'The Hub' with Michael Allen sponsored by Manpower Richmond
Welcome to "The Hub with Michael Allen," the podcast that dives deep into the stories of community leaders and business owners who are making a difference. Join your host, Michael Allen, as he uncovers the untold narratives, challenges, and triumphs of those shaping their communities.
In each episode, Michael sits down with remarkable individuals who have dedicated their lives to improving their neighborhoods, towns, and cities. These community leaders are passionate, driven, and committed to creating positive change. Whether they are activists, educators, philanthropists, or civic officials, they all share a common goal: to build stronger, more vibrant communities.
"The Hub" also showcases the journeys of business owners who have turned their dreams into reality. From small-scale startups to well-established enterprises, these entrepreneurs share their insights, experiences, and lessons learned along the way. Michael delves into the unique challenges they face, the strategies they employ, and the impact their businesses have on the local economy and society at large.
With engaging conversations and thought-provoking discussions, "The Hub with Michael Allen" provides listeners with valuable takeaways, inspiration, and actionable ideas. Each episode offers a glimpse into the minds and hearts of those who are actively shaping the fabric of their communities, providing a roadmap for listeners who want to make a difference in their own lives and surroundings.
Tune in to "The Hub with Michael Allen" and join the conversation as we explore the stories of community leaders and business owners who are leaving an indelible mark on the world around them. Get ready to be inspired, motivated, and empowered to take action. Together, we can create a better tomorrow for everyone.
Sponsored by Manpower Richmond.
'The Hub' with Michael Allen sponsored by Manpower Richmond
Ep. 26 | Senator Jeff Raatz Talks Education, Infrastructure, and Opportunity with Host Michael Allen
Ever wonder what shapes the education policies that impact our children? In this eye-opening conversation, State Senator Jeff Raatz pulls back the curtain on Indiana’s remarkable educational transformation and the legislative process behind it.
Joining host Michael Allen on The Hub, Senator Raatz shares his journey from picking cherries on a Michigan orchard at age 11 to chairing Indiana’s Education Committee, where he’s helped propel the state from 19th to 6th in national education rankings. With refreshing candor, he explains how precise language in legislation has revolutionized reading instruction across Indiana, ensuring more children can “learn to read by third grade, then read to learn for the rest of their life.”
The conversation also explores the infrastructure challenges facing East Central Indiana, particularly the long-awaited reconstruction of Interstate 70. Raatz proudly notes that unlike many states, Indiana pays cash for these massive projects rather than issuing bonds—fiscal responsibility that comes with both benefits and trade-offs for residents. This practical approach to governance defines his service to Wayne, Henry, Union, and Franklin counties.
Perhaps most compelling is Raatz’s discussion of workforce development and the transportation barriers preventing many potential workers from accessing available jobs. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” he suggests, challenging employers, government agencies, and communities to collaborate on innovative solutions. His career coaching initiative exemplifies this mindset, helping students identify their aptitudes earlier to forge more fulfilling career paths.
Throughout the conversation, Senator Raatz demonstrates the thoughtful, relationship-focused leadership that has characterized his nine years in the Indiana Senate. Whether you’re passionate about education reform, infrastructure improvement, or economic development, you’ll gain valuable insight into how state government shapes our daily lives.
This episode of The Hub with Michael Allen is sponsored by Manpower Richmond. Listen now to understand the person and principles behind the policies affecting our region.
Welcome to the Hub Podcast recorded right here in Richmond, indiana. I'm your host, michael Allen, and on the Hub, our mission is to share stories of people making a difference in our region. In addition to hosting the podcast, I work with a wonderful team of staffing professionals at Manpower. Manpower is helping companies all over East Central Indiana find staffing so they can continue to grow and thrive.
Speaker 1:Find out how we can help your company at mprichmondcom so with us today on this episode of the hub is jeff rotz, uh state senator for the 27th district, covering uh henry union and wayne county's part of franklin county as well. Jeff, welcome to the hub, good morning mich.
Speaker 2:Michael, I appreciate it. Yeah, thank you for coming on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm really excited about talking to you this morning. We know each other a little bit, We've had conversations over the years and, Jeff, I got to tell you I really respect how you conduct yourself and represent our region and I just thought it would be great for us just to kind of have a sit down and and just share about yourself and and the time you've served our region and state, going back to 2014. I think when you first came into office, and you know. However, before we do that, I do want to start with this our hub tradition, and that is because I operate the manpower here in this area. I'm always interested about work and jobs, and so we're curious what was your very first job that you remember that you had?
Speaker 2:Well, I grew up in Northwest Michigan on a thousand acre apple and cherry orchard that my dad managed, and we grew up literally across the street from it, and so I honestly look at my Social Security record and I'm 11 years old when I first contributed to Social Security. I don't think you do that today. I don't know that for sure.
Speaker 1:But yeah, yeah, I don't know what the I mean, I'm sure, since your father, oh, he managed it or owned it.
Speaker 2:He managed it, he didn't own it, yeah, but that was wife certainly, but yeah, that was doing some menial tasks in the basement of our home in the wintertime actually that we're setting up for the next spring.
Speaker 1:So you weren't actually picking cherries.
