Ivy Tech Community College - South Bend is currently in the process of buying property along the south side of Sample St between Michigan St and Fellows St near downtown South Bend. School officials are reporting that an over abundance of students is leaving them no choice but to turn away students from enrolling in many classes.
The community college's current building is located on South Michigan St behind the fire station on the east side of the street. Some opponents of the expansion claim that school would be taking up potentially valuable retail space along a main corridor of the city. Since the school is a non-profit, there would be no chance for the city to collect tax revenues either.
School officials insist that the area of proposed development will bring positive development to the area and will be welcomed by the all ready existing businesses such as Mossberg & Co and Ziker Cleaners. Along with the expansion will come more jobs which pay income taxes and the ability to educate more people in the community.
IVY Tech administrators believe that they can be of future service to coming nanotechnology industries that need to provide continuing education for their employees. The school already provides customized education like this for many area businesses, law enforcement agencies, trade organizations, and hospitals. Memorial hospital is a regular contractor with the college to provide continuing education to their nursing staff for things such as new developments in surgical technology.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Kostielney is the new 1st District County Commissioner
Former District B councilman Andy Kostielney has been voted in by the GOP to take Mark Dobson's old seat as county commissioner. He will be finishing out the next two years of Dobson's term, and if he wishes to seek reelection will have to run again in 2010.
Who is this guy? Will he be good for St Joseph County? The Journal is initially confused as to why anyone in their right mind would like to enter into the unappreciated and underpaid world of public service, but this guy may actually have a decent head on his shoulders.
As a former Republican county councilman, Andy voted in favor of the controversial Tondu Coal Gasification plant. One may think "of course, the republican wants to do whatever corporations tell him to do." This is not the case. Kostielney happens to be a big fan of the Democratic led and government exectuted Project Future. It was Project Futures recommendation and plan to allow Tondue to build an environmentally friendly plant in New Carlisle. The county council shot down the idea with a vote of 7-2. Tondu would have brought in at ;east $400 million immedeatly into the region.
Project Future -- a whole entire blog of its own -- was a well planned mission for the region that many in local government have been dismissive about. As a councilman, Andy fought to keep Project Future funded and keep its mission. Thats right, a Republican that believes in the responsibility of government to its taxpayers by working to attract economic development....Regan would be spinning in his grave.
Kostielney will be a welcome addition to the commissioners' office.
Who is this guy? Will he be good for St Joseph County? The Journal is initially confused as to why anyone in their right mind would like to enter into the unappreciated and underpaid world of public service, but this guy may actually have a decent head on his shoulders.
As a former Republican county councilman, Andy voted in favor of the controversial Tondu Coal Gasification plant. One may think "of course, the republican wants to do whatever corporations tell him to do." This is not the case. Kostielney happens to be a big fan of the Democratic led and government exectuted Project Future. It was Project Futures recommendation and plan to allow Tondue to build an environmentally friendly plant in New Carlisle. The county council shot down the idea with a vote of 7-2. Tondu would have brought in at ;east $400 million immedeatly into the region.
Project Future -- a whole entire blog of its own -- was a well planned mission for the region that many in local government have been dismissive about. As a councilman, Andy fought to keep Project Future funded and keep its mission. Thats right, a Republican that believes in the responsibility of government to its taxpayers by working to attract economic development....Regan would be spinning in his grave.
Kostielney will be a welcome addition to the commissioners' office.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Bill introduced to allow Major Moves funds to be used in more progressive manners
State Rep. Scott Pelath (D-Michigan City) has introduced some very forward thinking legislation to allow for Major Moves funds to be used for Public Mass Transportation. The current legistation on the books allows the money to be used only for roads, highways, and bridges.
House Bill 1273 addresses many concerns about the Toll Road legislation that was rushed through by Gov Mitch Daniels. At the time of the Republican led legislation, there was much concern from Democratic leaders that reserving funds only for roads was very short-sighted. Many Democrats believed that to much money was being spent year after year by both the state and local governments on roads. Not only are new roads expensive to build, but old roads are expensive to maintain.
Many ideas were thrown around such as the expansion of the South Shore, interurban transportation, or even high speed rail between South Bend and Indianapolis. Mitch Daniels, however, shot down every one of them. The arguments for use of the Major Moves funds for Public Mass Transportation are getting stronger. With prices of road construction materials rising -- in some cases quadrupling -- governments are not able to purchase anywhere near the same amount for a road anymore.
Still, there may be some Republican opposition to HB 1273. Stay tuned to The Journal for further updates from the 2009 legislative session.
