INDIANAPOLIS – After 12 weeks of posturing, lawmakers will start seriously negotiating a fix for Indiana’s bankrupt unemployment insurance fund this week.

And Senate President Pro Tem David Long, R-Fort Wayne, started the process with comments intended to ratchet back some of the emotion in the debate.

“All four caucuses have to come together and find a way to get to yes,” he said, noting that Gov. Mitch Daniels has been involved behind the scenes.

“I appreciate the governor trying to let this sensitive issue move forward without his trying to weigh in too heavily on one side or the other,” Long said. “He’s ready and willing to speak about it, and at our request we’ve tried to make sure that the rhetoric is as calm as possible.

“I’m not saying the governor would throw a wrench in anything. I’m just saying we’re trying to keep everyone calm and focused.”

The only time Daniels has spoken extensively on the topic, he termed the checks that unemployed Hoosiers receive as “Rolls-Royce benefits” multiple times.

And in recent weeks, Republicans have spoken about employees “gaming” the system and said cutting benefits would spur Hoosiers to find work more quickly.

Democratic House Speaker Pat Bauer of South Bend fired back Friday, saying the GOP is being “unnecessary and cruel” to Hoosiers on unemployment.

“They are going to have to change their attitude toward the unemployed, because right now it’s like they are not victims of the economic system – they are some kind of evil participants wanting to be on unemployment,” he said.

Bauer also said Senate Republicans saying that changing eligibility rules cuts “waste, fraud and abuse” is throwing gasoline on a fire.

“Why create this kind of ugliness? I think just losing your job and losing your house is ugly enough,” Bauer said. “It’s plain cruel is what it is; kicking people while they’re down.”

Election rights

Efforts to overhaul local government might be dead for the session, but the Association of Indiana Counties isn’t taking any chances.

It has released results from a statewide poll on potential changes to county government showing Hoosiers in favor of keeping accountability in local government through the election process.

The TeleResearch Corp. of Indianapolis surveyed 800 people from a variety of backgrounds.

The poll found that by a substantial margin voters want to continue electing their county officeholders and have a higher level of trust in elected officials opposed to appointed officials.

“The results of this survey are no surprise to those who work with citizens every day in their county elected offices. But it is encouraging to see that on a statewide level, people understand that the best form of accountability is the election process,” said Mary Ann Beard, Association of Indiana Counties president and Rush County treasurer. “People in general refuse to give up their right to elect their county officeholders.”

Loosening her grip

Known as one of the tightest penny pinchers on the Fort Wayne City Council, Liz Brown, R-at large, took a step out of character last week.

Brown suggested the city award a leasing contract to the more expensive bidder because it would go to a local firm. She acknowledged she typically tries to save money in any way possible – she submitted numerous budget cuts last year – but said it might make sense in this case to go with the local company.

The move would have cost the city nearly $40,000 over four years on a $3.1 million contract, but the council voted against doing so. Brown had a change of heart and voted to keep the lowest bidder after nearly an hour of conversation.

Senator Purcell?

It isn’t unusual for people to err on an official’s title, but it is rare for a university to address a Fort Wayne deputy mayor as a senator from North Carolina.

Yet that’s what Pepperdine University’s School of Public Policy did when it sent a letter to “North Carolina Senator Greg Purcell” asking him to nominate students for a scholarship. Purcell, the city’s deputy mayor, does not live a double life in North Carolina.

Political Notebook’s only guess is the California school meant to send the letter to Sen. William Purcell. The City-County Building’s address in downtown Fort Wayne should probably have signaled something was amiss.

Chairwoman Krisher

Northeast Indiana Republicans re-elected Aboite Township Trustee Barb Krisher chairwoman of the 3rd Congressional Republicans. The elections were March 14 in DeKalb County.

Whitley County Chairman Jim Banks was elected district vice-chair; Steuben County Chairwoman Suzi Weicht was elected secretary; and Noble County Vice Chairwoman Phyllis Herendeen was elected treasurer. All elections were unanimous.

The 3rd District includes Allen, DeKalb, Elkhart, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben and Whitley counties.