Porter abstains from vote on State Budget Committee agenda

State Rep. Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement regarding his decision to abstain from the vote on today’s State Budget Committee agenda: 

“I’ve never heard of a voting member abstaining from a vote on a State Budget Committee agenda. But I felt like I had to be the first one to abstain today. I couldn’t move myself to vote for the agenda when I have no clue what I’m investing in. We’ve given the IEDC billions of state dollars for projects, but they’ve shared no information. We don't know the investors, and we don't have answers on the utility situation. There's no proof of return-on-investment in this project. We have absolutely no clue what’s going on with the LEAP district. There’s a lack of transparency and repurposing taxpayer dollars to the budget committee is reprehensible. 

“My goal is to protect the taxpayers and how their dollars are spent. Hoosier taxpayers deserve to know how we’re using their money. Once I get those answers, I’ll vote to approve a State Budget Committee agenda.”