Speaker 2:I did absolutely do that At six years old. I remember being in the orgy with my mother, and so I couldn't wait for my legs to get long enough to engage the clutch in the tractor so I could stop doing some of those things. And so, yeah, no, it was a great work. Ethic was embedded in the way we lived. That's just so. It started early and I don't know anything else. I hope I figure it out someday that I don't have to work 24-7.
Speaker 1:Well, we've had a strawberry patch, and now we've got a cherry orchard, so that just adds to the list of first jobs. So that's great, I guess. Next I'd like for you just to share with our followers about yourself. Uh, you, you touched on a little bit of as far as Michigan, but you know where you grew up, your family, school, kids, career. Also, I think we'll kind of touch into, uh, um, your military service. So anyway, I'll kind of let you run from there.
Speaker 2:Well, I appreciate it. As I said, grew up in Northwest Michigan and graduated from high school and I really didn't have any plans, except I decided I was going to go in the military and I signed up for for a couple of years. And so I did that and came out, went back home and about a year and a half later I woke up one day and this is almost literally the way it happened and I said I'm going to college and I left and went and never went. I've never lived back in that town. Nothing wrong with the town. Just when I left, I left and subsequently met my wife at college and we got married and stayed in a town called Muskegon, michigan.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:I grew up 60 miles north of there, in Manistee, and so when I was in the military, my MOS was a 71 Lima or an administrative specialist, and honestly, when I look back, it's almost identical to what I get to do today. I was on a small base and I spent some time every day going from building to building, picking things up and talking to people, and so it was little did I know? I mean, I was setting the stage with relationships, just like people love to talk to folks, and so anyway, that led us got married and stayed in Muskegon Michigan, after we both graduated from college and had two daughters, and had two daughters, one's 31 and 26. And so now it was 1999, late 1998, 1999, we moved to Richmond, indiana, and actually it was to become a part of New Creations.
Speaker 2:That's what brought us to Indiana and we left there in 2011, and that's about the time that I decided that I was going to seek an office to in my heart anyway, I hadn't verbalized it much and so in 2013, alan Paul was the senator for this district and he decided that he was going to retire, which, in open seats a whole lot easier than challenging an incumbent Absolutely. But I was incredibly green and ignorant but with help we worked really hard and won the primary and subsequently served. Then January that was the fall of 14 and January of 15 took the oath of office and been serving ever since.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so tell us a little bit about college, where you went, what you decided was going to be your major Sure.
Speaker 2:Well, I think it goes back, as I mentioned, some of my work in serving in the military. My degree was in accounting and it and that was at the turn of you know that we were, pcs were coming, becoming prevalent at the time, and and uh, software to run businesses on, and so really I got a business degree. So the very first thing I did was automate a business that was doing everything on paper both their inventory and the accounting.
Speaker 2:The whole business was automate them and and so I got to do that for a couple companies actually okay three before before then everything was pretty much streamlined and so, uh, business is really the generally speaking let me say this if I have a lens that I look through, generally speaking, money is part of it.
Speaker 1:So just just because of that background, yeah, so what, um, how long were you in the army? What, what? When did you go in and when did you come out?
Speaker 2:1983 1984 okay and uh, it was a two-year term and uh, uh, as I said, uh, I went, came back out and did a couple of different jobs let's put it that way and that was the impetus of, as I said, I woke up one day and decided I was going to move to Richmond, indiana. I woke up one day post the military and decided I'm going to college.
Speaker 1:Right. So, you were at New Creations for a little while and uh what, what position I don't. I don't recall or remember, uh what your role was there at that time I'm somewhat familiar with new creations, because I knew uh tim quite well and his parent. I knew his parents and his sisters and so uh but but I guess I'm curious what your responsibilities were there.
Speaker 2:Sure, in the end I don't even know. I went there to help set up the accounting system, honestly, and so in the end my title was vice president of operations. So I served right under Tim Cummings and took care of a lot of uh, a lot of the day to day stuff and interviewed students to participate in the organization and had staffing responsibilities to hire and relieve folks and so pretty much the whole mantra yeah, that's um, that was really uh, um, because that worked as a not-for-profit, yeah, and then so, but I mean, that's, that's a his vision and what he was trying to do there.
Speaker 1:I mean that was, uh, that's a lot to take on and make it work financially, I'm sure that was tough.
Speaker 2:It was, I think, in the early not think in the early stages. They raised a lot of money and it was very difficult to keep the ship afloat. It's literally living day to day. But then the Internet, the advent, if you will, of the Internet. So now we're not only looking regionally for students, but now we're now we're looking across the united states. So we had students from everywhere. Every state in the union sent children to not children, but young adults to richmond indiana.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I remember, um, let's make sure we get you a little closer to the microphone. Uh, the uh, let's make sure we get you a little closer to the microphone. Back in the late 70s, early 80s they had residents there. They were high school age and I went to Hillcrest Christian School and we had a basketball team and New Creations had a basketball team. So they were interesting. They kind of were our crosstown rivals and you know, those young men came from kind of challenging you know walks of life and it was interesting playing games against that group and so it was. And then there was the Christian School in connersville kind of had the same thing, you know rivals with them and uh, it seems like uh, with new creations in in connersville we were kind of split. You know we were, sometimes we, we would win, sometimes they would win, which made the rivalry even more intense you.
