax relief over two years. David has proposed legislation to provide targeted tax relief for seniors and other persons with limited incomes and to offset the very high tax rates that homeowners in the older, urban neighborhoods face. Although the Indiana Senate would not agree to such relief, David will continue working to fix the inequities in our current property tax system and to reduce our state's reliance on property taxes as a source of revenue. Building World-Class SchoolsDavid O. believes our children need high-tech training for the jobs of the future, but they also need to learn old-fashioned values like respect. David will fight to reduce class sizes and raise standards for teachers, schools and students to make sure our kids get a world-class education. David also supports full-day kindergarten. With our limited dollars, we need to spend them on education reforms that will give us the biggest bang for our buck. Early education provides one of the highest returns on the education dollar. Please take a moment to review David's op-ed on education that was published in the Indianapolis Star. Child SafetyDuring the 2004 session, David O. co-authored legislation to protect children from abuse and neglect. House Enrolled Act 1194 and Senate Enrolled Act 194 have several important provisions, including:
David also supported the new legislation to require the use of restraint systems in motor vehicles for all children 7 years of age or younger. Affordable Health CareAs a doctor, David O. understands how to reform our health care system so it continues to deliver the highest quality of care but at lower costs for patients. He voted for Senate Enrolled Act 493 in 2003 which calls for the creation of a long-term care program that will encourage a shift from institutional to home care, where people do better and health care spending is more cost effective. He also voted for House Enrolled Act 1265 in 2004 to set up a pilot, prescription drug purchasing program for the state to negotiate lower drug costs for state employees. David’s own proposal would have made health care insurance more affordable for employees who do not receive health care coverage at work. Employees would have saved 25-40% off the cost of their premiums because of federal tax incentives, at no cost to their employers. Although this important proposal has been passed by the House, the Senate has blocked its enactment. When the House reconvenes in January, David plans to reintroduce the bill. David also plans to introduce a second proposal to make health care more affordable for Hoosiers. Two years ago, he convened a working group with other health care experts, including professors at IU School of Medicine and representatives from Eli Lilly, Clarian, WellPoint, and the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce. The group has studied reforms elsewhere to see what has worked and what has not worked. From that review, David has developed a proposal to make our Medicaid system work more efficiently so more people can be included in the program without increasing spending. In addition, the proposal will include a "buy-in" for small businesses and individuals that will ensure good coverage at prices that will be as much as 50% lower than current insurance options. For more information on this proposal, see David's presentation to the legislature's Medicaid Oversight Committee.
Committee to Elect David Orentlicher
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