Affordability

Minimum wage in Indiana hasn’t increased from $7.25 an hour since 2009. This only happened as a result of federal law. Tipped employees only have to be paid $2.13. There is also a provision that allows employees under the age of 20 to be paid $4.25 an hour for their first 90 days. This is abhorrent. All hard working Hoosiers deserve fair pay for their labor. We must raise the minimum wage across the board for all employees, regardless of age, training status, or if they receive tips.

Minimum Wage By State Feb 21, 2025

Strong Public Education

Public schools are absolutely vital in giving every person equal opportunities for advancement in our society. We all benefit from a more educated society. This past legislative session, our lawmakers in Indiana chose to invest in charter schools and to offer private school vouchers with no income cap, meaning the wealthiest can now send their children to private schools on the taxpayers dime. We need to follow the examples of other states with better education outcomes and invest in our public schools.

Healthcare

The costs are too high. The outcomes are too poor. The accessibility is too low. We are losing OB/GYN providers to other states, creating healthcare deserts that result in higher maternal and fetal fatality rates.

Marijuana

Legalizing marijuana would add millions of dollars in tax revenue to our budget. It would lessen the strain on our congested criminal justice system, allowing resources to be focused on removing violent offenders from the streets and the increased tax revenue could be used to strengthen social programs that have proven to reduce crime rates. We continue to lose millions of dollars each year to out of state purchases. Every year we wait to legalize is another year of lost potential.

Labor Protections

In a society where you need employment to access healthcare, feed your family, apply to rent, remain housed, or secure loans, you should be entitled to basic rights to protect you from wrongful termination. All of us have heard at one time or another, “Well, Indiana is an ‘employment at will ’ state so there’s nothing you can do.”