VALPARAISO | Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman visited to cheer up Hoosiers battered by the recession and Republicans blue over political change away from their party.
Skillman gave The Times a sneak preview Tuesday of the state's efforts to use economic recovery money from the federal government to help drive the state's slumping manufacturing sector toward the promise of alternative energy during a swing across Northwest Indiana.
"We plan to run a competitive grant program for manufacturers to produce alternative energy components, wind turbines for instance. Bhavini, the Italian company, wants to locate in Muncie and create 300 to 400 jobs manufacturing wind turbines," she said.
Skillman said the state also is using federal stimulus dollars to create hundreds of new park and natural resource-related jobs this summer. She said the bulk of federal dollars will be directed to improving education, health care and state highways as well as expand state aid to help low-income people conserve energy.
The state's jobless rate increased to 9.1 percent in March, the highest it has been in more than 23 years. Indiana's unemployment fund went broke in December, although the state continues to pay out unemployment checks by borrowing more than $725 million from the federal government.
Skillman also spoke Tuesday night to those gathered for this year's Porter County Lincoln Day dinner. She told party faithful Tuesday they shouldn't be discouraged by Democratic gains on the national level. Indiana is a traditional Republican stronghold, but Hoosiers cast a majority of votes for President Barack Obama last fall.
She is urging Republicans, "Have a better idea than what your detractors are saying. Don't just say no. Be a party of purpose, a party of ideas."
Skillman said the failure of the Indiana General Assembly to agree on a two-year budget was caused by tough economic times that have reduced tax collections and confused economic forecasters who legislators lean on to provide reliable numbers to spend on state services, primarily education.
She said she blames a lack of communication in the final hours of the General Assembly between Gov. Mitch Daniels and legislative leaders.
Former State Rep. Ralph Ayres of Chesterton, who attended the dinner, said he isn't worried about the party's future. "Politics is ebb and flow. Political parties learn."
