Bloomington South High School basketball team honored at statehouse

Today the nation’s eyes are on Butler University’s chance to snag the NCAA Men’s Basketball title, but the Senate honored another worthy team: the Bloomington South High School Panthers. The Panther’s won the Class 4A state championship last month for the second time in three years with a victory of 56-42 over Kokomo High School’s team.  The team is now celebrating a 94-win run earned over the past four years.

Sen. Vi Simpson with the Bloomington South High School Panthers basketball team.

Senator Vi Simpson honored the team by introducing Senate Concurrent Resolution 49, which congratulates the team on its championship. She also introduced SCR 51, which recognizes Spencer Turner for being awarded the Arthur L. Trester Mental Attitude Award. Each year the Indiana High School Athletic Association presents the award to basketball players who excel in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability in basketball.

Sen. Simpson with head coach JR Holmes and Spencer Turner.

The team was joined on the Senate floor by its  coaching staff, including head coach JR Holmes.

Sen. Simpson with the team on the senate floor.

Social Workers’ Day at the Statehouse

Hundreds of social workers and social work students gathered at the Indiana Statehouse today hosted by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) to advocate and learn more about bills that could affect their profession and the people they serve.

Senate Democratic Leader Vi Simpson spoke to the social workers, encouraging their advocacy on state policies and warning of the consequences of budget cuts and other divisive legislation now before the General Assembly.

Many of the bills now under consideration are in conflict with the social action/public policy agenda of NASW, which includes such issues as improving public education, advocating for affordable health care and services, supporting cultural and ethnic diversity to end discrimination and oppression and promoting safer work, school and community environments for children (www.naswin.org).

Senator Simpson optimistic on first day of 2011 session

Dear Governor Daniels. . .

Senate Democrat Leader Vi Simpson sent a letter to Governor Daniels today requesting an accounting of discretionary cuts he has made and appropriations he has withheld against the General Assembly-approved state budget. She also requested information on the methodology being used to determine which reductions are made, how much, and when, so that she and other members of the Senate Democratic Caucus can better help Hoosiers prepare and work within the cuts. Additionally, Simpson is calling for a new revenue forecast to be prepared in June to inform decisions on cuts – or restorations – at that time.

Sen. Simpson said today:

The governor has the authority to make these cuts, but he also has the authority and obligation to restore funding to vital services and schools if state revenue picks up.

Sen. Simpson was joined by State Senator John Broden of South Bend for a Statehouse media availability today to discuss the letter and their concerns.

Watch highlights from the media availability in the video below:

Senate Democrats’ 2010 priority: Job creation

Senate Democrat Leader Vi Simpson (D-Ellettsville) and the Senate Democratic Caucus continue to stress that legislators must keep their eye on the ball to address the economy and put Hoosier families back to work. Sen. Simpson said today she hopes for a short and hardworking session.

Listen to Sen. Simpson’s statement:

In the News: Weatherization leaves us cold

According to a report by the Indy Star published today, the administration’s plan to use private organizations for administering federal weatherization dollars has shown little progress in the first quarter.

Statistics from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, which administers the state’s program, show it’s off to a slow start.

The goal to weatherize 2,202 homes by Nov. 30 did not come close to hitting the mark, with only 403 completed. The result? Hundreds of Hoosiers’ homes remain unweatherized as wintry weather settles in, wasting energy and driving up power bills. Nearly 9,000 more homes are expected to be weatherized by May 31.

Local Community Action Programs (CAPs) traditionally manage the program available to low-income Hoosiers, but this year additional administrators were chosen. The changes in how the state traditionally manage the funds prompted review by the federal government, and ultimately caused a delay in the state receiving the stimulus funds.

More from the Indy Star story:

And, critics say, Hoosiers are paying for that now.

“It’s more than disappointing,” Senate Minority Leader Vi Simpson, D-Ellettsville, said. “It’s harmful. It does great harm to Hoosiers all over the state of Indiana. We urged this administration to give the federal money to those local agencies who have been successful in the past, who have lots of experience getting the money distributed and getting homes weatherized. The governor insisted on bringing in new contractors and spending the money differently. And it’s failed.”
…
When the state handed the Indiana Builders Association the biggest share of the $132 million in federal stimulus contracts to weatherize homes, it expected work to be finished on 834 homes by the end of November.

It completed work on three.
…
In addition to the Indiana builders, the Hoosier Energy Rural Electric Cooperative, which was awarded a contract for more than $5 million, was supposed to have completed 205 homes. It completed 15.
…
Some groups — all community action agencies with experience in weatherization and federal programs — have exceeded their goals. The Community Action Program of Western Indiana completed work on 57 homes, three more than its goal of 54 at the end of November. The South Central Community Action Program had completed work on 37 homes at the end of November, one more than its goal of 36. And the North Central Community Action Agency, with a goal of 11 homes, completed work on 12.

View a list [PDF] of weatherization administrators, how much they’ve received and how they’ve met their goals. (File obtained from the IndyStar website.)

Read the administration’s press release announcing the selection of weatherization administrators and the criteria by which they were chosen.

Release: Simpson says cuts to education should be last resort

Simpson says cuts to education should be last resort
Says decisions should be made on annual forecast, not month-to-month targeting

INDIANAPOLIS –Senate Democrat Leader Vi Simpson (D-Ellettsville) responded to the governor’s announcement today that he will cut $150 million in state funding to public colleges and universities. Simpson says cuts to education should be the last resort and she questioned making the cuts based on monthly targets set by the governor’s office.