Recent editorials published in Indiana newspapers

The (Munster) Times. May 20, 2016

Teen courts combine justice, life lessons.

Teen courts have taken hold throughout Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties, and the special blend of peer judgment and personal accountability is worth noting.

The courts offer alternative means of meting out juvenile justice combined with tangible lessons of civics and citizenship.

Though they differ somewhat in their scope and approach, teen courts in all three counties represent innovative alternatives to trying and incarcerating juvenile offenders, many of whom just need some redirection after first-time offenses or school infractions.

In Lake County, teen court juries comprised of other teens hand down sentences to some first-time offenders.

For the first half of 2015, 102 teens participated in the Lake County program.

Many of the participants were accused of battery, resisting law enforcement and conversion, a form of misdemeanor theft.

The program uses an actual Lake County juvenile courtroom but imposes alternative sentences, which can range from restitution to formal apologies.

Many of the offenders participating in this alternative are then required to serve on future teen court juries.

In Porter County, infractions prompting referrals to teen court are only those occurring in Portage Township Schools.

Valparaiso University law students volunteer as judges and prosecutors. Middle and high school students volunteer as defense attorneys, jurors and bailiffs.

Sentences range from community service to writing apology letters, and parents are active participants.

Portage Township Schools Teen Court Director Sandra Porter-Phillips said the court has an 80 percent success rate in terms of participants not later re-offending.

A program in LaPorte County has incorporated aspects similar to the teen courts in both Lake and Porter counties over the years.

For years, our nation has struggled with curbing the number of minors who end up incarcerated for juvenile offenses.

Teen courts keep first-time juvenile offenders - particularly those who present no clear danger to the community - from clogged juvenile court dockets and lockups.

Region teen courts are worth a study by other jurisdictions not using such innovative techniques.

Ultimately, the system of handing down justice carries an important civics lesson not necessarily learned by time spent in a juvenile detention center or prison.___

South Bend Tribune. May 19, 2016

Vigorous response to opioid epidemic.

In a display of bipartisanship that's all too rare these days, Congress is beginning to address an opioid epidemic that is now a leading cause of death in this country.

Last week, the House passed several bills to combat the growing problems with abuse of painkillers and heroin use. The Senate approved a comprehensive bill in March.

The action is overdue: Opioids, which include such prescription painkillers as oxycodone, killed more than 28,000 people in 2014. And the rate of overdoses has tripled since 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 2 million Americans abused or were dependent on these drugs in 2014.

You needn't look far to find signs of the crisis close to home. A Tribune story on Tuesday reported that emergency responders in LaPorte had used the heroin andidote Narcan to save the lives of three people over the weekend. And the recent HIV outbreak in southern Indiana is linked to intravenous drug users who shared needles while injecting a painkiller called Opana.

A conference committee will work to resolve differences between the House and Senate bills; the final agreement must be approved by both chambers before it reaches the president's desk. Indiana Reps. Jackie Walorski, R-Jimtown, Larry Bucshon, R-Newburgh, and Susan W. Brooks, R-Carmel, will serve as members of the conference committee. The House legislative package included initiatives led by all three members.

In a statement, the representatives said they look forward to working to develop a "comprehensive, bipartisan solution."

"It is truly going to take all of us to stem the tide of heroin and opioid abuse that is claiming so many lives in Indiana, and around the country."

That solution won't come easy - or cheap. The expansion of treatment programs is critical, given that programs are filled to capacity and turning away patients. Now that Congress has stepped up, it must follow through with a committed and vigorous response to this public health crisis.___

The (Anderson) Herald Bulletin. May 19, 2016

Alex should consider outside auditor.

The city of Alexandria is attempting to determine what happened to $122,000 in bond payments.

The payments were to help pay a $5 million sewer bond. But $122,000 didn't seem to make it to the bank.

In addition, Mayor Ron Richardson discovered delinquent payments to 17 city vendors totalling $65,000.

Longtime Clerk-treasurer Jan Lynch said she told City Attorney Jeff Graham and first-term Richardson several times about the sewage bond payment problem.

In response to this bookkeeping dilemma, the City Council has approved an in-house investigation into the clerk-treasurer's office.

No one questions the integrity of those conducting the audit. Certainly, the professionalism of the city department heads isn't troubling.

But to maintain an air of responsibility, the city should let an outside firm conduct an audit to guarantee the tracking of payments is without question and providing the results to the public is as transparent as possible.

The missed payments were reportedly uncovered by Michael Farrer, a city attorney. Because he found the discrepancy, and not the bank, Alexandria avoided being in default of the sewer bond.

That is the sort of up-front transparency that Alexandria residents deserve. They also deserve a city led by officials who are willing to root out financial mistakes.

The Indiana State Board of Accounts routinely audits the books of municipalities. What they uncover can be criminal or yield recommendations in handling finances by the law. The state board is to be contacted when funds are missing.

So it's understandable that Alexandria officials want to get to the bottom of missing funds. But there are outside groups willing to investigate discrepancies and report back in an impartial manner.

In addition to an internal audit, Alexandria residents should be able to look to an outside, neutral auditor to scour all corners of the city books.___

The Indianapolis Star. May 20, 2016

Voters should get on board transit plan.

In November, Marion County voters will have the opportunity to approve an income tax increase that would pay for critically needed improvements to the city's transit system.

It is likely to be a hard sell, but improving the county's bus network is critically important to the growth and vitality of our city. An upgraded bus system would encourage housing growth, improve the quality of life for many residents and seed economic development in the city's core neighborhoods. Voters should support the measure.

The Marion County Transit Plan asks voters to raise personal income taxes by 0.25 percent to supplement IndyGo's budget. That amounts to about $125 a year for a person with a taxable annual income of $50,000. Most of the $56 million generated by the tax would fix the bus fleet's longstanding problems such as long waits, limited hours of operation and mechanical unreliability.

In addition to bus and route upgrades, the additional revenue would be used to operate the Red Line - a new bus rapid transit route with dedicated lanes stretching from Broad Ripple to the University of Indianapolis. Money also would be set aside to pay for sidewalk construction and shelters at bus stops.

There are elements of the plan that are disappointing. The proposal calls for a reduction of coverage in some neighborhoods. That means voters in some areas of the city will be asked to lend financial support to a system that in everyday life is useless to them.

Officials recently told the IndyStar Editorial Board that budget restrictions forced planners to decide between increasing the frequency of buses or increasing the coverage area. Based on ridership trends and passenger surveys, planners chose to increase frequency in areas where ridership already is highest. They believe it's the wisest use of the money.

Evidence from other cities indicates that improved access to public transit leads to job growth, further economic development and reduced traffic congestion. While some parts of Indy won't see direct benefits from an investment in transit, the indirect benefits should lift the entire city.

This is not the perfect plan, but perfection cannot be the standard. The question needs to be: If passed, will this referendum help make Indy a better place to live and work for many residents? The answer clearly is yes.

Indy leaders have been discussing various transportation packages and how to fund them for more than 20 years. The money hasn't been there, so the plans have been shelved. We sit and wait, similar to that rider anticipating the bus that never comes.

We've waited long enough..