The 2015-2016 short session of the Indiana General Assembly delivered a solid win for the 10-county Northeast Indiana region by fully funding the Regional Cities Initiative, and delivered progress on other legislative priorities of the Regional Chamber of Northeast Indiana according to Vince Buchanan, executive director.

Buchanan made the comment this morning at a breakfast meeting where several local lawmakers briefed business leaders on achievements of the General Assembly.

The legislature committed the full $42 million in matching funds to all three winners in the Regional Cities competition. Northeast Indiana’s ambitious proposal for quality-of-life projects, designed to help the region keep and attract both residents and employers, now moves ahead without state funding uncertainty.

Buchanan says this is significant for the region. “It’s a major step toward launching some really exciting projects designed to transform communities. With doubts about that $42 million from the state now gone, communities can move aggressively to locate the local funding necessary for their projects.”

Buchanan says the area’s lawmakers also made progress on creation of demand-driven training for technical careers. “Workforce development leaders are to look 10 years into the future and project the demand for skilled workers in each region of the state, then create training and education to fill those gaps.” Buchanan said that’s vital for keeping jobs and creating a workforce that will attract new employers hungry for Hoosiers with technical skills.

ABOUT THE REGIONAL CHAMBER OF NORTHEAST INDIANA
The Regional Chamber represents businesses and communities in a 10-county region of Northeast Indiana, focusing exclusively on state legislation and policies that impact the workforce, infrastructure and helping Hoosiers compete in a global economy.