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Lt. Gov. Skillman Declares February a Hot Month for Hoosiers as She Wraps-up the Month
Lt. Governor Skillman Declares February a Hot Month for Hoosiers
Recent Trade Mission to Mexico Opens New Opportunities
| February may have been unusually cold, but it was still a hot month for Hoosiers. It all began with a recent trade mission trip to Mexico. The economic gains our delegation made will lead to a huge payoff for our state. Also, Governor Daniels and I have been working with legislators in the Indiana General Assembly to bring about real change that will benefit all Hoosiers. |
Indiana General Assembly Work to Provide Property Tax Relief The House and Senate continue debating the property tax legislation. Throughout this session, Governor Daniels has accepted modifications to his property tax proposal. He does, however, insist that the four basic pillars of the plan - im mediate relief, permanent protection, assessment reform and local spending control – remain in place in the final version. A solution is close at hand, and I remain confident that we will provide Hoosiers with the property tax relief they deserve. |
Trade Mission Seeks New Opportunities for Hoosiers In early February, I lead a 26-member delegation on a weeklong trip to Mexico. The main focus of this trip was economic development, and particularly agribusiness development. Mexico is our second largest trading partner, and it was beneficial for our farm groups to see firsthand the market they serve. We toured a pork processing plant, a dairy cattle feed plant, and met with representatives from Mexico's grain and biotechnology industries. |
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We not only had successful discussions with the agriculture sector, but with the academic side as well. Our university delegates from Ball State, IUPUI, Ivy Tech - Lafayette and Purdue University all established collaborate agreements with local universities in all three states that we visited (Mexico City, Hidalgo and Veracruz). These agreements create countless opportunities for student and faculty exchange. Our trip definitely opened doors for Hoosiers, and I expect the economic benefits to be tremendous. |
 Lt. Gov. Skillman tours Cuenca Dairy Farm in Hidalgo, Mexico with her Agriculture delegates. |
Honor Indiana’s Bravest at an Indiana Treasure Did you know that Indianapolis is second only to Washington, D.C. in number of acres and monuments dedicated to honoring our veterans? The Indiana War Memorial (IWM) has two museums, three parks and 24 acres of monuments, statues, sculptures and fountains all located in downtown Indianapolis. I held a staff meeting at this Indiana treasure recently, and it couldn’t have been more timely. More than 3,100 Guardsmen and women will deploy to Kuwait in the coming weeks. Hoosiers have a long history of patriotism, and Indiana has always sent high numbers of its sons and daughters to serve in the Armed Forces. This tradition continues, and Indiana is a leading state with a high number of Hoosiers currently serving, as many as 35,000. The memorial is a fitting tribute to our Hoosier veterans and to those currently defending our freedom. I encourage every Hoosier to honor these brave men and women, and a great place to start is the IWM. Plan your next trip by visiting the IWM web site, http://www.in.gov/iwm/ |
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The Governor and I are committed to bringing high-paying, high-tech jobs to Indiana so our best and brightest will keep their talents here at home. There is still more work to be done, but Indiana is on the right path. The state boasts the lowest unemployment rate in the Midwest, and I’m confident that our aggressive efforts will make Indiana an even more desirable place to live and work. |
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Hoosiers Called to Act as Good Samaritans He introduced the guest speaker, Bill Gaither. Most of you are probably know Mr. Gaither, who is a famous Hoosier-born singer and songwriter of gospel and contemporary Christian music. After an inspiring speech, Gov. Daniels gave an emotional introduction that would make the heart of any red-blooded Hoosier beat harder and stronger. Take a few minutes to listen for yourself: Governor’s remarks at the Prayer Breakfast. The Governor called on Hoosiers to reflect on the meaning of being Good Samaritans to our neighbors. The prayer breakfast gave people of all different faith backgrounds an opportunity to unite, and we left inspired by it all. |
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Next month we will wrap up legislative session and then I’ll have a chance to once again spend more time visiting your communities and catching up on the latest happenings in your area. Thanks for all you do. |
Sincerely,
