Time zone still an issue for legislators

Changing your clock -- or not doing so -- in the spring and the fall has become a heated issue lately in the Hoosier state. Recent Indiana time zone change proposals have met with both applause and criticism throughout the state. \nRepublican gubernatorial candidate Mitch Daniels wants to institute daylight saving time in Indiana, and a similar measure has just been considered in the state legislature. Not everyone is in agreement with such propositions though.\n"Indiana is very good at understanding time zones and dealing with them -- especially in the global economy that we live in where there is obviously more than one time zone," said Carol Rogers, associate director for Info, Systems & Services at the Indiana Business Research Center of the Kelley School of Business.\nHowever, according to a survey published by the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce in February, 84 percent of those surveyed in central Indiana favor a change in the current time zone system.\n"It causes a lot of confusion. It causes us to miss opportunities," said Sue Swayze, vice president of Business Advocacy at the Chamber.\nIndiana counties follow three different time zones: Indiana time, Eastern time and Central time. The 10 counties in northwest and southwest Indiana that follow Central time are in sync with the rest of the state during the summer, while the five southeastern counties that follow Eastern time are in sync during the winter.\nSwayze said being one hour behind the East Coast stock market during parts of the year makes it more difficult for Indiana business owners to get the loans they need to run their businesses. The difference causes banks to "pad" loans with higher interest rates to protect themselves against changes in interest rates in the last hour of trading in Indiana, she said.\nDebate over gay marriage stalled the legislature recently, killing the chances for passage of a time zone change measure this session.\nBut the push for change came much further this year in this legislature than it has in the past, said Rogers. She also said time zone change may be an important issue in the gubernatorial race.\n"Everyone has gotten used to (the current system) … a time change is unnecessary," said freshman Nathan Pelsor of the southeastern Indiana town of Sunman. His home is in Indiana time, but many of his neighbors and former high school classmates live in Eastern time, making things somewhat chaotic during the daylight saving time changes twice a year.\n"Time zones don't seem to have hurt (business in) Arizona -- the other state (in the U.S.) that doesn't follow (daylight saving Time)," Rogers said.\nMany individuals simply do not have a strong position one way or the other. Freshman Julia Weiss of the northwest Indiana city of Valparaiso has opinions both ways.\n"Indiana is already a laughingstock. At least we can have a decent time zone (system)."\nBut she, like others, also found a certain charm in the current system.\n"Indiana is a land of corn and chaos. We need our inconsistent time zones, otherwise we're just another Ohio."\n-- Contact staff writer Charlie Szrom at .