House Democrats say the closing of Carrier plants in Indianapolis and Huntington shows Republicans have gotten the economy wrong.
Minority Leader Scott Pelath (D-Michigan City) argues the move of 2,100 to Mexico proves Republican initiatives, from right-to-work to corporate tax cuts to the repeal of the common construction wage, haven't worked.
“We continue to have very low economic growth,” Pelath says. “We continue to have negligible, if not negative, wage growth and we don’t see any real improvements here.”
He faults Governor Pence for what Democrats have long charged are hollow economic development announcements which don't necessarily produce the jobs they promise.
Democrats and Senate Republicans have maintained the state should use surplus dollars before asking for more money.
Pelath says the job cuts make it the wrong time for higher taxes on consumers.
And Pelath argues the one thing legislators can do immediately to boost the economy is to revive a civil rights bill for gays and lesbians in an effort to revive the state’s image.
“We need to change the image of Indiana fast,” Pelath says. “Because right now, the image is that we’re an old, rust belt state that is happy to let manufacturing jobs slip away and doesn’t have any plans for bringing in ones to take their place.”