The Post-Tribune
When the 150 members of the General Assembly headed to Indianapolis in early January, their only constitutional responsibility was to adopt a two-year state budget.
When the deadline for accomplishing that task arrived Wednesday, they had failed to fulfill their mission.
The excuses emanating from Indianapolis are many. We don't buy any of them. The residents of the state of Indiana shouldn't either.
Some have claimed there wasn't enough new education funding. Others said they opposed the House Republican reduction in education funding.
Some said the proposed budget was too big. Others said it was much too small.
Perhaps the most irresponsible reason for opposing the budget came from some of our own Northwest Indiana legislators, who said they wouldn't vote for any budget without legislation to move one of the Gary casinos from Buffington Harbor to Interstate 94.
While we understand the art of negotiation, using the casino issue was wrong for a couple reasons: 1. Moving a casino license to the interstate had not had a public hearing. 2. It would have taken gambling to a new level in that it would have provided the state's first land-based casino -- again, without a public discussion.
Perhaps most upsetting about the failure to do the people's business is that legislators knew what they were facing when they convened. They knew the state was facing severe revenue shortfalls that only worsened during the session. What did they do for four months? Ask a legislator when you see one.
When they are called back into special session, it will cost millions of dollars the state can't afford to spend.
Is it any wonder that a Legislature that couldn't pass one piece of local government reform wasn't able to adopt a budget?