Speaker 2:That was going to be. My question is is uh, if you competed with uh, whether it's Connorsville or or new creations, were you able to compete?
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely Absolutely. Yeah, but the uh it was interesting. Um, you know, uh, it's not to get a debate on tattoos, but you know cause they're everywhere today. I mean sure People are just covered with them, and but it was. It was interesting back, you know, being a young high school in the late seventies and early eighties and the kids we were playing from a new creation. Some of them had tattoos already, had all padded up, and that was kind of different because that whole culture hadn't really emerged like it is today in rural indiana, right, right, yeah, exactly so I just remember just remember like oh those
Speaker 2:guys got tattoos you know so that was.
Speaker 1:That was interesting yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 2:In fact, I'll tell you. One of the other things we did at new creations that was incredible was a guy by the name of tony cole. Uh, his vision was to help students who maybe didn't get looks that had talent. So not not necessarily d1 schools, but maybe a community college or something that had a ball team. And so we uh, we had students come from, we even we had the capacity at that time to issue visas for students to come from overseas, and it was. It was fun, they competed, they played some junior colleges, so they spent a lot of time on the road, but that was a fun part.
Speaker 2:That became a huge part of it, yeah, another arm of what the ministry was doing. So it was good.
Speaker 1:So I guess kind of getting into you know your job, representing our area, I guess maybe could hit on some things. We'll just jump into education. Uh, some of the the some of the issues that you've been involved in with that in the last year or two, um so I don't know. Share, share your thoughts about some of the legislation that's gone through and and why it's important.
Speaker 2:Sure, so I chair the education committee. So, generally speaking, 80% of what I do at the statehouse surrounds K-12, not necessarily higher ed, but the K-12 space. And so, as we look at our graduation rates, we look at absenteeism, we look at the capacity to read. Is there proficiency in third grade reading or sixth grade math? We're struggling as a country not just Indiana, but struggling to get students to proficiency, and so we've worked incredibly hard to make sure that we're doing everything we can to see kids be able to read by the end of third grade. And so the concept is you learn to read by the end of third grade and then you read to learn the rest of your life Right, and so the concept is incredibly important for students to be able to read, and so we changed curriculum.
Speaker 2:We changed a few things, have a very forward thinking education director Katie Jenner is her name. She's been in for oh gosh, she's probably been at it for six years, I guess, now and so we really work hand in hand together, a lot of us, to change some of the things and make sure that we bring teachers along as well. They're the ones that are boots on the ground, that do the actual work, and so some of this stuff doesn't come without hardship, because, I like to say it this way, change is great as long as it's you and not me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's for sure.
Speaker 2:And so, but you know, working hand in hand. Hand in hand, excuse me, and there's still some angst out there, I'm sure, but trying to make sure that we're not requiring things, that we don't bring people along right to understand why. And so I'm proud to say that this last year, indiana went from number 19 in the US to number six in the nation, and it's done by something we call the nation's report card, an independent organization. Annually Maybe it's not annually, it could be every other year they sample students from every state and just randomly and and give them, give them a reading test and a math test, and so we rose from, as I mentioned, from number 19 to number six. It's a big leap, it's huge, uh and uh, I'm proud of that.
Speaker 2:We still got a distance to go, and then mathematics now is coming along as well, so that the fundamentals, uh are are moving forward. We have to have an educated society, right? No, no, two ways about it. There are a lot of reasons, a lot of factors that that are part of the reason why we slipped where we, the nation, not just indiana, but the nation slipped where it didn't. I don't necessarily need to mention them, but at any rate, um, we, I'm incredibly proud to participate in that process and help shepherd those changes. A lot of work all all year long behind the scenes to get where we are and uh so uh, while we still have, there'll always be difficulties to deal with if we wouldn't have anything to do.
Speaker 2:So anyway, I'm proud of that. Indiana's looked at around the nation educationally. I was in Milwaukee this week earlier for a couple of days on education issues at a seminar and again people are. They say we're we watch you guys in Indiana because you're moving forward. So someone has to blaze the trail right so has.
Speaker 1:Has there been a couple of specific pieces of legislation that were passed that have helped us get to that point? I mean specifically, was there some fundamental changes that happened that helped create the environment so that we could?
Speaker 2:move to where we're at, absolutely. So what you have to know is words mean something. What you have to know is words mean something. And so when words go into the Indiana code the first year, we had gosh, I can tell you literal battles, no one cussing, but emotions got involved and I just said, look, I don't care what you do, but get it straight. And so that was a battle between an individual in the Department of Education and we got it. It ended up.
Speaker 2:But it was critical to make sure that how we defined literally is called the science of reading, how this defining code set the baseline for where we were headed. And so some other folks besides myself were far more intricate and understood those things. I was basically in the middle saying, okay, we got to get the words correct in code to get this ship moving forward. And so we were able to do that. And I think the you know, hats off to the teachers in the field because, as I mentioned, change is not easy for anybody, but they've come along and we see the results. And so everybody in the state of Indiana the individual students first, the teachers second and everybody else will benefit because of the work that was done.
