Torr: Indiana House Passes Budget

(STATEHOUSE) Feb. 20, 2009 - The Indiana House of Representatives voted 52-44 Friday afternoon to pass the state budget.  The vote fell along party lines, with nearly all Republicans voting 'No.'

Republicans opposed the plan, saying it would harm Hoosiers by increasing taxes in a recession.  The proposed budget would also increase property taxes.

"I think it's clear that right now is the worst possible time to drive Indiana into debt," said Rep. Jerry Torr (R-Carmel).  "The proposed budget will spend our general fund into the red by more than $195 million.  This budget needs to be re-evaluated to spend money only where it'll help create jobs for Hoosiers, not on projects that, in the long run, require even more dollars than this budget accounts for.

"This budget throws fiscal responsibility out the window at the expense of Hoosier taxpayers."

The proposed budget includes:

• Increased spending on education.
• Spending $324 million more than Gov. Mitch Daniels' proposed budget.
• Authorizing bonding for $600 million of new university capital projects.
• No funding for new high security prison beds at Miami and Wabash Valley Correctional Facilities.
• No funding for the 21st Century Research and Technology Fund.
• Only a one-year budget instead of the traditional two-year budget.

The proposed budget will now be heard by the Senate, where major revisions are expected.  The Republicans offered one amendment but withdrew it after Republican Leader Brian Bosma claimed it could not salvage the Democrat budget.