Bionca cares about things that matter to you

Good Jobs and a Quality Education

I believe that Indiana's future economic development depends on the quality of education provided to our children. A well-educated workforce results in stable, well-paying jobs that provide a future for our children and the needed economic foundation for Indiana.

Right to Work and Common Construction Wage

The label "right to work" is misleading. The policy's purpose is to undermine the rights of hard working Hoosiers to gain access to benefits, pensions, and fair wages. Ultimately, "right to work" is nothing more than a right to work for less.

The Common Construction Wage, also known as "Prevailing Wage," was created to ensure that all workers in a particular trade receive a fair and equitable wage regardless of which part of the state they reside. Every working man and woman is entitled to a living wage. The Common Construction Wage assures this right for Hoosiers and needs to remain intact.

Unemployment Insurance

The quick deterioration of the economy has left 300,000 of our friends, family, and neighbors unemployed with the worry of how to pay their monthly bills. I met a father of 3 who had taken a 50% salary reduction 2 years ago only to lose his job last December. The last thing working Hoosiers should have to face is a medical emergency or being forced to seek assistance with utility bills due to a job loss. The State's decision to bail out the Indianapolis firm, Capital Investment Board (CIB) with tax payer dollars should not have taken precedence above providing relief to unemployed families struggling to make ends meet. I fully support the extension of unemployment insurance for men and women in Indiana who have lost their jobs in these tough economic times.

Health Care for Our Elderly and Veterans

Medical care for seniors at home and in extended health care facilities, as well as health care for our veterans are major concerns for me.

Families should be given the opportunity, if willing and able, to care for their loved ones at home. Many times, families are forced to deplete their financial resources before being allowed admission into a nursing home. When faced with this decision, peace of mind for their loved one is the primary concern. Proper oversight of "for profit" corporations operating nursing homes will protect the safety and well-being of our parents and grandparents.

Proper medical care for our returning soldiers and our aging veterans should be guaranteed. We cannot turn our backs on those who have given so much for our country and sacrificed so much for our liberties.

Hoosier Rural Values

Bionca Gambill and her family operate a small farm in southern Vigo County. In addition, she and her family are avid outdoorsmen who hunt, fish and trap. Bionca is dedicated to protecting our right to engage in these traditional Hoosier pursuits.

Volunteer Fire Departments and Local Government Reform

Grassroots government is essential to the health and well-being of rural communities in Indiana. Township officials have been a vital part of Indiana government since statehood and are even more important in these difficult times. The benefit of having easily accessible people within your neighborhood versus the bureaucracy of county and state government is reassuring to those in need of assistance.

Rural areas rely on volunteer firefighters to be the first responders at the scene of any crisis situation. These same volunteers are required to meet the same standards as full-time salaried urban departments.

The Kernan-Shepard report asserts this form of public service is antiquated, and claims it should be eliminated. The same report offers no solution to replace the lost services provided by these volunteer departments. How should we continue to protect and serve the residents of our rural townships? Local, grassroots government exists because the state cannot efficiently provide for our rural communities. These volunteer departments must be retained, with appropriate oversight, in order to better account for their "volunteer" status.