Governor Candidate Jill Long Thompson has scheduled an appearance in Peru this Saturday at the annual FallFest at the Democratic grilled chicken booth, 16 E. 5^th across from the Court House.  Thompson will arrive around 2-3 p.m. and will be available for questions from the public.

During her many years in public life, Jill Long Thompson built an impressive record as an advocate for responsive, responsible government. Inspired to politics as a youth, Long Thompson served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 4th Congressional District from 1989 to 1995. Long Thompson spent more than five years as U.S. Under Secretary of Agriculture from 1995 to 2001. 

In a debate last Tuesday in Merrillville, she took on Mitch Daniels by discussing the dire condition of the Indiana economy.

Indiana's rate of job loss is the fastest in America.  The most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report, for July 2008, showed Indiana lost 16,500 jobs in one month. In per capita terms, that was the highest loss of any state in July.  [BLS News release USDL 08-1147, 08/15/08].

Indiana's employment situation is worse than when Daniels took office.  Indiana had 202,800 unemployed in July, up 61,000 from a year ago, and higher than when Daniels was sworn in. [BLS News release USDL 08-1147, 08/15/08].

Hoosier Income Has Fallen to 87 Cents on the National Dollar. Per capita personal income in Indiana is 37^th in the nation, and works out to 87 cents on the dollar compared to the national average—worse than in 2004 when Daniels decried income levels. [Census Bureau 2007 figures].

The Miami County Democratic Party encourages anyone interested in the issues to come to the FallFest.  Tickets for the grilled chicken dinner are adult $7 and children $3.50.