Shane Gibson On The Issues

Why I'm Running...
Indiana is a great State but we now face serious challenges that we must address in the upcoming legislative session. With state revenues continuing to decrease, we face a budgetary crisis and we will have to balance being fiscally responsible with funding our top priorities. One priority we need to protect is school funding, so we can ensure our children receive a quality education. Without a quality education our children will struggle to succeed. We must also do more to ensure that our local economy improves and jobs are created for Hoosiers. I’ve grown up and lived in our community my entire life and I see the challenges facing families, I will fight to ensure their interests are represented in Indianapolis.

Jobs and the Economy
There are over 300,000 Hoosiers unemployed and our State’s economy has yet to recover. Indiana isn’t doing enough to create jobs. I will look for ways to reduce taxes for Indiana’s small businesses wherever possible which will encourage economic growth. I believe we need to create tax incentives for businesses that hire unemployed Hoosiers. It is worth the State providing a company with a substantial credit for hiring unemployed if it will get a fellow Hoosier back to work and that person can then support his or her family. We need to invest in our small businesses and find incentives to banks to provide low interest loans to help them weather the storm and set a path for a prosperous future.

Education
With the recent cuts in education funding, I pledge when elected, to fight to ensure that our local schools receive their fair share of State funding. It is unimaginable to me for the State to pass a budget, as they did in the last one, which provides $250 Millions to bailout a sports stadium in Indianapolis and then cut the K-12 educational funding by $300 Million.

I believe that education is the foundation of our community, our State, and our Nation. Our local schools need adequate funding to ensure that teachers have the resources and tools to do their job, keep class sizes small, and provide quality programs for our students.

I believe in the public school system and am a product of public schools. I send my two oldest children to our public schools and will send my youngest child also.

Taxes
The economy has Hoosiers strapped for cash and families are living on shoestring budgets. That is why I believe we cannot raise taxes on middle class families. If elected, I will work to find ways to ensure home owners really receive property tax relief and work tirelessly to prevent tax increases on middle class families.

Fiscal Responsibility
I owned and operated a small business. As the owner of a small law practice business, I understand the need to be fiscally responsible. When you operate your own business you have to understand budgets, income, and expenses. This concept seems to escape some of our current legislative representatives. As a State and a Nation, we must return to understanding the need to be fiscally responsible and I will do just that.

Alternative Energy
I support a common sense energy policy for our State that reduces costs for Hoosiers and reduces our dependence on foreign oil. We must adopt a plan to reduce energy waste and pollution for the benefit of our children and grandchildren. I support the research and implementation of alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, nuclear, and geothermal. We also must make efforts to improve our current system. It is far too costly and we need to find ways to control and stabilize the cost of energy for our citizens. Reducing and controlling costs of energy will also be of benefit to our local businesses by providing them stability in forecasting their operations.

Gun issues
I support the Second Amendment, protecting Hoosiers’ right to safe and responsible gun ownership. I support the recent Supreme Court decision recognizing a person’s constitutional right to own a gun and the principles laid out in the ruling.

Immigration
While our nation has been built on immigrants, illegal immigration is a growing problem in Indiana and the Nation. We must enforce the laws of our government with respect to illegal immigration. I believe companies that hire illegal immigrants should face stiff civil penalties and possible criminal action for repeat violations.