Speaker 1:I don't know if this is totally connected, but it makes me think about the current administration talking about the federal level, lots of talk about giving away the Department of Education on the national level. And then I think when they talk about that, I think it's about the states can handle it on their own. And I mean, do we really you know now, you've been involved in it for over a decade now I mean, do we really need the federal government involved in helping the state of Indiana educate our kids? I mean, why would we need that and why can't we just do it on our kids? I mean, why would we need that and why can't we just do it on our own? Or are they actually? Are things on the federal level impede us from doing the things that we want to do as a state?
Speaker 2:Is that a fair question? Yeah, a fair way to say it and a good question. And so there are people on every side of this issue. I have said personally, the states have to be on task. I don't think the federal government really pushes. They have mantras that they or desires that they have, maybe, and send us in a direction A or B or C, send states in that direction. I should say, and one of the biggest pieces that I would say, that they do that's necessary for states and that's like funding for special needs kids and certain things, and they have some laws like IEPs they have to set up. So, if Michael has difficulties, we set up a certain pattern for you to go through to help you get past some difficulties that you have in being educated. Let's put it that way.
Speaker 2:So what I have said, and I'd stand on this, is the money from the federal government that comes to states. Indiana is about a billion dollars. Actually it's more than a billion, but let's just use that term. It's hard to even understand. A billion dollars a year comes from the federal government. Uh, we need that money. We operate with that money, a lot of it. Well, let me say in the opposite side of the non-opposite side of that. In addition to that, uh, a great deal of the dollars that Indiana collects in tax goes to K-12. It's a significant amount of money. It's billions as well, far beyond what the feds send us.
Speaker 2:But at any rate, I think the federal government could operate with a skeletal crew to manage the states and make sure that they get the amount of money based on the number of students and the need and those things. But from a legislative standpoint, you know, I guess we could ask ourselves and probably the fundamental question I would pose back to you and even myself standards, right? So do we want the federal government setting some very high level standards so we know that we're going to have students that can read and write and do math? Questionable, but there's got to be some uniformity out, let's put it that way, right? So we're not all over the board. But at any rate, I don't think we need the department of education at the federal level, as we've been accustomed to. And government, you know, inadvertently continues to grow. It's just, it's the way it happens, right? Yeah?
Speaker 1:um, just the last thing about, maybe, schools, um your thoughts about, you know, public schools, charter charter schools, private schools, the balance there, I mean, what's your, what's your thoughts about that?
Speaker 2:It's a great question, one that will probably be battled till the end of time. But parental choice, I'd say is has become the face of education in Indiana over time and not been easy. I think that the first piece of legislation was in 2011, a few years before I got over there and incrementally it's changed and changed and changed so that parents have opportunity to send their son or daughter to the place of their choice. It gets kind of hairy when it comes to the money factor of it. So let's just say, here in Richmond a student wants to go from one public school to another public school, they can go. You want to go from Richmond, you want to go to Centerville, you want to go to Connersville if you wanted to. Now, when you leave leave, the property tax dollars stay local, but the money that follows a student from the state follows the student. So that's the big difference. Property tax dollars stay in the, in the address of domicile for that student.
Speaker 1:so yeah, I, I, just I. I do like the fact that there is options where you could send, you know, let your kids go to school. You know, I don't know how they, to be honest. I mean, my boys have been out of high school for out of the K through 12 for a long time now and I don't know how they balance the numbers. You know, like, if there's an exodus from one school and one has too many, I don't know how they, how they balance all that. I really don't know.
Speaker 2:But that's a great question. I think that the the receiving school can say look, not because they're being discriminatory and say we don't like you, michael, you can't come to our school, but could be because they have limited amount of teachers available for certain classes and so they don't have the capacity to take on any more students for that year. So there is certainly some blocks. I guess, if you will, in practical ones in place that say look, we just can't take anymore.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, that's something that you're not involved in, but it's just, it's just yeah it's a local thing. It's like, if you know, if, uh, one elementary school I mean, I'm sure each elementary school can only house so many kids, if you're trying to have so many students per classroom.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean yeah per teacher ratio whatever that is today and um so yeah it's interesting, but I like the fact that you know we lived really close the. The distance between Centerville High School and Richmond High School, where we live, was almost the same, you know, and in some ways it was much easier for um us to, for my boys to go to centerville than it was to richmond. So we went to centerville, sure, and they had a great experience there, uh, working. We talked about this a little bit before we sat down officially started this conversation about.
Speaker 1:You know, politics is just so, oh, it's just, it just seems so nasty, especially on the on the national level, and I don't know if it's truly that it seems like it's that way, cause I hear the words that come out of people's mouths, you know, and with all the news agencies, and it's 24 7, you know, you hear about it all the time and, um, do you think it's the same? Well, what's your spin on it? In indiana, on the state level, dealing with people from across the aisle and and what's that like that you experience in your position?
Speaker 2:uh, it's far more congenial and in fact I'd even say at even at the federal level. So media has a desire to put forth the things that draw folks, uh, you know, because of one thing or another, and so I think we spin this stuff and it causes us our own problems. Right, but I can speak for Indiana specifically. I'm proud to serve with the folks I get to serve with, and I mean that, and that can be Republican or Democrat. I have relationships across the board, both in the House and the Senate.
Speaker 2:A House member that's on education committee, when I bring a bill for the House in the second half to the House and present, I can bet I'm going to get a good debate.
