News and Commentary

In the next General Assembly, Indiana has the opportunity to set ourselves apart from our neighbors by putting a constitutional amendment on the ballot in 2010 to cap property taxes for homes and businesses. If this amendment is adopted, we will be able to say with certainty to businesses and individuals considering moving to our state that property taxes can never go higher than one percent of a home's assessed value or three percent of a business's assessed value.

I watched the second debate among the candidates for governor this week after talking with people during my daily door to door visits.

As I have met more parents and students at their doors during this past summer, I have been thinking about ways the state legislature can help teachers succeed. There can be all kinds of new teaching techniques and tools for the classroom, but I believe effective teaching starts with the basics. Students and teachers need to have safe and orderly classrooms or the rest really doesn't matter.

The middle of August is an exciting time, especially in the lives of students.  As schools began to open this week, the Indianapolis Public Schools provided a new choice for parents and students at the Sidener Gifted Academy.  I support giving parents more options for their children and this new academy is a welcome addition.

My name is Chris Swatts and I’m running for state representative. In addition to being a third-generation Hoosier, I have been an Indianapolis resident for more than a decade and currently live in Irvington with my wife, Kristina.