We all know that Governor Eric Holcomb is dedicated to making Indiana the best state in the nation to live, work and play — and there’s no question that he’s taking that objective, well, to the Next Level with his 2019 Next Level Agenda.
You can read the full agenda here, which he announced yesterday. Here are some highlights, which follow his five governing pillars:
1. Cultivate a Strong & Diverse Economy
-Pass Indiana’s eighth-straight balanced budget (with responsible reserves!)
-Modernize economic development tools to increase competitiveness, economic diversity and flexibility
-Exempt military pensions from state income tax to attract & retain more veterans to the state
2. Maintain & Build Indiana’s Infrastructure
-Complete I-69 three years early (by 2024)
-Expand access to high-speed, affordable broadband to unserved communities
3. Support Education & Workforce Development
-Give schools flexibility to develop partnerships to expose students to more opportunities
-Expand Workforce Ready Grants & Employer Training Grants that are making Next Level Jobs a big success
4. Promote Public Health & Attack the Drug Epidemic
-Adopt school safety recommendations, including more mental health tools and physical safety enhancements
-Continue to make improvements at the Department of Child Services
-Provide new tools to lower the infant mortality rate and help those recovering from the drug epidemic
5. Deliver Great Government Service
-Modernize state government technology
-Streamline state boards and commissions to make it easier for Hoosiers to interact with their government