Speaker 2:But it's an intellectual debate and some of it has to do with the mantra of Republican-Democrat, certainly, and the lens that we look through from that perspective, from a political perspective, the lens that we look through from that perspective, from a political perspective. But I love the debate piece of it because it makes me think. You know, maybe he's right, maybe we need to change this a little bit. You know, to go along, not necessarily along political lines, but to help the individual, the student themselves, and so I think we should never. There's a value in everybody, I don't care if you're a Republican, democrat or independent, if we'll come to the table with one goal in mind. In my case that'd be to help in the K-12 space, or maybe it's the state of Indiana, right, and of course there's different ways to do that and that's the concept of coming together. But I'm proud in Indiana, where we're at Again, relationships on both sides, no trouble at all.
Speaker 1:It's good to hear. So we still have a Republican governor, but we have a different one now. So how have things shifted or changed, if anything, having having a new person in that role, with mike braun now as our governor what's that is it? Is he bringing some different things to the job? I mean, I would think he would, but how? How is it different?
Speaker 2:so far into it that's a great question, literally, and when I when I've watched in real time in the last six months unfold, and so when I first got to the General Assembly, mike Pence was the governor, and then Eric Holcomb for eight years and now Governor Braun, and so the personalities of the individuals play a part in how they actually operate, and that's the, I think, is incredible. Honestly, it's an eye opener for me to stand back and look at or compare and look at those individuals and see how they function as an individual, how they manage from the executive branch, how much involved they are in legislation because of an agenda they had or ran on, and so Governor Braun ran on property tax relief and we followed through on that. Now we had to be careful and still have some municipalities that may suffer a little bit more than others, and some of that's dependent upon the fiscal nature of which they've ran under or have been run under for the past. I don't know. Let's just say six, eight years or so.
Speaker 2:However, mike Braun is going to be far more. He's proven he's going to be involved in the legislative process because he has an agenda and he's going to work with the legislators to get his agenda done or some form or fashion of it, some version of it In the past. Governor Holcomb, this is not negative necessarily, just how he operates Again back to personality. He'd have four or five things that he wanted. That was it. We didn't get lobbied from his team to do things, and so we did some with Mike Pence, and I suspect Mike Braun will be lobbying legislators to get his agenda done as well. So it's interesting to watch, honestly.
Speaker 1:But great question, yeah, I mean, you've been in office long enough to have three different governors, so it's probably been very interesting to see how each one has operated. So I'm just anxious to see what our new governor continues. What are some things on his agenda that you're aware of right now, that are still kind of in the beginning stages, that you think he's going to be really pushing?
Speaker 2:So, absolutely, property tax relief. In fact, I'll tell you exactly what he said. He's said this more than once when you become governor he's elected in November, takes the seat in January Well, the work, because of Indiana being a part-time legislature, we're working now. I had a meeting this morning on the way here about a piece of legislation for next year, for 26. And so, because we're a part-time legislature, we're working on legislation now and basically there's such a tight timeline, we have to have things taken care of basically by january 1, because we hit the ground running.
Speaker 2:We've got a short window here. We got, uh, 10 weeks or so, uh, maybe 11 weeks, uh, in the short session in even years. And so there's we, in the first two weeks. We're in that place where the deadline is done. There's no changes unless there are amendments. And so the governor I say that to say the governor's now working on what he wants to get done in 26. And so the legislative process, but he'll be involved in the process on the front end and not coming in when stuff is already done, which is what happened this year, so that you know, the legislators have already set basically the agenda and so he had to come in and kind of round those things out and gain some ground himself one of my biggest things.
Speaker 1:That has been a pet peeve of mine for years and I know there's stuff going on with it now.
Speaker 1:But interstate 70 great question between I so I mean we got work going on, I mean, and you experience it because you drive over there and but I'm just curious, how, how did we let it get so bad before we actually started getting things done? I mean, it seems like to me and I'm ignorant to it and I'm sure you're going to have a great answer for me, but it seems like we wait in this state, or at least in our area. Weight in this state, or at least at least in our area, we it happens to us this way is that the things have to deteriorate to a point of just it's awful before things actually get done. Why can't we get more ahead of these projects, uh, than what we do? And I, and maybe you're, one of the answers going to be the big money. It's always about the money, you know, but I'm so anyway, I'll shut up for a minute tell me, I'm just curious about I have the same question.
Speaker 2:To be honest with you, michael. No, no, I I do have to tell you that I'm incredibly proud of indiana. Uh, we finished up the 69 project south of indianapolis, the project where we are at the moment, from the state line to 35 and then from 35 to 1, two different contracts, both have been let the work's happening, so it'll be three lanes each direction. Bridges widen and they're going to take it down to the base, which hasn't been done, by the way, for a while. So a little research says you know, if you're going to fix a road that's gets the tractor, trailer or semi traffic on it, that I-70 does it's, it's a pounding daily and so, but but here's the baseline that I we can be proud of is we pay cash. We're not bonding this project out or these projects, we're paying them in full on day one. And so, uh, I that's a strange thing, I would say, because these are incredibly expensive projects Uh, so I'm I'm proud of that and I think we should be as Indiana, that we're paying, paying cash for it. Now, that doesn't make it any easier to drive over those roads, and on a daily basis either.
