While all eyes are on the presidential races, the governor’s race in Indiana is heating up as well. Many feel the incumbent Mitch Daniels has done a fair job while in office, yet others feel Democratic nominee Jill Long Thompson is better suited for the position.
Although she’s setting her sights on the governor’s position, Long Thompson has already completed a very successful career. As a former businesswoman, college professor, and farmer, this Valparaiso University and Indiana University grad was a former councilwoman on the City Council in Valparaiso, member of Congress and also served as an undersecretary for world development of the United States Department of Agriculture.
“I have experience creating jobs but also reaching across the aisle to bring people together for the common good,” said Long Thompson during an interview with the Recorder.
Long Thompson may have accomplished much in her profession, yet she has changes she feels is best for the state of Indiana.
Long Thompson is proposing that she can and will bring more jobs to the state. She believes while Daniels claims he’s brought jobs, Indiana has had an increase in unemployment – losing jobs that were paying on average $70,000 annually in wages and benefits; when new jobs are created the average salary, wages and benefit package was just $43,000.
“As the former undersecretary I have experience creating jobs in some of the hardest pressed rural counties and I want to bring that experience to growing the economy here in Indiana,” said Long Thompson.
To grow the economy, the Democratic candidate feels the need to create an economic climate that is conducive to growth. Among those areas to grow is health care reform. Long Thompson believes businesses, families and individuals should be able to purchase health insurance at rates that are comparable to what federal employees or large corporations pay while offering tax incentives to businesses offering employees health insurance and new businesses that relocate to Indiana.
In the areas of taxes, Long Thompson is proposing to create what’s called a Tiers Approach categorizing all of the state’s 92 counties into three tiers. Once categorized, businesses in the respective county will receive a specified tax credit based upon the tier.
Long Thompson has plans to tackle employment, taxes and health care, but also proposes to increase the state’s stake in renewable energy and energy efficiency.
“Jill Long Thompson is committed to fighting for working Hoosiers and getting our economy turned around. After eight years of the failed economic policies of George Bush and Mitch Daniels, we are now in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression,” said Lauren Smith, spokesperson for the Indiana Democratic Party. “Hoosiers need and deserve a leader who will fight for their interests and work to create good-paying jobs, and that leader is Jill Long Thompson.”
Albeit Long Thompson has the support of the Democratic party, she feels her stance on “bringing people to the table and drawing from the expertise from many” is more her style, especially when reviewing some of the programs instituted by Daniels if elected.
“I’m going to appoint a committee headed by Dennie Oxley, my lieutenant governor. It’d be a bipartisan committee to do an assessment of the contracts of the outsourcing to determine what’s in the best interest of the state,” said Long Thompson.
Long Thompson doesn’t agree with the outsourcing Daniels has done with some of the state’s assets, especially Family and Social Services Administration. She is a supporter of all day kindergarten.
Some feel that while her campaign has been average, Long Thompson has yet to reach out to the Black community especially in heavily populated minority counties Lake and Marion. She states that in addition to her family being racially diverse, she’s attended meetings and talked with Hoosier families.
“Long Thompson is counting on the huge Black Obama turnout, but many Blacks still don’t know her,” said Amos Brown, strategic analyst for Radio One. “When her campaign had long cash, Long Thompson didn’t spend time marketing herself or issues to the state’s largest Black voting bloc. If she thinks she can win with a huge Black Lake County turnout, when far more Blacks will vote in Indianapolis, then her campaign is operating with a fatal flaw.”
For more information, call (317) 635-5455 or visit www.hoosiersforjill.com.
