STATEHOUSE - A vote in the Indiana House today stripped critical taxpayer approval provisions from major public construction project laws. House Bill 1730, supported by all 52 House Democrats, would allow any public building project in excess of $2 million to avoid the taxpayer referenda and petition-remonstrance requirements enacted in 2008 simply by constructing the project with "green technology" standards.

Voter referenda for major construction projects, generally those in excess of $10 million or $20 million, were included in the landmark "Cut Now/Cap Forever" property tax legislation passed by the General Assembly in 2008. Under the bill, any project for the construction, repair, alteration or retrofitting of a public building or structure would be exempt from the referenda requirement, or for smaller projects, the voter petition process that was enacted in 1995, provided the project is built to nationally recognized energy efficiency standards.

The bill, passed by a 52-48 party line vote, now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Link to this event:

Democrats Vote to Gut Taxpayer Referenda