Okay guys, you knew this one was coming, it’s time to pick the person or persons most responsible for the first real meaningful tax reform in Indiana in 50 years. You can pick Governor Mitch Daniels, Sen. Luke Kenley, State Representative Bill Crawford, etc. You can also pick the tax protesters, Eric Miller, whomever. My […]

With strong majorities in both chambers Indiana lawmakers gave Hoosiers what they have been asking for months, property tax reform. The House voted 82-17 and the Senate 41-6 to cap assessments, cut taxes and assume levies, among other things. The two chambers by similar margins voted to put the tax caps in the Indiana Constitution. […]

I’m composing a list of winners and losers as a result of this session’s property tax reform for this weekend.  In addition to the obvious ones (i.e. the property taxpayers and even more so the protesters), but also Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard.  Ballard asked lawmakers to pick up the tab for those pre-1977 police pension […]

Although the bigger points of the Statehouse property tax reform have been spelled out there are quite a few details embedded in the 600-page document.  Here area few of them that may not not have made the headlines.  PTRC & Homestead Credits – There’s an additional $620 million in homestead credits to help reduce property […]

Hoosiers will have to wait until tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. to get meaningful property tax relief. Senate Democrats are not signing off on a conference committee report. State Senator Vi Simpson says they just got the full report tonight and need time to look it over.  However this morning, State Senator Tim Skinner said […]

If you were hoping for illegal immigration reform (that would have been found unconstitutional by the courts) forget about it. Unless some mad scientist decides to resurrect this puppy it’s dead. It didn’t die on the floor, but due to a lack of conferee signatures. All parties in the conference committee have to sign off […]

There’s talk that a vote could come tonight on property tax reform. It’s still being printed. Another nugget in the 600-page bill is tax relief for Marion County residents’ 2007 tax bill. The legislation allows for $51 million in rebate checks among property taxpayers, even if they didn’t owe property taxes. Also, the conference committee […]

I’m headed downstairs for the illegal immigration hearing, but here is some food for thought. HB 1001 (the property tax reform bill) is being printed off right now. It is 600 pages long and has to go to at least 150 members of the legislature. Any bets on how many will actually read it before […]

I’m in the House chamber this afternoon.  Lawmakers are concurring on some small bills, while HB 1001 (property tax reform) is at the printer.  There are a few more details this afternoon such as counties with more than 20 percent of their budget going to debt service are free from the tax caps (Lake and […]

Make a note, my sources tell me Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama will be here Saturday doing a town hall meeting at Plainfield High School in Hendricks County. It makes perfect sense if you think about. If I was a black guy running for President, I’d make sure a lot of my supporters looked like […]