STATEHOUSE- Rep. Suzanne Crouch, along with her House Republican colleagues, today unveiled a 2010 legislative agenda with a focus on three key areas: protecting taxpayers' pocketbooks, growing and protecting jobs and enacting meaningful government reform. The 2010 legislative session is set to begin Jan. 5. "As session approaches we are prepared to pass permanent property tax caps, protect Hoosier jobs and reform legislative ethics," Rep. Suzanne Crouch (R-Evansville) said. "The 2010 legislative session will be very important to the future of Indiana, because we have the opportunity to lead the nation out of this recession." The Taxpayer Protection Plan: Growing Jobs, Helping Hoosiers calls for permanent property tax caps along with growing and protecting Hoosier jobs. Rep. Crouch hopes that the plan will serve as the foundation for providing fiscal protection to every Hoosier taxpayer. Rep. Crouch supports three main goals that do not rely upon taxpayers as an unlimited resource for taxes and also protect their pocketbooks: (1) pass permanent property tax caps now; (2) no new tax increases; (3) livewithin our means. The plan also includes four initiatives to protect and grow jobs: # Calling upon the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) to delay sending 2010 tax bills to employers. # Supporting the delay of the Unemployment Insurance tax increase. House Republicans did not support the bill from last session because it would punish employers with one of the largest tax increases in state history during an unprecedented economic downturn. # Supporting a review of all available job incentives so that Indiana can pool the current incentive funding to allow the Indiana Economic Development Corporation to use the incentives to increase Hoosier employment. # Allowing new employers to phase in their income tax within three years of starting a new business. This incentive will put Indiana ahead of many states around the country. The final portion of the Taxpayer Protection Plan will ensure the legislative process at all levels is open and transparent to Hoosier taxpayers. The plan provides increased lobbyist and legislator disclosures, creating an independent redistricting commission and encouraging efficiencies for local governments. |
