Columns

By LARRY DeBOER, Guest Columnist

Just in time for Christmas, or the holiday of your choice, Indiana’s Department of Local Government Finance has released its new Gateway data site. It contains a virtual ton of budget and tax information about counties, cities, towns and other local governments.

You can see it at https://gateway.ifionline.org.

A new toy! Let’s try it out.

By GREG ZOELLER, Indiana Attorney General

On Nov. 14, the United States Supreme Court announced that it will hear five-and-a-half hours of oral argument on a lawsuit brought by 26 states, including Indiana, challenging the constitutionality of the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Many people have asked why I oppose the new federal health-care law and I have gone out of my way to speak to those who support the new federal program and explain my decision to join the multistate lawsuit.  

By JAMES GUTHRIE, Guest Columnist

As budget crises deepen across the country, many fear that education funding could be put on the chopping block. If school budgets are reduced, will it be possible to get a high-quality education in public schools?

The simple answer is yes. A high-quality education might be priceless in today’s economy. But it doesn’t have to be overly expensive.

By VINCE LUECKE, Editor

I’m not that religious of a person but I have an attraction to the lives of saints. I guess that’s a Catholic practice but for me reading about the lives of courageous people who fought and struggled for their faith goes beyond denomination.

There’s plenty the saints can teach us – about overcoming hardships, holding fast to faith in trying times and refusing to sacrifice what we judge most dear, even when it’s hard.