Errington votes against Republican tax hike on Hoosiers, ‘What’s being sold as property relief is deceptive’

Today, Indiana House Republicans passed Senate Bill (SB) 1 with an amendment that will potentially increase Hoosiers' local income taxes by $1.1 billion annually while cutting police, fire, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and public school services by $1.4 billion over three years. 

While the bill was pushed through with very little time to review the possible fiscal impact, it's clear that SB 1 will provide minimal property tax relief to Hoosiers. Republican leadership told Hoosiers it's time to "tighten our belts" while discussing this legislation, despite House Democrats' concerns that SB 1 will choke the life out of vital services provided by local governments.

State Rep. Sue Errington (D-Muncie) issued the following statement after voting "no" on SB 1:

“This bill isn’t a tax plan - it’s a tax scam. What’s being sold as property tax relief is deceptive. Even if you are a homeowner, you're likely to see little to no benefit, and that's only based on statewide averages. There’s no guarantee those savings will actually show up in your mailbox.

“And for renters, there’s nothing. Absolutely no relief. In fact, many will end up paying more through higher local income taxes, just to keep basic community services like police and fire departments functioning.

“I’ve been hearing from my city and county councils who are deeply concerned. Without a reciprocal replacement for the lost revenue, this bill leaves local governments scrambling to plug budget holes - and that’s not just bad policy, it’s irresponsible. If the state is going to take away this funding, it has a duty to replace it. Don't make our towns and cities dig themselves out of a hole that the state created.

“To make matters worse, we’re voting on all of this without even knowing our state’s financial future. Next week’s state revenue forecast could bring news of even more cuts. Rushing through legislation that destabilizes local budgets before we’ve seen that forecast is shortsighted and potentially devastating.

“Our communities deserve better than political theater. They deserve sound fiscal policy that doesn’t gut the services they rely on daily.”

The bill now heads back to the Senate for a concurrence vote. During the House session on Wednesday, April 9, Gov. Mike Braun signaled that this was the Indiana GOP's final property tax plan, despite House Democrats still working to make the bill better on the House floor via amendments, which were all voted down by the majority.

Burton votes against Republican tax hike on Hoosiers

Today, April 10, Indiana House Republicans passed Senate Bill (SB) 1 with an amendment that will potentially increase Hoosiers' local income taxes by $1.1 billion annually while cutting police, fire, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and public school services by $1.4 billion over three years. While the bill was pushed through with very little time to review the possible fiscal impact, it's clear that SB 1 will provide minimal property tax relief to Hoosiers. Republican leadership told Hoosiers it's time to "tighten our belts" while discussing this legislation, despite House Democrats' concerns that SB 1 will choke the life out of vital services provided by local governments.

State Rep. Burton (D-Evansville) issued the following statement after voting "no" on SB 1:

“Indiana cities and towns cannot thrive under SB 1. This is an attempt to defund critical services by reducing local governments’ budgets, while adding more parameters. Our local government will be forced to overcompensate by imposing income taxes to fund our first responders. Vanderburgh County will lose $45.14 million over the next three years, money that would be going to schools, public safety, and paving roads. Rural, urban, and suburban communities will all be handed some very difficult decisions that will lead to less stable communities.

“Vanderburgh County relies on these resources and cutting that funding will only lead to more harm. We need to be proactive and recognize this is not sustainable for the future of Evansville and will only create more problems down the line.

“No one is championing this legislation besides legislators voting in favor. $300 is not worth the problems that are sure to come. Mayors, police chiefs, fire chiefs, and school superintendents are all concerned about this tax proposal. I agree property tax relief is needed, but not at the cost of our communities, and I want to continue to work with the legislature to find better solutions. Our state’s reserves are drying up, local governments may be forced to increase taxes, and there’s not much proposed to help everyday Hoosiers. I voted NO to SB 1.”

The bill now heads back to the Senate for a concurrence vote. During the House session on Wednesday, April 9, Gov. Mike Braun signaled that this was the Indiana GOP's final property tax plan, despite House Democrats still working to make the bill better on the House floor via amendments which were all voted down by the majority.

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Boy votes against tax hike on Hoosiers

Today, Indiana House Republicans passed Senate Bill (SB) 1 with an amendment that will potentially increase Hoosiers' local income taxes by $1.1 billion annually while cutting police, fire, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and public school services by $1.4 billion over three years. While the bill was pushed through with very little time to review the possible fiscal impact, it's clear that SB 1 will provide minimal property tax relief to Hoosiers. Republican leadership told Hoosiers it's time to "tighten our belts" while discussing this legislation, despite House Democrats' concerns that SB 1 will choke the life out of vital services provided by local governments.