Speaker 2:The other thing, that is, you know there's been some conversation about tolling on I-70 and maybe a couple of the other interstates that are out there. That locally is not popular, and it's not just here. I don't think it's popular anywhere. But especially with Indiana only being 150 miles from corridor to corridor on I-70, tractor-trailer rigs can go across and never spend a penny in Indiana. So in 17, I think it's the only time I supported knowingly a tax increase, and that was a gas tax increase so that we could continue to to take care of the roads on a cash basis. But that sense with inflation is that potential is deteriorated as well. So while I'm sharing underlying things, they all play a part in why 70 turned out being kind of the last project on the table. Yeah, if you will, uh, so, uh, there's some great underlying things, uh. But I agree, no excuse, for I mean gosh, I would call and complain and you even as a legislator, it'd take a couple of weeks to fill a pothole. It was was taking out tires, you know, oh, yeah.
Speaker 1:I've definitely had tire damage from driving on that road. Sure and it's dangerous. You know when you've got you're dodging these massive potholes that you know can almost like wreck your car so bad but I mean it's happening.
Speaker 1:I'm just always it's just like amazes me. You know how bad it got and but I'm sure with expansions or whatever I mean, you have there's property on both sides, all the way from here to Indy, and I'm sure not all of that is public domain or you have to work out the details with securing every inch of land between here and there. So I'm sure there's issues like that.
Speaker 2:That's a great question, because that was one of the questions I had when we talked about changing 70 to three lanes in each direction. So how much land is it going to take for us to take by eminent domain to be able to do that? And the answer was very, very little.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:I think they, they, they thought well enough, uh, when they did it, that that uh, or set up so they can, they can basically get three lanes in each direction without doing it. But uh, and so we're about to mile marker 108, which is the. I know that because that's the place that gets to go to the restroom on my travels back and forth in the morning after a couple cups of coffee. But so, from there to Indy now, so we're getting close. I mean, we've got to close the gap now between one and and uh, us1, uh, cambridge City or, uh, hagerstown exit, from there to the rest area exit, that's the last piece that's left. And so, uh, it's, it's, uh, if you go to Indianapolis, enough, and you get over there and you get on the new road, that's three lanes in each direction. Uh, it's, it's great, yeah, the big, beautiful road there you go.
Speaker 2:Good analogy I.
Speaker 1:We may have touched on it and we've just been talking a lot, but when you go back over your career so far, what? What's? One or two pieces of legislation that you've been intimately involved in, that you're really proud of that?
Speaker 2:that you've been that was kind of a big part of what you worked on, sure, or sponsored or wrote uh, so the the concept of, uh, the reading portion, uh, behind the scenes worked incredibly hard on that and pushed hard. And you know, occasionally you get there's pressures and so there's arguments about things, but pushing that thing through was I co-sponsored the legislation in both cases, but I didn't author it but a lot of hard work behind the scenes to make sure that it's done. A lot of hard work behind the scenes to make sure that it's done. Our T's crossed and our I's dotted, that the words that are put on those in statute are going to make a difference in kids' lives. So that's one thing that I can stand behind and say that I'm incredibly proud of. And the last piece is something that we call career coaching. So now we're in the third year of that, and so what that actually does, we have a counselor shortage in Indiana and I think in all states actually, and so it's like one counselor that I really don't know what. It depends on which survey you look at, but let's just say it's one counselor to 500 students and so getting them set whether they're going to college and they got to take college prep, or whether they're going off into the workforce and they take different shop classes or whatever. Helping set things up as far as that goes is a big job. A lot of it's automated now, I think, but nonetheless.
Speaker 2:So we came up with this bright idea why don't we take a third party, so an exterior organization that would come in and contract with a school and take, take Michael, and set them down a table and say you know what's your, what are your desires, what's your likes and dislikes, and maybe even do a. In fact we required that this year not an interest survey, but a gosh you can't think of it now that would identify your strengths and your weaknesses, like for me, if I took one of those tests today, it would show administration is high on my list, maybe yours is people or you know. Yeah, when I figure it out I'll let you know. Yeah, well, and then it's a difficult thing, for sure in how we do it. But past interest surveys, and so I was successful in the 23 budget and in this last budget to get dollars to do that and because then it's totally focused, if I'm a third party, I contract with a school to come in and I'm going to take all your seventh graders or your 10th graders and go through and do a aptitude is the word I'm looking for.
Speaker 2:Aptitude survey and help a aptitude is the word I'm looking for. Aptitude survey and help them understand themselves a little bit better and move in a direction that that I. I like to say that that makes them tick or is part of really who they are. And so I I was probably 25 years old or something like that when I took one I thought, oh, yeah, that's I've been doing that. I just didn't know, yeah, that's I've been doing that. I just didn't know that's what I was doing or what kind of helped help me, as Jeff Rotz, to, to make the wheels spin in my, in my heart and in my mind, I guess, and so I'm, I'm that is proliferating around the state.
