A look at news and events in the Daniels Administration

December 19, 2008– Governor Mitch Daniels has outlined his proposals for local government reform to be considered by the Indiana General Assembly in 2009. Members of the Indiana Commission on Local Government Reform, including Indiana Supreme Court Justice Randall Shepard, co-chair, of the commission, joined the governor at the State House for the announcement.

"This is a set of changes that are long overdue in Indiana. We are an outlier among the states. We have more of almost everything – taxing units, subdivisions and politicians – than elsewhere. More than we need, more than taxpayers can get good service for, and certainly more than we should be paying for," said Daniels.

The governor recommended that a majority of the 27 recommendations from the Commission report move forward. Among the most significant, Daniels said there should be one county executive, a stronger legislative body for county government, elimination of townships, and reorganization of school district central office operations.

For more information, please visit Governor Daniels' Legislative Agenda webpage.

Audio from the announcement is available here.

A fact sheet regarding Indiana Local Govenment can be found here.

December 23, 2008– Governor Mitch Daniels has suggested that public employees at all levels in Indiana consider skipping a pay raise in 2009. He said such action is already happening in some locations and would take pressure off schools and local governments.

"Raises will be few and far between in the private economy for awhile. The private economy is where the taxes come from that go into the paychecks of public employees,” said Daniels. “Those of us whose paychecks come from our fellow citizens and neighbors ought to look for chances to help those neighbors and show some solidarity.”

“I hope that every group of Indiana public employees – city, county, school, universities, and others – will consider volunteering to skip any pay raise in 2009. Every such decision would take pressure off local and school budgets, and help ensure the continuity of vital public services. Such actions would extend the precedent already set by state employees, the state’s judges, their staffs, the employees of Purdue, IU and others," said Daniels. 

Each one percent across the board pay raise for all state and local employees (teachers, city, higher education, state, etc.) equates to approximately $130 million annually.

Audio from the governor's news conference may be found here.

Automotive supplier to add manufacturing operations in Fort Wayne

Dec. 23, 2008- Automotive driveline and drive train systems supplier American Axle & Manufacturing (NYSE:AXL) has announced it will boost its manufacturing operations in Fort Wayne, creating up to 96 jobs as the new business grows.

The Detroit-headquartered company will site a differential gear manufacturing operation at the former 50,000-square-foot FormTech facility on the city's northwest side and will operate the site as AccuGear, a wholly owned subsidiary.

"Our work to build the best business environment in the country is allowing us to win new opportunities despite a stalled national economy, but we can't let up for a minute. We can never take a rest, we have to get on to the next success and the next," said Governor Mitch Daniels.

The expansion comes after the company finalized an asset swap agreement with FormTech, which allowed AAM to acquire and upgrade the Fort Wayne site in exchange for the company's hub and spindle forge business. 

American Axle, which will manufacture gears for passenger car and crossover vehicles at the northeast Indiana plant, plans to retain and retrain the approximately 45 existing workers at the Fort Wayne facility and plans to begin hiring additional manufacturing associates in the first quarter of 2009 as production increases.

Veteran crew chief picks Brownsburg for new NHRA top fuel team

Dec. 19, 2008- Veteran NHRA Top Fuel crew chief Alan Johnson has announced that Alan Johnson Al-Anabi Motorsports will locate its team headquarters in Hendricks County, creating more than 40 new jobs in the next three years.

The race team, a partnership between Alan Johnson Racing and Qatar-based Al-Anabi Racing, will invest more than $6.2 million to site its two-car race team in the suburban Indianapolis town's Pace Motorsports Complex.

"Motorsports has a rich history and a bright future in Indiana," said Governor Mitch Daniels. "We'll continue to encourage Motorsports companies from across the country and around the globe to locate and expand here as we build Indiana's reputation as the Motorsports capital of the world."

Alan Johnson Racing will field a Top Fuel Dragster and a Funny Car, both of which will debut when the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series begins in February.  Del Worsham, a 22-time NHRA winner, will drive the team's Funny Car driver; Johnson has not yet selected the Top Fuel driver. 

The race team has already begun hiring crew members, managers, office staff and hospitality associates in preparation for Alan Johnson Al-Anabi Racing's inaugural season.  Motorsports veteran Chad Head has been named the team's director of racing operations.       

"Brownsburg is quickly becoming the place for NHRA teams," said Johnson, who led Tony Schumacher's U.S. Army team to five consecutive NHRA Top Fuel championships as its crew chief.  "Although the sport's roots will always be in Southern California, with so many teams locating in central Indiana, the area is really becoming the center of the sport.  We are in the process of building championship caliber teams to compete for the NHRA Full Throttle Top Fuel and Funny Car championships."

Dec. 16, 2008- Taylor Made Group, a manufacturer of original equipment and aftermarket products, has announced it will expand its operations in Noble County, doubling its 50-person workforce in the next two years.

The company, which currently makes windshields for marine equipment manufacturers, will invest more than $737,000 to relocate its Springfield, Tenn. heavy equipment windshield manufacturing operation to the northeast Indiana plant located approximately 40 miles north of Fort Wayne.  

"Even in tough economic times, Indiana continues to be a smart place for companies like Taylor Made to grow," said Governor Mitch Daniels.  "Our low cost of doing business, unmatched infrastructure and aggressive pursuit of new jobs is helping us stand out against our competition."

The Gloversville, N.Y. - headquartered company will begin hiring additional machine operators in mid-2009 following the company's retooling to manufacture windshields for heavy machinery.