INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Republican gubernatorial candidate Brad Chambers on Wednesday defended his work on a high-tech development park as his rivals called the approach paternalistic.

Chambers and his four chief rivals in the 2024 primary met at a forum hosted by the law firm Dentons, part of its annual legislative conference at the Indiana Convention Center.

Rivals attack LEAP district approach

Landowners and local officials have complained for months about the process behind the approval of the  LEAP Lebanon Innovation District, a large high-tech park planned for Boone County. The project is meant to mimic similar developments in other states such as Research Triangle Park in Raleigh, North Carolina. Many living nearby have told I-Team 8 preliminary work already has negatively impacted their well water. A group opposing the project released a report earlier this week which calculated the project would require up to 100 million gallons of water a day, though Lebanon’s mayor has disputed the report’s findings.

As part of a broader discussion about economic development policy, Chambers said he stands behind his work on LEAP. He said Indiana needs to compete not just with other states, but also with other countries for high-wage jobs of the future.

“We would be pouring concrete and erecting steel and hiring high-wage jobs for Intel if we had LEAP two years ago,” Chambers said. “We have to play economic offense because everyone around us is, and to keep these kids here, we need to recruit high-wage industry.”

Chambers’ rivals all said they agree with the idea behind LEAP but they disagree with the process behind it. Eric Doden, himself a former president of the Indiana Economic Development Corp., said the IEDC should not act as a developer and should not buy land with taxpayer money. Curtis Hill went a step further, saying the IEDC has acted as a shadow government in recent years. He said Indiana should double down on what makes its own economy unique and attractive rather than trying to mimic other states. Suzanne Crouch said the LEAP uproar illustrates the need to work continuously with local economic development organizations to ensure the local relationships needed for a LEAP-style project are already in place. Mike Braun said the concerns over the LEAP district’s impacts on water quality show the need to make sure economic development officials have investigated every possible problem before they proceed.

Crouch splits from field on income taxes

Chambers wasn’t the only candidate to split with the rest of the field at Wednesday’s forum. In August, Crouch called for eliminating the state income tax. She reiterated that position at the forum, saying it was the best way to grow the economy and put money back in Hoosiers’ pockets. Crouch said her plan would include economic triggers to prevent the state from cutting taxes too far too fast.

The other four candidates said they would move more cautiously on tax cuts, pointing to the large role income tax revenue plays in funding the functions of state government. Hill said eliminating other taxes such as the gas tax or the corporate income tax would provide more immediate relief and pose less of a financial risk. Braun said while he wouldn’t rule out getting rid of the individual income tax, he would first want to look for waste and inefficiencies in state agencies. Chambers said every CEO he talked to during his time running the IEDC raised quality of life concerns, but none ever complained about Indiana’s tax climate. He said he would be willing to lower taxes as long as they didn’t jeopardize basic services such as education. Doden said any reduction in taxes would have to be fair and equitable, and only steady growth in all 92 counties would truly grow the economy.

Legislative hearings began in August on an idea to eliminate or overhaul the Indiana income tax.

Public safety unites field

The candidates were less divided over public safety. All five said they would protect qualified immunity for police officers, with Chambers saying it needs to be codified into state law. They also said they would provide additional resources and training to police officers and other public safety workers. Crouch said she would especially like to add mental health response teams for mental health crises and make mental health checkups part of public safety workers’ annual physicals. Doden said he would launch a recruitment campaign to encourage people to join law enforcement.

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The future of education

The candidates struck similar tones on Indiana’s education needs. All of them said they support continued use of school choice vouchers. Braun said Indiana’s public schools need to get back to basics in education and ensure high schools better train students to succeed as soon as they earn their diplomas. Chambers said high schools should work with colleges and universities to develop career pathways for those interested in civic jobs such as public safety, similar to programs already in place to promote the trades. Crouch said she would expand early childhood education and reorganize the Department of Education, combining career training-oriented elements of other agencies to create a single “cradle-to-career” agency, in her words. Hill said he would increase investment in language and arts training in schools, and prohibit teaching of critical race theory or other social justice concepts.

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