With less than 50 days before polls close on the Hoosier
State’s most competitive primary in decades, the Indiana Capital Chronicle will
publish four issue-based question and answers with the six Republican
candidates. The following four questions on the economy were distributed to:
U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, Brad Chambers, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Eric Doden,
former Attorney General Curtis Hill and Jamie Reitenour.
Each candidate was asked to limit their responses to 150
words and answers were printed as submitted with only minor edits, like spacing
or full names, for clarity.
There is only one Democrat on the primary ballot for
governor — former Superintendent for Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick —
and one Libertarian, Donald Rainwater, who was selected in a private convention
process.
On paper, the “soft landing” economy is doing well as
inflation falls and unemployment remains low. But some sectors of the economy,
such as groceries, remain costly and consumer outlook is pessimistic. What will
you specifically do to turn that sentiment around?
- Braun: If you travel every one of our 92
counties every year like I do, you know Hoosier families don’t think the
economy is doing well. (President) Joe Biden’s radical spending agenda has
cost the average Hoosier family $20,000 in the last three years from inflation
I warned against from day one. I’m proud to have voted against every bit
of the Biden spending spree, because the best way to reduce inflation is
through less spending from the federal government. I am proud to have
supported the Balanced Budget Amendment and will fight for a Convention of
States to add it to the Constitution as Governor because the best way to
reduce inflation is to force Washington to spend less of your money.
- Note: Read the Republican-produced inflation
report here and
pushback from the Biden administration here.
- Chambers: The spending policies of President Biden and career
politicians in Washington, D.C. sent inflation to levels not seen in four
decades. While prices are coming down, Hoosiers have long memories and are
still unnecessarily struggling to afford the basics.
We can lessen these struggles by creating more opportunities for Hoosiers
to become financially secure through careers with higher wages. I
fundamentally believe that when Hoosiers are economically secure and have
more money in their pocket, all aspects of their lives are better — their
housing, their health, their education and their family.
As secretary of commerce, I brought in record committed capital investment
paying wages 30% higher than at any time in state history, proving that
Indiana can win, can raise wages and can create more opportunities for
Hoosiers.
We need a leader who is unapologetic in what Indiana can be and do, and
that’s the type of leader I’ll be.
- Note: The 2023 year-end report from
the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, which Chambers led until
last August.
- Crouch: I am the only candidate for
governor who has a plan to do just this: it’s called “Axe the Tax.” Under
my initiative, I will work with the leaders of the General Assembly to
gradually eliminate Indiana’s individual income tax. If implemented,
“Axe the Tax” will leave an extra $2,000 in the average Hoosier’s pocket.
My plan will help Indiana be a national standout generating bullish
business formation, attracting individuals, and boosting business
dynamism.
Hoosiers want to be homeowners; they want to invest in their future and in
Indiana—but they are being crushed by the high costs of Bidenomics. I
trust Hoosiers to spend their money more wisely than the government.
- Note: Indiana is already cutting the income tax down
to a nationwide low of 2.9% (for states that implement income taxes). But
cutting such a tax completely would cost the state roughly $8 billion and
is less popular than property tax reform.
- Doden: Washington has failed
Hoosiers with reckless spending driving record price and cost of living
increases. Now, we’re all facing the consequences. We can’t stop the
failed policies coming out of D.C., but we can control how we as a state
respond to them.
Our economic plan for Indiana is a 92-county strategy that leaves no
Hoosier behind, raises wages, and creates the conditions for prosperity by
investing in Main Streets and small towns across the state. We also need
to continue the success of programs like Regional Cities and READI, while
returning control of these programs to the local level where they belong.
Taken together, along with keeping our taxes low, investing in education,
and working to lower increasing costs of energy and healthcare, we’re
ready to put these plans to work to make Indiana a top-5 state in the
country to live, work, and do business in.
- Hill: Hardworking Hoosiers are struggling to make ends meet. An
immediate solution to let Hoosiers keep more of their hard-earned money is
to cut the gas tax that lawmakers in Indianapolis have continued to raise
annually. By reducing this tax back to pre-2018 levels, we will deliver
immediate relief to Hoosiers who are just trying to drive to work or drop
their kids off at school.
For a long-term solution to pessimistic consumer sentiment, Indianapolis
needs to start focusing on market-driven solutions such as reducing
regulatory barriers, promoting competition among suppliers, and getting
the government off of Main Street. Encouraging entrepreneurship and small
business growth within the sector may also lead to increased competition
and potentially lower prices for consumers while promoting
entrepreneurship.
