Clearing the air

Recent news articles and comments by my opponent have questioned my family's right to participate in the health care plan offered by Shelby County. Numerous false accusations have been made about my family and our participation in the plan.

Despite continued insistence by the plan's administrator that my family and I qualify for the coverage, I have notified him that we will be withdrawing from the plan once other insurance is secured and in place. Staying in the county's health care plan is not worth the personal attacks on my family and my integrity.

As a member of the Shelby County Council, my family was given the opportunity to participate in the plan in August of 2005. Since enrolling in the plan, I have paid over $5,000 annually in premiums, which exceeds the amount of my annual salary as a council member. During my family's participation in the plan, our premium contributions have far exceeded any claims paid. This is anything but a free plan, as my opponent has suggested.

My opponent has inaccurately compared the county's legitimate health insurance plan to the ill-advised "lifetime health benefit plan" that was originally put in place by former Democratic House Speaker John Gregg. This Democrat-sponsored plan allowed lawmakers who retired to "lock in" lifetime coverage for a small contribution, even though they were no longer elected officials or state employees. Fortunately, this state plan was administratively eliminated this year by the Republican controlled Indiana House of Representatives. I made a pledge earlier this year to permanently eliminate this taxpayer subsidized benefit if elected to the Statehouse. And I reaffirm that pledge.

The race for state representative of District 57 should be about who will best represent and protect the interests of the taxpayers. The focus should be on the qualities, leadership and experience of the candidates and their position on the issues that are of concern to the people of Shelby and Bartholomew counties. Education, property tax relief, immigration reform and job creation should be among the topics of these discussions, not misleading negative attacks.

It is time for the people of Shelby and Bartholomew counties to hear what each of the candidates has to offer. Until Nov. 7, I will concentrate on the positive aspects of my candidacy, work to inform the voters on what I will do to protect their interests and concerns and contrast my experience and record on the important issues with that of my opponent.