INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb delivered his 2017 State of the State address to a joint convention of the Indiana General Assembly on Tuesday.
Holcomb elaborated on the five pillars of his legislative agenda, including infrastructure. That included a look at his long-term road funding plan which included additional lanes on I-70 and I-65 from Jeffersonville to Crown Point.
Regarding how to fund that long-term plan, Holcomb reiterated his support for a range of options – including fuel tax increases, new tolling options, fees for alternative-fuel vehicles and creative public-private partnerships.
“The fact is, existing sources of revenue are just not keeping up,” said Holcomb. “I’m a believer that every time you ask a taxpayer for a dollar, you better be darn sure you need it and are going to use it effectively for its intended purpose. And here’s a case that if we ask Hoosiers to invest a little more, to meet the need, the return is going to be well worth it.”
Watch Gov. Holcomb's full speech below:
Governor Holcomb outlined his Next Level Legislative Agenda for the 2017 session on Jan. 5, just days before his inauguration. The agenda presents five pillars designed to address the key challenges facing our state today while positioning Indiana for long-term success and economic growth:
- Cultivate a strong and diverse economy to ensure Indiana is a magnet for jobs.
- Fund a long-term roads and bridges plan.
- Develop a 21st century skilled and ready workforce.
- Attack the drug epidemic.
- Provide great government service.
The Governor also focused on attacking Indiana’s drug epidemic, calling out the “heroes on the front lines” in Indiana communities who are working to curb the drug crisis and save lives every day.
On his first day in office, Holcomb created a new position that to coordinate and oversee the state’s efforts to curb the drug epidemic: an executive director for drug prevention, treatment and enforcement.
Governor Holcomb ended his first State of the State address with a commitment to working with people from all walks of life.
