INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels' budget director has told state agencies to cut their spending by an additional 5 percent for the state fiscal year that begins July 1.
A memo from Christopher Ruhl directs all state agencies to hold back 2011 fiscal year spending by 15 percent compared with their 2010 budgets. After the General Assembly approved those budgets last year, Daniels in November told agencies to cut spending by 10 percent because of lower than projected state tax revenues.
Ruhl says revenues are $867 million, or 9.4 percent, less than forecast through the first nine months of the current fiscal year.
The ordered cuts apply only to executive branch agencies, but Ruhl is asking other elected officials, the courts and the Legislature to also cut spending.
Workshops lend foreclosure advice
Homeowners facing foreclosure can get some straightforward advice at one of 11 workshops being offered in the next five weeks.
Two workshops are scheduled for Southwestern Indiana, and both will take place June 3.
The first, beginning at 10:30 a.m., is at the WorkOne office in Vincennes, at 1500 N. Chestnut St. The second, at 2 p.m., is at the WorkOne office in Evansville, at 700 E. Walnut St.
The workshops are offered by the Indiana attorney general's office, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development and the Indiana Foreclosure Prevention Network.
"There is hope for homeowners who are falling behind on their mortgages. Those who attend a workshop will come away with a better understanding of the alternative remedies to foreclosure and an awareness of their rights under Indiana law to request a settlement conference," said Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller.
"Foreclosure rescue consultants are not the answer for people behind on their mortgage. Attending one of these workshops is critical for anyone looking for legitimate help to avoid foreclosure."
For more information, visit www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/2417.htm.
Daniels wants three-year degree
Daniels is urging Indiana's colleges and universities to begin offering three-year bachelor's degrees that he said would give students a way to "fast-forward" their college careers.
Daniels said April 19 that three-year degrees would boost the number of Indiana residents with the college degrees he said are crucial to the state's future work force.
The governor criticized what he called a "herd 'em in and keep 'em in" campus mentality and called for a new way of thinking that gets students to commencement "as fast as we can."
"We can't simply emphasize enrollment any more," Daniels told an annual gathering of college presidents and higher education officials in Indianapolis.
Only two Indiana schools — Ball State University and Manchester College — offer an accelerated degree program, and relatively few students take advantage of it.
But cutting out one-fourth of school could save some students up to $25,000.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.