Dear Editor,
This past week, the Indiana General Assembly convened at the Indiana Statehouse for the first week of session. Various ideas were discussed and bills were assigned to committees. In order to stay informed on the important decisions that could significantly impact all Hoosiers, I want to provide a brief update on the bills that passed out of committee:
Senate Bill 1 will shift the responsibility of paying the remaining $2.1 billion school general fund, which is used to pay for the day-to-day expenses including staff salaries and benefits, utilities, operation and maintenance costs in a school corporation. It will also transfer the $404 million child welfare levy, which is used to pay for programs to assist children and delinquent juveniles in need of services, to the state general fund. This bill passed out of the Senate Committee on Appropriations by a vote of 8-1.
Senate Bill 14 will completely eliminate the .08 percent property tax levy used by the state and returns it for use the local level. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed this bill by a 10-0 vote.
Senate Bill 16 will eliminate township assessors and shift all assessing duties to one elected county assessor. The bill also calls for the state to move to a single statewide software system. Senate Bill 16 passed out of the Senate Committee on Local Government and Elections by a vote of 5-4.
Senate Bill 18 will require all building projects that cost at least $7 million or total a half-percent of the assessed valuation in a government district to be voted on through a public referendum. By a vote of 9-3, this bill passed out of the Senate Committee on Tax & Fiscal Policy.
The Senate committee on Rules and Legislative Procedures heard testimony on Senate Joint Resolution 8, which could possibly eliminate property taxes on owner-occupied homes statewide. The committee asked for additional time to study and discuss the resolution and amendment and is expected to revisit this legislation in the coming days.
Over the next few months, the General Assembly has a lot of work ahead. I will work diligently to keep you informed. Please know that I am only a phone call away and can be reached at 800-382-9467 or you can email me at www.in.gov/s5 .
Ed Charbonneau
Senate District 5
Sen. Charbonneau represents Senate District 5, which includes Starke County and portions of Porter, LaPorte, Marshall, Jasper, Pulaski, and St. Joseph counties.
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