FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lawson announces results of 2008 legislative survey
(STATEHOUSE) – Results of this year’s legislative survey show a majority of Hoosiers in Senate District 24 support alternative revenue sources to fund local government and reduced government spending to help solve the state’s property tax crisis. Sen. Connie Lawson (R-Danville) announced today results from her survey, which focused on proposed legislation aimed at resolving the property tax crisis. Property taxes are collected and spent at the local level and are used to fund public K-12 schools, fire, police, libraries, city, town, township and county governments.
Several property tax proposals are currently under consideration:
- Of the many respondents, 40 percent believe sources other than property taxes should be used to fund local governments, while 11 percent believe local government spending should be preserved at the same current level.
- Overwhelmingly, 83 percent of those who responded would favor a bill that would shift remaining school operating costs and child welfare costs from property taxes to the state budget.
- 75 percent of respondents favored permanently capping property taxes on their home’s value.
Gov. Mitch Daniels proposal to cap property taxes at 1 percent for residential, 2 percent for rental/non-homestead residential and 3 percent for business and personal property is supported by a majority of respondents.
Of the views most closely reflected by respondents—raising sales taxes by up to 1 percent and local income taxes by an average of .06 to .07 percent in order to permanently cut property taxes on owner-occupied homes by 50 percent—led the way with 33 percent, while raising sales taxes from 6 percent to 13.2 percent to completely eliminate property taxes was favored by only 11 percent of respondents.
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