Can someone explain the point of a "Buy Indiana" policy if we're just going to turn around and outsource so many state functions to out-of-state and even out-of-country firms?
Based on prior estimates, about 62 percent of state spending went to Indiana companies. Since then, Daniels and the Department of Administration have instituted an effective "Buy Indiana" policy that has raised that total by 22 percent.
Today, 84 percent of dollars spent on state contracts are with companies that have a significant presence in our state. That represents an additional $500 million for companies that employ Hoosier workers and invest in our communities.
Don't get me wrong. I don't think privatizing is automatically bad. Neither is "Buy Indiana" necessarily preferred. The guiding principle should be to go with whatever provides the best value for all taxpayers, not an arbitrary concept of how to do the state's business.