House Bill 1273 addresses many concerns about the Toll Road legislation that was rushed through by Gov Mitch Daniels. At the time of the Republican led legislation, there was much concern from Democratic leaders that reserving funds only for roads was very short-sighted. Many Democrats believed that to much money was being spent year after year by both the state and local governments on roads. Not only are new roads expensive to build, but old roads are expensive to maintain.
Many ideas were thrown around such as the expansion of the South Shore, interurban transportation, or even high speed rail between South Bend and Indianapolis. Mitch Daniels, however, shot down every one of them. The arguments for use of the Major Moves funds for Public Mass Transportation are getting stronger. With prices of road construction materials rising -- in some cases quadrupling -- governments are not able to purchase anywhere near the same amount for a road anymore.
Still, there may be some Republican opposition to HB 1273. Stay tuned to The Journal for further updates from the 2009 legislative session.
GOP Election Day tomorrow/Chairman's race in two months
Tomorrow is the election day for Mark Dobson's vacant 1st District County Commissioner's seat. 40 Republican precinct committee people will vote on one of two candidates: Karen Vargo and Andrew Kostielney. The Journal predicted earlier that there could be a third candidate in current county council member Dale Devon. The GOP chairman said that there is still time for another candidate to join in the race, but he doesn't think that it is very likely.
The election will be held tomorrow at 1 pm at St joe County Republican Headquarters.
St Joseph County GOP chairman Chris Reily is also going to be seeking another term shortly, but that election is not until March 17th. Mr. Reily had initially indicated two years ago that he would only seek one term in this office. He claims that he has seen a new future for his party and he wants help it grow in this county. In a release last month Reily stated that,
'When I first took the helm, people cautioned me "you'll be the captain of an empty ship"--a statement that proved patently false. Over the last two years, dozens of people dedicated their lives to this Party, and--and a result--we made enormous progress.'
Some of the accomplishments he cites are:
* over 125 new members
* the hirng of an Executive Director
* newsletter email list of over 1000
* establishment of new College Republican groups at area universities
* restarting Young Republicans and South Bend City Committees
* creation of a Candidate's College to train future elected officials
The election will be held tomorrow at 1 pm at St joe County Republican Headquarters.
St Joseph County GOP chairman Chris Reily is also going to be seeking another term shortly, but that election is not until March 17th. Mr. Reily had initially indicated two years ago that he would only seek one term in this office. He claims that he has seen a new future for his party and he wants help it grow in this county. In a release last month Reily stated that,
'When I first took the helm, people cautioned me "you'll be the captain of an empty ship"--a statement that proved patently false. Over the last two years, dozens of people dedicated their lives to this Party, and--and a result--we made enormous progress.'
Some of the accomplishments he cites are:
* over 125 new members
* the hirng of an Executive Director
* newsletter email list of over 1000
* establishment of new College Republican groups at area universities
* restarting Young Republicans and South Bend City Committees
* creation of a Candidate's College to train future elected officials
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Ignition Park....more?
The city of South Bend announced the upcoming ground breaking of the new Ignition Park in the 83 acre lot just South of Sample Street and West of Chapin St. This is potentially some great news for the "Westside." I mean, multinational bio and electronic companies relocating to the old Studebaker site could mean a revamping of property values, job opportumities, tax bases, etc.
So, is this just "smoke in mirrors" or could this really help to spelll economic recovery for our fair city?
Experts from across the nation are saying yes.
In the Journal's conversation with international development planner Abe Farkas, we find out why this may transform South Bend's economic landscape forever. According to Mr. Farkas, the best way to grow jobs in a region is to first partner up with a particular industry by offering unbeatable incentives. In our case, the Federal government has provided more incentive than could be imagined. Technology parks such as this are being bankrolled by the feds in only four areas of the country. The four technology parks in the U.S. are as follows: Westcoast= Los Angeles, South= Austin, TX, Northwest= Albany,NY, Midwest= South Bend, IN.
WOW! Talk about exclusive!
The nanotechnology sector in the U.S. is currently (even in the midst of this recession) a 1 trillion dollar a year industry. This type of money is sure to have an effect similar to the one that (if not greater) the Eli Lilly Corp had in Indianapolis. "Federal programs such as these turn out to be gold mines not just for [the cities they are in], but for the entire region as well," said Farkas " I am confident that this will be the cause for some major long term revitilization efforts for the City of South Bend."
Could this be the "Studebaker" that leads us into the next century? The Journal hopes so, and we will keep our readers up-to-date on any new developments concerning this issue.
-stay classy South Bend
So, is this just "smoke in mirrors" or could this really help to spelll economic recovery for our fair city?
