Holcomb talks priorities for next governor
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowGov. Eric Holcomb recently penned an extensive opinion piece that outlines what he believes are the priorities for the individuals running to become Indiana’s next governor.
“As the state’s chief executive, you won’t be able to rely on slogans or empty campaign promises to yield positive results,” Holcomb said in his article. “Instead, your vision and where you want to lead the state must be accompanied by detailed plans that you will implement.”
In an extended interview with Inside INdiana Business Host Gerry Dick and IBJ Editor Lesley Weidenbener, the governor said his top goal is to make sure that continuity continues in Indiana.
“I tried to put some things to be constructive and helpful to whoever follows, to look at this as almost a template, like these are the things that are going to come across your desk,” he said. “And you’ll have to deal with them whether you want to or not.”
Holcomb noted that when he talks to voters, they say they know what the candidates are against—among them being masks, illegal immigration, and China—but they don’t know what the candidates are for.
Among the topics outlined in the op-ed is a focus on workforce development, particularly as the state continues to grow in the areas of microelectronics, hydrogen production and new energy. But he said there is another component that the next governor will need to address.
“I used to worry about just just the workforce and the sheer numbers. Now, I also worry about…having the power to to fuel those enterprises, because if you don’t have that fuel or that power addition, that energy, then there’s no place for those folks to go to work.”
Infrastructure has been another key element of Holcomb’s administration, and the long-awaited completion of the I-69 extension from Indianapolis to Evansville is nearing the finish line. Holcomb said he expects that project to be done sometime this year before he leaves office.
Holcomb noted that he wants to hear more about how the next governor will work to fund infrastructure projects using a finite amount of revenue.
“This is what you’re going to have to be dealing with and thinking about right now. And you know, I can remember going back to 2003-2004, ultimately, Mitch Daniels decided we were going to commit ourselves to building that first section, and it made it almost inevitable, or the pressure was on for the next folks to complete the task and the job and here we are already.”
The governor pointed to northwest Indiana, where two major infrastructure projects are currently taking place. One of them, the $649 million South Shore Double Track project, is slated for completion in May, followed by the $945 million West Lake Corridor extension of the South Shore rail line, have already led to additional investment in the region.
“The investments that we’re making in partnership with their vision in northwest Indiana is flat out exciting, and it’s just in my opinion in the last five, 10 years, they turned a corner, and they’re moving full steam ahead. It’s not just the train; it’s the whole region in that economy, and truly the best is yet to come.”
You can view the more than 30-minute interview with Gov. Holcomb in the video above.