State Rep. Boy (D-Michigan City) issued the following statement after voting "no" on SB 1:

“Hoosiers across the state are struggling to pay their bills and buy groceries, all while having one of the lowest wages in the Midwest. This bill exploits the real concerns of struggling families and advertises gutted community services as ‘property tax relief.’ In reality, the bill will not lead to any tax relief, as local governments will be forced to make up lost revenue through income taxes to continue funding essential services like fire, EMS and police. 

“This bill will cost LaPorte County $18.1 million and Porter County $49.6 million. Also, the bill has rolled in language from SB 518, forcing public schools to share their already reduced property tax dollars with charter schools.

“This legislation is being rushed forward without even waiting for the state's updated revenue forecast, which is due next week. We don’t know the full picture of our current economy or what revenues our local governments can expect - and if more cuts are still to come, this bill only makes a bad situation worse.

“Republicans like to say this bill will create property tax relief, but that only applies to homeowners. Renters - who make up a significant portion of our communities - will see no benefit. In fact, they’ll be hit with higher local income taxes without seeing a single cent in relief.

“This bill will greatly damage our communities. It will force our fire and police departments to cut staff and it will dissolve school districts, all so that the majority can win a few political points. It will not reduce Hoosiers’ tax bills. I am greatly concerned by this piece of legislation and will continue to advocate against SB 1.”

The bill now heads back to the Senate for a concurrence vote. During the House session on Wednesday, April 9, Gov. Mike Braun signaled that this was the Indiana GOP's final property tax plan, despite House Democrats still working to make the bill better on the House floor via amendments, which were all voted down by the majority.

Bauer votes against Republican tax hike on Hoosiers

Today, April 10, Indiana House Republicans passed Senate Bill (SB) 1 with an amendment that will potentially increase Hoosiers' local income taxes by $1.1 billion annually while cutting police, fire, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and public school services by $1.4 billion over three years. While the bill was pushed through with very little time to review the possible fiscal impact, it's clear that SB 1 will provide minimal property tax relief to Hoosiers. Republican leadership told Hoosiers it's time to "tighten our belts" while discussing this legislation, despite House Democrats' concerns that SB 1 will choke the life out of vital services provided by local governments.

State Rep. Maureen Bauer (D-South Bend) issued the following statement after voting "no" on SB 1:

“SB 1, which is being pushed by Republicans as 'property tax relief' is a threat to our communities across the state. Cities and towns will lose critical property tax revenue – money we use to fund schools, police, fire departments, libraries, and road maintenance. While the bill is masked as a property tax cut, it fails to provide any real tax relief to working families. The reality is that this legislation will lead to significant increases in Hoosiers' income taxes. Local governments will be forced to fill in the lost revenue elsewhere to fund essential resources while the state gets to evade responsibility.

“In St. Joseph County alone, SB 1 is expected to cut $108,875,000 over the next three years. The consequences of this bill are too risky: libraries in rural Indiana have stated they will have to consider shutting their doors or going virtual only and entire school corporations will be dissolved without any local input from their constituents. The bill caps fire territory tax rates at $0.40 per $100 of assessed value. Our own fire chiefs have told us that this cap would lead to personnel cuts and force fire stations in suburban areas to close.

“It forces public schools to share their local property tax dollars with charter schools even if those charter schools don’t serve the same neighborhoods or take on the same responsibilities. South Bend Schools alone could lose over $22 million in just a few years.

“The Republican party in Indiana continues to cut local resources, telling us that there’s ‘no money’ for real, tangible tax relief for working families: renters, first-time homebuyers, veterans, and seniors. We’re told the state can’t afford to expand the homestead credit or offer support to seniors on fixed incomes. Simultaneously, this bill hands out the largest tax breaks in business personal property tax cuts to a select few while our local services are left to scrape by.

“Our state is not broke—our priorities are. Due to poor fiscal management, the state has pulled hundreds of thousands from our general reserves to cover previous Medicaid budget shortfalls. Agencies across Indiana are being told to cut 5% from their budgets, meaning fewer resources for health care, transportation, and public safety.

“I’ve spoken to families across our district: seniors trying to keep up with rising assessments, renters who dream of owning a home, parents worried about their child’s school losing funding. These voices matter, and they’re being ignored in favor of rushed policy and political headlines.

