Daniels’ State of the State

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels touted his legislative agenda — which includes a controversial labor bill — and his achievements during his eight-year tenure at his final state of the state address last week.

Daniels said Indiana’s fiscal gains had outstripped nearly all other states during his two terms.

“Tonight, while states elsewhere twist in financial agony, Indiana has an honestly balanced budget, a strong, protective reserve in our state savings account, and the first triple-A credit rating in state history, one of just a handful left in America,” he said.

“Our credit is better — imagine this — than that of the federal government,” Daniels declared.

Daniels’ legislative agenda features a statewide smoking ban, local government reform, which he has pushed since 2009, and controversial labor legislation.

He unveiled only one new program, a $20 million trust to protect the state’s nature reserves. He also said the state would invest $1.2 billion in road and bridge construction.

The speech came during a tumultuous week for the Indiana General Assembly. Only two weeks into the new session, Democrats have already twice walked out of the House to block the advance of a so-called right to work bill, which prohibits unions from collecting fees for its required representation of non-union employees.

About 12 Democrats also boycotted Daniels’ Tuesday evening speech, and protestors booed the Republican governor from Capitol hallways during the speech, according to local reports.

Indiana needs the “bold stroke” of right to work legislation, Daniels argued in his speech.

“I did not come lightly, or quickly, to the stance I take now,” he said. “But we just cannot go on missing out on middle-class jobs our state needs, just because of this one issue.”

The Senate and House are both poised to vote on amendments to the labor legislation starting Tuesday.

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