Hoosier families deserve our absolute best â that is what my service in the Indiana General Assembly is all about. We have been through a lot this past year. While this session has been vastly different, my priority to residents of St. Joseph County remains the same.
Lifting up our community is personal to me. My family owns a small plumbing business that has served our community for nearly 100 years. I raised my kids here. I started my political journey in the county to give back to the community that has given so much to my family. Through new and dynamic reinvestment opportunities, our community continues to grow and prosper.
General Assembly
NIKI KELLY | The Journal Gazette
INDIANAPOLIS – A bill to protect businesses, schools and nonprofits from COVID-19-related lawsuits is heading to the governor s desk.
The Indiana Senate voted 39-7 Monday to accept final changes on the bill. Gov. Eric Holcomb has stated his support for the measure.
“Many Indiana businesses, organizations and individuals have made significant sacrifices during the pandemic to try and keep those in our community healthy,” said Sen. Mark Messmer, R-Jasper. “Unfortunately, the losses some businesses have experienced because of the COVID-19 pandemic are unrecoverable. Our goal with this legislation is to provide the reassurance and peace of mind organizations and businesses need to resume operations without the threat of a frivolous lawsuit, which will ultimately help our economy spring back.”
Bill would mean cash infusion for Coliseum, Grand Wayne
NIKI KELLY | The Journal Gazette
INDIANAPOLIS – The Memorial Coliseum and Grand Wayne Center would see an infusion of cash under a bill passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee Thursday.
It would increase the maximum amount of state tax revenue that can be captured by the city’s Professional Sports and Convention Development Area by $2 million a year. By increasing the cap this allows Allen County to emerge from this pandemic stronger than before and allow the facility to continue to be an economic driver to Fort Wayne and the region, said C.J. Steigmeyer, vice president of finance and chief operating officer at the Coliseum.
County seeks state assistance for Coliseum
DAVE GONG | The Journal Gazette
The Allen County commissioners Wednesday called for the Indiana General Assembly to consider freeing up additional funding for the Memorial Coliseum, which has dealt with hundreds of pandemic-related event cancellations.
Support for the Coliseum was included in a list of four legislative priorities that county officials announced in a news release ahead of the 2021 session of the Indiana General Assembly. The priorities were identified by Zackery Sand, Allen County s government affairs director, and the commissioners, in consultation with other county elected officials.
“Despite reduced revenues from the impact of COVID-19, the Indiana General Assembly is in a great position to lead because of Indiana s fiscal responsibility as it prepares for the 2021 legislative session,” Sand said in a statement. “This will allow the state to continue its investments in local governments in supporting criminal ju