In our Pathway to Prosperity Plan, we will cut corporate taxes to promote
smart economic growth, and we ease the tax burden on young entrepreneurs
and workers who are investing in our state.
- Note: The gas tax, which funds road improvements,
brings in a couple hundred million into the state’s coffers but is
shrinking as cars become more fuel efficient and Hoosiers adopt electric
or hybrid vehicles. State leaders intend to revisit road funding next
year to tackle this issue.
- Reitenour: The cost of energy has an extraordinary impact on prices of
everyday goods for families, and we will look for creative opportunities
to impact that market. Based on the resources in our state, Indiana needs
to be a leader in coal, and that requires a focus on our next-generation
coal miners and cutting-edge technology.
We’re also looking at nuclear energy, not necessarily on our own soil,
considering the abundant nuclear energy available from Michigan, but in
partnership with those states who are producers. An exchange, for example,
where Indiana provides financial investment, another state gets job
creation benefit, and we benefit from low-cost energy and export
revenue-sharing.
We’ll challenge our universities to lead meaningful research to determine
which sources are legitimately best for our economy based on its
resources. Forcing the adoption of non-productive energy sources at the
expense of our state’s rich farmland is a losing proposition that drives
inflation.
Indiana has lower average wages than the rest of the
country — hampered, in part, by our overall low educational attainment. How do
we not only get more Hoosier high school students to seek a secondary education
but also convince adult Hoosiers when both are turned off by the high price
tag? (Would you continue some of the same initiatives as Gov. Eric Holcomb?)
- Braun: Over 50% of our budget is spent on K-12 education and far too
many of our graduates are not prepared to enter the workforce or pursue a
degree. As a former school board member, I know parents are the primary
stakeholders in their children’s education and every family, regardless of
income or zip code, should be able to enroll in a school of their choice
and pursue a curriculum that prepares them for a career, college or the
military.
- Chambers: Over the years, there have been many worthy efforts to prepare
Hoosier students for a pathway to a four-year college. However, we know
that type of degree doesn’t fit every student’s individual needs.
While we should still promote that pathway, we should also create and
communicate clear career pathways for students to help them understand the
many ways they can earn a good living and build a great life here in
Indiana, along with the type of post-secondary education required. For
some careers, that’ll be a four-year degree. But for many others, that’ll
be a two-year degree, a credential or a certificate. And to help those
students pursing the latter, we should expand the scope of Indiana’s
financial aid programs.
No matter the type of post-secondary education pursued, we must clearly
communicate its benefits and how when students learn more, they earn more.
- Crouch: We need a “Cradle to Career”
education system and strategy for Indiana, and I will implement one as
governor. We will revamp our education system and concentrate
on results: enlistment, enrollment, employment, or apprenticeship. If
current initiatives are working, we will do our best to improve them; if
they aren’t, I will eliminate them.
We will focus on the four Rs: reading, ‘riting, ‘rithmetic, and reasoning. I
will encourage parental involvement in school programs and curriculum
decisions. A Crouch Administration will continue our successful
choice and voucher programs.
Additionally, my workforce development plan will be tailored to Indiana’s
specific economic context, addressing current gaps in workforce skills and
education. This alignment ensures that the interventions are not just
theoretical but are grounded in the state’s economic reality. By focusing
on sectors critical to Indiana’s economy and aligning educational
curricula with market demands, my plan will set the foundation for a more
robust economic future.
- Doden: We have a moral and constitutional obligation to educate our
kids. We can’t afford to ignore any step in our children’s education, from
Pre-K to college, to improve outcomes and raise wages.
As I’ve said before, a great education shouldn’t be determined by your zip
code. We need to continue Indiana’s leadership in school choice, while
increasing accountability and transparency in education so parents can
make the best decisions possible for their kids.
At the same time, we have a teacher shortage crisis. Our Teacher
Investment Program would attract and retain teaching talent by lowering
tax liability for Hoosier educators, putting more money directly back in
their pockets. We should also give more opportunities to Hoosier kids by
creating a universal pre-K program and allow high school seniors
flexibility to get college credit, work experience, and professional
credentials before graduation.
- Hill: Protecting our students must be a top priority. We must
enhance post-K-12 continuing development by investing in programs that
promote vocational, collegiate, and military training. Not every student
wants to attend college, and we should do everything we can to ensure that
they have the same tools, resources, and opportunities as students who
wish to continue their academic journey. By investing in vocation programs
and career preparedness programs, we give Hoosier students access to
explore and determine their own path to success. We need to get back to
the basics in our schools and equip future generations with financial
literacy and resources to live a successful life after high school. For
our college-bound students, we must encourage them to engage in programs
that propel them to success after college. We should not encourage our
children to go hundreds of thousands of dollars into debt for a degree
that has zero return on their investment.
