“It is not just about migrants; it is about all of us, about the present and future of the human family.” —Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, 2019, Pope Francis As followers of Jesus, we have heard the cry of the poor. Jesus told us to “welcome the stranger”; he also told…
Thank you for reading my previous article where I commented on the property tax reduction efforts of our Indiana Legislature. When I wrote the first article, the Senate had just revised this bill and my article did not reflect the latest updates. I did state that the revised bill went from disastrous to bad. Concerning…
Hundreds of bills are filed each year by members of both chambers of the General Assembly during a legislative session. After a bill is filed in the Senate, the Senate Pro Tem assigns it to a committee. Committees allow legislators to use their expertise in given fields to ask questions and hear from the public…
Folks, it is not just happening in Southern Indiana. Farmers and their properties are being attacked across the country. One recent example is in Greene County, Missouri where the Department of Transportation is proposing to create the James River Freeway North Loop, which will take away generational farms and acres of farmland. Tennessee is another…
According to national statistics from the Kaiser Family Foundation for 2016, 1.4 million people were then in nursing homes. Each one of those 1.4 million was incurring yearly costs of around $82,000. Of those 1.4 million, 62 percent were having the bill paid by Medicaid for a total expenditure of around $55 billion per year. …
Last week, the General Assembly officially passed the midway point of the 2025 legislative session, bringing on a new phase for legislation to move to the House or Senate. With this being my first session serving as a state legislator, it has been an honor to play an active role in this process, and work alongside my…
Governor Mike Braun has wasted no time showing Hoosiers where his priorities lie, and unfortunately, it’s not with working families, public schools, or local communities. Instead, Braun has decided to hand out massive pay raises to his cabinet members—fourteen top officials, including the heads of the INDOT, the Department of Education, and the Indiana Economic…
I am continually impressed by remarkable individuals who work every day to keep Dubois County a great place to live. The effort they put forth enhances the lives of us all and provides benefits in safety and savings to our pocketbooks. Today I recognize some of these individuals, particularly those who work for our fire…
Social Security is a lifeline for millions of Americans, yet concerns about its long-term solvency continue to grow. A simple, fair solution would be to remove the income cap on Social Security contributions. Currently, earnings above $168,600 (as of 2024) are not subject to Social Security payroll taxes. This means that millionaires stop paying into…
Earlier this week, I voted in favor of providing property tax relief for Hoosiers across the state. Over the last two years, the General Assembly has been working on tax reform through the State and Local Tax Review Task Force. While Indiana already has some of the lowest property taxes in the country, inflation during the…