Speaker 2:Now we're in year three of that, so that will will help students and I think, uh, you know whether they're headed to college or or maybe they're much better with their hands, and today you could, you got work, ethic and and, uh, desire, be an entrepreneur and have an HVAC company, have all kinds of different things that are out there and available, and so, uh, you like your job, you go to it, right, yeah, and so that's what, that's what really after, and I know it's kind of idealistic and maybe pie in the sky. But even if we can get 50% of this of students to know what makes them tick and what direction they should go, it's a win for everybody. The economic cycle that them individually first, just like education. You got to you need an education, but how you function after that you want to be happy at it and that's again kind of pie in the sky. But if you don't reach for it you never get there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'd be amiss to thank you for sharing that. I'd be amiss not to mention a little bit about workforce development, given that part of my job running our local manpower office, helping companies with their staffing on multiple levels I mean we want more jobs, more companies in this area. Now you work on a state level, but you represent our region and you want to. I think part of your job is to try to make sure that the area that you represent gets its fair share of opportunities, especially as it pertains to jobs and companies. And we want these companies, we want these better-paying jobs.
Speaker 1:And the problem is in this state we're not really growing, especially in this part, your region, our region, correct, and we don't have a lot of population growth. But we want the jobs. But if we get the jobs, we've got to have people to do the jobs, and so it's just this ongoing. You know, I I just don't know. I mean, what can, what can we do to to continue to try to get investment in this area? But then what are we going to do to have the people to be here to fill those roles? I mean, it's just, it's tough it is.
Speaker 2:It's it's a great question and and one that's not easily solved. Essentially, when I describe East Central Indiana, we had a booming economy. We're largely secondary automotive union jobs and so they were great jobs and that sense is all gone. And so, coming back from that is the issue. It's like downtown is the issue. It's like downtown.
Speaker 2:How do you revitalize a town like downtown Richmond, where we're sitting today, that was built in I don't know 20s, 30s, whatever. How do you revitalize that and continue to move forward? So it's a monumental task and you're in the middle of it. I think we got great folks, the Chamber of Commerce, the EDC office in Richmond. They're doing everything they can to help be a place where people want to come and have the workforce obviously, so companies would look at us. You know a couple of things that we, because of our age, don't think a lot. I think we import more than we export when it comes to talent in Wayne County from the surrounding counties could even, I suppose, come from across the state line in Ohio because of our geographic location. So there are good things about the mobility and people today based much different than what it was back in the 1950s or 60s when Richmond was booming was back in the 1950s or 60s when Richmond was booming. So that's good, remote work, all those type of things but I agree it's a monumental task to get past where we are. I think Wayne County's done good, this region's not done all that bad, and I don't have any criticism necessarily for anybody that is in these positions either.
Speaker 2:But talking spending time, one of the things I've tried to do as well is spend time. I was on the governor's workforce cabinet and I probably am still attached to that, but the governor's changed some things and so sometimes organizations can be created, especially at government levels, and you go and sit and listen and you leave and nothing really happens, and so I don't like that. I want to accomplish something if I'm going to spend my time doing things, and so there is things that we can participate in. Most definitely. I represent Barrett myself for this area, and some of that's based on relationships over there. So the new Commerce Secretary, david Adams in a vertical he's over the IEDC, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, and how they interact with Wayne County, and Valerie Schaefer and her team these are things that we have to at least be a conduit that don't forget about East Central Indiana.
Speaker 2:Back to your comment about I-70 just popped into my mind. Why I-70? The last one to be fixed, you know, or brought up to date, can't say that but making sure that not just central Indiana or the more populated areas get the economic development that? East central Indiana is on the radar as well, so we have to fight and make sure we're keeping ourselves in the middle of that. Central Indiana is on the radar as well, so we have to fight and make sure we're keeping ourselves in the middle of that. Uh, those are generally conversations, not necessarily uh, uh, legislative right. You know you don't legislate what you're going to have to move your company to Richmond, indiana, and so, uh, but but there is a place and it's, while a small piece of the puzzle.
Speaker 1:Uh, we do have opportunity to weigh in on some of those and continually have to keep beating the drum and say don't forget about east central indiana yeah, one of the um, one of the struggles you're not, probably you don't deal with this and what you do maybe you hear about it but, like some, of the biggest impediments to people's success and holding jobs is just their ability to get there. Transportation is a real impediment for people in this area and I wish there was just some way that we could. I mean, the mayor and I spoke about this, you know when the last time he was here and there's no quick answer to that, but it seemed just something something simple, like for for joe or jane employee to go from point a to b so they could be at work. That's. That's a huge problem because you know, if you're unemployed and you don't have a lot of financial resources, it's kind of hard to maintain insurance and and just to maintain the maintenance of what it takes to have a car that run and put gas in it. You know.
Speaker 1:So, yes, so many people that don't have their own means of transportation and and uh, and even though we're a small community, if you live like, say, way on the south south side of Richmond and you're trying to go out to the industrial industry's road, that's a haul, you can't really walk it. One guy I was talking to the other day. He said he wanted a job out there out in that area, and so I went and I Googled how far it was going to take me to ride his bike and it was going to be 45 minutes and it just wasn't going to be setting that person up for good success to be able to ride his bike there every day.
Speaker 1:Consistently, for sure, yeah to do it, and then we really don't have a good cab.
Speaker 1:I mean, and that's, if you were to to take a I don't know if you're aware of this, but if you were to take a cab to and from work every day and you're doing a five-day work week, you're it's going to cost like a hundred bucks, and uh.
