Evan Smith, Democratic candidate for the 84th Indiana House District seat, held a press conference today.
Besides myself, there was only one other media person in attendance – a reporter from the News-Sentinel.
httpsv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqifM9YB2bA
Campaign statement from Democratic 84th Indiana House District candidate Evan Smith:
Smith calls for relief for small businesses, rewards for hiring new workers in post-Labor Day statement
In a press conference on the Allen County Courthouse lawn, Evan Smith, candidate for the Indiana State House of Representatives, 84th District, called for more rewards for Indiana businesses that create jobs.
“Not only is Indiana facing 10 percent unemployment, but the people who have jobs are more overworked and less satisfied than ever,” said Smith. “By frontloading job creation into our economic recovery, we can have an immediate impact on both unemployment and the strain on our workforce.”
Smith addressed this and other proposals as he unveiled his Framework for Indiana Jobs, which also included promoting jobs for recent graduates and investing in green technology to make Indiana a leader in the economic recovery.
Full statement follows:
Framework for Indiana Jobs
Job creation will be my first priority as State Representative. Indiana currently has a 10 percent unemployment rate. Last spring, that statistic came to life for me when my teaching job at North Side High School was one of over 300 eliminated by Fort Wayne Community Schools. That was a scary experience, one that has a lot to do with why I’m running for office. I was fortunate enough to get my job back, but that has not been the case for thousands of Hoosiers. Last weekend, our country honored its workers. Today, I’m laying out the three points of my Framework for Indiana Jobs: support for businesses, coordination with education, and innovation through green technology.
- Support for businesses. In the 84th District, job creation relies especially on promoting our many small businesses. I propose this be done by building on the job creation rewards the state of Indiana offers, such as the EDGE tax credit, which rewards businesses for relocating to Indiana, and the federal Work Opportunities Tax Credit, which promotes hiring people such as disabled veterans and disconnected youth. In this troubled economy, we must go further. Businesses that are already here, many of them owned by our friends and neighbors, should also receive tax credits for adding any jobs to their payrolls. The conventional wisdom is that unemployment is the last thing to improve during an economic recovery. But we can’t afford to wait for that. Not only is Indiana facing 10 percent unemployment, but the people who have jobs are more overworked and less satisfied than ever (Newsweek, 8/15/10). By frontloading job creation into our economic recovery, we can have an immediate impact on both unemployment and the strain on our workforce.
- Coordination with education. Like much of Indiana, Fort Wayne is blessed with great colleges and universities — IPFW, Saint Francis, Indiana Tech, Ivy Tech, Concordia Seminary, to name a few. These institutions are already leaders in our community, and I believe they can lead Indiana to a brighter economic future. Mayor Tom Henry held a summit meeting between businesses and colleges so that colleges could fine-tune their degree offerings to the needs of local business. I recommend pursuing the flipside of this idea by rewarding businesses for creating jobs, or moving jobs to Indiana, that tap into the potential of the quality graduates of these institutions. We could accomplish this by offering tax credits for hiring new graduates directly or for creating jobs that match the major degree programs. By making it easier for new graduates to find work, Indiana can avoid the dreaded “brain drain” and equip itself with the leaders of a new economy.
- Innovation through green technology. Paul Romer once said, “A crisis is a terrible thing to waste.” In their 2010 Labor Day message, the Catholic Bishops of the United States said, “We cannot create many new jobs unless there are new investments, initiatives, and creativity in the economy. … America is undergoing a rare economic transformation.” I propose that Indiana meet this challenge by investing in new, clean, efficient forms of energy and technology. Already Indiana receives federal grants to create green jobs. The state offers a tax credit to vehicle manufacturers for investing in alternative fuels, an issue championed by Senator Dick Lugar. We can go further by rewarding all businesses for going green, whether that’s through solar energy, recycling or some other step. This gives them an incentive to take these essential steps and creates a booming market for the green jobs being created in our state. Compared to other states, Indiana is in a relatively sound financial position. This isn’t the time to circle the wagons. This is the time to invest long-term in the technologies and jobs that will form the backbone of our rebuilt, revitalized economy and make Indiana a true economic leader.
This statement is available at: www.facebook.com/EvanSmithStateRep