Hoosiers loose 30 year fight against DST.
Apr 1, 2006 16:14:50 GMT -5
Post by Lamron on Apr 1, 2006 16:14:50 GMT -5
For over thirty years Indiana has been a beacon of light shinning into the darkness of ignorance and superstition. This daylight savings time nonsense has been successfully been resisted until now. I'm saddened to say that it was actually our Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels who pushed it through. I try not to blame him too much, I like him and he's done alot for conservative issues in Indiana. He's been reforming many aspects of local government and trying to fix the inefficiencies of bureaucracy. His did it for economic reasons and felt that surrendering the principle for the benefits was worth it.
Hopefully, this won't hurt his re-election chances too much.
They should have made it effective on April 1st instead of 2nd. April Fools Day would be much more appropriate.
Daylight-saving time is coming to all of Indiana for the first time in more than 30 years.
In a history-making drama, the Indiana House voted 51-46 late Thursday to pass the controversial issue, which has dominated the legislature, coffee shops and kitchen tables for four months.
Gov. Mitch Daniels, who made passage of the time change one of his top economic priorities, will sign the bill soon so that on April 2, 2006, Hoosiers will join people in 47 other states in turning their clocks ahead one hour.
The climactic vote at 11:36 p.m. came after a half-hour of emotional testimony, in which lawmakers on both sides of the debate brushed away tears. They had fought about the issue all session. Some argued the changes are needed to boost Indiana in a global economy and erase the state's backward image. Others called it an unnecessary intrusion in Hoosiers' lives.
Lawmakers had been deadlocked in the House all day.
The bill -- Senate Bill 127 -- had come within two votes of being killed earlier Thursday, when the House voted 49-48 against the time change.
But after 12 hours of behind-the-scenes pleading -- supporters called it persuasion; opponents called it arm-twisting -- backers believed they finally had locked up the requisite 51 votes.
"Now is the time," said House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis. "Today is the day. Let's do it."
At 11:30 p.m., the voting began and a flurry of red and green lights illuminated lawmakers' choices. For six minutes that seemed longer, Bosma held open the vote. Once again, it looked as if the bill would not reach the all-important 51 "yes" votes.
Two Democrats who have supported daylight-saving time -- Rep. Terri Austin, of Anderson and Rep. David Orentlicher, of Indianapolis -- were the last to vote no. Opponents thought they had won and began to chant for Bosma to tally the vote.
Suddenly, one red light switched to green, as Rep. John Ulmer, R-Goshen, changed his mind. The tally stood at 50 when Rep. Troy Woodruff, R-Vincennes, switched his vote.
The instant Bosma saw he had 51 votes, he closed the voting machine and announced the bill had passed. Supporters cheered and applauded. Opponents shook their heads.
Harry Gonso, the governor's chief of staff, called Daniels on his BlackBerry and handed the device to Rep. Gerald Torr, the Carmel Republican who had fought for the bill all session.
Torr, surrounded by cameras and reporters, was in a daze. He could hardly take in the governor's words, he said, recalling only that Daniels congratulated and thanked him.
Woodruff, whose switched vote had just guaranteed Indiana would switch to daylight-saving time, was rushed by House Republicans into the serenity of Bosma's office before facing reporters. A political newcomer elected last November in a district where daylight-saving time is unpopular, Woodruff had cast the toughest vote of his life.
Within moments, he faced the barrage of reporters' questions.
"It was time to end this thing," he said, still appearing stunned by what he'd just done. "It's time to move the state forward."
As he spoke, his Web site still contained a pledge to his constituents to "always vote against this controversial piece of legislation" -- a promise Democrats were quick to point out.
"Some things are more important than re-election," Woodruff said.
He had simply tired of Democrats playing politics with the issue, he explained, adding he was fed up as he watched Democrats who have always supported the bill vote against it.
And so he changed his vote.
Bosma said Woodruff was a portrait in political courage, saying the 34-year-old could end up paying for his vote at the ballot box. He accused House Democrats of seeking to trade votes on legislation legalizing slot machines at horse-racing venues for votes on daylight-saving time.
"It was clear that every time we came up with enough votes, the Democrats took some of those votes away," Bosma said.
Bosma said he had specifically urged Woodruff not to vote for the bill. He had not realized it was Woodruff who had cast the deciding vote until after he closed the voting machine. Woodruff, who also is an aide to U.S. Rep. John Hostettler, R-Ind., narrowly defeated a Democratic incumbent last fall to win his seat.
"It's not the most popular issue in his area," said Bosma, who now must begin work to ensure Woodruff can hold his seat. House Republicans narrowly took control of the chamber last fall by a 52-48 margin after eight years out of power.
