How Former Governor Mitch Daniels Turned Indiana Around (and What Maine Can Learn)

Mitch Daniels has worn a lot of hats: Governor of Indiana, President of Purdue University, and before that, business executive and federal budget director. But through it all, he’s carried a reputation for doing the hard, unglamorous work of making institutions perform better.

In Indiana, Daniels balanced the budget after years of deficits, capped runaway property taxes, and launched one of the boldest infrastructure programs in America without raising taxes. At Purdue, he froze tuition for 11 years straight while expanding access and research, proving that higher education doesn’t have to keep getting more expensive.

In this conversation, Jonathan Bush digs into the lessons behind Daniels’ results — and what states like Maine can learn from them.

Some highlights from the episode:

• Why Daniels insisted “simple beats smart” when designing reforms
• How he kept the focus on raising disposable income for citizens as the North Star of government
• The story behind Indiana’s property tax caps and why they’ve endured
• His philosophy on balancing local control with statewide reform
• What Purdue’s tuition freeze reveals about tackling higher ed affordability
• Why trust in government is just as important as budgets or programs

This is a playbook for leaders, policymakers, and anyone who cares about making government simpler, smarter, and more accountable.

👉 Listen now to Maine For Keeps with Mitch Daniels on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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