State's love-hate relationship with D.C. money grows

The Associated Press with Tribune staff reports

INDIANAPOLIS

On the same day last week that state budget director Chris Atkins announced Indiana would be able to tough out a series of automatic federal budget cuts, Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann announced the creation of a new office that will lobby for more federal defense spending.

That dichotomy — saying the federal government is spending too much money, while looking for as much of that money as possible — is old hat around the Indiana Statehouse.

Former Gov. Mitch Daniels wrote a book dubbing unchecked federal spending as the country’s next “red menace” shortly after accepting billions in federal aid with the caveat that he’d be a fool not to take the money if it’s being offered.

Gov. Mike Pence has softened Daniels’ assertion that “government never created a job” to say that “government has never created a job, other than a government job.” But the value of that “government job” is still very much in question.

The almighty federal dollar is one Indiana leaders love to hate, and hate to love.

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