House Republicans strike down ‘A Budget for the People’

On Feb. 19, House Republicans rejected efforts by the Indiana House Democratic Caucus to craft a state budget that truly supports Hoosiers. State Rep. Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis) presented the proposal, which was offered as a master amendment to House Bill 1001. The amendment would have boosted programs centered on public health, K-12 education and more while still providing balanced tax relief. 

“The people spoke,” Porter said. “They did what they were supposed to do. They came to this legislative body and pleaded for the funding they needed in this budget. Once again, those pleas fell on the deaf ears of a supermajority.”  

Porter’s master amendment includes:

1. Protecting Medicaid:

1. Providing an additional $300 million for the Medicaid program to cushion potential federal cuts.

2. Increasing the cigarette tax to fund 5,000 slots for the PathWays for Aging Waiver and 5,000 slots for the Health and Wellness Waiver. 

3. Protecting the C.H.O.I.C.E. program and increasing its allocation to $55 million per year. 

2. Supporting our Children: 

1. Providing at least a true 2% increase to all schools. 

2. Making the On My Way Pre-K program universal by increasing the income eligibility threshold to 400% of the federal poverty level.  

3. Providing $8 million to continue Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

4. Restoring the Health First Indiana program to its 2023 allocation of $150 million. 

3. Creating Balanced Tax Relief: 

1. Increasing the income tax credit from 10% to 12%. 

2. Increasing the renter’s deduction from $3,000 to $4,000. 

4. Fighting for Financial Equity: 

1. Restoring the Indiana Commission for Women with an allocation of close to $227,000. 

2. Restoring the Commission of Race and Gender Fairness with an allocation of roughly $1.8 million, of which $500,000 is used to provide court interpreters for non-English speakers. 

5. Improving Quality of Life 

1. Preserving our outdoors with $30 million for trails and $25 million for land preservation.

2. Increasing the funding for our veteran's service organizations by $1.6 million.   

“Our budget would have helped Hoosiers during these unprecedented times,” Porter said. “From education to public health, we can do more to grow the quality of life in our state. Their vote against this proposal was a vote against Hoosiers.”