Mark Genda represents District 41 in the Indiana State Legislature. District 41 includes approximately 69,000 people in Frankfort, Lebanon, Thorntown, Mulberry, Rossville, Stockwell, Colfax, Kirklin, and Ulen areas. Genda spoke at the Frankfort Rotary Club Thursday May 1st at Arborwood.
Genda said what has happened to your 401 K’s and invested savings is exactly what happened to Indiana’s reserves. As Indiana reserves tanked, Medicaid expenses exploded, causing a 2.4 Billion Dollar gap that had to be made up in the Legislative session that just ended.
This gap was bridged by a 5% “haircut” on almost everything and a $2.00 per pack increase on cigarettes worth 800 Million Dollars. The 5% funding cut across the board did NOT include:
- Indiana State Police
- K-12 Education
- Medicaid
- Department of Corrections
Everything else was cut at least 5%, including Genda’s salary along with all other Representatives and Senators.
100% of Public Radio and TV station fundings were cut across the state. One area particularly troubling for Genda was the Public Health budget that funds County Health Departments across the state.
Clinton County is hit hard by this public health cut because Clinton County has several programs going that many other counties do not have. State-wide, Public Health was asking for 150 million, budgeted 100 million but was only funded to $40 million statewide. According to Healthy Communities in Clinton County, this cut will have a direct and certain impact on programs available in Clinton County for Tobacco and Vaping Cessation programs, maternal and child trauma health programs, Lead Exposure programs and safe sleep education for mothers with infants.
Genda said funding can be found in the next two years if investments come back and earnings return, then some “tweaks to the budget” may “come back.”
On a positive note, Indiana has been recognized nationally to be #3 in reading skill level. Genda attributed this large improvement to the dedication of teachers and administration for making reading skill development an Indiana priority in schools statewide. (Frankfort Rotary Club each year donates hundreds of dictionaries to local area students and several Frankfort Rotarians donate their time to read to students and hear students read in Clinton County Grade Schools).
The fundamental challenge, according to Genda, is to seek a reliable source of income to fund local and state government needs. With costs increasing, this is a real challenge. “If that source is not property tax and income tax, what is left?” The legislature passed on to local jurisdictions two “unfunded mandates” according to Genda. “We ordered a 10% tax credit up to $300 for Indiana homeowners.” The second unfunded mandate, according to Genda, was lowering the cap on local income tax (LIT) from 3.15% dropping each year until it bottoms out at 2.9% by 2027. Homestead property tax reduction will phase in from now until 2031 to result in a phased in 2/3 reduction by 2031.
The state of Indiana wants to control where power generation goes, taking local control out of the picture, according to Genda. Urban areas are quick to vote for this, and rural representatives are challenged to find the votes to stop it, Genda said.
Genda felt compelled to vote against a bill banning any government-funded “obscene performance”. On the surface, why would this be a bad thing, Genda said. But the bill included a citizen’s right to sue that publicly funded entity. This may include suing a librarian or teacher. Genda did not like the possibility of publicly funded groups like libraries (or schools) having to defend themselves against lawsuits if someone in the audience did not like a part of a play or performance. The Bill passed without Genda’s vote.
With tongue firmly planted in cheek, Genda said the most popular legislation of the year was House Bill 1490 which passed with ease. House Bill 1490 allows the Indiana Horse Racing Commission to issue licenses to “certain individuals” to provide teeth floating or equine chiropractic care, providing an exception to the veterinary medicine licensing requirements. This will allow for horse dentistry to be performed by people who are not veterinarians.
Genda finished his talk with his often repeated invitation to area residents to “feel free to stop by my office/home” with a “call first to let me know you’re coming” at 765-242-1142.