Experts from across the nation are saying yes.
In the Journal's conversation with international development planner Abe Farkas, we find out why this may transform South Bend's economic landscape forever. According to Mr. Farkas, the best way to grow jobs in a region is to first partner up with a particular industry by offering unbeatable incentives. In our case, the Federal government has provided more incentive than could be imagined. Technology parks such as this are being bankrolled by the feds in only four areas of the country. The four technology parks in the U.S. are as follows: Westcoast= Los Angeles, South= Austin, TX, Northwest= Albany,NY, Midwest= South Bend, IN.
WOW! Talk about exclusive!
The nanotechnology sector in the U.S. is currently (even in the midst of this recession) a 1 trillion dollar a year industry. This type of money is sure to have an effect similar to the one that (if not greater) the Eli Lilly Corp had in Indianapolis. "Federal programs such as these turn out to be gold mines not just for [the cities they are in], but for the entire region as well," said Farkas " I am confident that this will be the cause for some major long term revitilization efforts for the City of South Bend."
Could this be the "Studebaker" that leads us into the next century? The Journal hopes so, and we will keep our readers up-to-date on any new developments concerning this issue.
-stay classy South Bend
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Indiana Legislative session to start Wednesday...HEA 1001 is the hot topic
The Indiana General Assembly convenes for the 2009 legislative session on Wednesday and much could be in store for the future of St Joseph County. This year is strictly a "budget year" and is scheduled to last approximately four months. There are many speculations on what (if any) amendments will be made to the provisions of HEA 1001.
The 1081 page House Enrolled Act 1001 (HEA 1001) was passed last legislative session as a potential streamliner for local governments. The bill included changes in tax structures, the ousting of township assessors, and allowed for referendum votes on large ticket spending items by local governments among other things. Benevolent in its premise, the passing of this bill resulted in millions of dollars of debt to many of the old industial communities in the northern part of the state.
St Joseph County, South Bend, and Mishawaka have all been hit very hard by HEA 1001 and have already layed-off many workers and cut some services. Despite this, the three municipalities are looking at the laying off of hundreds more workers, but also a Local Option Income Tax (LOIT) increase just to break even. While law enforcement and fire safety usually comprise about 80% or more of a city or counties budget, it is likely that these departments will see the most cuts. This will surely mean less fire fighters, drastically less police, less paying for criminals to be detained in jails, and a slew of other essential services that our community needs.
Groups such as the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (IACT), Indiana Association of Counties (IAC), as well as many local leaders themselves have been lobbying the Governor and the legislature to make some much needed updates or amendments to HEA 1001 to ensure the future fiscal solvency of the municipalities in our county. Some believe that since Speaker of the House Pat Bauer (D) is from St Joseph County himself that he will be spearheading some of these changes immedeately. Others believe that the House Democrats are stuck in a political headlock between a Republican controlled Senate and Governor, and do not have the clout to deal with these problems.
Below I listed both the House and Senate committees with the members from our area that sit on them. It will be very important for the electorate to pay close attention this session to the legislature this year. With the many constitutionally protective layers of government, it is sometimes difficult for the average citizen to at which elected official "the buck stops".
Stay tuned to the Journal for legislative updates throughout the session.
...stay classy South Bend.
House Committees:
Commerce, Energy, Technology and Utilities:
Rep. Ryan Dvorak
Courts and Criminal Code:
Rep. Ryan Dvorak
Elections and Apportionment:
Rep. David Niezgodski, Vice Chair
Environmental Affairs:
Rep. Ryan Dvorak, Chair
Family, Children, and Human Affairs:
Rep. Jackie Walorski
Financial Institutions:
Rep. Craig Fry
Insurance:
Rep. Craig Fry, Chair
Judiciary:
Rep. Ryan Dvorak
Labor and Employment:
Rep. David Niezgodski, Chair
Public Health:
Rep. Craig Fry
Public Policy:
Rep. Jackie Walorski
Roads and Transportation:
Rep. David Niezgodski
Committee on Joint Rules:
Speaker B. Patrick Bauer (ex officio)
Senate Committees:
APPROPRIATIONS:
Senator John Broden, R.M.M.
Senator Ryan Mishler
COMMERCE, PUBLIC POLICY & INTERSTATE COOPERATION:
Senator Jim Arnold
Senator Joe Zakas
ELECTIONS:
Senator John Broden
ETHICS:
Senator Jim Arnold
HEALTH & PROVIDER SERVICES:
Senator Ryan Mishler, R.M.
