ANDERSON, Ind. — The two major party candidates for Indiana Governor are laying out plans for Hoosier wage-earners.

Democrat John Gregg’s proposal aims to close what he calls a wage gap for women, while Republican Mike Pence has announced an initiative to cut personal income taxes by 10 percent.

John Gregg

Gregg’s plan to help working women in Indiana support their families is part of the Hoosier Handshake, his vision for a better and more prosperous Indiana that he has been laying out throughout the spring and summer.

Speaking in Anderson yesterday, Gregg said, “it is hard to believe that in this day and age wage discrimination is still something that exists, but the sad truth is that women in Indiana still only make 74 cents to the dollar that men make– and even less if that woman happens to be African American or Hispanic. This doesn’t only hurt women– it hurts their families, and especially their children.”

Gregg continued, “the gender wage gap in Indiana is the fifth worst in the country, and that is just unacceptable. We know we can do better. That is why I am proposing steps that will help us close the gap.”

Gregg pledged that as governor, he will do the following:

• Publicize public and private organizations that promote equal pay practices. As Governor, Gregg will promote gender equality in the workplace, ensure that state government is working under “equal pay for equal work” practices, and encourage the private sector to do the same.
• Create a special Governor’s designation for Indiana businesses that show evidence that they support and comply with “equal pay for equal work” practices. Each year Gregg will honor companies that are actively promoting gender equity.
• Establish an anonymous 1-800 hotline that employees can call specifically to report workplace incidents against women, whether harassment or suspicion of unequal pay scales.
• Create more job opportunities with better pay and good benefits through more focused job training programs to prepare workers—including women– for highly-skilled, high-wage jobs of the 21st Century, and by making higher education more accessible and affordable for individuals and families. In the coming weeks, Gregg will unveil his plan for creating more good-paying jobs with benefits and fostering an environment of opportunity for working parents – especially the many mothers who work outside the home – so that they can better support their families and still be able to spend more quality time with their kids.

“When we talk about women’s issues, what we are really talking about is fairness. We are talking about making sure our mothers, sisters, daughters, and wives are treated with dignity, and have their work rewarded with wages the same as any other citizen,” said Gregg.

“As governor, I pledge that my administration will have a commitment to working families. From making sure that every child’s parents are paid according to their abilities and not their gender, to helping families afford childcare, we will make sure that Indiana families who are working and playing by the rules get a fair shake.”

“Unfortunately my opponent has been on the other side of this issue during his 12 years Congress,” Gregg added. “He opposed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act. Hoosier women deserve better.”

See the full plan here.

Source: Gregg for Govertnor

Mike Pence

Pence has proposed the largest cut in individual income tax in Indiana history.

Pence delivered one of the most significant policy proposals of the campaign in a speech to the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce. He pledged to cut personal income tax by 10 percent across the board while increasing the state’s reserves and maintaining Indiana’s top credit rating.

“The time has come to cut taxes for every Hoosier, in the city, in the factory and on the farm,” said Pence. “We will make Indiana the most attractive place in the Midwest to start a business, grow a business, or get a job.”

Pence laid out detailed plans to cut the state’s individual income tax rate, maintain the state’s reserves at a minimum of 12.5 percent of appropriations, and continue to honestly balance the budget by holding the line on spending.

For a family of four in Indiana, the tax cut will amount to more than $228. It will also impact the 92 percent of Hoosier small businesses that pay their taxes under the individual income tax. For a small business with net income of $300,000, this tax cut will put more than $1,000 on the bottom line, allowing those businesses to invest more and hire more.

“I believe strongly that when government has too much money, it needs to return that money to taxpayers who first earned it,” said Pence. “Thanks to Governor Daniels, we are in such a positive fiscal condition that we can afford to do that on a permanent basis.”

The tax cut would give Indiana the lowest tax burden in the Midwest, according to the calculations based on data from the Tax Foundation. That would further improve Indiana’s overall business climate and help grow private sector jobs and attract new investment.

The full policy proposal is available at www.mikepence.com/issues.

Source: Mike Pence for Indiana