Daniels had no immediate public comment after the vote. Gonso, who had watched the drama play out on the House floor, hailed the vote's real and symbolic effects.
"It signals our state's willingness to make a change," Gonso said. "This had been a centerpiece of Mitch's campaign and his desire to effect change."
One thing the bill doesn't change is Indiana's time zones. Many opponents had argued that Indiana, now mostly in the Eastern time zone, is a better fit in the Central time zone. The bill requires Daniels to ask the U.S. Department of Transportation to hold hearings on where the time zone boundary should fall.
Currently, 82 Indiana counties are in the Eastern time zone, and 10 counties in northwestern and southwestern Indiana are in the Central time zone. The bill will validate five counties in southeastern Indiana that have been illegally observing daylight-saving time.
Torr said the daylight-saving time legislation might not compare to the state's $24 billion budget in weight.
But, he said, he understood why the issue has captivated -- and divided -- Indiana.
"We pass a budget every two years -- it's not that big a deal," he said. "This is historic."
That point was made repeatedly during the House debate. The issue has failed to garner enough support for years in Indiana's legislature. Wednesday, the Senate passed it 28-22. But the House had balked.
Rep. Jim Buck, R-Kokomo, gave the issue new life. He had voted against it twice before -- once earlier this month and again Thursday morning. Only someone willing to switch his or her vote can seek a new vote, and Buck had decided to switch.
"I wasn't pressured by anybody," he said to derisive laughter from House Democrats opposed to the bill.
Instead, he said, he changed his mind by pondering the mural in front of the House, which he said symbolized the pioneers and entrepreneurs who have taken risks in Indiana without knowing whether that risk would pay off.
Rep. William Crawford, D-Indianapolis, took offense at what he called "the grandiose concept" that daylight-saving time was going to be "the greatest thing since sliced bread."
Indiana, he said, has too many children who need help from the state, and too many people out of work. Instead of focusing on those problems, he said, the legislature had become absorbed in daylight-saving time. He'd supported the issue before, he said, but now he would vote no.
"I will always choose children over clocks," Crawford said.
As hard as Torr and other supporters had fought for the bill, others, such as Rep. F. Dale Grubb, D-Covington, had been just as passionate in opposition.
Grubb's district sits along the Illinois border, and many of his constituents work there. Daylight-saving time would always put their jobs one hour behind their home lives.
Thursday night, though, Grubb knew this battle was over. But not his fight. Even proponents expect they will be fending off attempts to repeal daylight-saving time as soon as January, when lawmakers return.
Choking back tears, Grubb asked supporters to study the time change's impact on Hoosiers.
He asked for their promise that "if this doesn't work, you've got to come back and help me fix it so it doesn't hurt my part of the state."
www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050429/NEWS02/504290498
Hopefully, this won't hurt his re-election chances too much.
They should have made it effective on April 1st instead of 2nd. April Fools Day would be much more appropriate.
Daylight-saving time is coming to all of Indiana for the first time in more than 30 years.
In a history-making drama, the Indiana House voted 51-46 late Thursday to pass the controversial issue, which has dominated the legislature, coffee shops and kitchen tables for four months.
Gov. Mitch Daniels, who made passage of the time change one of his top economic priorities, will sign the bill soon so that on April 2, 2006, Hoosiers will join people in 47 other states in turning their clocks ahead one hour.
The climactic vote at 11:36 p.m. came after a half-hour of emotional testimony, in which lawmakers on both sides of the debate brushed away tears. They had fought about the issue all session. Some argued the changes are needed to boost Indiana in a global economy and erase the state's backward image. Others called it an unnecessary intrusion in Hoosiers' lives.
Lawmakers had been deadlocked in the House all day.
The bill -- Senate Bill 127 -- had come within two votes of being killed earlier Thursday, when the House voted 49-48 against the time change.
But after 12 hours of behind-the-scenes pleading -- supporters called it persuasion; opponents called it arm-twisting -- backers believed they finally had locked up the requisite 51 votes.
"Now is the time," said House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis. "Today is the day. Let's do it."
At 11:30 p.m., the voting began and a flurry of red and green lights illuminated lawmakers' choices. For six minutes that seemed longer, Bosma held open the vote. Once again, it looked as if the bill would not reach the all-important 51 "yes" votes.
Two Democrats who have supported daylight-saving time -- Rep. Terri Austin, of Anderson and Rep. David Orentlicher, of Indianapolis -- were the last to vote no. Opponents thought they had won and began to chant for Bosma to tally the vote.
Suddenly, one red light switched to green, as Rep. John Ulmer, R-Goshen, changed his mind. The tally stood at 50 when Rep. Troy Woodruff, R-Vincennes, switched his vote.
The instant Bosma saw he had 51 votes, he closed the voting machine and announced the bill had passed. Supporters cheered and applauded. Opponents shook their heads.
