Page 32 - BizVoice March/April 2013

32 BizVoice /Indiana Chamber – March/April 2013
pirited debates were not lacking for the
24-person statewide task force working to
assemble the Indiana Vision 2025 long-range
economic development plan. But when it came
to the Attractive Business Climate driver, there was strong
agreement that Indiana’s adoption of a right-to-work statute
was a critical next step.
That adoption took place in 2012 and the benefits are being
realized, despite the Midwest “exclusivity” disappearing
quickly with Michigan’s passage of a similar law in December
of last year. We look at some of the impacts and the ongoing
considerations in other states.
First, we tackle health care and the elusive battle to control
costs and make healthier lifestyle choices. Private practice
takes on a whole new meaning with the concierge concept
(see next page), while smoking reduction efforts gained a
boost with passage of the 2012 statewide ban. We offer an
update, along with introducing an alternative that draws
mixed reactions.
Attractive Business Climate: Key Goals
• Adopt a right-to-work statute.
• Enact comprehensive government reform at the state
and local levels to increase efficiency and effectiveness
in delivery of services.
• Reform public pension systems to achieve fairness and
cost-containment.
• Preserve and enhance a “Top 5” ranking among all states
for Indiana’s legal environment.
• Attain a “Top 5” ranking among all states for Indiana’s
business regulatory environment.
• Eliminate the business personal property tax.
• Eliminate the state inheritance tax.
• Promote the enactment of a federal solution to the
Internet sales/use tax dilemma.
• Streamline and make consistent the administration of
the state’s tax code.
• Establish government funding mechanisms to more closely
approximate “user fee” model.
• Contain health care costs through patient-directed access
and outcomes-based incentives.
• Reduce smoking levels to less than 15% of the population.
• Return obesity levels to less than 20% of the population.