04091997 - News Article - Governor O'Bannon supports family court project

Governor O'Bannon supports family court project
NWI Times
April 09, 1997
VALPARAISO - During his first teleconference with reporters from around the state since his election, Gov. Frank O'Bannon said he supports family courts to help families in distress.

If the family court bill pending before the General Assembly makes its way to his desk, O'Bannon said Tuesday he will review the legislation to make sure it provides adequate funding.

"I'm not going to approve a bill that's not adequately funded, even for a pilot program," O'Bannon said in response to judicial criticism of the program's $300,000 price tag.

The family court legislation provides for a two-year pilot program to explore the feasibility of establishing family courts in Indiana.

Porter Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford and Porter Circuit Court Judge Mary Harper have said the county will apply for the project if the bill passes the General Assembly.

Under a family court structure, most legal issues affecting a family will be heard by a single court. Currently, it is not unusual for family members to find themselves in three or four different courts, resulting in conflicting court orders regarding such issues as juvenile matters, domestic violence, divorce, child custody and support.

O'Bannon, who campaigned on putting Hoosier families first, said the legislation "moves us in the right direction."

Among the governor's top priorities for the state are alternative schools, which remove troubled youngsters from regular schools to "help turn them around."

O'Bannon favors such school reform early on in youngsters' lives rather than see them "on public assistance or in prison later on," he said.

Many such students come from the dysfunctional families seen by family courts. The governor said he welcomes the "institutional help" family courts can provide, particularly in light of recent research that pinpoints the critical nature of early childhood development.

The governor made his remarks during a conference call with reporters from 17 news organizations throughout the state.

Spokesman Phil Bremen said the governor wanted to reach outlying news organizations "on issues of importance to them."

In his opening remarks, O'Bannon stressed his top three priorities: a balanced budget, alternative schools and safe streets.

By far, however, media queries about taxes outdistanced those on school reform or crime.

The governor said his opponents' frequent criticism of his tax plans is unearned.

Contrary to contentions, O'Bannon said, his tax bill does provide some immediate tax breaks to taxpayers through such features as renters' relief and earned income tax credits to workers earning less than $10,000.

However, such popular tax proposals as removing welfare or schools from property tax funding require comprehensive, rather than piecemeal, planning because of shifting burdens.

"It sounds good until you (ask) who's going to pay for it," O'Bannon said. Replacing the loss from property taxes with local county income taxes sounds good, according to the governor, "but smaller counties can't afford it."