Harry Gonso, the governor's chief of staff, called Daniels on his BlackBerry and handed the device to Rep. Gerald Torr, the Carmel Republican who had fought for the bill all session.
Torr, surrounded by cameras and reporters, was in a daze. He could hardly take in the governor's words, he said, recalling only that Daniels congratulated and thanked him.
Woodruff, whose switched vote had just guaranteed Indiana would switch to daylight-saving time, was rushed by House Republicans into the serenity of Bosma's office before facing reporters. A political newcomer elected last November in a district where daylight-saving time is unpopular, Woodruff had cast the toughest vote of his life.
Within moments, he faced the barrage of reporters' questions.
"It was time to end this thing," he said, still appearing stunned by what he'd just done. "It's time to move the state forward."
As he spoke, his Web site still contained a pledge to his constituents to "always vote against this controversial piece of legislation" -- a promise Democrats were quick to point out.
"Some things are more important than re-election," Woodruff said.
He had simply tired of Democrats playing politics with the issue, he explained, adding he was fed up as he watched Democrats who have always supported the bill vote against it.
And so he changed his vote.
Bosma said Woodruff was a portrait in political courage, saying the 34-year-old could end up paying for his vote at the ballot box. He accused House Democrats of seeking to trade votes on legislation legalizing slot machines at horse-racing venues for votes on daylight-saving time.
"It was clear that every time we came up with enough votes, the Democrats took some of those votes away," Bosma said.
Bosma said he had specifically urged Woodruff not to vote for the bill. He had not realized it was Woodruff who had cast the deciding vote until after he closed the voting machine. Woodruff, who also is an aide to U.S. Rep. John Hostettler, R-Ind., narrowly defeated a Democratic incumbent last fall to win his seat.
"It's not the most popular issue in his area," said Bosma, who now must begin work to ensure Woodruff can hold his seat. House Republicans narrowly took control of the chamber last fall by a 52-48 margin after eight years out of power.
Daniels had no immediate public comment after the vote. Gonso, who had watched the drama play out on the House floor, hailed the vote's real and symbolic effects.
"It signals our state's willingness to make a change," Gonso said. "This had been a centerpiece of Mitch's campaign and his desire to effect change."
One thing the bill doesn't change is Indiana's time zones. Many opponents had argued that Indiana, now mostly in the Eastern time zone, is a better fit in the Central time zone. The bill requires Daniels to ask the U.S. Department of Transportation to hold hearings on where the time zone boundary should fall.
Currently, 82 Indiana counties are in the Eastern time zone, and 10 counties in northwestern and southwestern Indiana are in the Central time zone. The bill will validate five counties in southeastern Indiana that have been illegally observing daylight-saving time.
Torr said the daylight-saving time legislation might not compare to the state's $24 billion budget in weight.
But, he said, he understood why the issue has captivated -- and divided -- Indiana.
"We pass a budget every two years -- it's not that big a deal," he said. "This is historic."
That point was made repeatedly during the House debate. The issue has failed to garner enough support for years in Indiana's legislature. Wednesday, the Senate passed it 28-22. But the House had balked.
Rep. Jim Buck, R-Kokomo, gave the issue new life. He had voted against it twice before -- once earlier this month and again Thursday morning. Only someone willing to switch his or her vote can seek a new vote, and Buck had decided to switch.
"I wasn't pressured by anybody," he said to derisive laughter from House Democrats opposed to the bill.
Instead, he said, he changed his mind by pondering the mural in front of the House, which he said symbolized the pioneers and entrepreneurs who have taken risks in Indiana without knowing whether that risk would pay off.
Rep. William Crawford, D-Indianapolis, took offense at what he called "the grandiose concept" that daylight-saving time was going to be "the greatest thing since sliced bread."
Indiana, he said, has too many children who need help from the state, and too many people out of work. Instead of focusing on those problems, he said, the legislature had become absorbed in daylight-saving time. He'd supported the issue before, he said, but now he would vote no.
"I will always choose children over clocks," Crawford said.
As hard as Torr and other supporters had fought for the bill, others, such as Rep. F. Dale Grubb, D-Covington, had been just as passionate in opposition.
Grubb's district sits along the Illinois border, and many of his constituents work there. Daylight-saving time would always put their jobs one hour behind their home lives.
Thursday night, though, Grubb knew this battle was over. But not his fight. Even proponents expect they will be fending off attempts to repeal daylight-saving time as soon as January, when lawmakers return.
Choking back tears, Grubb asked supporters to study the time change's impact on Hoosiers.
He asked for their promise that "if this doesn't work, you've got to come back and help me fix it so it doesn't hurt my part of the state."
www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050429/NEWS02/504290498
