Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Delph's Legislation Seeks Transparency In IEDC Job Claims

State Sen. Mike Delph is introducing legislation aimed at preventing the Indiana Economic Development Corporation from continuing its practice of inflating the number of jobs it tells the public have been created as a result of the state's economic development efforts. WTHR has more on Sen. Delph's SB 162:
Indiana taxpayers have a right to know how many jobs they are paying for.
That is the position of State Sen. Mike Delph (R – Carmel), who has filed legislation that would prevent the Indiana Economic Development Corporation from keeping actual job realization numbers a secret.
"There's nothing more disconcerting to me as a public policy maker than when I feel like the public is being intentionally misled by its own government," Delph told WTHR. "That's not right and that should never happen. When it's public tax dollars at stake, you have a right to know how your tax dollars are being spent." . . .
That would change if SB 162 becomes law.
The legislation specifies that companies receiving state economic development incentives must submit a more detailed annual compliance report to IEDC. Each report must include updated job and investment data and, under SB 162, the reports must be available for public inspection and copying.
"The gist of SB 162 is to make more information publicly available. There would be more transparency and more accountability," Delph said.
The senator filed the proposed legislation after learning IEDC will not release basic information, such as a list of all "active" companies currently receiving incentives from the agency . . .

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