(left to right) Mike Pence, John Gregg, and Rupert Boneham

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - Indiana gubernatorial candidates made new promises to Hoosier voters on Wednesday, both centering around job creation.

During a press conference outside an Indianapolis small business, Democrat candidate John Gregg called for the state to boost manufacturing and small businesses as part of his “Hoosier Handshake” campaign.

“If we are serious about job creation – and we are – we need to do everything we can to give Hoosier manufacturers and small businesses a leg up, and then get out of their way,” Gregg said, calling his reforms common sense. 

On manufacturing, Gregg wants to offer employers a three-year payroll tax credit to companies for manufacturing jobs that are returned to Indiana from abroad. The former Indiana House speaker plans to upgrade the state’s manufacturing workforce by collaborating with industry and high schools, technical institutions and college to address the skills gap that exists between workers and employers. He also wants to create two new manufacturing entities: the Indiana Manufacturing Development Corporation and Governor’s Office of Manufacturing.

Gregg’s promise to small business includes removing barriers to growth for small business by analyzing state regulations and increasing the speed and certainty of regulatory processes. He also proposes a three-year income tax credit for businesses who return manufacturing jobs to Indiana from overseas.

Meanwhile, Republican Mike Pence laid out his new “Roadmap for Indiana.” The plan is featured in new television ads Pence’s campaign began airing on Indiana television stations Wednesday.

"This roadmap lays out exactly what we need to do to create new jobs, get our schools working for all our kids, and make Indiana the state that works for all Hoosiers," Pence said in a statement.

The roadmap has six points including increasing private sector employment; attracting new investment in manufacturing, agriculture, life sciences and logistics; improving elementary students’ math and reading skills; increasing graduation rates; heighten the quality of Indiana’s workforce; and improving the health, safety and well-being of Hoosiers.

Gregg’s campaign criticized Pence’s plan on Thursday, claiming every single state regulation would be forced to include a “family impact statement” and use state regulations to “support marriage.”

“Congressman Pence is finally showing his true colors.  He tries to claim that the election is about jobs, but not even he can deny that if is he elected he will govern based on his social agenda,” said Daniel Altman, communications director for Gregg for Governor.

The race for Indiana governor also includes Libertarian candidate Rupert Boneham. The former Survivor television show star has professed job creation by way of restructuring the state’s tax system and reducing barriers for new businesses to enter the marketplace.

LINKS:

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