Provider Services Subcommittee
Senator Ryan Mishler
HOMELAND SECURITY, TRANSPORTATION & VETERANS AFFAIRS:
Senator Jim Arnold, R.M.M.
Public Safety Subcommittee
Senator Jim Arnold
INSURANCE & FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS:
Senator Joe Zakas
Insurance Subcommittee:
Senator Joe Zakas
JUDICIARY:
Senator Joe Zakas, R.M.
Senator John Broden
Probate Code & Trusts Subcommittee:
Senator Joe Zakas, Chair
Senator John Broden
NATURAL RESOURCES:
Senator Ryan Mishler, Chair
Senator Jim Arnold
PENSIONS & LABOR:
Senator Jim Arnold
TAX & FISCAL POLICY:
Senator Joe Zakas
Senator John Broden
The 1081 page House Enrolled Act 1001 (HEA 1001) was passed last legislative session as a potential streamliner for local governments. The bill included changes in tax structures, the ousting of township assessors, and allowed for referendum votes on large ticket spending items by local governments among other things. Benevolent in its premise, the passing of this bill resulted in millions of dollars of debt to many of the old industial communities in the northern part of the state.
St Joseph County, South Bend, and Mishawaka have all been hit very hard by HEA 1001 and have already layed-off many workers and cut some services. Despite this, the three municipalities are looking at the laying off of hundreds more workers, but also a Local Option Income Tax (LOIT) increase just to break even. While law enforcement and fire safety usually comprise about 80% or more of a city or counties budget, it is likely that these departments will see the most cuts. This will surely mean less fire fighters, drastically less police, less paying for criminals to be detained in jails, and a slew of other essential services that our community needs.
Groups such as the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (IACT), Indiana Association of Counties (IAC), as well as many local leaders themselves have been lobbying the Governor and the legislature to make some much needed updates or amendments to HEA 1001 to ensure the future fiscal solvency of the municipalities in our county. Some believe that since Speaker of the House Pat Bauer (D) is from St Joseph County himself that he will be spearheading some of these changes immedeately. Others believe that the House Democrats are stuck in a political headlock between a Republican controlled Senate and Governor, and do not have the clout to deal with these problems.
Below I listed both the House and Senate committees with the members from our area that sit on them. It will be very important for the electorate to pay close attention this session to the legislature this year. With the many constitutionally protective layers of government, it is sometimes difficult for the average citizen to at which elected official "the buck stops".
Stay tuned to the Journal for legislative updates throughout the session.
...stay classy South Bend.
House Committees:
Commerce, Energy, Technology and Utilities:
Rep. Ryan Dvorak
Courts and Criminal Code:
Rep. Ryan Dvorak
Elections and Apportionment:
Rep. David Niezgodski, Vice Chair
Environmental Affairs:
Rep. Ryan Dvorak, Chair
Family, Children, and Human Affairs:
Rep. Jackie Walorski
Financial Institutions:
Rep. Craig Fry
Insurance:
Rep. Craig Fry, Chair
Judiciary:
Rep. Ryan Dvorak
Labor and Employment:
Rep. David Niezgodski, Chair
Public Health:
Rep. Craig Fry
Public Policy:
Rep. Jackie Walorski
Roads and Transportation:
Rep. David Niezgodski
Committee on Joint Rules:
Speaker B. Patrick Bauer (ex officio)
Senate Committees:
APPROPRIATIONS:
Senator John Broden, R.M.M.
Senator Ryan Mishler
COMMERCE, PUBLIC POLICY & INTERSTATE COOPERATION:
Senator Jim Arnold
Senator Joe Zakas
ELECTIONS:
Senator John Broden
ETHICS:
Senator Jim Arnold
HEALTH & PROVIDER SERVICES:
Senator Ryan Mishler, R.M.
Provider Services Subcommittee
Senator Ryan Mishler
HOMELAND SECURITY, TRANSPORTATION & VETERANS AFFAIRS:
Senator Jim Arnold, R.M.M.
Public Safety Subcommittee
Senator Jim Arnold
INSURANCE & FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS:
Senator Joe Zakas
Insurance Subcommittee:
Senator Joe Zakas
JUDICIARY:
Senator Joe Zakas, R.M.
Senator John Broden
Probate Code & Trusts Subcommittee:
Senator Joe Zakas, Chair
Senator John Broden
NATURAL RESOURCES:
Senator Ryan Mishler, Chair
Senator Jim Arnold
PENSIONS & LABOR:
Senator Jim Arnold
TAX & FISCAL POLICY:
Senator Joe Zakas
Senator John Broden
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