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Last updated on Thursday, November 13, 2008
(WASHINGTON, D-C) - Governor Mitch Daniels traveled to Washington. D.C., on Wednesday night to accept his award as public official of the year.
Governing Magazine announced the honors last month for Daniels and seven other public officials from around the country.
Daniels is one of four elected officials honored, and the only governor.
The magazine traditionally selects one governor for the list each year.
Last year's winner was Washington Governor Christine Gregoire.
The magazine describes Daniels as "conservative, (while) his governing style is anything but."
It praises the Governor for bringing efficiency to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and a budget surplus and top of the charts bond rating despite the slumping national economy.
The magazine also cites Daniels' willingness to risk political controversy by pushing ahead with a wide range of sometimes controversial initiatives, including the toll road lease, daylight saving time, a state health package for the uninsured, full-day kindergarten, property-tax caps, and privatization of welfare eligibility determination.
"The jury is still out on some of these efforts, but no one could accuse the Governor of timidity," the magazine writes.
Daniels is the first Hoosier honored since then-House Speaker John Gregg and House Minority Leader Brian Bosma were named to the list in 2002 for their work in passing governor Frank O'Bannon's tax restructuring bill.
Other Hoosier winners include former Indianapolis Mayors William Hudnut and Steve Goldsmith and former Indianapolis Controller Fred Armstrong.
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