- Reitenour: We need to expand our view and be better prepared for the
reality that not all Hoosiers are headed to college. We will better equip
students who have an aptitude for non-collegiate paths to be successful.
We’re going to bring the trades back into our 7thand 8th grade
classes. We’re going to ask our trades experts to offer apprenticeships to
high school seniors. Indiana can also do a better job having second chance
employment opportunities lined up for people coming out of prison who need
a place to land. There are incredible, high-earning job opportunities in
Indiana in plumbing, electrical, contracting, coal mining, etc., where no
college degree is necessary. The private sector is going to get more
involved to direct the right part of the workforce to these industries.
Universities will continue recruiting well-prepared students, which is
good and healthy, but we need to provide opportunities for everybody.
National polls have
identified health care costs as voters’ main economic concern and want more
discussion from their leaders on the exorbitant costs and the lack of consumer
protections. What will you do to reduce health care costs and reassure Hoosiers
that one medical emergency won’t derail their finances?
- Braun: I took on Big Healthcare in my
own business, and I’ve been the loudest voice on reforming health care in
the U.S. Senate because I know that injecting transparency and competition
into that industry is the way to lower prices for Hoosiers. The CEOs of IU
Health and Eli Lilly are supporting my opponent because they know nobody
has worked harder to reduce the cost of health care through price
transparency than myself. As Governor, I will work on solutions such as
transparency, innovation, competition, and empowering consumers, which is
not hard to figure out, but will take bold leadership to implement in the
face of the powerful healthcare lobby.
- Note: IU Health CEO Dennis Murphy asked his peers to
donate to Chambers in a letter sent
to several industry leaders.
- Chambers: It’s time for a new approach to
finally reduce the unacceptable health care costs Hoosiers have to pay. As
a businessman, problem solver and career negotiator, I’ll bring all
stakeholders to the table — the hospitals, the insurers, the pharmacy
benefit managers and the independent practices — to take a holistic
approach to increase access to high-quality care at affordable prices with
an overall focus on improving health outcomes. No industry or sector will
be exempt from doing their part to get this done.
Additionally, we need more competition in the market and increased price
transparency, along with a paradigm shift that moves our health care
system to one that incentivizes providers to keep Hoosiers healthy, not
just provide care once they’re sick.
- Crouch: The status quo is not acceptable
– this is a complex issue, but we can’t fall into the trap of attempting
to solve it with more government. I stand ready to support employers and
providers in implementing tailored solutions that deliver the best care at
the best value for all involved. We also must reduce the tax
burden on Hoosiers so that they have more money to use to find the best
healthcare solution for them.
As governor, I will personally lead an effort to lower costs working with
organizations like the National Federation of Independent Businesses, the
Indiana Manufacturers Association, and other employers to propose and
implement real reductions in health care costs while maintaining quality.
- Note: All six candidate appeared in a forum co-hosted
by the National Federation of Independent Businesses last week.
- Doden: The Doden campaign opted to combine its answers for this
question and the following so please scroll to see his response.
- Hill: Hoosiers deserve to be informed about their health options and
free to make their own medical decisions. I have long been a defender of
medical liberty. As Attorney General, I opposed government-mandated
medical procedures and protected Hoosiers’ rights to make their own
medical decisions. As Governor, I will ensure that all government health
medical agencies operate under complete transparency. By implementing
strict consumer protections, we will ensure every Hoosier has full access
to necessary medical and health information that will allow them to make
an informed decision.
- Reitenour: Attorney General Todd Rokita has the right idea, looking into
pharmaceutical pricing. We’ve got a monopoly in our healthcare system, and
the legislature would be wise to enact law that drives change. We must
eliminate non-compete clauses from physicians’ and specialists’ contracts
with health networks. They make it nearly impossible for great providers
to separate from the networks, because they’d lose their
fundamentally-important patient relationships. Competition in a
capitalistic health market would impact pricing and provide better options
for patients to find providers whose medical philosophies better align
with theirs. In addition to better pricing, medical professionals could
practice with autonomy to better treat each patient’s individual case. Indiana
is also a business-friendly state with a wonderful manufacturing
environment for pharmaceutical companies who are looking to start up or
grow. Indiana’s ready to bring balance into the free market for healthcare
and pharmaceutical industries.
