Who's Best for Business?

• Author: KAELBLE, STEVE
• Position: Industry Overview - Statistical Data Included

Indiana's major gubernatorial candidates lay out their plans to help Indiana prosper.

It is, perhaps, not surprising how uphill the battle has been for David McIntosh, trying to unseat Gov. Frank O'Bannon. After all, the economy is good, there are no juicy scandals and Hoosiers have always felt more comfortable embracing the status quo.

Still, it has to be frustrating for McIntosh, a Republican who's giving up his U.S. congressional seat to take on O'Bannon, the incumbent Democrat. This is a state where Republicans are supposed to win, and his promise of tax cuts and better-run government is the kind of thing that ought to appeal to business people and individuals alike. His message has been consistent, yet pollsters have declared him a long-shot.

A look at these candidates' platforms reveals a lot of agreement about what's important for Indiana business and the state economy. Where they differ most is in their opinions of how well the state government has delivered when it comes to these issues. O'Bannon sums up the past four years with a litany of success stories, while McIntosh underscores what he views as missed opportunities and mismanagement.

AN EDUCATED WORKFORCE

There's no disagreement on the importance of quality education.

For Indiana to prosper in the 21st century, O'Bannon says, "the first thing is to make sure we have a well-educated workforce, with good school systems and higher education." His discussions of education are peppered with references to accomplishments he claims on his watch, noting that Indiana ranks above the national average in math and reading scores and in school technology.

McIntosh's assessment of the present is more harsh. "Employers are finding it increasingly frustrating as they hire people out of our schools who can't write a sentence he says. "Roughly 33 percent of the high school class of 2000 didn't get a high school education in Indiana" explaining that one in three high-school students either dropped out or failed the ISTEP test.

And he's not impressed by the two-notch rise in SAT rankings. "The current leadership has accepted the status quo," McIntosh charges. "We saw SATs go from 45th to 43rd and they said 'stay the course."'

McIntosh offers a lengthy plan to boost education in Indiana. He proposes improving teacher quality by offering state income tax credits for professional development, by conducting periodic teacher evaluations, by basing teacher pay on performance rather than length of service, by making sure teachers are qualified in their subject areas before issuing a license, and by providing alternative licensing so that experts are allowed to teach in their fields.

Though McIntosh ridicules O'Bannon's preference to "stay the course," O'Bannon stands by the education initiatives his administration has set in motion. He's especially proud of the accountability program that sets higher student achievement standards in core subject areas and offers school report cards detailing how individual schools are...