“We cannot afford to gut the foundation of our communities. If we care about education, if we care about public safety, if we care about keeping our towns vibrant and livable, we have to say no to this version of SB 1.”

The bill now heads back to the Senate for a concurrence vote. During the House session on Wednesday, April 9, Gov. Mike Braun signaled that this was the Indiana GOP's final property tax plan, despite House Democrats still working to make the bill better on the House floor via amendments, which were all voted down by the majority.

Pfaff votes against tax hike on Hoosiers

Today, Indiana House Republicans passed Senate Bill 1 with an amendment that will potentially increase Hoosiers' local income taxes by $1.1 billion annually while cutting police, fire, EMS and public schools services by $1.4 billion over three years. While the bill was pushed through with very little time to review the possible fiscal impact, it's clear that SB 1 will provide minimal property tax relief to Hoosiers. Republican leadership told Hoosiers it's time to "tighten our belts" while discussing this legislation, despite House Democrats' concerns that SB 1 will choke the life out of vital services provided by local governments.

State Rep. Tonya Pfaff (D-Terre Haute) issued the following statement after voting "no" on SB 1:

 “This tax bill offers very little to individual homeowners while shifting the burden to increased local income taxes. The amount homeowners save in property taxes will be spent on the increased local income taxes needed for our community to just keep functioning. 

“Vigo County stands to lose $20.5 million under this plan. Of course everyone wants to pay less in property taxes, but at what cost? This may shave a couple of bucks off of your property tax bill, but our communities will lose funding for police and fire, public schools and road repairs. 

“The legislature promised a real property tax plan that would help working families get ahead, not a tax bill designed to fool them by shifting around numbers on their tax bills. Hard working Hoosiers deserve better. Hoosier taxpayers deserve real tax relief.” 

The bill now heads back to the Senate for a concurrence vote. During House session on Wednesday, April 9, Gov. Mike Braun signaled that this was the Indiana GOP's final property tax plan. House Democrats worked to make the bill better on the House floor via amendments, which were all voted down by the Republican majority.

Pryor votes against Republican tax hike on Hoosiers

Today, Indiana House Republicans passed Senate Bill 1 with an amendment that will potentially increase Hoosiers' local income taxes by $1.1 billion annually while cutting police, fire, EMS and public school services by $1.4 billion over three years. While the bill was pushed through with very little time to review the possible fiscal impact, it's clear that SB 1 will provide minimal property tax relief to Hoosiers. Republican leadership told Hoosiers it's time to "tighten our belts" while discussing this legislation, despite House Democrats' concerns that SB 1 will choke the life out of vital services provided by local governments.

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement after voting "no" on SB 1:

“People in my community want a true decrease in their taxes, not a decrease in property taxes that is cancelled out by increased income taxes. Marion County stands to lose $75 million under the current version of SB 1. In order for our community to fund essential public services like police, fire and EMS, as well as public schools for our kids, they will be forced to find the funding elsewhere. 

“This proposal is nothing but smoke and mirrors. Republicans in the legislature can run around touting that they have saved Hoosiers $300 on property taxes and then turn around to the local governments and force them to play the villain by raising local income taxes by $300 to keep functioning. They have managed to save Hoosier taxpayers very little while passing off responsibility to local governments. 

“I know this is not the best we can do for Hoosiers. This proposal is not a collaborative solution to help taxpayers around the state. We need to help our seniors stay in their homes while not cutting their access to emergency medical services. We need to help working parents keep a roof over their children’s head while not reducing the quality of their children’s education. 

“I am disappointed in the lack of action on the part of the legislature in helping Hoosier taxpayers get real relief.” 

The bill now heads back to the Senate for a concurrence vote. During House session on Wednesday, April 9, Gov. Mike Braun signaled that this was the Indiana GOP's final property tax plan, despite House Democrats still working to make the bill better on the House floor via amendments which were all voted down by the majority.

Jackson votes against Republican tax hike on Hoosiers

Today, Indiana House Republicans passed Senate Bill 1 with an amendment that will potentially increase Hoosiers' local income taxes by $1.1 billion annually while cutting police, fire, EMS and public school services by $1.4 billion over three years. While the bill was pushed through with very little time to review the possible fiscal impact, it's clear that SB 1 will provide minimal property tax relief to Hoosiers. Republican leadership told Hoosiers it's time to "tighten our belts" while discussing this legislation, despite House Democrats' concerns that SB 1 will choke the life out of vital services provided by local governments.