Business owners in Indiana have so many concerns about
health care costs that they’ve formed several lobbying coalitions but the
needle has barely budged and legislators have remained focused on transparency.
Some stakeholders warn this will hurt our economic development and
attractiveness compared to other states. Federal policy plays some role, but
how do we turn that tide to help businesses? And is transparency enough to
change things?
- Braun: With the CEO of IU Health and Eli
Lilly supporting my opponent, it’s clear they know nobody will work harder
to reduce the cost of healthcare than myself. I am not afraid to go up
against the health care industry: I did it in my business, in the Senate, and
I’ll do it as your Governor. If you’re a business owner in Indiana and you
like how dysfunctional our health care system is, then one of my opponents
would be a better choice, but if you want change and an outsider who has a
proven track record of working to reduce health care costs, nobody will
work harder to achieve this than me.
- Chambers: In a system as complex as our health care system, there isn’t
one simple solution to reducing costs. Increased price transparency is
certainly needed, because in no other industry would it be acceptable to
be made aware of a cost after a service is provided or product is
purchased. There are currently gaps in price transparency throughout the
process. More transparency is still needed, but increased competition and
a systematic paradigm shift are also needed.
We also need to find ways to encourage or incentivize recruitment and
training of health care industry workers to address the shortages that
have sent already high labor costs even higher. To do this, we’ve proposed
a health and life sciences career pathway to prepare more Hoosier high
school students to enter the field.
More than anything, we need an outsider to bring all of the stakeholders
to the table to get this right for Hoosiers and Hoosier businessowners.
- Crouch: Transparency is important, but it
alone won’t reduce health care costs. Employers, employees, and
entrepreneurs must be armed with the maximum number of choices possible
when it comes to health care plans and providers.
We must also increase our treatment of mental illness as depression,
dependency, and addiction keep Indiana from reaching its full potential.
Since Covid we’ve seen a 20% rise in depression and anxiety (including 60%
among young people). Tragically, suicide is now the second
leading cause of death young people.
If I am elected governor, I will ensure that families suffering from
mental health issues and substance dependency will always receive the care
they need.
- Doden: Indiana’s healthcare costs are out of control. The bottom line
is we need to solve this problem, and we need to start working now.
Healthcare transparency is a key starting point to this debate. People
simply need to know in advance what their care will cost.
As it currently stands, our state’s hospital healthcare system is a
monopoly, and we need more competition. Our non-for-profit hospitals have
over $35 billion of cash profits on Wall Street and their CEO’s make
millions of dollars a year, all tax-free by state law.
To start, we are calling on them to reinvest 30% of that $35 billion into
an Indiana Main Street Fund to reinvest in communities across Indiana. But
we know more needs to be done.
This isn’t a simple problem. But as governor, on day one, I promise to
work with everyone – including the hospital CEO’s – with plans and ideas
to make healthcare transparent and affordable for Hoosier families and
businesses.
- Note: The claim about non-profit hospitals funneling
money into Wall Street investments has prompted pointed legislative criticism but
the powerful hospital lobby has pushed back on bills. A 2023 law would
require the state to analyze prices at such entities compared to Medicare
costs.
- Hill: Transparency is the necessary first step in addressing
healthcare costs in Indiana. The Indiana status quo is not working for
small business owners or consumers. By engaging in strict consumer
protections requiring hospitals and insurance companies to be transparent
in their costs and services, we can begin to address the root cause of
rising healthcare costs. If entrepreneurs do not believe that our state
government is working in their best interest, they will invest in
neighboring states that actively seek their investment. We must take a
smart and calculated approach to these issues and fully understand what it
is that is driving these companies out. Indianapolis must put Hoosier
taxpayers first. Transparency will hold lawmakers accountable for their inaction
on these issues.
- Reitenour: It’s not just transparency, it’s transparency with
accountability. We’re showing our approach with the way we’re reacting to
the candidate debates; we don’t just see what’s wrong, we call it out and
demand accountability from those who could change it. I’m going to work
together with the legislature to develop policies that are good for
healthcare, and then we’re going to get everyone on the record of voting
for or against good policy. The people need to know how their
representation is voting to know when a change is needed. My
administration has announced that we’ll hold a press conference every
Tuesday – local press in the front, national press in the back. We’re
going to give the press and the people a play-by-play of what’s happening
in the Statehouse, because that’s what it takes to get the government
working for the people. Not just transparency, but transparency with
accountability.