About the Commission: The Commission on State Tax and Financing Policy is tasked with discussing the causes of property tax increases in Indiana, as well as additional short - and long-term solutions. The commission is working towards a bi-partisan plan that can be considered by the legislature for the 2008 session.
Commission Members:
- Sen. Luke Kenley (R-Noblesville) – Chair, chair of the Senate Tax & Fiscal Policy Committee and member of the Senate Appropriations Committee;
- Sen. Brandt Hershman (R-Wheatfield), Majority Whip and a member of the Senate Tax & Fiscal Policy Committee;
- Sen. John Broden (D-South Bend), Ranking Minority Member on the Economic Development & Technology Committee;
- Rep. Peggy Welch (D-Bloomington), a member on the House Ways and Means Committee; and
- Rep. Eric Turner (R-Marion), Assistant Minority Whip and a member of the House Public Policy Committee.
Legislators named as special advisors include:
- Rep. William Crawford (D-Indianapolis), chair of the House Ways and Means Committee;
- Rep. Jeffrey Espich (R-Uniondale), ranking Republican member on the Ways and Means Committee and a former chair of that panel;
- Sen. Lindel Hume (D-Princeton), Senate Democrat Whip andmember of the Senate Appropriations Committee; and
- Sen. Robert Meeks (R-LaGrange), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Citizen tax experts:
- John Grew of Indianapolis, former fiscal analyst for both Gov. Frank O’Bannon and the Indiana House of Representatives. Grew is director of financial research and analysis at Indiana University.
- Steven Johnson of Indianapolis, former State Representative and former State Senator. Johnson is president of the Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute.
- Katrina Hall of Shelbyville, tax and local government specialist with Indiana Farm Bureau, Inc.
