Budget hearings have begun at the statehouse, with legislators questioning Governor Holcomb’s plan to pay off some debt early. The administration wants to spend 300-million dollars to wipe out debt for I-69 and some hospital, state park and prison construction projects. Democrats have been critical of similar proposals in the past, and Indianapolis Representative Ed DeLaney says, especially with interest rates low, Indiana wouldn’t gain that much in interest savings. He says many students have fallen behind due to their schools either canceling classes or moving them online, and need help to get caught up again. And he says the pandemic has exposed public health disparities the state could be addressing with that money.
