Gov. Eric Holcomb outlines 2019 agenda

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (WISH) – Paying teachers more, growing the state’s economy and keeping students safer: Those are just a few of the things Gov. Eric Holcomb plans to focus on in the coming year.    

Imagine more international flights from Indianapolis to more places across the world; Holcomb wants to make that a reality. He also said spending $20 million on that will help economic growth. 

Also, you know that unfinished part of Interstate 69? Holcomb’s infrastructure plan calls for $790 million for road projects including speeding up the completion of I-69.

If you like hiking, biking and riding trails, Holcomb on Thursday also launched the Next Level trails grant program. That puts $90 million toward a statewide trail network.

For Indiana’s economy, the governor wants to make our state more attractive to businesses by taxing companies on income from services sold only in Indiana, not outside the state.

Holcomb also committed to giving teachers raises although it’ll take a few years to figure out exactly how. “Because we want to do it right. It’s a big number,” Holcomb said. “We have some ground to make up here. We want to at the same time make sure we’re showing local communities that the state is investing in them. We want them to have local control.”

School security is also high on the list. Holcomb wants a host of mental health services offered in schools. He also wants to require schools to do active shooter drills and threat assessments with the help of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. 

“What the report revealed, there are resources very close to our schools,” Holcomb said. “Through FSSA’s efforts, through mental health community centers.”

Holcomb also firmly planted his support for a hate crimes law. He said he wants Indiana off the list of states without that law clearly on the books.

Many of these legislative priorities will need lawmakers to push it through. Some, including the infrastructure plans, actually don’t need legislation.

We’ll have a firmer grasp of how much money the different areas will get once the state’s budget forecast arrives in the coming weeks. 

To read the complete agenda presentations from the governor’s office, click here.