State Rep. Carolyn Jackson (D-Hammond) issued the following statement after voting "no" on SB 1:

 "Senate Bill 1 is not the property tax relief bill that Republicans promised Indiana residents. This bill does very little to limit property taxes while gutting local governments' ability to fund essential services. To make up for that fact, they have added provisions to raise local income taxes.

"Lake County alone stands to lose over $200 million by 2028 as a result of this bill's passage. These massive cuts will leave our public schools, libraries, fire departments and police departments struggling to operate. Republicans have talked about property tax relief for months. Instead of compromising, they are rushing a bill through the legislative process that does very little to help Indiana homeowners. No one is happy with this bill, and it's extremely disappointing that Republicans were unwilling to work with us to come up with a plan that actually benefits Hoosier taxpayers.”

The bill now heads back to the Senate for a concurrence vote. During House session on Wednesday, April 9, Gov. Mike Braun signaled that this was the Indiana GOP's final property tax plan, despite House Democrats still working to make the bill better on the House floor via amendments which were all voted down by the majority.

Harris votes against Republican tax hike on Hoosiers

Today, Indiana House Republicans passed Senate Bill 1 with an amendment that will potentially increase Hoosiers' local income taxes by $1.1 billion annually while cutting police, fire, EMS and public school services by $1.4 billion over three years. While the bill was pushed through with very little time to review the possible fiscal impact, it's clear that SB 1 will provide minimal property tax relief to Hoosiers. Republican leadership told Hoosiers it's time to "tighten our belts" while discussing this legislation, despite House Democrats' concerns that SB 1 will choke the life out of vital services provided by local governments.

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr. (D-East Chicago) issued the following statement after voting "no" on SB 1:

"With SB 1, Lake County is set to lose $193,198,000 over the next three years thanks to cuts to critical local services including police, fire, EMS and schools.  As residents of the county, we will be paying higher local income taxes to make up for this egregious funding cut. Unfortunately, you shouldn't expect to be able to use the money you save on property taxes under this legislation to help pay for that tax hike, because the relief SB 1 provides property taxpayers is minimal, at best. As for renters, they will see no property tax relief on top of these higher local income taxes. This Republican property tax plan is a sham designed to deceive Hoosiers into thinking they're getting a break, when in reality, they're paying the price for the majority party's fiscal irresponsibility.

"An earlier proposal to have public schools share property taxes with charter schools was also rolled into this bill, increasing the burden on our local public schools. Many of these schools are already doing more with less, and SB 1 will have detrimental impacts on schools and the children they serve for years to come."

Miller votes against Republican tax hike on Hoosiers

Today, Indiana House Republicans passed Senate Bill 1 with an amendment that will potentially increase Hoosiers' local income taxes by $1.1 billion annually while cutting police, fire, EMS and public school services by $1.4 billion over three years. While the bill was pushed through with very little time to review the possible fiscal impact, it's clear that SB 1 will provide minimal property tax relief to Hoosiers. Republican leadership told Hoosiers it's time to "tighten our belts" while discussing this legislation, despite House Democrats' concerns that SB 1 will choke the life out of vital services provided by local governments.

State Rep. Kyle Miller (D-Fort Wayne) issued the following statement after voting "no" on SB 1:

"Indiana Republicans just cost Allen County $89,253,000 over the next three years. Hoosiers in House District 82 are being played. This bill masquerades as a tax cut when, in reality, local governments have to raise taxes to continue making sure that critical services like police and fire can continue to operate. SB 1 is a bait-and-switch and I’m not willing to saddle residents of District 82 with higher taxes for some half-baked plan to give minimal property tax relief."

The bill now heads back to the Senate for a concurrence vote. During House session on Wednesday, April 9, Gov. Mike Braun signaled that this was the Indiana GOP's final property tax plan, despite House Democrats still working to make the bill better on the House floor via amendments which were all voted down by the majority.

Andrade votes against Republican tax hike on Hoosiers

Today, April 10, Indiana House Republicans passed Senate Bill (SB) 1 with an amendment that will potentially increase Hoosiers' local income taxes by $1.1 billion annually while cutting police, fire, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and public school services by $1.4 billion over three years. 

While the bill was pushed through with very little time to review the possible fiscal impact, it's clear that SB 1 will provide minimal property tax relief to Hoosiers. Republican leadership told Hoosiers it's time to "tighten our belts" while discussing this legislation, despite House Democrats' concerns that SB 1 will choke the life out of vital services provided by local governments.

