unemployment insurance

Long urges calm on jobless insurance

(journalgazette.com) - 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.

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