EDITORIAL: Gov. Mike Pence's State of the State address was lacking in big ideas

Indiana residents are watching as a handful of major issues – infrastructure, ISTEP and the LGBT civil rights – all need immediate attention from the Indiana General Assembly.

On Tuesday night, Gov. Mike Pence had a chance to underscore those points, but he did little in highlighting the gravity of those concerns or proposing any solutions.

What the state got, instead, were plenty of pleasantries and a few proposals without specifics.

Possibly the most important legislative issue facing the General Assembly this year is the road spending plan. Lawmakers appear ready to do something significant in the wake of growing concerns about road conditions, highlighted last year by emergency repairs on an I-65 bridge that caused major headaches for motorists in northwest Indiana.

While Republican lawmakers are seeking a hike in the gas tax to aggressively tackle the state’s crumbling roads and bridges, Pence said Tuesday that’s not his plan.

“When you have money in the bank and you got the best credit rating in America, the last place you should look to pay for roads and bridges is the wallets and pocketbooks of hardworking Hoosiers,” Pence said. “Let’s do it without raising taxes.”

Pence then pivoted by pointing out that shipping and Indiana’s ports are part of state infrastructure and proposed the state “vigorously explore” construction of a fourth port in Indiana with a new facility in southeast Indiana.

Talk about underwhelming.

Pence offered just as little on the subject of educational testing.

Speaking less than two weeks after educators and lawmakers across the state criticized the recently released ISTEP results, Pence offered nothing new to turn around what has become a crisis in state education.

Pence said the state needs to ensure testing is reliable and that results must be applied fairly. And he pledged to make sure the recent botched scoring results won’t negatively impact schools or teachers.

“Let’s take a step back from ISTEP and improve on the test we use to measure our kids and schools every year. Let’s also take action to ensure that our teachers and schools are treated fairly with the results of the latest ISTEP test,” Pence said.

And that was it. No proposals or endorsements of existing legislation. Just take a step back.

On drug abuse, Pence said the state needs to respond with courage and compassion and called for stiffer penalties for drug dealers. At one point, he even looked into the camera and warned drug dealers, “We’re coming after you.”

After addressing his top priorities — jobs, economy, education, roads and confronting drug abuse — Pence finally addressed the LGBT protections controversy by playfully suggesting it was yet another issue that has been getting attention.

While noting that the state must balance civil liberties with religious liberties, Pence warned that he “will not support any bill that diminishes the religious freedoms of Hoosiers or that interferes with the constitutional rights of our citizens to live out their beliefs in worship, service or work.”

By doing so, Pence has once again firmly chosen the evangelical interests of some within the Republican Party over corporate business interests as well as others across the state who have lobbied strongly in support of the LGBT protections.

Lawmakers are now left knowing that any attempt to provide new protections will likely be met with a veto.

Pence’s speech was long on niceties and platitudes and light on major ideas that will help steer the state for years to come.

After eight years of bold leadership and innovative ideas from his predecessor, Mitch Daniels, Pence’s vision felt very lacking.

Indiana residents are at a crossroads on many issues and the person best suited to provide a road map on Tuesday took the off ramp.