ELWOOD — County residents will soon get a chance to learn about the progress being made with the state budget straight from the governor’s mouth.
Melissa Alfrey, executive director of the Elwood Chamber of Commerce, said Gov. Mitch Daniels will be coming to Edgewood Elementary School on Wednesday morning to speak with residents about the state budget.
The chamber, which is sponsoring the visit, has been courting a visit from Daniels for some time, Alfrey said. “I have invited Governor Daniels to our community round tables for the last two years and they said that’s why we were selected.”
The governor, she said, will begin a power point presentation at 8 a.m. in the school gymnasium before concluding the visit by taking questions from the audience.
While the governor is in Elwood speaking to citizens, state legislators will head back to the Statehouse in Indianapolis for continued special session budget talks.
Rep. Scott Reske, D-Pendleton, said the reason for the special session may not be immediately clear to some constituents. “In general, I don’t think the public realizes that at the end of the regular session the governor sabotaged it. With eight hours to go, the governor walked in and said I’m going to veto it.”
House Democrats, Reske said, were even willing to approve the Senate Republicans’ version of the budget, but Daniels stopped the process, causing the special session that now has legislators converging on Indianapolis.
As the governor speaks in Elwood, Reske said he and other Democrats will be keeping their eyes on the state’s education budget. “Whatever the governor wants to cut, we’re fine with it, as long as it doesn’t hurt education, and it gives a 2 percent increase for education.”
Reske said Democrats will also be looking to protect the elderly, sick and those using the state’s Family and Social Services Administration.
He was not surprised by the governor’s decision to visit Elwood and anticipates that he and other area legislators will hold an open forum regarding the budget eventually. A press release was issued last week announcing that Reske, state Sen. Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, and state Rep. Terri Austin, D-Anderson, will host a June 20 forum to seek public input on the new state budget. The meeting is from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Anderson Public Library, 111 E. 12th St.
Austin and Elwood Mayor Merrill Taylor could not be reached for comment Sunday.
Despite squabbles over the budget, Alfrey is happy that Elwood is getting a visit from Daniels. “We’re always looking for something positive to promote in our community and I think it’s wonderful that Gov. Daniels has chosen us. I think this needs to be a county event, not just an Elwood event.”
Alexandria Mayor Jack Woods is excited about the visit, but had one complaint. “I kind of wish he would have come here.”
Contact Brandi Watters: 640-4847, brandi.watters@heraldbulletin.com
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