Gov. Daniels Orders $400 Million in New Cuts as Revenues Plummet

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels today initiated state agency spending reductions following the fourth straight month of lower-than-forecast state revenues for Fiscal Year 2010.

For October, revenue collections were again below the May 2009 forecast. Total tax collections were $46 million below the forecast amount for the month. For the first four months of the fiscal year, general fund revenues are $309 million or 7.4 percent below forecast.

“We have seen enough to know that new actions are necessary if we are going to protect Indiana taxpayers against the tax increases that are happening in most of the rest of America,” said Daniels. “Indiana has distinguished itself among the states, avoided tax increases, maintained all vital services, because we have been willing to act on time, to deal with our difficulties.”
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NiSource Gets Green Nod from Newsweek

Merrillville-based NiSource Inc. has been ranked fourth out of 37 U.S. utilities in Newsweek magazine’s “Green Rankings” of the nation’s largest corporations.

Newsweek and three research partners compiled the rankings by assessing each company’s resource use and emissions; policies and strategies; and reputation among peers. The nation’s 500 largest companies, as measured by revenue, market capitalization and number of employees, were broken out into 15 sectors.

NiSource was ranked fourth among companies in the utility industry sector and 211th overall. NiSource’s “Green Policies” score – an assessment of a company’s environmental policies and performance – was first in the utility sector and 40th among all companies in the ranking.

“NiSource’s strong ranking on the Newsweek Green List is consistent with our ongoing commitment to sustainability, contemporary governance practices, and a solid foundation of core business values,” NiSource President & CEO Robert C. Skaggs Jr. noted. “By this measure and others, we are making tangible progress on our path to becoming North America’s premier regulated energy company.”

Newsweek’s complete Green Rankings are available online at http://greenrankings.newsweek.com/.

Purdue Calumet’s Equine Management Program Gains Distinguished Education Award

Purdue University Calumet’s innovative equine management academic program has been awarded the Distinguished Education Award for Creative and Innovative Education from the Academy of Educational Leadership.

Recognition criteria include the ongoing delivery of outstanding instruction and education plus the practice of innovative and creative education.

Purdue Calumet offers a major study program in equine business management within its Bachelor of Arts in Business degree, as well as an 18-credit hour, online, equine management professional certificate in partnership with Purdue’s West Lafayette campus.

The curricula in both programs focus on preparing students for business-related positions in the horse industry, including those of farm, riding academy, and equine sport facility managers; show facility administrators; equine insurance brokers/adjustors; and breeding & governance, sales & breeding, and equine product sales positions.

“That scholars at an international conference recognized our program’s quality of instruction and innovation makes this award significant,” Purdue Calumet Equine Management Program Coordinator and Associate Professor Susan Conners said. “I believe our experiential and distance learning components contributed to this recognition.”

Notes: ArcelorMittal Gets Stimulus Coin for Energy Project

The U.S. Energy Department has awarded more than $31 million in stimulus funds to ArcelorMittal for an industrial energy efficiency project at its Burns Harbor location.

NIPSCO plans to file for another electric rate hike in 2010.

The national unemployment rate rose above 10 percent in October for the first time since 1983.

Forecasters predict a weak recovery for Indiana next year.

Declining state revenues could force cuts in public education funding, according to officials in Indianapolis.