Jill Long Thompson talks business, toll road
Indianapolis - The number of Democrats wanting to be the next governor has shrunk from three to two. Richard Young has dropped out, leaving Jim Schellinger and the candidate who wants to be the first woman governor of Indiana, former US Representative Jill Long Thompson.
Indianapolis businessman Jim Schellinger has kept busy on his listening tour around the state. Former 4th District Congresswoman Jill Long Thompson, with an MBA and Ph.D. in business, believes the state should do more than just try to attract business.
"We need growth that provides salaries and wages and benefits that will support families. We need growth opportunities for businesses that are here as well as attracting new businesses. We lost 17,000 manufacturing jobs last year. Personal income continues to drop in this state," said Thompson.
Thompson is against the toll road privatization.
"There are estimates that the foreign consortium that is leasing the toll road for 75 years, which essentially amounts to a selling of the toll road, will have their investment recouped in fifteen years and that means for the following sixty it is pure profit. Who pays for that? We pay for that," she said.
A familiar face in Indiana politics, Thompson is comfortable running more against Governor Mitch Daniels than against her Democratic opponent, especially when it comes to property taxes.
"This shifting of the burden of taxation from business to homeowners in the form of property taxes is a total breakdown in leadership on the part of Governor Daniels," she said.
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