1999 REPORT CARD

Capital Funding for IUSB Student Activities Center

Position: Completion of the Indiana University-South Bend Student Activities Center is critical to the continual development of the campus and the educational opportunities it provides to the Michiana region. The Chamber strongly endorses the Student Activities Center project at IUSB and will actively work to encourage its funding by the General Assembly.

Outcome: The biennial state budget (HB 1001) fully funded the bonding for the center at $15,671,000.

Upgrade of U.S. 31

Position: The Chamber urges the Indiana General Assembly and the Indiana Department of Transportation to implement a plan for the upgrade of U.S. 31 to freeway standards. The Chamber supports a group or individual to produce a business plan to develop a coalition of communities along the U.S. 31 corridor to work with elected and appointed officials to accomplish the upgrade. The Chamber further supports modest financial assistance to seed the development of the business plan and/or to support the yet-to-be formed coalition.

Outcome: The Chamber spearheaded the formation of the recently-established U.S. 31 Coalition, Inc., which is hiring a consultant to manage the coalition throughout the U.S. 31 corridor. All major Chambers and economic development agencies along the corridor have agreed to work with this unified coalition.

Repeal the Inventory Tax

Position: The Chamber supports legislation to reduce or eliminate the negative affects of the inventory tax on business.

Outcome: The state budget included provisions to exempt the 
first $12,500 of inventory and all other personal property assessed value ($37,500 of true tax value). 
(In direct response to The Chamber's request, Sen. Joseph Zakas introduced a bill that would have phased out the inventory tax completely in three years.)

Land-Based Casino Development

Position: The Chamber opposes the location of a land-based casino in St. Joseph County.

Outcome: No casino plans have yet been unveiled for St. Joseph County by any entity. The Chamber is working closely with Michiana Against Casinos to ensure no land-based casinos locate in St. Joseph County, and the group currently is pursuing like-minded resolutions at the municipal level.

Education, Training, and Workforce Development

Position: A direct relationship exists between area education systems and the needs of the business community for a skilled and productive workforce. Indeed, crucial to St. Joseph County's social and economic future is the development of its human capital resource.
The Chamber supports the establishment of state tax credits to be applied to business tax liabilities for qualified employer-funded employee training programs and work-based learning initiatives conducted in partnership with local school corporations.

Outcome: Legislation was introduced by Rep. Richard Mangus to address The Chamber's position. It was not enacted into law, however.