State Rep. Mike Andrade (D-Munster) issued the following statement after voting "no" on SB 1:

“Today, I voted against Senate Bill 1 because Hoosiers deserve the truth, and this bill does not deliver it. SB 1 is being sold as ‘property tax relief’ but in reality, it shifts the financial burden onto hard-working Hoosier families. This is a bait-and-switch that will leave our communities struggling.

“Local governments will be forced to either raise income taxes or cut essential services, including funding for our public schools, fire departments, police and libraries. In Lake County alone, we stand to lose nearly $235 million dollars by 2028.

“Our children, our safety and our future are being put at risk to give another tax break to big businesses. Hoosiers want real tax relief, not a plan that drains our schools and weakens our neighborhoods in the false promise of ‘real property tax relief.’”

The bill now heads back to the Senate for a concurrence vote. During the House session on Wednesday, April 9, Gov. Mike Braun signaled that this was the Indiana GOP's final property tax plan, despite House Democrats still working to make the bill better on the House floor via amendments which were all voted down by the majority.

House Republicans deny relief to homeowners, strike down ‘Back to Basics’ property tax plan

Today, April 9, House Ways and Means Ranking Democrat State Rep. Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis) proposed his plan for property tax relief. The House majority struck down all of Porter’s amendments to provide significant savings to homeowners and fund relief through the state. 

“They’re pushing their plan through without input,” Porter said. ”House Republicans will do what they want, even though Democrats represent many of the communities with high property tax revenue. Now they get to put $1.4 billion in tax cuts on their mailers while homeowners will save an average of $245. Those savings will be zeroed out with local income tax increases. Everybody, except manufacturers, loses with this proposal. 

“Our communities will lose over $939 million, and our schools will lose over $534 million. Maybe more since we don’t have the updated numbers for amendment 36, which has been a huge issue with this bill’s process. We had fire chiefs come and tell us they’ll have to close fire houses or let firefighters go. The House GOP gave $1 billion to the LEAP district, and we paid $1.7 billion in cash for a single prison. But we can only give homeowners about $245? They want people to move here for economic development, but they voted down a first-time homebuyer’s credit. I’m disappointed but not surprised.” 

A list of the amendments House Republicans voted down is below: 

• Amendment 14: Reinstates the first-time homebuyers tax deduction provision Senate Republicans included in Senate Bill 1. 

• Amendment 15: Removes language from the bill dissolving the Union School Corporation, which was included without the knowledge of the Union School Superintendent. 

• Amendment 16: Delays property tax revenue sharing with charter schools until 2035. 

• Amendment 19: Establishes a state-funded homestead property tax freeze for veterans with a moderate to severe service-related disability. 

• Amendment 20: Creates the home ownership expenses homestead credit, giving $300 to each homeowner to offset the rising cost of utilities and home insurance. The money would be sourced from the General Fund. 

• Amendment 22:  Caps increases in the property tax bills of qualifying seniors at 1%. 

• Amendment 24: Provides additional relief to renters by increasing the renter's deduction from $3,000 to $5,000. 

• Amendment 26: Deletes the provision prohibiting the South Shore Line from issuing new debt.

DeLaney: Republicans are dodging the real issue

Today, April 9, the House discussed a series of amendments on the latest Republican property tax plan. According to a statement from Gov. Mike Braun minutes before the bill was called to the floor, the version we have now is the compromise between House Republicans, Senate Republicans and the governor. 

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement after offering several amendments on the floor: 

“The latest version of Senate Bill 1 puts pressure on local income taxes to fund this $300 temporary stopgap in an ongoing increase in property taxes. If people look at both the local property tax and their local income tax, at the end of the day this may be a wash. It is hard to know if anyone will really benefit from this maneuver. 

“This bill will restrict local governments, particularly in growing areas, in their ability to do what communities expect. Schools in growing areas and fire departments that can’t get enough equipment to suit the needs of the area will face significant hardship. 

“Because of the way this has been handled, the public’s understanding of what we are doing has been undercut. The constantly shifting sands have muddied the waters. 

“Today’s rabbit from the hat picks winners and losers. While playing this game, we refused to act about real needs, such as those of first-time homebuyers as well as renters. 

“Instead of giving parts of industry massive breaks, we should be looking to support young Hoosiers as they strive to achieve homeownership. Supporting young Hoosiers will not only boost our economy and grow our workforce but increase the property tax base itself.”