Boy, the "this tax won't hurt a bit" crowd is not exactly unpredictable, is it? The state legislature is debating a proposal to save the Capital Improvement Board of Indianapolis that would, among other things, raise the room tax on Circle City hotels by 1 percent.
Despite protests from some in the hotel business, a 1 percentage point increase in the Indianapolis hotel tax would be unlikely to ruin the city's reputation as a low-cost host for conventions and other events.
Iowa has now joined Massachusetts and Connecticut as states that recognize same-sex marriage. Nine states recognize some sort of domestic partnership. Vermont's governor has just vetoed legislation legalizing same-sex marriage, and legislators are looking to override. Voters in California have overturned the state Supreme Court's edict barring enforcement of a same-sex marriage ban. How can this issue not be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court?
Can you believe those selfish business owners in downtown Evansville?
City officials have a downtown site in mind for a new 11,000-seat arena that they hope to start building this summer.
Some business owners now at the two-block area, however, are clear that they want to stay.
This stormy General Assembly session must be making our legislators a little punch drunk. Alert Hoosier Barry G. Fox sent to Indiana newspapers a link to an e-mail poll by Republican State Sen. Joe Zakas of the 11th District and asked, sensibly, "What kind of question is this?" Here it is:
Do you support or oppose a statewide smoking ban in restaurants, workplaces, bars and casinos?
- Yes
- No
As Texas contemplates a voter ID law (not as strong as ours), politicians and other analysts there are studying the results in Indiana, one of only two states (Georgia is the other one) that allow no exception at all to the "no photo ID, no vote" rule. The consensus:
Wars are fought in our names, so we should know as much about them as possible, including being able to see one inevitable result of armed battle. So ending the ban on news coverage of the welcome home for fallen soldiers was a good idea, especially since the families are given the final say on allowing the media to attend or not. Most things the media show up at become circuses, which is the nature of the beast.
Thank God! Congress has voted to spend $5.7 billion on a bill that will triple the number of AmeriCorps participants at a time when they are desperately needed to help Americans in dire circumstances:
Put a big X over April 2 on your calendars to commemorate the start of the Obama adminisration's rewriting of the American compact:
Congressional Democrats overwhelmingly embraced President Obama's ambitious and expensive agenda for the nation yesterday, endorsing a $3.5 trillion spending plan that sets the stage for the president to pursue his most far-reaching priorities.
You know when public officials have the most fun? When they get new money to spend that they don't have to take the political heat for.:
If you outlaw phosphates, only outlaws will have phosphates:
