Pence promises less regulation, more jobs

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Jobs are the biggest issue in the race for governor and Republican Mike Pence came out with his second jobs proposal Tuesday. He proposed a moratorium on new state regulations that apply to businesses of all types. Democrat John Gregg, meanwhile, literally laughed at it.

Pence took his campaign to northeast Indiana where, surrounded by small business owners, he promised to cut state regulations, fees and licensing.

"In 2011 the state of Indiana adopted 292 new regulations," he said. "That's one new regulation for every work day of every week of the year."

The cost of those regulations, he said, prevents new hiring.

"He's making me defend our governor?" was the reaction from Gregg. Reached by phone in northern Indiana, the Democrat tried to make the Pence proposal sound like criticism of the current Republican governor, Mitch Daniels.

"All he's doing," said Gregg, "he's just trying to hide his 12 year record of social issues. He's not tried to lessen any regulations the whole time he's been in D.C."

Congressman Pence said that Daniels has made progress in helping small business but said more can be done.

"The process of reviewing regulations and processing new licensing requests is already in place," he said, "so this won't cost taxpayers any additional money, but it absolutely will save businesses, and employees, and entrepreneurs an awful lot of money."

As examples, Pence said that the state regulates interior designers and message therapists and he suggested that's not necessary. He applauded a recent move to drop the regulation of hypnotists and said there is a need to reduce the number of professions that are required to get a state license.