Doden: Indiana can't leave Main Street behind
I am running for governor because I believe Indiana must be a state where all 92 counties thrive. To achieve this vision, we need a new approach to growing our economy that doesn't leave our smaller, rural counties behind. Indiana invests more than $1 billion annually in economic development programs. However, we are missing a strategy that ensures adequate investment reaches communities with populations under 30,000 residents - that is 2 million Hoosiers statewide. Instead of focusing on investing across all communities, the state of Indiana is currently pursuing an "all-in" strategy on large projects aimed at attracting Fortune 500 corporations to our largest communities. The state has launched a multi-billion-dollar project known as the "LEAP District" in Boone County. To support the project, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) has pursued a plan that requires piping millions of gallons of water a day to the Boone County LEAP Project from the greater Lafayette region.
The decision to divert natural resources from a smaller region to support a larger one demonstrates very little regard for, or belief in, our small counties and towns. This attitude is a continuation of a trend of moving resources away from our smallest communities and into larger, higher population regions. The approach to this project and the water "study" that IEDC released have lacked both independence and transparency. On a matter of such significance to the taxpayers of Indiana, I am deeply concerned. In addition to diverting natural resources from small communities, the magnitude of the financial investment robs small communities of the opportunity to compete. This project demonstrates that Indiana needs a long-term vision that does not write-off our rural Main Streets. As governor, we will implement a bold plan to restore a 92-county approach for all of Indiana. Our Indiana Main Street Initiative would create $4 billion in economic activity for a fraction of the investment proposed for the LEAP district.
Under our plan, we would generate an economic resurgence in rural communities across Indiana by dedicating just 10% of Indiana’s current economic incentives. Our Main Street Plan will also create opportunities in these historic communities, stimulate economic and population growth, enhance small business creation, and restore community pride.Under a Doden administration, we will prioritize the growth of our existing small and medium size businesses over primarily chasing jobs and investment from large, out-of-state corporations whose owners and shareholders don’t live in Indiana and who take their profits out of Indiana. With this new approach and a commitment to working with local leaders, I am confident our bold, 92-county playbook will reignite a promising future for Hoosier communities in every corner of our state.
Eric Doden is a Fort Wayne businessman and former IEDC President running for the Republican nomination for Indiana governor.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Eric Doden: Indiana can't leave Main Street behind
