FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
‘Significant recommendations’ to come during Tuesday’s meeting of State Tax Commission
Sen. Luke Kenley says many mirror Gov. Daniels’ plan, some go beyond
(STATEHOUSE) – State Sen. Luke Kenley (R-Noblesville) said “significant recommendations” that may cut homeowner property bills in half will be discussed during Tuesday’s State Tax and Financing Policy Commission meeting.
Kenley, chair of the commission, said many of those recommendations would be based on a plan proposed by Gov. Mitch Daniels earlier this month. The 1 p.m. meeting will be held in Room 404 of the Statehouse. Legislative leaders said the hearing will be broadcast via the Internet at http://www.in.gov/legislative/session/video.html
“We think it’s possible to cut each homeowner’s property tax bill in half and those who have residential rental properties by 25 percent,” Kenley said.
A package of ideas that could be turned into bill proposals for the Indiana General Assembly will be discussed and voted on by the five-member commission. Kenley said public questions and comments would be taken prior to a commission vote on its final report and recommendations.
“Organization Day” for the General Assembly is Tuesday, Nov. 20, and leaders in both chambers have already said swift, significant action on property tax issues will begin during that day, one that in previous years has been largely ceremonial.
Tuesday’s tax commission meeting will culminate an intense series of discussions that put Indiana’s property tax system under a microscope starting in late July. In eight meetings since then, issues the State Tax and Fiscal Policy Commission have examined include:
- homeowners and rental properties;
- exemptions for seniors and the disabled as well as for second homes;
- property tax disclosure forms and a hard look at Indiana’s assessment system;
- how other states use alternate revenue sources;
- debt issuance and how bonds are affected by property taxes;
- circuit breakers and maximum levies
- annexation issues;
- rebates versus tax credits; and
- feasibility of eliminating property taxes entirely
Kenley’s commission has also heard and read testimony from hundreds of Hoosiers, either in person at the meetings or through a highly-successful e-mail campaign on the commission’s property tax Web site at www.propertytaxreform.in.gov.
Among recommendations to be presented are those which focus on restructuring Indiana’s local government revenue process. Kenley said the commission believes “it’s very important” to do this.
Kenley also thinks concepts emerging from Tuesday’s meeting will be important because the property tax issue has had such a ripple effect on Hoosiers.
“The commission recognizes property taxes are a big issue and that many other problems are created because of them for businesses, homeowners and senior citizens on fixed incomes,” Kenley said.
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*Sen. Kenley and the commission members will be available to answer questions from the media immediately following Tuesday’s meeting.
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