(STATEHOUSE) Wednesday, August 1st - Yesterday, House Republican leaders renewed their call for immediate relief for Hoosier property taxpayers, proposing a $200 million relief plan they hope will serve as a basis for agreement and action in a special session of the General Assembly.
Yesterday morning, House Republican leaders delivered a letter to Governor Daniels, Speaker Bauer, President Pro Tem Long and Senate Minority Leader Young, calling for immediate discussions among legislative leaders, and proposing a five point plan to solve the current tax crisis immediately. Representative Bill Friend (R-Macy) hopes that the plan will serve as a starting point for discussion and the basis for immediate relief for residential property taxpayers. If consensus can be reached, House Republicans are asking the Governor to call a special session of the General Assembly to adopt the relief plan. "I am pleased that the caucus is proposing a viable plan as a starting point, which will hopefully spark discussion from legislative leaders and the administration," said Rep. Friend. "House Republicans stand ready to take whatever action necessary to support immediate property tax relief for Hoosiers. Our intent is to develop long-term property tax reform in the next session, but we need immediate relief now. The logistics of delivering immediate property tax relief are such that action needs to be taken due to the urgency of providing necessary relief and the procedures local officials must complete." The five point plan to grant immediate relief to the hardest hit residential taxpayers will: (1) convert the rebate check (which some have predicted will now be issued as late as February of 2008) to a credit on the fall 2007 installment of taxes; (2) extend the deadline for filing of the homestead credit for 2007 to September 15 of this year; (3) grant local counties the flexibility to apply the credit to those individuals and communities hardest hit by recent tax increases; (4) freeze child welfare levies in 2007, with the state picking up all levy increases for 2007 and following years; and (5) appropriate an additional $100 million of state funds toward immediate residential property tax relief. Items 1, 4, and 5 would be distributed as a credit on fall 2007 tax bills.
"I realize that local officials have their hands full with all of the changes being made to local government," stated Friend. "We cannot snap our fingers and expect local officials to provide relief. Hopefully, we can propose actions that will eventually make their jobs easier, rather than harder."
A more detailed version of the plan is attached. - 30 - |
