From the Indianapolis Star:
Gov. Mike Pence, now in his fourth week as governor, told reporters today that he will continue to sell lawmakers and the public on his proposal to cut personal income taxes by 10 percent.
Pence said he has heard "people talk about having to choose between increased funding for schools or roads and doing tax relief."
"I think that's a false choice," Pence said, insisting as he did in his State of the State address last week, that Indiana can afford both.
Pence's meeting with reporters today was billed as "coffee and conversation," though there was little coffee drunk. Reporters were too busy taking notes the old-fashioned way -- with pens and notebooks. While the event was on-the-record, the governor's office asked that no video cameras or recording devices be used.
Pence, relaxed and joking at times with reporters, said his administration is making good progress on the goals he campaigned on, but also said his "road map" was never exhaustive and that he was open to ideas from both parties in the legislature.
His executive leadership style, he said, is to lay out a vision along with goals on how to reach them, but would also consider other ideas "that we believe will advance those goals."
"In short, let me just say ... my philosophy of executive leadership is I am no legislator in chief," Pence said.
As a former member of Congress, he said he respects lawmakers.
But he also made it clear that he doesn't give up in the face of resistance from lawmakers -- particularly on his tax cut proposal.
Pence said the revenue report released this morning for January, which showed the state taking in 8 percent more revenue that month than forecast in December, was "encouraging" news.
Pence said that the tax cut, along with education changes and other priorities, are aimed at getting jobs to come here rather than other states. He noted that Nebraska, Louisiana, Kansas and Ohio have all called for either eliminating or steeply slashing income taxes. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, for instance, wants to cut income taxes by 20 percent, though sales taxes would be imposed on services to pay for that.
Pence singled out Ohio, saying Indiana is in competition with that neighboring state for jobs.
"We play Ohio State on Sunday," Pence said of Indiana University's basketball team. "But I also want to beat them on Monday."
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013302060337
