Morning Bell: Pence’s Budget, Ivy Tech Construction, IPS Superintendent Payout

Elle Moxley/StateImpact Indiana

Students at St. Charles Catholic School in Bloomington prepare for a lesson. About 15 students receive vouchers to attend the private school.

Voucher expansion part of Pence’s agenda – “Pence was mute about his legislative agenda on Thursday, suggesting that Hoosiers ‘stay tuned’ for his State of the State address next week. But Behning said the governor asked him to carry legislation that includes the pre-kindergarten tax credit and the voucher expansion to children of military veterans as well as foster and special needs children.” Capitol Journal

Legislature may forsake Pence tax cut to favor education, transportation – “Extra funding for schools and transportation could crowd Gov. Mike Pence’s proposed income tax cut out of Indiana’s next two-year budget, a top state lawmaker said Thursday.” Evansville Courier & Press

Ivy Tech asks for $25 million for Muncie – “Ivy Tech Community College is asking the state Legislature for funding to modernize its outdated Cowan Road campus. But the project is ranked as the college’s fifth most-needed construction project, and only the top four might be funded because of state budget constraints.” Muncie Star Press

Matthew Tully: Huge payout to IPS boss Eugene White sends cynical message – “A district that has repeatedly cried poverty, routinely threatened teacher layoffs, even cut essential programs from schools — yes, that district will write a roughly $800,000 check to White as he walks out the door in April. Yes, $800,000. That’s enough to cover the collective annual salaries and benefits of 17 new teachers.” Indianapolis Star