COLUMBIA CITY, Ind. (Indiana's NewsCenter) - Jill Long Thompson kicked off her "Hoosier hometown tour" this morning in Columbia City where she attended high school with hopes of highlighting her goal of bringing economic opportunities to rural communities.

The former 3-term congresswoman said the state needs a new tax structure, better healthcare and improved high school graduation rates. Long said as governor, her economic policies would be different than governor Daniels and focus on all 92 counties.

Jill Long Thompson tells us, “…the further you go from the central part of the state, the greater the challenges for many communities and because I grew up in a rural community I believe very strongly that it's important for all communities to enjoy economic growth and development.”

Long Thompson also renewed her call for governor Daniels to temporarily suspend the state sales tax on gas.