The Indiana Economic Digest recently ran a very flattering column by leading economist Morton J. Marcus. The column mentions the recent AVA brownbag lunch and issues a call for civility that we can only echo and praise.

Thanks for the kind words, Mr. Marcus. Your input and discussion topics were valuable and insightful. We hope to see you at our next event.

Ignorance is converted to arrogance and a refusal to participate in civil discourse. Last week I attended an excellent meeting in Portage conducted by Operation TEN (Tax Education Now) that attempted to educated citizens about Sales Tax Increment Financing (STIF). I also had the opportunity to participate in an Indianapolis seminar conducted by the American Values Alliance (AVA). AVA attempts to find ways to help groups and individuals engage in civil discourse about complex and often emotional issues.

Indiana needs Operation TEN to educate us about our fiscal realities. My ignorance and yours is a great obstacle to progress. Each week, as I write these columns, I learn how little I know and how limited is my understanding of the lives and perceptions of others.

How well do I communicate what I know, what I believe, and what I want? Is my style too confrontational to be effective? Many of the notes I receive from readers are polite, but a number are offensive and remarkably ignorant. Indiana can benefit from what AVA can teach us about talking to one another in a variety of forums, from the legislature to the living room.

Let us hope that the newly assembling 2007 legislature will spend time this session learning about fiscal realities and being civil. The results might be actions we can all respect and from which we can all benefit.

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