Supporting Education & Educators!

Jim supports Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz, and he will work with her and our educators to restore respect to public education. Jim opposes efforts to funnel money away from public schools, and he will work to reduce testing so that no teacher is forced to “teach to the test.” He supports a proposal to establish a statewide, optional pre-kindergarten program so that our students get an early start on learning. He also believes that state government must consider the unique challenges faced by rural school districts with declining enrollments. These schools are the lifeblood of many communities, and state government must provide adequate funding to them. After high school, Jim recognizes the importance of higher education. He believes that a two-year or four-year degree at a public university should be affordable for every Hoosier. He will work to ensure proper funding of our public universities and will fight against tuition increases.

Investing in Indiana’s Infrastructure

Jim supports a long-term solution that provides dedicated funding to our roads, bridges, and public transportation programs. Jim believes that we must dedicate 100% of fuel taxes to our roads and bridges. He also supports using some of the state’s $2 billion surplus to fund infrastructure improvements and increasing state support for local infrastructure programs without forcing local governments to raise taxes.

Jobs & the Economy. The Road to Success.

Jim believes that we must enact state-wide civil rights protections for all Hoosiers. It is not only good for our economy – it is also the right thing to do. And to ensure that hard work pays off, Jim supports a minimum wage increase and guaranteed paid-family leave for Hoosier workers. Finally, Jim respects all that Hoosier workers have done to build a prosperous state, and he will stand up against the continued attacks on organized labor.

Restoring Integrity to State Government

Jim will support efforts to place common-sense limits on political donations. Perhaps more troublingly, Hoosiers politicians have drawn state and federal legislative districts to ensure that nearly every district is guaranteed to be one by one party or the other. Jim will support proposals that take redistricting out of the hands of partisan politicians. Finally, Jim supports John Gregg’s call for an “Open Government Initiative” that improves the process of making public information requests and ensures that open government laws are followed and that no politician can hide public information contrary to state law.