Speaker 1:So, and then, um, the bus routes we get, the city buses are somewhat we get federal monies for that and they can't deviate from certain patterns of routes. Because of that, from what I understood, because I had opposed the idea of like a, like a like a hub area where you, you would go and there would be, uh, some drop-off sites out in industries road where you could try to get people on the shift changes times where they knew that they weren't going to have any more than a five or 10 minute wait, and uh, but that because the way the, the routes are laid out, or whatever, or or you couldn't, they weren't able to, um, dedicate a, you know, a bust for a specific purpose like that. So I don't even know where I'm going with this jeff it's just that it's just a.
Speaker 1:It's a problem and I wish it was something. We got a lot of smart people that are involved, but this scene it's such a simple issue like transportation seems like such a very difficult uh to get good answers to it.
Speaker 2:So I don't know and I wish I could say you know a, b and c, and it would function as well. And I'll uh, I I'm going to compare this back to education. So I I looked, I pulled my transcripts from 1982 in michigan, from high school, and uh, it's identical to what we do today. So we're 40, 43 years past that now, and it's algebra one. Algebra two biology, advanced biology, accounting. You know the.
Speaker 2:I didn't do uh trig or anything like that, but but uh, so, so, um, what I, what I just said was it was time to change. Right, we needed, we need, as a nation not just indiana, but as a nation to change not the fundamentals, but take a good hard, look at what we're doing, because we're at least a half century into this and we're still producing the same diplomas today as we did when you and I went to school. And so that said, what does it take today? Can we, would employers, participate? Can we go to the federal government and say, look, we need this, this and this, we need a waiver or whatever that looks like for some of the funding? And so I'm simply saying, where there's a will, there's a way. And you got to get out of the box. And I'm not being critical by any means, but if we always do, we always don't.
Speaker 1:We always get, we always got we got to get out of the box, sure, absolutely.
Speaker 2:So, but it's not going to be easy, and so both for the city and potentially, if the feds are that tight on the, what those routes have to be. And I understand why they do that, because if you don't put in things in legislation, I know that people were people will begin to do things that was never intended for those dollars. And so then you and I struggled with this honestly getting in the general assembly, because then you tighten it down so tight, you're making sure that michael can't make him, he can't turn right here, because if he does, he's going to, it's going to cost us money, so we're going to stop him from doing that. Well then then you, you stifle any innovation, and so that's, that's part of the mantra when it when it comes, in my opinion, to how we write pieces of legislation.
Speaker 1:But the chance you know we're developing economically in these industrial parks, we are creating workspaces that are further and further out from where people live, but we're not giving, we're not taking that into consideration. Now I don't think we want a factory right in the middle of town anymore, but they used to be all over in the middle. We can go, we can get in a car right now. Go see all these old buildings. You go down northeast street in different areas where these, where's the industrial boom back in the heyday?
Speaker 1:I mean they and these rows of houses where people just they got out of their house and they just walked to their job sure because the factory is just a couple of blocks yeah, we're not sitting far from where the the explosion.
Speaker 2:I don't even know what year that was now 69, I believe yeah, so I mean right downtown Richmond making ammunition right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so yeah, but I agree.
Speaker 2:I think you know where there's a will, there's a way this stuff can be figured out. Employers might even want to come to the table and say you know what? We'll give X to a transportation problem that we have on a whatever. So, students, my mind's eyes on education, so employees can get from point A to point B and get to work and hopefully raise up or give that individual the ability then, over time, to be able to afford an automobile. So yeah, the in the insurance which is we know everything has gone up including insurance right.
Speaker 1:Yep Well, hey, jeff, I really appreciate you taking the time to meet with me today. We've kind of talked about a lot of different things and I just appreciate you taking the time to sit down with me today and uh so uh, now for our followers. Followers, if they're interested in more information about you or what you're doing, is the indiana senator republicanscom. Is that the best place to go?
Speaker 2:uh, sure, that's one of the places you can go, most definitely. And then there's uh, there is uh uh, my email as well, which is S, as in Sam, or S27, which is the district at igaingov. Okay, and there's also jeffrotts at igaingov. Indiana General Assembly stands for gov.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the one I went to was indianasenatorrepublicanscom and then it was like forward slash, is it or back? I think it's forward slash, honestly. Don't go on, certainly there are ways to reach out.
Speaker 2:We don't hide by any means, and so I think Rep Barrett follows the same thing. If someone calls, we're going to do our best to have a conversation.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, you've been very approachable. I appreciate that about you. Uh, thank you, uh, for serving our district and the work that you put into it.
Speaker 2:And uh uh, wish you the very best, the next session starting not until january, but, like you said, you're working right now, right, today's the day and so and thank you as well, michael, for your efforts and manpower and and helping folks get get from temp service to full-time jobs, and that's you fill a need in the community that's necessary, and so we're grateful for that as well. And thanks for having me on the show.
Speaker 1:Yeah, great, it's been a pleasure. Thank you All. Right, that's all for this episode of the Hub. Thanks again for listening and we'll see you next time for another conversation with a difference maker from our region. Manpower is proud to support the Hub. Find out how they can support your business at MPRichmondcom.